2021 Acura RDX reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2021 Acura RDX — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 146
- 139 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- 28 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 3
- see below
- Reported harm
- 5 reported crashes · 2 injuries
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#3,257
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Acura median
-68
median 215 across 48 Acura records
Vs 2019-2023
-93
median 240 complaints in 444 records
Top component share
19%
Unknown Or Other: 28 complaints
What owners report fails — 2021 Acura RDX
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 28
- ENGINE 18
- SERVICE BRAKES 13
- AIR BAGS 11
- STRUCTURE:BODY 9
3 recalls on record for the 2021 Acura RDX
- NHTSA 26V332000 · 2026 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 24V064000 · 2024 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 21V939000 · 2022 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2021 Acura RDX
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2021 Acura RDX units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Acura RDX reliable?
NHTSA has 146 consumer complaints on record for the 2021 Acura RDX and 3 recalls. The most-reported problem area is unknown or other (28 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2021 Acura RDX units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Acura RDX?
Owners most often report problems with: unknown or other (28), engine (18), service brakes (13), air bags (11). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2021 Acura RDX?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.