2009 Acura RDX Acura RDX 2009

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2009 Acura RDX repairs by problem area

Engine (57%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (0%)

Brakes and Traction Control (14%)

Suspension and Steering (0%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (14%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (14%)

Other (0%)

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Chart based on 7 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2009 Acura RDX.

2009 Acura RDX 4dr SUV

turbocharged 240hp 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Acura RDX in Oregon, United States
Jul 2016 - Jul 2018
Mar 2016

170000 mi

US $50
Replaced relay--I can't remember which one, but it was causing severe battery drain issues. 
Acura RDX in North Carolina, United States
Jun 2017 - Jul 2018
Feb 2017

80000 mi

US $9000
So after having this car for almost a year and driving it a little under 20,000 miles since purchasing this car used from a Honda dealership here in Raleigh NC (Leith Honda) I experienced the AWD system shutting off and the check engine light coming on upon accelerating. It would still drive in front wheel (2 wheel drive mode). I didn’t think much of it after all the lights in the dash went away after turning off the car then starting it back up. It got progressively more frequent and eventually stayed on all the time. I took it invto the dealership (at under 80,000 miles) and was told that “the turbocharger has gone bad and I needed to replace it”. I asked if they could repair the turbo without replacing it, and I was told it would end up being just as expensive, and that it would not guarantee to fix the problem. So I went to get a second (mom & pop shop) and third (another dealership) opinion before coming to the conclusion that this turbo was going to need to be replaced. I Kelly blue booked the vehicle to find it was worth $9,000 at best. The last place I took it to (Performance Acura in Durham NC) said I would need a new steering column bearings or something like that, which would have put me over the $9,000 that the car was worth. So I decided that it was no longer worth keeping a HONDA vehicle that was just shy of 80,000 miles and had driven it almost 1 full year. I was furious.... So I traded it in for an American Diesel truck. Lesson learned: don’t buy a Honda with a turbo in it. It will be a disappointment! So after having this car for almost a year and driving it a little under 20,000 miles since purchasing this car used from a Honda dealership here in Raleigh NC (Leith Honda) I experienced the AWD system shutting off and the check engine light coming on upon accelerating. It would still drive in front wheel (2 wheel drive mode). I didn’t think much of it after all the lights in the dash went away after turning off the car then starting it back up. It got progressively more frequent and eventually stayed on all the time. I took it invto the dealership (at under 80,000 miles) and was told that “the turbocharger has gone bad and I needed to replace it”. I asked if they could repair the turbo without replacing it, and I was told it would end up being just as expensive, and that it would not guarantee to fix the problem. So I went to get a second (mom & pop shop) and third (another dealership) opinion before coming to the conclusion that this turbo was going to need to be replaced. I Kelly blue booked the vehicle to find it was worth $9,000 at best. The last place I took it to (Performance Acura in Durham NC) said I would need a new steering column bearings or something like that, which would have put me over the $9,000 that the car was worth. So I decided that it was no longer worth keeping a HONDA vehicle that was just shy of 80,000 miles and had driven it almost 1 full year. I was furious.... So I traded it in for an American Diesel truck. Lesson learned: don’t buy a Honda with a turbo in it. It will be a disappointment! So after having this car for almost a year and driving it a little under 20,000 miles since purchasing this car used from a Honda dealership here in Raleigh NC (Leith Honda) I experienced the AWD system shutting off and the check engine light coming on upon accelerating. It would still drive in front wheel (2 wheel drive mode). I didn’t think much of it after all the lights in the dash went away after turning off the car then starting it back up. It got progressively more frequent and eventually stayed on all the time. I took it invto the dealership (at under 80,000 miles) and was told that “the turbocharger has gone bad and I needed to replace it”. I asked if they could repair the turbo without replacing it, and I was told it would end up being just as expensive, and that it would not guarantee to fix the problem. So I went to get a second (mom & pop shop) and third (another dealership) opinion before coming to the conclusion that this turbo was going to need to be replaced. I Kelly blue booked the vehicle to find it was worth $9,000 at best. The last place I took it to (Performance Acura in Durham NC) said I would need a new steering column bearings or something like that, which would have put me over the $9,000 that the car was worth. So I decided that it was no longer worth keeping a HONDA vehicle that was just shy of 80,000 miles and had driven it almost 1 full year. I was furious.... So I traded it in for an American Diesel truck. Lesson learned: don’t buy a Honda with a turbo in it. It will be a disappointment! 
Acura RDX in Massachusetts, United States
- Mar 2016
Mar 2016

95000 mi

US $5000
Turbo is blown - very expensive to replace. Trade car in. Long ordeal. 
Acura RDX in Quebec, Canada
- Jun 2014
Jun 2014

83700 mi

C $1200
arm Rest on door and side cover counsel, and on passer side. The leather bubbles and cracks. Called Acura and they indicated I rest my arm too much on them. changed the disk breaks 8 times since I got the RDX, the disks keep on warping, in accordance to Acura Mech.'s should you make 1 emergency stop on the highway, you will burn the disks. and they will warp. 

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2009 Acura RDX Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2009 Acura RDX problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.