An Acura MDX on side of the road.

Safety defects in the 2016-2020 Acura MDX and RDX Models

By: Sepehr Daghighian

The Acura MDX and Acura RDX are two of the best-selling luxury SUV crossovers in the market. In Fact, The Acura MDX is ranked #4 in the Luxury Midsize SUV category by the U.S. News & World Report. These SUVs have been manufactured and produced by the Japanese automaker, Honda, since the year 2000. They are popularly known for their style, comfort, ride and value. However, over the years, customers have expressed their concerns over the safety aspects of both the Acura MDX and the RDX models. Several defective aspects of the vehicle, such as acceleration issues, engine stalling and more, have been brought into the limelight. Due to such predominant problems, these two models have faced several hurdles and large number of lemon law lawsuits over the past few years.

If your Acura MDX or RDX has suffered any serious issues or warranty concerns, CCA is here to help. We invite you to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What Are the Common Safety Defects in the Acura MDX and RDX models?

The Acura MDX and the Acura RDX have both been subject to widespread defects, performance issues, and customer complaints over the past several years. These models have also faced numerous law suits and investigations conducted by the NHTSA. Most of the complaints are regarding acceleration defects, transmission shifts, engine stalls and loss of power.

According to a recent class action suit filed against the Honda motors, The Acura MDX and RDX 2016-2020 models have been subject to potentially dangerous acceleration defects. Users have complained that, at times, the vehicle decelerates, stalls and shuts down without any warning. A user described the issue, “Among the numerous other issues that I have been experiencing with this vehicle, it began to stall upon acceleration earlier this year. This can happen when pulling off after being stopped or even while driving in the 30-45 mph range. You can also see a noticeable fluctuation in the RPM dial. I took it into the dealership, yet the issue remains ongoing.”

The Acura models faced another class action law suit alleging the unexplained loss of power at random times. The plaintiff stated that the first deceleration event occurred while she was changing lanes, she also mentions that the electronics and air conditioning continued to function as the vehicle decelerated.

Another user complaint stated, “On light acceleration from a stoplight, car sometimes stalls for a second, then suddenly lurches forward in a low gear. Sometimes just leaps forward from stop with no hesitation. Causes passengers’ heads to snap back and could be dangerous in heavy traffic. Can occur at operating temperature. When engine is cold, there is a lot of part throttle hesitation low speeds.”

Transmission shift problem is another major complaint received against these SUV models. According to the plaintiff of another class action suit, there are miscommunications between the software that controls the transmissions, engines and the throttle. This results in unexplained shudders and stalls during gear shifts. An MDX owner described the issue as follows, “Transmission is shuddering between 3rd and 4th, and 4th and 5th when going easy on the gas between 1500 and 2000 rpm. Dealer cannot find the problem.”

Here is a partial list of the recent models that are known to have one or the other safety defects discussed above:

  • 2016 Acura MDX and RDX
  • 2017 Acura MDX and RDX
  • 2018 Acura MDX and RDX
  • 2019 Acura MDX and RDX
  • 2020 Acura MDX and RDX

What Can I Do if My Acura MDX or RDX Models are Facing Any of These Issues?

If you are facing any trouble with your luxury SUV such as stalling, loss of power, acceleration defects, transmission shifts or other aggravating issues, California’s lemon laws are here to protect you and your vehicle. Our attorneys have developed a strong expertise in handling such cases and are thorough with the issues plaguing the Acura MDX and RDX models.

If you are facing any performance issues with your vehicle, do not hesitate to contact our experts for a free consultation at (833) LEMON-FIRM.

About the Author
Sepehr Daghighian is a partner with CCA that is well-versed in all aspects of lemon-law litigation. A 2005 graduate of Loyola Law School, Mr. Daghighian has been practicing litigation throughout the state of California for over 13-years. In this time, Mr. Daghighian has advocated on behalf of California consumers in hundreds of lemon law cases throughout our great state. Mr. Daghighian has also successfully tried numerous such cases to verdict in both Federal and State Court.