ACURA RDX · model year

2009 ACURA RDX

16 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009ACURARDX carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 RDX is air bags with 10 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and service brakes, hydraulic (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2009 RDX, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

16
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

16 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY1
SERVICE BRAKES1
WHEELS1

Recalls (2)

19V18200006/03/2019

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV

16V06100003/02/2016

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-20

Recent Complaints

20250223CrashAIR BAGS

I was involved in an accident and upon impact the airbags didn’t deploy although there was a chemical smell that occurred and the check airbag light comes on intermittently. Also driver seatbelt locked up and does not retract out.

20180114SERVICE BRAKES

AN ERROR MESSAGE ALWAYS COMES ON FOR "THE BRAKE SYSTEM" & "TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS". THEY BECOME PROBLEMATIC WHEN THE TEMP OUTSIDE DROPS TO 20 AND BELOW. LIVING IN CONNECTICUT DURING THE WINTER TIME A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS RECOGNIZED THIS ISSUE WITH THEIR ACURA RDX'S AND MDX'S. AS SOON AS YOU TURN THE VEHICLE ON THE ERROR MESSAGES ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMAL. AS SOON AS THE CAR WARMS UP OR THE OUTSIDE TEMP GOES UP HIGHER THAN 30 DEGREES IT GOES AWAY. AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TOOK LONGER TO STOP AND I HAD TO STOMP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD (GOING 20MPH)

Mileage: 79,000

20180114WHEELS

AN ERROR MESSAGE ALWAYS COMES ON FOR "THE BRAKE SYSTEM" & "TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS". THEY BECOME PROBLEMATIC WHEN THE TEMP OUTSIDE DROPS TO 20 AND BELOW. LIVING IN CONNECTICUT DURING THE WINTER TIME A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS RECOGNIZED THIS ISSUE WITH THEIR ACURA RDX'S AND MDX'S. AS SOON AS YOU TURN THE VEHICLE ON THE ERROR MESSAGES ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMAL. AS SOON AS THE CAR WARMS UP OR THE OUTSIDE TEMP GOES UP HIGHER THAN 30 DEGREES IT GOES AWAY. AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TOOK LONGER TO STOP AND I HAD TO STOMP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD (GOING 20MPH)

Mileage: 79,000

20170322AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL

20170213AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20161018AIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" NOTHING HAS HAPPENED AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM. I GOT THE RECALL NOTICE IN FEBRUARY 2016 AND I JUST CHECKED AND THE FIX IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. I AM PATIENT BUT 9 MONTHS SEEMS LIKE TOO LONG TO HAVE TO WAIT TO HAVE A DANGEROUS AIRBAG CORRECTED.

20160617AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160617AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160615AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20160601AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160503AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN FEBRUARY OF 2016. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20160501AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL CALLED ACURA NATIONAL , TOLD TO CALL ACURA DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHEN NEW PART WILL BE AVAILABLE AND DOESN'T HAVE LOANER CAR TO GIVE ME. CAR IS BEING DRIVEN BY MY 18 Y/O DAUGHTER FOR SCHOOL COMMUTE. REPAIR WILL BE MORE THAN 60 DAYS AND THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT FOR MY OLDER 2009 CAR WHEN I KNOW A RECENT REPLACEMENT WAS ALREADY INSTALLED ON A 2016 RDX IN NEARBY NORWALK, CONNECTICUT DEALERSHIP.

20121027VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

A DRIVER AND ONE PASSENGER WERE TRAVELING DOWN AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 70 MPH. ALL WINDOWS WERE CLOSED, THE SUNROOF AND SUNROOF SHADE WERE CLOSED. APPROX. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, A SUNNY BUT COLD DAY, AND THE INSIDE VEHICLE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROX. 70 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. OUT OF NOWHERE, A LOUD POP (LIKE A GUNSHOT) WAS HEARD. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, THERE WAS THE FAINT SOUND OF OUTSIDE AIR COMING FROM THE SUNROOF. THE DRIVER OPENED THE SUNROOF SHADE JUST ENOUGH TO IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT THE ENTIRE SUNROOF GLASS WAS SHATTERED (STILL INTACT, BUT COMPLETELY SHATTERED). WITHIN THREE MINUTES WHEN A SAFE PLACE WAS REACHED, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO EXAMINE FROM OUTSIDE. DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND SAW THAT THE GLASS SUNROOF WAS BUCKLED UPWARDS (AS THOUGH IT HAD POPPED FROM THE INSIDE). THE GLASS WAS NOT BROKEN IN ANY PATTERN WHICH INDICATED AN OBJECT FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE HAD HIT IT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE OF

Mileage: 56,175

20100622POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE FAILS TO SHIFT AND HITS REV LIMITER STOPING ALL FORWARD MOMENTUM. MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE IS MARKETED AS AN AUTOMATIC, BUT WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN "S", YOU HAVE TO USE THE SHIFTERS TO SHIFT, HOWEVER IF YOU ARE IN EVEN A SLIGHT TURN, YOU CANNOT ACCESS THE SHIFTERS AS THEY TURN WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS OF THIS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. ACURA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AN REFUSES TO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE.

Mileage: 50

20100324SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF REAR BRAKE COMPONENTS

Mileage: 11,623

20091110VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2009 ACURA RDX HAS UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION PROBLEM. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. HE PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONSUMER THEN SWITCHED THE GEAR FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND THEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED GOING FORWARD, BUT THE ENGINE REVVED EVEN MORE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. *JB

Compare 2009ACURARDX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 ACURA RDX have?
The 2009 ACURA RDX has 16 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 ACURA RDX?
Yes, the 2009 ACURA RDX has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 ACURA RDX?
The most-complained component for the 2009 ACURA RDX is AIR BAGS with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 2009 ACURA RDX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.