Acura owners have filed 11,238 complaints with NHTSA across 18 models. On average the car was 5.96 years old when the problem happened, and 32.2% of reports fall inside the first three years — while the factory warranty was still running.
What breaks on Acura
The systems Acura owners report most, and how often each failure ended in a crash.
| System | Complaints | Share of Acura | Ended in a crash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 15.8% | 2% | |
| Air Bags | 10.5% | 13.7% | |
| Exterior Lighting | 6.1% | 1.3% | |
| Steering | 5.7% | 2.8% | |
| Unknown Or Other | 5.4% | 1.8% | |
| Engine | 4.7% | 1.1% | |
| Electrical System | 4.1% | 2.6% | |
| Structure | 3.4% | 1.3% |
When Acura problems show up
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Average age at failure | 5.96 years | How old the car was when the problem happened |
| Reported inside 3 years | 32.2% | Share of complaints filed while the factory warranty was likely still running |
| Complaints describing a crash | 581 | Of 11,238 total |
| Complaints describing a fire | 135 | Of 11,238 total |
A low average age does not automatically mean a fragile car: a brand with a young fleet on the road will always skew early. Read it next to the share reported inside three years.
Which Acura models draw the most complaints
Volume follows sales, so a bestseller will always top this list. The columns worth reading are age at failure and how many reports ended in a crash.
| Model | Complaints | Share of Acura | Avg age at failure | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDX | 25.5% | 5.9 yrs | 126 | |
| TL | 22.9% | 7.4 yrs | 125 | |
| RDX | 18.3% | 4.9 yrs | 55 | |
| TLX | 7.4% | 4.3 yrs | 35 | |
| TSX | 5.2% | 6.6 yrs | 35 | |
| INTEGRA | 4.9% | 3.2 yrs | 55 | |
| CL | 4.2% | 7.3 yrs | 23 | |
| RL | 3.1% | 8.7 yrs | 15 | |
| LEGEND | 2.6% | 8.3 yrs | 45 | |
| ILX | 2.2% | 4.5 yrs | 21 | |
| RSX | 1.2% | 4.3 yrs | 24 | |
| RLX | 0.9% | 6.1 yrs | 2 | |
| ACURA | 0.7% | 1.8 yrs | 11 | |
| ZDX | 0.6% | 1.9 yrs | 5 | |
| VIGOR | 0.2% | 6.1 yrs | 4 |
Acura complaints by model year
A bad generation shows up here as a block of years, not as a single spike. Recent years look quiet simply because those cars are young and still under warranty.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | — | |
| 2025 | 2 | — | |
| 2024 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 7 | — | |
| 2022 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 8 | — | |
| 2020 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 15 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2017 | 17 | 7 | |
| 2016 | 23 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 22 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 5 | |
| 2013 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2010 | 18 | 6 | |
| 2009 | 18 | 2 | |
| 2008 | 9 | 9 | |
| 2007 | 13 | 8 | |
| 2006 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 30 | 5 | |
| 2004 | 36 | 11 | |
| 2003 | 34 | 9 | |
| 2002 | 40 | 4 |
What Acura owners report
Grouped by the system owners named. Open any row for the full reports, in their own words — one per model so the same fault does not repeat.
Power Train 1,781 Read
My vehicle stopped handling as it usually had and I at a significant decrease in traction and slid off the road and slammed into a road sign. No injuries but significant damage to the vehicle. It seemed as though the all-wheel drive was not working. No warning lamps and computer system indicated that all four wheels were getting power. Took it to dealer and they confirmed that the all-wheel drive system has failed. Splines in the transfer case stripped and transmission needs to be replaced
The car accelerated rapidly when I came to a stop. When I brought it to, the dealership they found 3 problems with the transmission. First, the transmission had overheated, there were problems in the clutch assembly, and I don't know the third
The contact owns a 2015 acura tlx. After the contact started and exited the vehicle, it rolled backwards. The contact mentioned that the emergency brake was not engaged. The vehicle came to a stop when it struck another vehicle. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000
Air Bags 1,180 Read
The contact's daughter owned a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 70 MPH on an interstate, another driver crashed into the rear passenger's side and the front passenger's side of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to spin clockwise. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The driver hit her shoulder and lower back against the driver's side door. The driver later received medical assistance and was being treated for lower back and shoulder injuries. No police report was filed. The rear tires were damaged and became flat. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the vehicle was later towed to the dealer's auto body shop, where it was totaled. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 92,900
The contact owned a 2005 Acura TL. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the front driver's side air bag might have deployed without impact, hit the contact's face, reducing the roadway visibility and causing the vehicle to crash into the rear-end of another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bag exploded and propelled fragments, causing the driver to experience difficulty breathing. The contact was assisted out of the vehicle because the front driver's side door was damaged and could only be opened from the outside. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle was significantly damaged and pushed back, and the driver's side of the vehicle was pushed back. The contact was transported to the hospital, where he was informed that he had sustained a concussion and a laceration on the left side of the head. The contact sustained bruises on the sternum, the spectrum, and the muscles, and the contact sustained whiplash and an airbag burn on the hand. The contact also sustained soft tissue damage on the right calf and throughout the body. The other driver did not sustain injuries and was able to drive away from the scene. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000
The driver side airbag. And yes, it can be inspected. I was involved in a low impact accident, where I struck a minor curb. The airbag deployed in my face, causing a loss of consciousness and ongoing concussion. No warning signs at all. Not yet, the vehicle is being looked at on Monday. The vehicle was inspected by the police
Exterior Lighting 687 Read
I am a claim representative for nationwide insurance. Our insured, john miholic's son, was driving the 2003 acura 3.2tl at night. He lost control of the vehicle and struck the right front end of his vehicle. A cause and origin report conducted by lange technical service indicated that due to the impact, the ignition of combustible materials form the high intensity head lamp bulb that was displaced caused the fire which totaled out the vehicle
Low beam headlight projector reflectors deteriorate making the low beam headlights unusable for safe driving. Entire assembly has to be replaced to remedy. Extremely common in this generation of Acura RDX based on internet searches
Was struck by a drunk driver while traveling north on gsp. Left driver side of the car was side swiped from the back to the front. I hadn't notice the light prior to the accident however according to the body shop there was a problem prior to the accident. The afs light was not triggered by the incident and it is a safety issue. Insurance refused to repair under claim as stated by them.....acura should repair due to the recall
Steering 644 Read
Steering was sticky, shifty and driver could not recover resulting in loss of control and impact into an electrical pole and total loss of vehicle. Manufacturer and insurance are set to inspect vehicle. Police reported driver at fault as they did not have the mechanical / technical expertise / evidence to determine cause of accident when the recall notice was brought to their attention
While driving on a congested highway, my steering wheel lost power making it impossible to control the truck's steering. The truck spun around multiple times before crossing lanes of traffic and hitting a guardrail head on. Thankfully, others avoided hitting my vehicle which would have caused more serious injuries. As of yet, the issue hasn't been reproduced or confirmed. The insurance company will conduct the Inspection. There were no warning lamps, alerts or symptoms prior to the steering wheel losing power. The insurance company has possession of the truck
On feb 9th 2024 as I was driving to work the steering wheel randomly locked forcing me across th eother lane and into a stone wall. Honda north america took control of the car, removed the parts and I still do not have the car back . They have offered no money and have not repaired the car. I feel they are aware of the problem and used this incident to try to cover the problem up and make it go away. I fear for the family of 4 traveling and heading into a dump truck.. This was a very scary event and I see no reason a steering wheel should lock and prevent the car from maintaining control
Unknown Or Other 602 Read
I was maneuvering to park my car in a parking lot. Driving down the traffic lane of the parking lot, I slowed, braked and turned left 90 degrees into the parking space with my foot still on the brake. I reached the end of the parking space and prepared to shut the engine down. I remember looking at the shift console to find the park button when the car bolted forward. The car went over the concrete curb, clipping a tree and through bushes beyond the parking space. The car proceeded down the embankment of a dry retention basin, across rip rap stone of the basin then up the other bank to the next parking lot. I was pushing hard on the brake petal the entire time with no results. The car just kept moving forward. I’m now thinking “How am I going to stop this car before it enters the busy street ahead?”. Once in this second parking lot, with a bit of mental clarity, I purposely slid my foot across the brake petal a very little bit, right to left, confirming to myself that I had not been on the accelerator. I did not lift my foot off the pedal to reposition my foot. Somehow, I was able to stop the car, or the car stopped itself in this parking lot. I was lucky that nobody else was involved or injured and there was no additional property damage beyond my vehicle. At this time, I’m not sure I will be able to trust this car again. Have there been other incidences of this ‘Sudden Unintended Acceleration’ happening to other Acura owners? Can I expect this to happen again to me?
The rear camera view that shows lines to assist in parking and taking the car out of the parking is so much misaligned that resulted my car hitting my garage when taking it out . Acura needs to address this to prevent the damages it can cause to the adjacent cars and properties
A)I stopped at the mailbox. I stopped at the top. Placed my car in park. Turned my car off. The car started rolling backwards. The car was in park and turned off. B)I do not know what failed or what happened. Yes, the my vehicle is available for inspection. I incurred road rash and injuries related to this incident. I’m in pain. C)This situation could have gone terribly wrong there were cars around and I live in a residential community so kids could have been out playing and could have gotten hurt. D)It is going today. E)It is going today. No there was no warning signs or anything that alerted me that my vehicle was in the state of distress. It just rolled back
Engine 533 Read
Catastrophic engine failure at speed, connecting rod failure, which is a known failure for this engine. Engine blew, lost all power, and hot oil hit the hot exhaust and the car caught on fire. A fire truck came to put out the engine fire
The contact owned a 2019 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while reversing, the backward collision avoidance system activated without any objects or persons behind the vehicle, and the vehicle abruptly stopped. The backup sensor did not sound, and the vehicle then shifted into drive, and the vehicle independently accelerated. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags were deployed. No injuries were sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard, where it was determined that the vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000
My vehicle had an engine rod bearing issue before the 1st recall, they replaced part of the engine. My vehicle also went through a starter recall and they also changed the rod bearing with the corrected part that was in for the last recall. Currently, my engine is still having the exact same rod bearing issue which is a safety concern for me. It’s currently at Ed Voyles Acura in Chamblee, GA waiting on a decision from corporate Acura. They will determine if they will pay for the repairs of my vehicle due to an old recall. This is the worse experience I have had with the Acura brand and I have had 3 Acuras in my life time. I think Acura is a beautiful car company with great performance. I would love if this situation would allow me a rental until my vehicle is fixed. Thank you
Electrical System 464 Read
After rear-end collision (my fault on slick pavement, going est. 15 mph where brakes locked up and car skidded for at least 15-20 feet) the front end of my car simply had a dented front end and grill and left (driver's side) headlight. A few minutes later a small flame broke out around this broken headlight and the flame quickly grew before the fire engines could get there, w/in 5 minutes the entire engine area was on fire and the car is now totaled. The fire chief told me that he had never seen a headlight catch fire and then spread the way this did. I'm questioning whether this was a mechanical or electrical defect in this model of acura and whether I have a claim against acura
The contact owns a 2013 Acura MDX. The contact stated that he was about to drive the vehicle when he noticed the front passenger-side headlight was flickering. The contact stated he decided not to drive the vehicle. The contact stated when he looked at the vehicle again he noticed the vehicle was on fire from the passenger side headlight. The contact stated a fire report was filed and the contact was informed that the fire origin was due to an electrical malfunction. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000
Small electric fire in driver side door panel melted all the way through outside door handle . After this happened to me I looked through forums and this seems to be a common issue with this car and there has been no recall for this issue . Very unsafe
Structure 380 Read
My vehicle was parked, running and unoccupied on the street. My wife entered from the passenger side reaching in to retrieve something from the center console. She pressed the start/stop engine button to shut off the vehicle. The car started rolling backwards down a hill, knocking my wife to the ground causing injury. Car continued to roll until it struck a tree
Vehicle was backed into garage parking space as usual by wife. Key removed, vehicle was thought to be in park. Parking brake not applied. Garage door was left open. 30 minutes later, vehicle was not in garage and was straight across the cul-de-sac at neighbors driveway 6' away from their car. Upon further inspection, minor damage and paint scrapes were observed at back of neighbors bumper and right front of the mdx. Plastic clip was observed on ground that attached plastic bumper to body of mdx. Shifter was found to be in reverse on mdx. Testing after the fact showed that the key can be removed while not in park. I noticed a recall starting with 2003 mdx of the key being removable while not in park. We have owned this vehicle since new and have been at same address
The acura impacted the left rear of a parked ford explorer just ahead of the bumper at approximately 5-10 mph and rolled 180 degrees coming to rest on it's roof. Conditions at the site: dry asphalt, residential neighborhood, 7 a.m
Unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA. Percentages are shares of all 11,238 Acura complaints.
Acura against the rest
| Measure | Where Acura sits | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| By complaint volume | #21 | 29 brands with 3,000+ complaints |
| By age at failure (later is better) | #11 | 29 brands |
| Complaints ending in a crash | 5.2% | across all 11,238 reports |
Ranking by volume says more about how many cars a brand sells than about how they hold up. Age at failure is the fairer of the two.
Compare Acura with the rest
Acura problems by model
17 Acura models have owner complaints on file. Pick one for its worst years, failing systems and what owners actually wrote. Another 1 Acura models have no complaints on record at all.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Go deeper
Frequently asked questions
How reliable is Acura?
Owners have filed 11,238 complaints across 18 Acura models. On its own that number reflects how many Acura cars are on the road — compare the average age at failure (5.96 years) instead.
What breaks most often on a Acura?
The most reported system is Power Train with 1,781 complaints.
Do Acura problems show up under warranty?
32.2% of Acura complaints describe something that happened in the first three years, while the factory warranty was likely still running.
Which Acura model has the most complaints?
See the model list above — each card shows its complaint count, and the model page breaks it down by year and by system.