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2017 Acura RDX

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

97 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints7 crash · 1 fire · 6 injured · 1 died reported 80

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2017 Acura RDX is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RDX FWD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 80 complaints, most often about the power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Acura RDX — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Acura RDX · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
RDX FWD	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	28	23	$3,550
RDX AWD	Gas	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl	19	27	22	$3,750

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37307, 37308.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
RDX AWD, RDX FWD	6 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.5 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower

279 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4x2
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Advance Package, Base/Acura Watch Plus Package, Tech Package/Tech with Acura Watch Plus Package). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	183.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	73.6 in
Height	66.5 in
Wheelbase	105.5 in
Track, front	63.0 in
Track, rear	63.4 in
Curb weight	3,856 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV AWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

○minor

Equipment

KF3, KF4

1,425 vehicles 99% reported repaired built Jan 1, 1900 – Jan 1, 1900

Problem Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017 CR-V and Acura RDX vehicles. The Certification Labels on the affected vehicles were printed with ink that may be inadvertently wiped away with an alcohol solvent. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification." Risk If the label information can be wiped away, the operator may not be able to refer to the information, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash. Fix Honda and Acura will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Certification Label, free of charge. The recall began June 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KF3 (CR-V)and KF4 (RDX).

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V256000 reported Apr 18, 2017 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf. Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a subst

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific RDX

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Acura publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Acura’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Acura RDX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

80complaints filed

7 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 6 injuries · 1 deaths reported

12 per 10,000 built · Acura reported 64,786 RDX built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 9 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 12

Most-cited components

Power Train 24

Electrical System 18

Service Brakes 11

Engine 11

Vehicle Speed Control 8

Unspecified 8

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Turning in a field chamin the roads my auto slided. Later apparead the "AWD" note. What dose it mean?

Power Train Jan 10, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11387386

This car has just 10,000 miles. When the car started it suddenly over accelerated over 5800 RPM and the engine had to be turned off. Every time the engine was started the motor over running above the 5800rpm. The car was towed to the Acura repair shop. The acura's mechanic do not find anything wrong.

Fuel/Propulsion System Jan 4, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11386470

The contact owns a 2017 Acura Rdx. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and loss motive power. The vehicle coasted to a stop. The vehicle was restarted and operated as designed for less than one minute before the failure recurred. The contact stated the failure reoccurred at 35-40 MPH.

Engine at 37,800 miles Oct 19, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11365183

During morning commute on highway multiple warning lights came on, including electronic stability control, emissions, lane departure, and power steering. On rapid acceleration vehicle had pronounced power loss, which obviously could be dangerous. This is the second time this very thing has happened to the vehicle.

Electronic Stability Control Sep 24, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11257617

This vechicle starts to loose power, jerky acceleration then cuts out completely. All the lights come on including check engine and remains on until I tak it to the dealer. Purchased in march 2018, this is a continual problem and getting worse. Three times in the past month.

Electrical System at 43,400 miles Jul 28, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11240187

While driving with the lane departure system on and cruise control on, the vehicle would unexpectedly brake for no reason. This happened several times. With lane departure system on and cruise control off, the vehicle would occasionally give a "brake now" warning for no reason.

Service Brakes at 3,000 miles Apr 22, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11202874

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Acura itself: 35 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 44 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 54 per 100,000 built. Every RDX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 14k

miles, typically

Half the 29 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 4,000 and 43,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 29 on file: 12 under 10k, 4 10k–20k, 2 20k–30k, 2 30k–40k, 3 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 1 70k–80k, 1 90k–100k, 2 100k–150k, 1 150k +.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin B23-029The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin BBOM08312023901Dealer Message - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 120

Most recentmanufacturer date 2025-06-04

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 117 service bulletins, 3 others

Most often about: Equipment, Structure, Steering, Engine, Electrical System.

ONL6T806032025 Acura Form Other
2025-06-04 · Power Train
Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and sets DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off.
ONL6T806032025 Acura Lett Other
2025-06-03 · Power Train
Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and sets DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off.
B23-029 Service bulletin
2025-04-18 · Engine
Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF.
BEBM04182025901 Other
2025-04-18 · Engine
Dealer Message - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the MIL not illuminating. “D” flashes and “Transmission Overheat” message appears setting DTC P0741 Torqu
B23-029 Service bulletin
2024-02-26 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF.
B23-029 Service bulletin
2023-11-17 · Power Train
Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF.
B23-029 Service bulletin
2023-08-31 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF.
BBOM08312023901 Service bulletin
2023-08-31 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Dealer Message - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the MIL illuminating and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0171 P0171 on Acura →	The engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Mass air flow sensor →	15 bulletins
P0174 P0174 on Acura →	The engine is running lean on bank 2.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Mass air flow sensor →	15 bulletins
P219A P219A on Acura →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	15 bulletins
P0741	The torque converter clutch is not locking up when commanded.	Engine	8 bulletins · 2 owner reports
P2652	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins
P3400	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.3%

failed emissions

2,616 initial inspections of 2,569 vehicles.

Measure	The 2017 RDX	Every 2017 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.3%	3.7%	2,615
Failed the safety inspection	1.2%	2.1%	2,616
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.11%	0.25%	2,616
Miles driven a year	9,381	10,048	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	87,142	93,238	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

RDX by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 1 23 mpg 2025 A 1 30 23 mpg 2024 B 2 12 23 mpg 2023 B 2 24 24 mpg 2022 B 2 31 24 mpg 2021 C 3 117 24 mpg 2020 C 5 348 24 mpg 2019 C 5 440 24 mpg 2018 A 1 77 23 mpg 2017 this page A 1 80 23 mpg 2016 C 2 41 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 RDX

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Acura RDX have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2017 Acura RDX. The most serious on file is 17V256000, covering Equipment. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Acura RDX?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Acura RDX 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (97/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Acura RDX?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Acura RDX, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Acura RDX?

Transport Canada measured it at 183.5 in long, 73.6 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.5 in tall, on a 105.5 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,856 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Acura RDX?

Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Acura RDX, most often about power train, electrical system, service brakes. Of those, 7 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 6 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Acura RDX?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Acura RDX is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Acura RDX?

The manufacturer has filed 120 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Acura RDX, most often covering equipment, structure, steering. The most recent is dated 2025-06-04. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Acura RDX do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Acura RDX failed the emissions check on 2.3% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.2% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	80	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	120	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	13 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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