Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Acura RDX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle inadvertently slowed down and without warning a strange noise came from the engine compartment and a sudden jerk to the wheel when the vehicle accelerated without warning up to approximately 100 mph. The contact was able to exit the highway where the vehicle made another strange noise from the engine compartment and the wheel jerked when the vehicle accelerated without warning again which resulted in the contact crashing into a group of 3 vehicles. There were 2 confirmed injuries which were the occupants of the contact's vehicle the driver and front seat passenger. The contact sustained a broken sternum, internal bleeding, decompression of lower back, and swollen right side foot. The contact's son sustained a lumbar fracture and a contusion. …
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at 70 MPH in the rain, the vehicle upshifted and downshifted independently. The check engine warning illuminated. The vehicle continued to downshift. The accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle continued to decelerate. The contact veered to the side of the roadway and parked the vehicle. The contact then turned off the vehicle for 30 seconds. The contact stated that as he restarted the vehicle, the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated. The vehicle then operated as needed while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH and changing lanes, the vehicle decelerated with an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to accelerate; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that after several minutes the vehicle started to operate as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 280,093.
When accelerating, my vehicle continues to have sudden deceleration, loss of power and stalls. While driving, the vehicle continues to have very sudden decelerate and loses power which is very dangerous given the volume and speed of other vehicles on the road. When driving steady for more than 30 minutes, you can hear the vehicle downshift or trying to go into another gear. It's only a matter of time before an accident happens if it has not yet already happened to someone else where life if not worth the risk.. Given the number vehicle owners who have had this same experience, I do not understand why this vehicle has not been recalled. It needs to be recalled as soon as possible before a life is involved. …
Pulled out to pass and when I tried to accelerate, the engine basically died. It didn't turn off, but dropped to limp mode and the check engine light started flashing. Engine stayed in limp mode until being turned off and on again. In limp mode, car would not even go 10 mhp on even a slight uphill incline. Doubt it would have made it up more of a hill. This could be a huge safety problem if there had been more traffic. Acura is aware of the problem and says it is a design flaw with the turbo intercooler, but they don't have parts to fix it. They said pulling over and turning the car off for a minute and restarting it should fix the problem, which it did for me, but that isn't always safe to do. Acura also said it is out of warranty and I will have to pay for the repair out of pocket. …
I was on a three hour drive in the rain and around the 2.5 hour mark I attempted to overtake a vehicle by rapidly accelerating. The vehicle had a complete loss of power and the check engine light illuminated. The car would not accelerate however the engine was running. I had to get to the shoulder across multiple lanes without engine power. The vehicle would only drive at idle speed until I powered the vehicle down and restarted at which time normal operation resumed and the check engine light was no longer illuminated. This is the second time this has occurred on a lengthy drive in the rain both times when attempting to overtake another vehicle. The latest occurrence was on April 10th 2021. The Acura dealership was unable to replicate or find any error codes in the ECU and directed me to corporate Acura to file a case. …
My car's engine quit as I was about to make a right turn off a 6 lane road. It would not restart. By design, the transmission immediately goes into park (electrickly). There is no way for the driver to put it into neutral so it could be pushed or serviced by a flat bed tow truck. As a result my car blocked the turn lane requiring numerous cars to go around me putting my wife and I in danger of being hit. It also put the drivers of cars who were detouring around me in danger of collision with cars in the three thru lanes. The police placed one of their cars in the lane with lights on to mitigate the danger. They also tried to start my car un-succcessfully. The dealer repaired my car by replacing a defective "O" ring in the fuel pump pressure line. This was a recall item I had previously had done by the dealer
Under full throttle acceleration while merging onto highway the car would not deliver power and the check engine started flashing. Pressing the accelerator did not make the car go. I had to pull over and stop the car. I turned it off and turned it back on and was able to drive away. Both times, the weather was very humid and I was merging on a ramp that had an uphill incline. This happened twice within a few days. The first time was on 3-MAY-2025 and the second time was on 5-MAY-2025
Powertrain failed in 2020 Acura RDX Tech Pkg AWD. Only 2 weeks after the 6 year warranty expired on the vehicle the powertrain failed and set off the check engine light. Dealer service department found an excessive amount of shavings in the plug. The vehicle only had 41,345 miles on it before transmission/powertrain failed and there was only 1 owner for the vehicle. It was purchased brand new from the dealer and vehicle was well-maintained.
My car transmission light came on...check engine. Then said blind spot warning not working. See dealer. My car transmission warning message appears every time I accelerate to 60mph. It switches to sport mode on its on and I am unable to switch it back. My cameras malfunction for blind spots. The car sound is louder and usually it's quiet. I take my car in regularly for servid3 with the dealer. This is very strange. I am scared to go past 60mph.
Transmission complaints in other RDX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Acura RDX?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Acura RDX, 6% of the model year's 348 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2020 Acura RDX transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2020 Acura RDX, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2020 Acura RDX transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 5,000 miles, and 83% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.