Most common 2003 Acura RSX problems
Share of the 25 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Acura RSX complaints by model year
Best RSX years: 2004. Years to avoid: 2002. Compare all years →
What 2003 Acura RSX owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
My Acura RSX type s was parked in a local wal-mart parking lot. It was in first gear. After my wife and I went inside, our car rolled backwards through the entire parking lot, down an embankment and up on a curb in another lower parking area. Fortunately, the car did not hit any person, car, or cart, but there was serious exhaust damage that cost upwards of $400 which the dealership did not cover under warranty because they argued that the emergency brake should have been on, which it wasn't. My wife and I argued that if the clutch was working properly, and the car was indeed "in gear", it should go nowhere...let alone backwards.
Vehicle: 2003 Acura RSX-type s with 6 speed manual transmission. With only 7,940 miles and 9 months old, the transmission is blocking or grinding 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. This is hazardous when you are pulling through an intersection trying to engage 2nd gear and you can not get the trans into 2nd. It has been to the dealer twice (12-15-03 and 1-9-04) for this problem. They replaced synchronizers in the transmission. The problem still occurs.
Air bags
My teenage son was driving his 2003 Acura RSX-s on highway i60 in southern california. His car was hit in the left rear which pushed him in the tail of a big rig. His car then flew off the freeway and off a cliff, approx 80-90 feet down. Car rolled over estimated a 7-8 times. Neither of the two front or two side airbags deployed. There were 4 passengers including the driver. All wearing seatbelts. 1 serious and 3 minor injuries. Car completely totalled. No drugs or alcohol involved.
After being rear ended consumer's vehicle was struck a second time at 55 MPH in the driver's door. Upon impact, neither side air bags nor the frontal air bags deployed. The vehicle was totaled. The vehicle was hit with such force that the front axle snapped.
Engine & cooling
Fog light cracked they blamed it on me replaced it and it cracked again 1 week later and they fixed it again blaming it on road vibration. It took Acura 3 times to fix my sticking map lights. My car was at Acura for 1 1/2 weeks for a buzzing sound from the engine they found a buzzing wire after all that time. Transmission was also grinding and they never fixed it. My car's oil has been disappearing since I bought it. My low oil light comes on after 800 miles after topping off. At 13949 they started an oil test "they were tiring to tell me it was normal to loose 1qt every 500 miles. They also blamed it on my oil mobile 1. So I paid $75.00 for Acura to change it. They insisted that to do any work on my car they need me to come back to Acura every 500 miles for "Acura" oil which I did for 3 times until I noticed oil coming from the back of my engine 23396 miles they replaced head gasket. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Acura RSX with a 4-cylinder, 2.0 liter engine. While driving at speeds of 65 MPH, there was a tapping noise coming from under the hood. The vehicle then stalled without warning and shortly after, he was able to restart the vehicle. Once the vehicle was restarted, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and increased in engine rpms of 9,000. He was able to put the vehicle into neutral and maneuver off the highway. The engine then blew itself and made a loud popping noise. He was unable to restart the vehicle at that point. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they performed a diagnostic and determined the failure to be driver error. The engine was replaced at the owner's expense. The failure and current mileages were approximately 86,000.
2003 Acura RSX engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Acura RSX a good car?
Based on 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 RSX rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the RSX at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Acura RSX?
The transmission & drivetrain — 8 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about manual transmission. Next are the air bags (7) and engine & cooling (5).
How many recalls does the 2003 Acura RSX have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2003 Acura RSX. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Acura RSX?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002. See the full Acura RSX years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Acura RSX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 56,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.