2013 Acura RDX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
162 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2019 and 2020 RDX, which score 32 each on 433 and 344 complaints, and the 2015 at 39 on 409, with the 2014 (50) and 2021 (51) as CAUTION years to walk past. Buy a 2016 to 2018, which score 89, 88 and 84 on 40, 75 and 77 complaints, or a 2022 to 2024 at 83 to 84 on 31, 21 and 11. Read the full note on the model page. 2013 specifically: a year the record favours — 162 complaints, score 72/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Acura MDX, RDX and TLX: the years to avoid, including 2013 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 162 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 12.46
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The headlight housings on this generation of 2013 Acura MDXs completely fail due to a design flaw that causes the housing to overheat and dim the lights to a dangerous level. At night, you would be safer if you were driving with flashlights taped to the hood of the vehicle. I’m sure this has caused numerous wrecks for 2013-2015 MDX owners as it is a widely reported issue that needs to be fixed asap before more people…
I have a code on my Acura regarding the driver side airbag. The code is 11-10, covered under service bulletin: 18-020, noting defects in the driver side air bag module. I brought my vehicle in to Hall Acura in November 2025 where this was officially diagnosed and a order was placed for a part on back order (Part Number: 77810-tx4-a40za). To this date, the part continues to be on "critical back order". I have escalate…
The headlights do not produce enough light to see the road. Every time the car is driven at night it is extremely dangerous.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V061000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped… |
| 19V182000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007… |
| 13V143000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,300
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Exterior Lighting89 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Air Bags36 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Visibility/Wiper8 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Electrical System7 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train7 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other6 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Acura RDX years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Acura RDX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Exterior Lighting (89 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Acura RDX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 72/100, computed from 162 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Acura RDX's most common problem?
89 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Acura RDX sit in the Exterior Lighting group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement: about 1.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$1,380 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Acura RDX cost to run per year?
About $5,886 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,432 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Acura RDX have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Acura RDX, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/02/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Acura RDX really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 162 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 162 NHTSA complaints on record (12.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (9.6/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems