Acura NSX Reliability

Owners filed 13 complaints about the NSX: 1.3 per production run against 3.73 for the market, fewer complaints than most cars.

NHTSA owner complaints · 13 complaints · 1991–2021 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age, so 40% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Service Brakes, with 5 complaints, typically at 3 years.

Acura NSX years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Acura NSX — complaint rate by model year
Model yearPer runComplaintsRunsEnough history?
20171.6753yes
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Acura NSX — age at failure
Age at failureComplaintsRunning totalWarranty
0 years220%covered
1 year350%covered
2 years160%covered
7 years170%you pay
8 years3100%you pay
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 60% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 40% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (6 years / 70,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 23% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Acura NSX, the early trouble is Service Brakes and Unknown Or Other — reported at around 3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Hydraulic at 5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Acura NSX — what fails and when
SystemComplaintsTypical ageCrashFire
Service Brakes53 yrs——
Hydraulic35 yrs——
Unknown Or Other33 yrs——
Fuel/propulsion System37.7 yrs——
Engine And Engine Cooling2———
Power Train1———
Seat Belts1———
Electrical System11 yrs——
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the NSX's vehicle class.

FIG.05·Acura NSX — rivals in the same class
Same class as the NSXComplaints on recordRecall campaignsYears built
Audi R81382008–2023
Chevrolet Corvette5,3931551981–2026
Dodge Viper81451992–2017
Mazda MX-598341990–2026
Lamborghini Huracan2252015–2026
Ford GT10122004–2022
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Acura NSX reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.3 against 3.73 for the average car.

When do NSX problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age. The most reported system is Service Brakes, typically at 3 years, followed by Hydraulic.

Will the warranty cover NSX problems?

Mostly yes: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and 60% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 23% of the complaints here.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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