Is the 2014 Acura RDX a bad year?
245 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other RDX years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2014 Acura RDX are in line with other RDX years. Exterior lighting stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2014 RDX owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 88,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 163 (67%) | 64k–109k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 41 (17%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 10 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 88,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 245 complaints: 2 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 3 report an injury · 3 say the car was towed.
19 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2014 Acura RDX: 3
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode. An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Acura: 95
Repair instructions Acura sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2014 Acura RDX. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The May episode of Tech2Tech is now posted
The front rocker arm oil control valve is leaking
Every Service Bulletin requires you to take an HDS snap shot and use the job aid or Tech2Tech to confirm the judder/shudder is coming from the torque converter
While driving under steady cruise (Between 30 and 65 MPH) or light acceleration, does the engine intermittently rattle or runs rough with the MIL blinking
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Neighbouring years
2013 RDX: 162 complaints, keep it · 2015 RDX: 418 complaints, keep it.
Every Acura RDX year
2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All RDX years side by side
Other Acura models: Acura CL · Acura ILX · Acura Integra · Acura MDX · Acura RL · Acura RSX · Acura TL · Acura TLX · Acura TSX. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2014 Acura RDX a bad year?
245 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other RDX years. At 88,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Acura RDX?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: exterior lighting (163), air bags (41), visibility and wipers (10), electrical system (8), suspension (8).
How many recalls does the 2014 Acura RDX have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Fuel system (NHTSA 23V-858), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-182), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-061). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.