2017 Acura RDX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
75 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 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. 2017 specifically: a year the record favours — 75 complaints, score 88/100. 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 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 75 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 8.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Transmision warning light comes on along with side warning indicator , stays on till vehicle is turned off . then may or maynot come back on . very intermitent.
I have been experiencing issues with the alarm system when I lock the car the alarm randomly goes off. I have had my battery replaced and it still happens. There is nothing touching the handles during these times, it happens randomly, something internal going on. The only way to be sure it won’t disturb my neighbors is to leave my door unlocked which is unsafe.
The contact owns a 2017 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle loss automotive power while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. A dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure and stated that the failure was possibly caused by the torque converter however, the vehicle was not diagnos…
Recalls: 1 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V256000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017 CR-V and Acura RDX vehicles. The Certification Labels on the affected vehicles were printed with ink that may be inadvertently wiped away with an alcohol solvent. |
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 22 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,450
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.
- Power Train22 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System18 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine11 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes11 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Vehicle Speed Control8 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Unknown Or Other8 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 2017 Acura RDX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (22 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Acura RDX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 88/100, computed from 75 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Acura RDX's most common problem?
22 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Acura RDX sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 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 2017 Acura RDX cost to run per year?
About $5,538 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,690 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 2017 Acura RDX have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Acura RDX, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 18/04/2017. 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 2017 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.
Moderate evidence — 75 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 75 NHTSA complaints on record (8.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (9.6/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems