Major Problems with Acura RSX Derived from Complaints & Recalls

Learn about the common problems with a used Acura RSX to avoid purchasing a bad year of the model.

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Best and Worst Years for Acura RSX

Explore the chart showing how many complaints have been filed for each year of Acura RSX.

Model Year	Complaints
2006 RSX	22
2005 RSX	30
2004 RSX	17
2003 RSX	25
2002 RSX	71
2001 RSX	2

Worst 3 Acura RSX complaints

2003 Acura RSX AIR BAGS Victims: 4 Mileage: 82000 miles

2002 Acura RSX FRONTAL Victims: 2

2002 Acura RSX AIR BAGS Victims: 2 Mileage: 24000 miles

Browse Acura RSX complaints by category

Problems with MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AIR BAGS and FRONT are the most frequent issues recorded by the NHTSA from Acura RSX owners.

Problem Category	Number of Problems
MANUAL TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN after my rsx type s sits for a few hours i get in it to drive and when i shift	31 ~ 23944 miles
AIR BAGS tl*the contact owns a 2006 acura rsx. the air bags failed to deploy during a crash at 65 mph. the...	20 ~ 49962 miles
FRONT > SUSPENSION purchased the car in october 2005. began to notice a popping sound from the right front of the car in...	10 ~ 2914 miles
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1. hazardous night driving loss of low beam headlight due to poor light socket design and construction. this defect appears...	7 ~ 40831 miles
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING i purchased a 2005 acura rsx type-s about a year and half ago around 4/20/05. i drove it for about...	7 ~ 14700 miles
TIRES tire blew out while driving approximately 55 mph on highway resulting in loss of control of vehicle and a crash....	6 ~ 23670 miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER please move odi 10132694 and 10132696 to the honda rsx area as i was unable to find the honda rsx	6 ~ 44367 miles
FRONTAL > AIR BAGS this is a safety design failure whereby the front passenger can easily get their feet trapped and/or broken in an...	6 ~ 37950 miles
POWER TRAIN problems with brakes and transmission on 2003 acura rsx. *mr the brakes squealed. the consumer was advised that the brakes	6 ~ 85333 miles
ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING i bought my car from a dealer in august 2006 in january of 07 i noticed my 2003 acura rsx...	5 ~ 35574 miles
ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC for some time now i have felt my brakes do not perform up to par. recently in stop and go...	5 ~ 21400 miles
MACPHERSON STRUT > FRONT > SUSPENSION suspension problem - acura rsx type s 2006 model year. at 1300 miles started hearing a popping/clicking sound when making...	5 ~ 144 miles
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN using headlights during daytime conditions results in odometer and gear selection indicatiors becoming unreadable...	5 ~ 14500 miles
STRUCTURE water leaks in to the trunk (where the spare tire is kept).it puddles and causes rust and mold. it causes...	4 ~ 51275 miles
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM there is water and condensation build up inside the tail lights. i have replaced them a few times and still...	4 ~ 31896 miles
SIDE/WINDOW > AIR BAGS airbag failure to deploy in a substantial passenger door side impact causing total loss of the vehicle and injuries to...	4 ~ 11575 miles
CATALYTIC CONVERTOR > EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM my 2002 acura rsx emits a terrible rotten egg odor after i drive it for about five minutes and stop...	4 ~ 413 miles
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM ever since i purchased the car it has had a smell of gas. i thought it would go away after...	3 ~ 190000 miles
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC i own a 2006 acura rsx. i was driving at 40 mph on the new york state thruway yesterday (12/9/09)...	3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2003 acura rsx. accelerates for no reason without pushing on the throttle pedal. this usually occurs after the vehicle has	3 ~ 75000 miles
SUSPENSION when making slow turns sounds from strut will be heard or when the car is stationary turning the wheels will	3 ~ 867 miles
HEADLIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING the new bright blue headlights are an outstanding inovation when they are properly aimed however the aim of the headlight...	3 ~ 39000 miles
GASOLINE > ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING problems shifting from 3rd into 4th gear. car shifts into second and redlines engine. computor fails to shut engine down...	3 ~ 5425 miles
EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING problems with 2002 acura rsx possible lemon law qualifier. *mr the check engine light had come on. the consumer was...	3 ~ 1902 miles
SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE > FRONTAL > AIR BAGS tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura rsx. she stated that the airbag srs light remains illuminated at all times. the...	2 ~ 57500 miles
PARKING BRAKE purchased car on july 31 2006 and drove car directly home. overnight parking brake failed and car crashed into tree...	2 ~ 25 miles
HEATER CORE > DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM > VISIBILITY the hvac (air conditioning / heating system / defroster) started smelling bad with a toxic mildew odor the very first...	2 ~ 51 miles
REAR > SUSPENSION the rear of the vehicle pulls to the side when using the brakes on the freeway. when i had my...	2 ~ 50 miles
HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM > STEERING brakes make grinding noise and power steering fluid goes down i have had the brakes replaced about 4 times in...	2 ~ 25500 miles
POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS > VISIBILITY i noticed that my driver's side window made a grinding noise every so often when it was being rolled up...	2 ~ 8853 miles
BUMPERS > BODY > STRUCTURE rear bumper cover falling off. the rear of the car has a large plastic cover that extends the width of...	2
DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM > VISIBILITY vehicle is leaking toxic hydrogen sulfide and insidious poison gases through ventilation. this causes headache irritation while in vehicle. dealer...	2
SERVICE BRAKES the car failed to stop for an intersection. luckily there was no cross traffic so we did not have an...	1 ~ 109000 miles
STEERING tl* the contact owns a 2002 acura rsx. while driving approximately 15 mph and attempting to make a right turn...	1 ~ 141000 miles
ENGINE while driving approx 60 mph freeway my car suddenly and without warning started running very rough and noisily and shuddered...	1 ~ 75985 miles
SEAT BELTS tl*the contact owns a 2002 acura rsx. while driving at approximately 45 mph the srs service light illuminated on the...	1 ~ 91136 miles
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM i own a 2006 acura rsx. i was driving at 40 mph on the new york state thruway yesterday (12/9/09)...	1
VISIBILITY the issue i am having is not a one time problem but seems to be ongoing in the winter months....	1
WHEELS all the aluminum wheels on my 2005 acura rsx-s are showing signs of early corrosion due to bubbling & erosion...	1 ~ 32000 miles
BUCKLE ASSEMBLY > FRONT > SEAT BELTS tl*the contact owns a 2002 acura rsx. while driving at an unknown speed the srs warning light illuminated on the...	1 ~ 78000 miles
SIDEWALL > TIRES i purchased 4 sigma regent touring 205/55tr16 7e55 from tire kingdom in may 2006 when my card had ~77k now...	1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled on 6/27/06 while stopped at a traffic light and the check engine light...	1 ~ 64000 miles
COOLING SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING fans wont start while in a stop and go traffic with a/c in the off position. *tr...	1 ~ 73000 miles
TREAD/BELT > TIRES i have a 2004 rsx-s a-spec . it has a six speed transmission. when shifting from first to second...	1 ~ 13000 miles
STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR > STEERING i purchased a 2005 acura rsx type-s about a year and half ago around 4/20/05. i drove it for about...	1 ~ 5900 miles
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER > EQUIPMENT i purchased a 2005 acura rsx type-s about a year and half ago around 4/20/05. i drove it for about...	1 ~ 5900 miles
LATCH > HOOD > LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES dt: problem was noticed about a week ago. the hood latch is bolted to a piece of metal and there...	1
AIR CONDITIONER > APPLIANCE > EQUIPMENT the air conditioner on my 2003 acura rsx did not work very well when i bought it. i procrastinated to...	1
FRONT > SEAT BELTS my daughter was stopped in traffic and was hit from behind in her 2002 acura rsx. her seat belt latch...	1 ~ 30000 miles
PADS > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS brakes make grinding noise and power steering fluid goes down i have had the brakes replaced about 4 times in...	1
SOLENOID > STARTER ASSEMBLY > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM problems with brakes and transmission on 2003 acura rsx. *mr the brakes squealed. the consumer was advised that the brakes	1
ELECTRICAL > EQUIPMENT oem foglight lenses cracks too easily. *ak...	1
FOG LIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING oem foglight lenses cracks too easily. *ak...	1
EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING i took my rsx-s to valencia acura for them to check my transmission for grinds and wearing of the clutch....	1 ~ 29290 miles
SHOCK ABSORBER > REAR > SUSPENSION dealer said that right rear strut was shot and needed to be replaced. significant rattle was coming from the right...	1
FRAME AND MEMBERS > STRUCTURE *open body seam at drivers a-pillar. i reported this problem twice as suspension noise which i though was the problem...	1 ~ 3500 miles
CALIPER > DISC > SERVICE BRAKES, AIR the brake calipers on my 2002 acura rsx (base model) intermittently "seize" and cause the vehicle and steering column to...	1 ~ 12800 miles
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER my 2002 acura rsx emits a terrible rotten egg odor after i drive it for about five minutes and stop...	1 ~ 150 miles
BODY > STRUCTURE the rsx is a brand new car that has only been on the market for about six weeks. the car...	1
SEATS the rsx is a brand new car that has only been on the market for about six weeks. the car...	1

FAQ

What year Acura RSX is the most reliable?

Speaking of the models produced in the last 6 years, Acura RSX models of 2001, 2004, 2006 year of manufacture have had the least number of complaints.

What year was a bad year for Acura RSX?

Acura RSX models of 2002 and 2005 are probably the years to be avoided like the plague due to a higher than an average number of issues reported.

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