Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Acura RSX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The car stopped at an traffic intersection when making a left turn. Fortunately, the traffic was light. Later, a broken driver side cv axel was identified, which had sever corrosion inside the damper. the narrowest diameter is only 16mm vs 25mm of the axel.
I was driving and shifted from 2nd to third and I let out the clutch at 30 MPH and the transmission came apart with gears on the ground. Acura never called the warranty company so it was never fixed and they reposed it.
I bought a certified pre-own 2002 Acura RSX - s on 9/17/2004 from ocean Acura, ocean nj. I even bought the extended warranty. The dealer said they have done over 100 points check and have done all necessary maintenance. Within two and half week, I am experincing transmission problem shifting from second to third and sometime a grinding sound. I have made an appointment with the dealer to bring in the car on 10/13/04. That appointment never took place because the car broke down on 10/09/04. I got in touch with roadside assistance and they have towed the car to the nearest Acura dealer (ryan's open road) east brunswick n.j. I have spoken to ocean Acura, Acura America and ryan's several time. Ryan has determine that the engine is damage and I will need a new engine. The dealer (ocean) is trying to put the blame on me saying that I have abused the engine and I am responsible for fixing it. …
I've had transmission problems ever since I purchased the new RSX in 02... This problem has been widely reported on the internet... However Acura has failed to address this issue... The problem only got worse over time and finally the engine blew out completely and starting smoking while driving on the freeway... Was very fortunate that no crash occurred but injuries/fatalities could have easily resulted. Acura has failed to own-up to this engine/transmission failure issue, even in cases where the warranty is still valid... I feel very much mislead as I have complained to my dealer since purchase and they always refused to acknowledge that there is a problem... I think the fact that Acura has stopped making the RSX is an indication of the severity of these "hidden" issues.
My 2002 Acura RSX-s was difficult to shift into 2nd and 3rd gears. This is a safety issue because you May pull out and need to accelerate and you can not. Rosenthal Acura looked at the car and said it needed some parts for 3rd gear. They took the car apart and found a broken shift fork lever. Acura corp said that this was not covered under warranty even though my 50,000 mile powertrain warranty is still in effect. They did not give any reason for denying my claim. As of now Acura is refusing to cover this under warranty and is quoting me over 2000 dollars to fix a car that is not even 2 years old! There are over 900 people on the internet that have all signed a petition to get Acura to recall all the transmissions in the 2002 and 2003 acuras. Please help me out here.
Transmission mistakenly downshifted to 2nd rather than upshifted to 4th after an uphill climb. At the start of the descend when car gained speed I intended to upshift from 3rd to 4th but shifted to 2nd instead. I spun out of control and found the car facing where I came from. The engine died and will not re-start. Car was towed to dealer and claimed engine was over revved and beyond repair. Acura refused to repair under warranty. Please investigate the shifting mechanism as it is very easy to mistakenly shift to 2nd gear when accelerating or driving downhill. Lucky nobody hurt.
Dt*: the contact stated the SRS light illuminated which made the contact concerned that the air bags May not deploy in the event of an accident. There was a technical service bulletin #637638. The contact expressed this was safety defect. There also has been trouble with switching gears from first to second gear. It made a grinding sound while going into second gear. This problem developed at 12,7000 miles. The vehicle has not been to a service dealer to address either problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Acura RSX type s. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-60 MPH, the third gear shifted out of gear. In addition, there was a very loud grinding noise. The vehicle had not been inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
2002 Ford explorer xlt 4.0 liter jerks when engaging into reverse. Vehicle jerks hard enough that the brakes are not enough to stop it from moving. No other gear is like this. Upon further study from online journals and discussions pages as well as speaking with transmission technician, this is a very common problem in these.
Transmission is horrible in the car this is the 2nd one that went on me. The first time it went it popped out of 2nd gear and grinded into 3rd. The second time it started the same way as the first one went, but it only got worse because it got stuck in 3rd gear and that was the only gear that would work, not even reverse!
Transmission complaints in other RSX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2002 Acura RSX?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2002 Acura RSX, 26% of the model year's 76 complaints. The component named most often is manual transmission (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Acura RSX transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2002 Acura RSX. 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 2002 Acura RSX transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 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.