2018 Acura RDX Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 13about this part
- Share
- 17%of 78 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 3,761miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 13 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2018 Acura RDX, 17% of the 78 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 3,761 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“When my gas cap warning light kept going on in spite of my loosening it and tightening it and then my emission system light came on, I brought the car to the dealer. They found that there was a leak in the connection between the filler pipe and the gas tank. Both had to be replaced on a car with 3,037 miles on it. In the process, I was given false information about the work that was done, which I did not discover until a second incident in which the rear propellor shaft came loose forced them to explain what happened.”
NHTSA complaint #11143782, filed 2018-10, 3,037 miles“The transmission went into limp mode one day after coming to a stop. When I safely got home, I turned the car off. Upon restarting, the issue was gone, but this has now happened several times. Each time, putting the car into park, shutting it off, and restarting it resets whatever was going on. Eventually the CE light came on, got the code, and it came back as P0873. The CE light was off after once again shutting the engine off and then restarting. …”
NHTSA complaint #11746062, filed 2026-06“My 2018 RDX has started to jerk when I stop and then restart. I have noticed some hesitation and a bit of jerky driving but today it was very noticeable. I could barely go above 40 miles an hour after I started driving after a stop light and the car was very jerky. It seems to be either a fuel pump or transmission issue. I am going to check with the RDX dealership where I bought the car in 2018 but I wanted to report the issue. I also looked up the VIN on my car for a recall and the system said my car had not been recalled. …”
NHTSA complaint #11618876, filed 2024-10“Stopped at a red light, I was waiting for the opportunity to make a right turn. When the right lane was free of traffic I began to turn into that lane, but an approaching car made a lane change as it neared the intersection, and I let my foot off the accelerator for a split second before I realized I was too far into the lane. I tried to accelerate quickly to avoid getting rear-ended, but my Acura RDX's transmission hesitated and the engine raced in neutral. Fortunately the appoaching car was able to swerve back into the left lane and thus avoid hitting me. …”
NHTSA complaint #11495388, filed 2022-11“Hard, jerking shifting at approximately 20 mph. Potential problem moving in close traffic such as from traffic light or entering traffic. No diagnostic warning/error lights. I’ve taken my car to Crown Acura 14080 Brookpark Rd, Cleveland, OH on July 11, 2022 for diagnosing and servicing the problem. It’s an intermittent problem so they couldn’t replicate so they couldn’t diagnose the problem. They flushed and changed the transmission fluid, bc and did a complete servicing. The service report does not show the transmission fluid filter was cleaned or replaced. …”
NHTSA complaint #11475216, filed 2022-07Related service bulletins
- 11019892Jun 4, 2025Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack…
- 11019894Jun 3, 2025Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack…
- 10251152Feb 26, 2024Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch…
- 10245558Nov 17, 2023Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch…
- 10241888Aug 31, 2023Service Bulletin - The lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch…
- 10241881Aug 31, 2023Dealer Message - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force…
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 3% |
| 2023 | 2 | 8% |
| 2021 | 13 | 11% |
| 2020 | 22 | 6% |
| 2019 | 37 | 8% |
| 2018 | 13 | 17% |
| 2017 | 24 | 30% |
| 2016 | 9 | 22% |
| 2015 | 4 | 1% |
| 2014 | 2 | 1% |
| 2013 | 7 | 4% |
| 2012 | 2 | 13% |
| 2011 | 2 | 13% |
| 2010 | 2 | 9% |
| 2009 | 1 | 7% |
| 2008 | 2 | 6% |
| 2007 | 2 | 4% |
Other parts of the 2018 Acura RDX
34 complaintsEngine
11 complaintsElectrical system
8 complaintsOther or unknown
8 complaintsVehicle speed control
7 complaintsBrakes
4 complaintsForward collision avoidance
4 complaintsAir bags
3 complaintsLane departure
3 complaintsBody and structure
3 complaintsExterior lighting
2 complaintsSeats
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2018 Acura RDX
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology