The Acura RSX has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2002–2006. On average a defect was admitted 3.38 years after the car was built, the slowest took 7 years. The most recalled system is Exterior Lighting (4 campaigns). Owners also filed 137 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Acura RSX
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Exterior Lighting 4 Read
What's wrong. Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk. Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash
Fix. Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo usa at 909-468-3688
What's wrong. Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment
Risk. Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
Fix. Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884
What's wrong. Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk. Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash
Fix. Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo usa at 909-468-3688
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 1 Read
What's wrong. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2006 Acura RSX vehicles manufactured January 18, 2006, through August 12, 2006; and model year 2006-2007 Honda S2000 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2006, through November 13, 2006. The brake booster may be unable to maintain a vacuum when the brake pedal is depressed, decreasing brake assist
Risk. With reduced braking assistance, the vehicle may require additional brake pedal force to prevent a lengthened stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake booster assembly. If necessary, the dealers will replace the booster assembly free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-310-783-2000. Honda's recall number is JA4. Acura's recall number is JA5
Equipment 1 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles and motorcycles, the owner's manuals contain incorrect contact information for the national highway traffic safety administration's (NHTSA) vehicle safety hotline
Risk. The language in the owner's manuals is not in accordance with the current mandatory requirements
Fix. Honda will send a postcard to dealers and owners with the correct NHTSA vehicle safety hotline information and with instructions to insert the card into the "reporting safety defects" section of the owner's manual. The recall began on august 2, 2006. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009, acura at 1-800-382-2238…
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 3.38 years |
| Slowest campaign | 7 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 25% |
| Campaigns on record | 6 |
Which RSX years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Equipment | |
| 2005 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2004 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2003 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2002 | Exterior Lighting |
Check your own car
Each of these 6 campaigns covers a range of production, not every Acura RSX ever built — two cars of the same year can differ by a single week at the plant. Whether yours is among them, and whether the free repair was already carried out, is answered only by the number on its windscreen: check this RSX by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
A campaign on one model says little about the brand as a whole — see how the Acura RSX compares in the full recall check by make and model →
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Acura RSX have?
6 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2002–2006. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my RSX still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 3.38 years, and the slowest campaign came 7 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.
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