2019 Acura RDX: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Oct 11, 2026 · Airbags, Engine · CA

Car goes into limp mode all the time and fuel cuts 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 Oct 18, 2025 · Engine · AL

Completed 100,000-mile service work at the dealership, 1 month following the work, while driving, all engine codes went off and the car went into "limp mode". I was unable to drive at normal speeds while on a major highway and going through a busy intersection. After multiple assessments at the same dealership, a "software update", a replaced spark plug (that was previously replaced during service work a month prior), it was found to have a warped head gasket with coolant leaking into the engine. It has not been inspected by police or insurance agents. It has been inspected by Shottenkirk Acura of Huntsville (Alabama) and a secondary mechanic with the same findings of engine failure. This should not occur at 116,000 miles in a Honda motor!

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 28, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · CT

Transmission intermittently gets stuck in a gear while driving and will not shift until car is powered off and on again. Brake system, LKA, power steering, vehicle stability/traction control, hill assist, cruise control, collision mitigation, and road departure mitigation intermittently stop working and error. Infotainment and audio intermittently error or get stuck on after powering off vehicle. Trunk randomly opens when no one is in range of the vehicle. Horn randomly sounds for approximately 30 seconds on hot days after vehicle is stopped. Engine cylinder heads, transmission, and horns have been replaced without resolution. MOST bus system has been replaced twice without resolution. All issues have been recorded on video and documented with the local Acura dealer and Acura Client Relations, but neither has been willing to help reach a resolution.

Filed Sep 21, 2022 · Transmission · FL

Transmission was stuck in 1st gear. This situation happened to me while stopped at red light with auto idle stop engaged, when it restarted at green light, transmission got stuck in 1st gear, I drove for about 1/4 mile and still the vehicle would not shift gears. I pulled over safely to the curb, shut down the car, waited 10 seconds and restarted, vehicle drove normally back home I had it all recorded on my dash cam and took the car to the dealer, showed the video and there were ZERO findings, nothing was recorded on the car error logs according to the dealer.

Filed May 24, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · NJ

on 2/3/22, after only 12 hours of owning the vehicle, I merged onto 287 South and upon speeding up and merging into the center lane, I lost all acceleration and my dash lit up like a Christmas Tree. An 18 wheeler was coming behind me in the middle lane at 65 mph while my car slowed down to 25 mph. I was thankfully able to get over to the side of the road without being hurt or even killed. Upon bringing it into the dealer, the codes showed that it was a bad engine coil and spark plug. This was repaired under warranty. Fast forward to 5/16/22, I exited the highway, came to a complete stop at a red light. Upon the light turning green, I went to accelerate and limp mode activated again. I have video of the incident and dealership is unable to find any issues with the vehicle. Both times it was either raining or had just stopped. I have asked that the Intercooler be replaced as part of Bulletin 20-053 however the dealership states my vehicle is not part of this bulletin although it lists the model and year. This is a serious problem that requires a recall. I hope Acura is not waiting for someone to get hurt before they take action!

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.

Filed Oct 11, 2021 · Engine · GA

While driving on a two lane road at app 60 mph, we accelerated to pass a slower car, Our 2019 Acura RDX lost power and coasted down to about 20 mph and the check engine light was flashing. we had no control over the speed of the vehicle (limp mode), which was very scary and could have caused a serious accident. It was raining earlier but not at the time of the incident. This should be a recall and not just a Acura Service Bulletin 20-053 since it can be life threatening.

Filed Sep 17, 2021 · Engine · GA

For the second time, while accelerating in rainy conditions, the engine lost all power and went into limp mode. The check engine light came on and blinked. I was able to pull over and turn the car off and then back on the the check engine light was gone.

Filed Aug 24, 2021 · Engine · 36,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that upon exiting a highway and coming to a stop light, the vehicle would not accelerate above 25 MPH without warning. The contact was able to reach his destination and after explaining the failure to a friend; he was informed that his vehicle had gone into limp mode. Upon restart of the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal driving operation. The contact hooked up his vehicle to a scanner and no fault codes were found. The contact then called the manufacturer where he was informed that this failure was a known issue and that he would have to take the vehicle to the dealer three times after experiencing each failure. The contact was not informed as to what would happen after the third visit to the dealer. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where it had yet to be diagnosed and remained in their possession. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

Filed Aug 23, 2021 · Engine · NY

I was driving in the rain on a dark desolate road. The engine began to malfunction, suddenly losing most power. The car would only go up to 20mph. I believe this condition is known as “limp mode”. Simultaneously the “check engine” light was illuminated. When I pulled off the road I shut the car off. I waited a couple of minutes and restarted the car. The condition miraculously disappeared. This was a very frightening experience because it happened on a major highway in the middle of the night.