2020 Acura RDX engine problems
55 of the 346 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Acura RDX name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 24 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 55 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 2 · 2020: 21 · 2021: 11 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 7
Half of the 29 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 3,000 and 9,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
346 complaints in all about the 2020 Acura RDX, 7 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Acura RDX engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I wanted to let you know a frightening experience we had with the Acura Rdx on august 16th. My family, including my 2 children & dog, were driving home on the expressway in the hov line. My husband was driving the Rdx we just leased not even a month ago. He had the car in cruise control doing 60 MPH.
While driving at a consistent rate of speed on a 65 MPH highway the vehicle suddenly and without warning lost engine power. The vehicle began to rapidly drop speed and the check engine light would blink when the accelerator was depressed.
2020 Acura Rdx with approx 6,200 miles. Driving from pittsburgh, pa to new jersey. I reached new jersey after driving from pittsburgh. There was moderate to heavy rain showers during the drive. The rain ended prior to me entering new jersey. I exited the jersey turnpike for the on ramp to 195 east.
On 7/22/2020, I was entering the mass pike from I-495 outside of boston. I accelerated to get around a box truck and suddenly the engine light started flashing and the car started to lose power. No matter how much I stepped on the gas, the car kept losing speed.
2020 Acura Rdx aspec purchased apr2020 new - ~2,800 miles when incident occurred on sat, 4jul2020 - was traveling on I-10 west at ~70 to 75 MPH - attempted to pass a vehicle (on the left) when car lost all ability to accelerate and orange engine light began to blink in lower left corner of dashboard - I was pushing accelerator to the…
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications24 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- B25-049 Service bulletinSep 17, 2025
- Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover.
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0171 P0174 P219A P0087 P061B P0300 P0301 P0302
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 Acura RDX names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2020 Acura RDX
Source: the same files- visibility and wiper problems 101 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2020 Acura RDX?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 55 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (16% of everything owners filed about it), and 24 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2020 Acura RDX?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 5 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2020 Acura RDX?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 5,600 miles; half of them between 3,000 and 9,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.