YearToAvoid

2008 Acura RDX Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2008 Acura RDX has 33 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 17, ranked 16th worst out of 19 model years, with a Good verdict capped due to limited early-year complaint records. Airbags are the top problem area with 20 complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
17/100
#16 of 19 RDX years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
33
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2010
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
17 city / 22 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2008 Acura RDX problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags20 (61%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (12%)
  3. Electrical System3 (9%)
  4. Engine3 (9%)
  5. Structure & Body3 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain2 (6%)
  7. Brakes1 (3%)
  8. Seat Belts1 (3%)
  9. Steering1 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Driver's side airbags reportedly deployed on their own while the vehicle was parked or being entered, without any crash.
  • Rear tires lost pressure suddenly at highway speed, with one owner finding a section of tread had separated from the tire.
  • Front brakes made a loud grinding noise when applied on slight downgrades, with dealers unable to find a cause on repeated visits.
  • The speedometer and odometer gave inaccurate readings, and dealers reportedly declined to diagnose the issue.
  • One vehicle failed to shift and hit the rev limiter while merging into traffic, with the driver unable to reach the shift paddles mid-turn.
  • A steering rack needed replacement due to prematurely worn seals, a part shared with an Acura TL model that had a related service bulletin.
2008 Acura RDX complaints: complaints filed per month2Oct 2007Aug 2012Aug 2013Jun 2015Jul 2016Jan 2017Aug 2018Apr 2024
33 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2007 to Apr 2024; peak Jun 2016 (2).

2008 Acura RDX recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V182000Mar 6, 2019Airbags1,101,534 vehicles

    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 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

    Risk: 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.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

  2. NHTSA 16V061000Feb 3, 2016Airbags2,232,187 vehicles

    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 with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: 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.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.

  3. NHTSA 07V358000Aug 13, 2007Other744 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of part 567, 'certification.' incorrect certification labels were applied to these vehicles.

    Risk: Some certification labels may not contain the required tire and rim size information.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove the incorrect label and adhere the correct label. The recall is expected to begin on or about august 20, 2007. Owners may contact acura at 1-800-382-2238.

2008 Acura RDX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,200
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other RDX years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Good4453219
2008Good1733319
2009Good1115219
2010Best2222220

All Acura RDX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Acura RDX reliable?
NHTSA data shows 33 complaints for the 2008 RDX with a complaint index of 17, ranking 16th worst out of 19 model years. The verdict is Good, though capped because complaint records for 2005-2009 model years are less complete.
What is the most common problem on the 2008 Acura RDX?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 20 of 33 complaints (61%), with a median failure mileage of 94,232 miles.
Does the 2008 Acura RDX have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2008 RDX, two involving airbag inflators and one involving incorrect vehicle certification labels. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2008 RDX compare to other RDX years?
The 2008 model has fewer complaints and a lower complaint index than years like 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2020, which are all rated Avoid with complaint indexes of 83 or higher.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.