Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2021 Acura RDX. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Air Bags May Deploy Unintentionally During a Crash
- Summary
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
- Consequence
- Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Air Bag May Deploy Unintentionally During a Crash
- Summary
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
- Consequence
- An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Driveshaft May Fail
- Summary
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
- Consequence
- Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking brake is not applied. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the right or left front driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BBY, NBW, and OBX.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (114)
114 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The unknown or other is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 114 |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 31 | 27.2% |
| Engine | 22 | 19.3% |
| Service brakes | 16 | 14% |
| Power train | 13 | 11.4% |
| Air bags | 11 | 9.6% |
| Electrical system | 10 | 8.8% |
| Structure | 10 | 8.8% |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 7.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 6.1% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 6 | 5.3% |
How 2021 compares with other RDX years
Best and worst RDX years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 78 | 1 |
| 2018 | 77 | 1 |
| 2019 | 438 | 5 |
| 2020 | 346 | 5 |
| 2021 | 114 | 3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 2 |
| 2023 | 23 | 2 |
| 2024 | 12 | 2 |
| 2025 | 30 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2021 Acura RDX suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 24 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,400
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 370 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 24 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 28 / 24 | $3,400 | 370 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 27 / 24 | $3,400 | 375 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 27 / 23 | $3,550 | 385 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 26 / 23 | $3,550 | 387 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2021 RDX for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2021 Acura RDX FAQ
How many recalls does the 2021 Acura RDX have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 26V332000 (air bag), 24V064000 (air bag), 21V939000 (power train). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2021 Acura RDX problems?
Owners filed 114 complaints with NHTSA. Unknown or other (31), Engine (22), Service brakes (16) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2021 Acura RDX get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic version at 22 city, 28 highway and 24 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2021 Acura RDX get?
NHTSA rated the 2021 Acura RDX suv fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (16.5% rollover risk).
How does the 2021 RDX compare with other years?
Among the 2017–2021 Acura RDX model years at least five years old, the 2018 drew the fewest complaints (77) and the 2019 the most (438). The 2021 drew 114. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.