2019 Acura RDX: check engine light

Filed Jul 6, 2026 · Engine · DE

There was head gasket failures around cylinders 2 and 3. This allows small amounts of coolant to leak into the engine, causing a distinct startup sputter or a choppy shudder as turbo boost climbs. This is a reoccurring issue with 2019 Acura RDX the vehicle ran hot while driving and was instructed to turn the vehicle off also the check engine light began to flash on and off.

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · WA

We have owned our 2019 Acura RDX for about 4 years. Roughly 2 years ago my wife called me panicked that the car had lost power and the check engine light was on as she was exiting the freeway. It was a rainy day, she had our kids in the car on the way to a soccer game. I called off work with an emergency, drove an hour to where she was and scanned the car. No codes popped up on my scanner, I started the vehicle and it seemed to run like normal, no check engine light. I had it towed to Honda of Gresham, OR and after a week or so they called and said they couldn't find anything wrong with our vehicle. I paid for a oil change, a tow and a dealer diagnostics and was told they could not find anything. $500 later no answers. Fast forward 2 years Oct 26th 2025 I was driving the RDX this time, in the rain on the freeway. Wife and kids in the car. Went to accelerate past a slow driver and the car went into limp mode. Check engine light flashing and limited to 40 mph or so, I put the hazards on as I was on a single lane bridge with traffic behind me. I pulled over after the bridge and turned the vehicle off. After 5 minutes or so I started the car again and everything seems fine, no check engine lights nothing seems off. I continued on down the freeway without any more incident. I started researching what is going on and find many many reports of this same thing. Acura has a tsb for a front mount intercooler as the fix, but when I took ours in for the stated problem they couldn't find a problem. This car looks beautiful, but it's a safety hazard on the freeway when moisture is present, we live in the PNW and it rains 7 months out of the year. I have owned 10-12 hondas in my lifetime and this 2019 Acura RDX is the worst. Absolutely a safety hazard to my family. Disappointed this will be the last Honda we buy.

Filed Sep 28, 2025 · Acceleration, Electrical · PA

While driving in the rain, after an hour long drive home from Philadelphia back to Reading, taking [XXX] and [XXX], I accelerated my vehicle while going around 50 mph and immediately was faced with a blinking check engine light and lost the ability to accelerate. My Acura essentially went into, what others call, limp mode while in sport mode. I filled my car with 93 gas around 20 minutes before this. After losing acceleration, I pulled over on the highway and the check engine light disappeared. After which, I still was unable to accelerate after leaving the car in park. After I turned the car off and turned the car back on maybe 30 seconds later, I was then able to accelerate and found no issues afterwards. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 7, 2024 · Fuel system · 62,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that there was an abnormal gasoline odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where unknown repairs were performed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start, and the vehicle was hesitating while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Jul 22, 2024 · Transmission · OK

Driving 55mph at night on highway . Went to accelerate around slower vehicle to 70mph speed limit when vehicle lost engine power and yellow check engine light began flashing on left side of instrument panel. Vehicle began slowing forcing move to right shoulder from left lane in moderate traffic. Vehicle would not accelerate past 20 mph on shoulder to nearest exit. Once at a safe location vehicle was shut off. Restarted vehicle approximately 30 seconds after shut down and vehicle began running normal.

Filed Oct 24, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · TX

I was driving on the highway and it was raining. I tried to pass another car so I started to accelerate. But during my attempt to accelerate, my 2019 Acura RDX would not respond to throttle response. So I slowly started to loose speed the car. The engine warning light started to flash and the car came to a stop on a dangerous road construction area with no medians. I had to turn on my hazards and wait ON THE ROAD at night. I quickly turned off the engine and tried to turn the engine on again. When I turned the engine on it no error codes were shown and the check engine light was gone. I started to drive again and was able to get to a service road. After a while I decided to try to keep driving so I could get home and when I was merging into the highway, it happened again. The same situation, I was accelerating when my engine decided to stop accelerating and flash the check engine light (it didn’t stall but it wouldn’t respond to throttle response). I stopped on the side of the road and turned the engine off before turning it on again. Again the check engine light was not on, and the car acted like nothing happened. It seems like accelerating to higher speed in the rain is a huge safety issue…

Filed Jul 12, 2023 · Engine, Fuel system · TX

My car has been shaking on acceleration but no engine light or any warning popped up. When I called an Acura dealership, they said they would have trouble diagnosing the problem without a light on. A few days later, while accelerating on the highway, my car started shaking violently and lost power. The engine light started flashing. I could have gotten into an accident because I could no longer accelerate on the highway. I had to slowly pull off to a safe stop. This could have been a dangerous and life-threatening situation. Someone could have crashed into me behind me and I could not quickly get into a safe area. I brought it to an Acura dealership and they could not find anything. The engine light had turned off. Though, when I took the car again, the car was still shaking on acceleration. I was afraid to drive at normal speeds since it is extremely safe. I took it to another personal mechanic and he was able to reproduce the problem. He saw there is a service bulletin out for just this problem. The possible cause is “humid air within the intake tract May condense and accumulate excessive moisture during steady driving.” I would have to replace the intercooler system and get the PGM-Fl software updated. This is a safety issue, and Acura has not released any recalls on this. The dealerships are also saying it will not be covered by warranty for me.

Filed May 2, 2023 · Engine · 57,000 miles · CT

The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light suddenly illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and started to decelerate. After pulling off the roadway and restarting the vehicle, the failure was self-corrected, and the vehicle operated as designed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 57,000.

Filed Oct 6, 2022 · Acceleration, Engine · IL

On July 24, 2022, while driving from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois back to our home in Lisle, IL, in a heavy rainstorm, our RDX suddenly started flashing the engine light and lost power on Interstate 57. We were fortunate to be able to maneuver it to the side of the road, and off the nearby ramp at Bradley, IL. We ‘googled’ the circumstances on our iphone, to learn that this is considered a serious, potentially life-threatening situation, and that Acura recommended immediate Service Bulletin 20-053, dated May 25, 2021, states the symptom as “The MIL is flashing with loss of power.” It indicates “Corrective Action” for the RDX as “Update the PGM-FI and replace the intercooler, the intercooler outlet pipe assembly and the intercooler outlet hose.” Affected vehicles include “ALL” 2019-2020 RDX models.” Despite the Service Bulletin that was issued, many RDX owners, noted the same response from their local Acura dealer. They note that the dealers “played dumb,” claim they could not locate a Service Code, nor “replicate the conditions and response” in the shop…. precisely my experience! In fact, the Service Receipt, indicates the car was driven less than one mile, hardly sufficient to replicate conditions. Acura Client Relations has refused to assist. I contacted the CEO Jon Ikeda but his office has not responded. I fear driving the car in wet conditions.

Filed Sep 27, 2022 · Engine, Transmission · CT

On 9/22/22 travelling on I-290 near Boylston, MA I was passing a large tractor trailer in the far left lane going up a hill. It was and had been raining very hard for at least the previous hour. When I stepped on the accelerator to increase speed, the car suddenly decelerated to about 20 mph and the check engine light began flashing. I was able cross all three lanes in very heavy traffic to the shoulder. I then slowly made my way off the interstate to a gas station right beyond the exit. My passengers and I were very concerned about the suddenness and the abrupt reduction in speed on an extremely busy roadway. A call to the nearest Acura dealer service department confirmed he had seen nearly the same symptoms the prior week under similar road conditions and the same model car as mine. He found no codes on the other car. I also notified Acura customer service who confirmed the existence of a Service Bulletin on precisely this issue (flashing light with loss of power).

Filed Mar 16, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · FL

Was driving on the interstate with slight rain and trying to accelerate but then the check engine light started flashing and the car would not accelerate. Speed on the interstate is 70mph, but the car immediately dropped down to 35mph. Traffic behind me had to slow down to avoid an accident as I had to move the car to the side of the road. Restarted the car and the check engine light disappeared.

Filed Jan 3, 2022 · IL

Car went into “limp mode” in a raining day while accelerating - suddenly loses power while check engine light blinks. Nearly hit by following cars on the highway trying to pass other cars. Luckily was able to pull over to the emergency lane. Turned off the engine and turned it back on, the problem went away. A service bulletin related to this well known issue already exists - 20-053. Please act before any serious accident or death happens.