Acura bulletin B20-031
What it saysThere is a popping or crackling from the speakers, a blank display, or no sound from the audio system. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Acura filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 27, 2023, received Jun 25, 2020, about the electrical system — 8 documents under this number. It names 3 model years (2019–2021). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationService Bulletin - There is a popping or crackling from the speakers, a blank display, or no sound from the audio system. You may also see a Network Loss message, the center display staying on after turning the vehicle to the OFF mode with the door open, display switches between the Day Mode and Night Mode, the Drive mode not available message appears, or the disclaimer message stuck on.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Jun 27, 2023 | 10238818 | not found |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Jun 17, 2021 | 10198183 | PDF, 3,386 KB |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Feb 18, 2021 | 10187542 | PDF, 2,875 KB |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Feb 10, 2021 | 10187295 | PDF, 2,745 KB |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Feb 6, 2021 | 10186938 | PDF, 2,747 KB |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Oct 9, 2020 | 10181083 | not found |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Sep 25, 2020 | 10180639 | not found |
| B20-031 | Service bulletin | Jun 18, 2020 | 10176784 | not found |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91561-TA5-A11 | Rear Pillar Trim Clip | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 39817-TJB-AC0 | FAKRA Connector Set | 3 | eBay Motors → |
| 39540-TJB-A01 | — | — |
Labour operation and the time the manufacturer allows
| Operation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 0101Q5 | Access the infotainment, amplifier, and tuner units, then replace the affected FAKRA… | 1.4 hrs |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (10 pages), read Oct 4, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches Acura’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Doing the repair yourself, or pricing it before the shop does? Search the part by fitment on eBay Motors — the listing and the price are the seller’s.
Find the tv/radio/speakers for the 2021 RDX →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 3 model years this bulletin names have filed 910 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 66 of them name Electrical System — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
On the 2019 Acura RDX, the 13 owners who gave an odometer reading for Electrical System reported it at a median of 6,250 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
Trying to overtake slower car on two lane road at approximately 60mph, car lost all power went into "limp mode" forced to find way off road on busy road. Using 93 octane gas, sunny day. Waited few minutes restarted vehicle. Extremely dangerous situation
2019 Acura RDX · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Apr 29, 2019 · ODI 11204315
The contact owns a 2020 Acura Rdx. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated several unknown warning lights were illuminated.
2020 Acura RDX · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Aug 10, 2020 · ODI 11348392
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the electrical system
Source: same model, same component group15 other manufacturer communications filed against the Acura RDX under the same component group (electrical system), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Acura list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.1.6.4 | Over-the-air update | May 18, 2026 | Over The Air Update - Vehicles equipped with the System Updates application are capable of downloading and installing Over the Air System Up… |
| F.1.4.1 | Over-the-air update | Jan 21, 2026 | Over the Air System Update - System updates contain upgrades that fix operational errors and/or provide a variety of enhancements, which add… |
| B24-045 | Service bulletin | Dec 18, 2024 | Service Bulletin - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications. An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to p… |
| B23-025 | Service bulletin | Dec 18, 2024 | Service Bulletin - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications. An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to p… |
| B24-058 | Service bulletin | Dec 17, 2024 | Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances when reversing near a chain-link fence or highly reflective surfaces, a parking and back-up s… |
| ONL6M309172024 | Other | Sep 18, 2024 | Owner Notification Letter - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications. An improperly manufactured terminal may… |
| BBOM07302024902 | Other | Jul 30, 2024 | Dealer Message - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications. An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poo… |
| BTI&10182023901 | Service bulletin | Oct 18, 2023 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2022-2023 RDXs with a client complaint of the center infotain… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Acura, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Acura B20-031 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the B20-031 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Honda warranty extension on file lists the ones Honda has filed.
Which vehicles does B20-031 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2021 Acura RDX, 2020 Acura RDX, 2019 Acura RDX. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.