There are 1 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2012 Acura RDXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 5,000 TO 6,000 RPM WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE. THE BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING AND I STARTED MOVING CLOSER TO THE CAR STOPPED FOR THE RED LIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I THEN PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL AT 5,000 RPM AND GETTING FASTER. FINALLY, THE ENGINE CAME DOWN TO ABOUT 1,000 RPM AND I CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION ON THE GREEN LIGHT AFTER PLACING THE CAR IN DRIVE. I DROVE TO WORK AND CALLED THE ACURA DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THIS "CERTIFIED USED CAR" FROM AND THEY CAME TO MY WORK AND HAULED THE ACURA RDX TO THE DEALER LOCATION. THEY INFORMED ME THAT A "SPECIAL ACURA INVESTIGATING TEAM" WILL COME AND LOOK AT THE CAR ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE WAS DRIVING. THIS INSTANT ACCELERATION, WITHOUT PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, WOULD HAVE PUSHED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND MYSELF DIRECTLY INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOPPING UNTIL THE ENGINE QUIT! THIS FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A VERY TRAGIC ACCIDENT. I AND ESPECIALLY MY WIFE ARE VERY VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM AND WE ARE AWAITING WORD FROM THE ACURA DEALER SPECIFIC TO WHAT THEY FOUND DURING THEIR INVESTIGATION. MY WIFE DOES NOT WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR IF THEY INDICATE THEY CAN NOT FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THE CAR TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE DRIVING THIS CAR AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED ASAP SO NO ONE WILL SUFFER. WE WERE VERY LUCKY THIS TIME.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026