2019 Acura RDX problems are related to the powertrain, electrical system, vehicle speed control, and brake system.
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Since introduced in 2007, The Acura RDX attracts thousands of customers every year. With a complete redesign to the vehicle in 2019, Acura RDX received significant upgrades adding much more space to the rear seats and A long list of high technology features.
Unfortunately, the new redesign introduced unique significant mechanical problems that affected the Acura RDX vehicles' overall reliability. After only a couple of years of ownership, drivers immediately discovered these mechanical problems and posted tons of complaints to larger platforms like cocomplaints.com, repairpal.com, edmunds.com, and more.
If you are a current owner of a 2019 Acura RDX, you need to be prepared and ready for any mechanical problems you might face during the lifetime of your vehicle. You will then determine when it's worth fixing this car or selling it instead to eliminate any headache.
On the other hand, if you are looking to purchase a used 2019 Acura RDX, you need to know what mechanical problems to look for during the pre-inspection and the test drive.
This article provides you with a detailed summary of all reported complaints about this vehicle. We highlighted the 2019 Acura RDX problems along with the reported repair options and repair costs.
We will also summarize the most reported recalls and service bulletins to address any mechanical problems in the 2019 Acura RDX at the end of this article.
2019 Acura RDX Overview
The 2019 Acura RDX comes with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder transmission and attempt-speed automatic transmission. It achieves up to 22 miles per gallon on city roads and 28 miles per gallon on the highway. This vehicle's ability is about 272 horsepower, and the cargo volume is about 29.5 feet cubed and goes up to 58.9 feet cube with the seating area.
2019 Acura RDX problems
It is expected that the total number of reported complaints will be higher at early model years for any automobile. However, that was not the case with the Acura RDX.
The 2019 Acura RDX received the maximum number of reported complaints, according to carcomplaints.com. The vehicle suffered from tons of mechanical problems that were disappointed to many customers.
According to automotive experts, “After all, the automaker claims this model provides “Polished Power at Every Turn.” Yet, current drivers argue that the engine, electrical system, powertrain, vehicle speed control, and service brakes make this vehicle a lemon.”
Let's take a closer look at some of the top reporters’ complaints about the 2019 options and repair costs. We will also highlight the automaker's response to any of these major problems:
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2019 Acura RDX engine problems: engine stalling, losing acceleration
Surprisingly, the top reported complaints about the 2019 upper res to have some severe engine problems.
Many customers indicated dealing with the oil level warning comes on without any previous warning sign. Others indicated that the vehicle might lose acceleration suddenly or it might stall when passing.
Unfortunately, most reported engine problems about this vehicle occurred relatively at an earlier stage of the vehicle’s lifetime. For example, some reported complaints were for vehicles at about 10,000 miles, where others were for vehicles at about 3000 miles only!
It seems like engine troubles are a big deal in the 2019 Acura RDX. The automaker themselves indicated in their service bulletin that there might be some engine fluctuation, especially when starting the engine during cold. The problem can be resolved by updating the PGM-FI software.
Customer complaints #1
“The new RDX is a lemon. Engine and transmission failure from second day of ownership. Neither Acura Customer Care or the dealership is trying to rectify the situation. Keep putting me on hold. They tell me they need the car for a couple of days to research, but will not offer a loaner for over a week’s time.”
Customer complaints #2
“I just brought a new 2019 rdx,it only has 315 miles (it has been only two and half weeks). I was driving on the highway on my way to work. I lost acceleration on my vehicle. I tried pressing the accelerator no reponse. All the warning lights came on, the engine light, awd, brake system, power steering, stability and traction. Luckily i was able to get on to the shoulder. As i am reading similar complaints i notice that some people were able to shut off and turning on back the vehicle, resetting the car and resolving the issues. Unfortunately for that did not work. I had to be towed back to the dealership.
Vehicle lost all engine power when accelerating to pass from approx 60 mph. Check engine light came on, pulled to the shoulder and power was still not present until the vehicle was shut off and restarted. Has happened on a few other occasions, very dangerous if passing on a 2 lane highway.”
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2019 Acura RDX Electrical system problems: AC not working, safety features turned off
When you buy a modern vehicle like the 2019 Acura RDX, you don't expect to deal with any major mechanical problems in the electrical system, especially those affecting safety.
Unfortunately, that was not the case with this model year of car RDX. A good number of complaints indicated that the vehicle suffered from issues in many electrical components.
Unfortunately, most electrical system problems were discovered immediately after purchasing the vehicle. One owner reported a problem with only zero miles!
For example, some customers had problems starting the AC and indicated that it failed without any previous warning signs. Others mentioned that some of the safety features we're not responding to, and the infotainment system might have some issues.
Customer complaints #1
“I had my dream car for 7 months and then traded it in for something more reliable. When I first purchased the Acura RDX Advance I was ecstatic. Everything seemed to be customized for me. From the memory seats to the technology, to the safety components. I was in love with my SUV. However, things seemed to go south the longer I owned the vehicle. First it was the constant issues with the Infotainment System. I would exit the vehicle and it wouldn’t turn off. I called the dealership and they either thought I was dumb and didn’t know how to operate a car, or they would say “this is the first time we’re hearing about this…” I found a site called Acura Zine which had a workaround for turning off the frozen system so I wouldn’t get a dead battery. So that was the first issue. The second was the constant brake squealing after about 3 or 4 months of ownership. I drive typically on the interstate, so nothing weird about my driving habits. The last, and most terrifying issue was the electronic issue. I was on my way to work, driving about 65 mph, and everything shut off except for the engine. So I had no dials (since they’re digital) / no GPS / no A/C nothing electronic whatsoever in my car. It was pitch black. I was in the middle lane and there was no way to pull over. I safely made it to work. When I placed the vehicle in park all electronics came back on but they were “strobing.” I called the dealership who told me to bring it in ASAP. After an hour they found nothing wrong and sent me on my merry way.”
Customer complaints #2
“Infotainment system has multiple glitches causing many of the features, radio, gps operation, drive mode changes, sound, clock freezing, knobs and dials not working. Reported to dealership and went in several times. They said there were updates which they tried to install, and the vehicle didn’t respond to any updates provided by Acura. Called Acura, got a case number, and was virtually told they are still working on these problems . These 2019 cars have been out since May of 2018 and they are still manufacturing cars and putting them out to the consumer knowing these electrical and system issues have never been addressed properly. These problems happen whether the vehicle is stationary, in motion, city or highway driving. The problems are intermittent. It does become a safety issue when something happens because the driver is not able to deal with issues while operating the vehicle. Acura has been less than cooperative with either the dealership or the consumer, just telling all they are sorry to be patient “they are working on it”. My vehicle has been doing this for several months.”
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2019 Acura RDX Transmission problems: hard shifting!
The 2019 Acura RDX was not transmission problems-free. A good number of complaints indicated that the transmission might not engage properly, and they had a hard time shifting.
Transmission problems are very serious, and they might affect the driver's safety and the people around him. Unfortunately, the automaker did not release any service bulletins or recalls addressing transmission problems, and dealerships technicians did not know how to resolve the problem.
Customer complaints #1
“After a month of ownership, with two weeks in the shop during this month, we are finally getting a new transmission for our RDX. Sadly, they should be replacing the car considering the transmission started acting up with 30 miles on it, but instead have wasted weeks of our time and act like they are doing us a favor by replacing it. It would slam into gear, feeling like it was skipping multiple gears at a time. Sometimes it would just hang up between gears, other times it would just rev up and not go before finally shifting into gear. My favorite solution from the dealership was to just let the car warm up and auto start it and it won’t be as bad. Granted, the issue was worse when the car was cold, but it also did it while warm.”
Customer complaints #2
“i know by now the public may realize all the issues surrounding the 2019 rdx model. I purchased one three months ago. While there are a host of important issues/problems I have seen with the vehicle, all ‘appear’ to be software related, I would like to express my concern with one specific issue. The throttle is delayed when accelerating from a standstill up to 10 mph but can also happen at higher speeds. This appears to be dependent on the rpm. This occurs in comfort and sport modes. The delay is one to two seconds. This delay is critical when say, taking a turn crossing traffic. Yes, there are many customers with the same problem. I see this as a safety issue, just as bad as, for example, brakes not actually being applied for 1 or two seconds after being physically applied, or maybe the clutch being delayed in a manual transmission by two seconds. This would never be acceptable in the marketplace, but yet somehow an automatic transmission is ok to be delayed. We rdx owners have received a software update in February. I feel this is unacceptable. It appears the vehicle was not ready for production 2 years ago and has yet to see critical problems fixed. I have been to the dealer where they did a clutch procedure and passed on results to Acura. This procedure did not fix the issue, and i have passed this info onto the dealer.”
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2019 Acura RDX Vehicle speed control problems: adaptive cruise slow to react!
The automaker promised a completely new fashion of this vehicle with tons of modern features to help drivers.
Unfortunately, some customers and mentioned dealing with significant problems with vehicle speed control. They had issues with the adaptive cruise control as the vehicle reacted slowly to any input.
The automaker has some discussion regarding this issue in their service bulletin and mentioned that the adaptive cruise control might shut off by itself without any previous warning signs. Dealerships were asked to update the PGM FI software as well to get the problem resolved.
Customer complaints #1
“Adaptive cruise control was slow to react to a vehicle in front. Rather than gradually slowing it would wait until the last second then brake the vehicle. When traffic resumed speed the RDX would do a near full throttle acceleration back to the set speed.”
Customer complaints #2
“I had been driving on the freeway for at least 20 minutes and then exited the freeway to go home. As I neared the left turn to enter our street, I stopped to let oncoming traffic clear, and then I released the foot brake and began to turn and slowly press on the gas pedal. Again, the car began to accelerate at a faster rate than was safe onto our narrow street and up a small hill with limited visibility. Again, I slammed on the brakes, and the car stopped – thankfully out of the oncoming traffic that I had just crossed.”
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2019 Acura RDX Brakes problems: brake sensors go off suddenly!
The braking system is one of the most important and crucial systems in your vehicle, and without it working properly, there aren't very high chances of getting involved in car accidents.
Unfortunately, and many customers indicated that the 2019 Acura RDX braking system has many issues.
The braking system might not engage in many situations, and the problem occurred in relatively newer vehicles. Several customers showed some frustration and mentioned that they would not buy this vehicle again!
Customer complaints #1
“The brakes squeak loudly all the time when i come to a stop or apply pressure. I have been to the dealership 3 times and had them replaced also called acura corporate. Its a known problem that they are looking into but i don’t feel safe in this vehicle anymore.i feel like my life is in danger everyday driving this car.”
Customer complaints #2
“Squeaking and shaking brakes since car was purchased. Has been to dealer 3 times. Acura says this is a known issue on all 2019 rdxs yet has not provided a fix. This is unsafe and needs recalled.”
Are there any recalls on the 2019 Acura RDX?
Although the 2019 Acura RDX has not been on the road for a long time, the automated already released two recalls affecting the vehicle's safety features.
On May 28th, 2020, the automaker decided to recall many vehicles from the 2019 Acura RDX, another model year, due to a problem with the gasoline delivery and, more specifically, the fuel pump. The automaker indicated that the fuel pump might fail in some vehicles, affecting the overall performance of the engine and increasing the chances of stalling. With the field pit fuel pump, vehicles are more susceptible to crashes.
On March 25th, 2021, the automaker also recalled many vehicles due to another problem with the gasoline delivery and, more specifically, the fuel pump. This time, the automaker indicated that the fuel pump might fail in some other vehicles and what caused the engine to stall an increase in crashes.
All affected vehicles were asked to visit the nearest Honda dealership to get the problem inspected and resolved free of charge. Most likely, vehicles will need a new fuel pump assembly.
Although there are many reported complaints about other significant problems in 2019, Acura RDX automaker remained silent and did not release any additional recalls addressing these problems. We don't know till the time of writing this article whether Honda is expected to release additional records or not. It might depend on the number of increased reported complaints about the major mechanical problems in this vehicle.
Is the 2019 Acura RDX reliable?
Although a crop is known to produce very reliable vehicles over the years, unfortunately, the 2019 Acura RDX was not reliable. According to the JD Power dependability study, this vehicle received an overall reliability rating of 2.5 out of five, which is right at the average.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 2019 RDX received an overall safety rating of five out of five, considered the top ranking. The vehicle received five stars for its side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test and the frontal crash test.
Also, the vehicle got the top rating in six crash tests according to the Insurance Institute for Hwy safety.
While it's very important to consider reviewing the reliability and safety ranking for any vehicle, it is also important to consider customer reviews and personal feedbacks.
Sometimes the reliable directing might provide you with good information for a couple of years; however, once customers drive the vehicle for more years and once we have more data, you'll get a different perspective in some cases.
Those, we recommend that you go through some of the top platforms like repairpal.com, edmunds.com commacarcomplaints.com, etc. You will see some feedback from real customers once they drove the vehicle for a couple of years. The more you wait, the more data will be released, and the more complaints will be reported.
How to avoid purchasing at 2019 Acura RDX with mechanical problems?
You're planning to invest thousands of dollars in purchasing your beloved 2019 Acura RDX. The vehicle is very attractive, and it has tons of amazing features.
However, many people fall into the trap and end up with some vehicles with major mechanical problems just because they didn't follow the right procedure before purchase.
There are two main methods to help you prevent purchasing a 2019 Acura RDX with mechanical problems: you could either do a thorough test drive or bring in a professional mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection.
For modern vehicles that are usually expensive, we recommend that you bring in your professional mechanic because he has better experience detecting any major problems in the vehicle quickly.
However, if you are comfortable doing your own thorough pre-purchase drive tests, you need to pay attention to any measure of the vehicle's abnormal behaviors. Sometimes the car might make some weird noises or will behave differently than any regular vehicle.
For example, you want to look for symptoms of a bad transmission, symptoms of a bad engine, symptoms of a bad steering system, etc.
Also, you need to test any minor component you expect using in your daily basis. For instance, take a look at the radio, the touch screen, the AC system, etc. Although these components are minor, they can give you a headache down the road especially if you use them frequently.
This way, you avoid purchasing a 2019 Acura RDX with major mechanical problems.
The bottom line
Buying a 2019 Acura RDX is a big deal. You're going to spend thousands of dollars getting a modern vehicle. Therefore, you want to ensure that it doesn't have any major mechanical problems worth the investment.
This article listed the top reported complaints about the 2019 Acura RDX problems according to larger platforms and real customers.
If you are shopping for a used 2019 Acura RDX, you need to make sure that you either bring in a professional mechanic to pre-inspect the vehicle before purchase or perform a thorough pre-purchase test drive while paying attention to any abnormal behavior of the vehicle.
On the other hand, if you are a current owner of the 2019 Acura RDX and you're dealing with major mechanical problems that might cost you tons of dollars, it's never wrong to think about selling this car and buying a different vehicle.
Cash Cars Buyer is one of the fewest companies who will accept purchasing your 2019 Acura RDX even if it has major mechanical problems. We will pay the top dollars for this vehicle and free towing despite your location around the US.
If you would like more details about our process and our company, you can always give us a call at 866-924-4608 or visit our home page click on the free instant online offer.