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2002 Acura Rsx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Acura Rsx do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

44 reports with mileage · 32 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

76 reports
39,535 miles · Oct 21, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWN 2002 ACURA RSX - S ON 9/17/2004 FROM OCEAN ACURA, OCEAN NJ. I EVEN BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE DONE OVER 100 POINTS CHECK AND HAVE DONE ALL NECESSARY MAINTENANCE. WITHIN TWO AND HALF WEEK, I AM EXPERINCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD AND SOMETIME A G…

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I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWN 2002 ACURA RSX - S ON 9/17/2004 FROM OCEAN ACURA, OCEAN NJ. I EVEN BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE DONE OVER 100 POINTS CHECK AND HAVE DONE ALL NECESSARY MAINTENANCE. WITHIN TWO AND HALF WEEK, I AM EXPERINCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD AND SOMETIME A GRINDING SOUND. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO BRING IN THE CAR ON 10/13/04. THAT APPOINTMENT NEVER TOOK PLACE BECAUSE THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON 10/09/04. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY HAVE TOWED THE CAR TO THE NEAREST ACURA DEALER (RYAN'S OPEN ROAD) EAST BRUNSWICK N.J. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OCEAN ACURA, ACURA AMERICA AND RYAN'S SEVERAL TIME. RYAN HAS DETERMINE THAT THE ENGINE IS DAMAGE AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE DEALER (OCEAN) IS TRYING TO PUT THE BLAME ON ME SAYING THAT I HAVE ABUSED THE ENGINE AND I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT. OCEAN ACURA SAID, HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE TO TALK TO ACURA AMERICA. TODAY IS 10/21/2004 AND I HAVE NOT GOT A DEFINITE RESOLUTION. ACURA AMERICA HAS NOT CALL ME BACK, OCEAN ACURA SAID THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THE CAR IS AT RYAN'S. I PAID $21,000.00 FOR THE CAR. THEY SAID IT WILL COST $7000.00 TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE ACURA RSX S AND I HAVE FOUND OVER 14,000 COMPLAINS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ACURA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THESE MODELS. HELP!. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. IF I TAKE A LAWYER WILL HAVE TO ANOTHER $500 - $1000 LAWYER FEES. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOME COULD LEAD ME TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10096154

27,000 miles · Oct 5, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONSUMERS SON WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. HER SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A METAL DIVIDER HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED THREE TIMES, LANDING ON IT'S ROOF. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS, OR THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER AND PASSENG…

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WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONSUMERS SON WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. HER SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A METAL DIVIDER HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED THREE TIMES, LANDING ON IT'S ROOF. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS, OR THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES. *JB *NM *SC

NHTSA ODI #10074211

30,000 miles · Sep 19, 2004
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

MY DAUGHTER WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS HIT FROM BEHIND IN HER 2002 ACURA RSX. HER SEAT BELT LATCH DID NOT HOLD AND SHE WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. HER INJURIES DO NOT, AT THIS TIME, APPEAR TO BE SERIOUS BUT SHE IS STILL SORE. I ASKED IF SHE WAS CERTAIN THE BELT WAS FASTENED PROPERLY AND SHE SAID IT WAS. …

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MY DAUGHTER WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS HIT FROM BEHIND IN HER 2002 ACURA RSX. HER SEAT BELT LATCH DID NOT HOLD AND SHE WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. HER INJURIES DO NOT, AT THIS TIME, APPEAR TO BE SERIOUS BUT SHE IS STILL SORE. I ASKED IF SHE WAS CERTAIN THE BELT WAS FASTENED PROPERLY AND SHE SAID IT WAS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED IN THE ACCIDENT. SHE WAS HIT BY AN OLDER MODEL FULL SIZED VAN. I WOULD GUESS THE SPEED OF IMPACT TO BE BETWEEN 35 TO 45 MPH. ROAD SPEED LIMIT WAS 45 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091266

27,000 miles · May 21, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

DURING A 35 MPH COLLISION FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

NHTSA ODI #10067509

24,500 miles · Mar 30, 2004
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO ESSERMAN INTERNATIONAL DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. ON MARCH 11, 2003 AFTER I EXPLAINED THE NOISES AND WAIT A WHOLE MORNING, I WAS GIVEN MY CAR BACK AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. *AK APRIL 14 I RETURNED TO THE SAME DEALER AND EXPLAINED THAT I STILL HEARD THE CRACKING NOISE …

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I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO ESSERMAN INTERNATIONAL DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. ON MARCH 11, 2003 AFTER I EXPLAINED THE NOISES AND WAIT A WHOLE MORNING, I WAS GIVEN MY CAR BACK AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. *AK APRIL 14 I RETURNED TO THE SAME DEALER AND EXPLAINED THAT I STILL HEARD THE CRACKING NOISE AND THAT IT WAS HARD TO BRAKE. ONCE AGAIN MY CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. FEBRUARY 20, 2004 I TOOK MY CAR TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER WHERE I PURCHASE MY VEHICLE, EXPLAINED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES AND IN ADDITION THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THIS TIME FOR MY SURPRISE THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD TO RESURFACE FRONT BRAKES ROTORS AND THAT THERE WAS NO NOISE INSIDE THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY AFTER THEY SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED THE CAR, THE D-4 LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND THE NOISE ON THE BRAKE WAS WORSE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER SINCE I WAS SHIPPING MY CAR TO CA. THE VERY NEXT DAY. WHEN I RECEIVED MY CAR IN CA I TOOK THE CAR TO THE ACURA DEALER IN ELK GROVE FOR AN INSPECTION & ALSO EXPLAINED AGAIN THE WHOLE SITUATION. THIS TIME THOUGH I ALSO EXPLAINED THE EXPERIENCE I HAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR FROM OAKLAND TO SACRAMENTO (1 HOUR ): THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ITSELF AND I HAD TO TAP ON THE GAS-PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR IT TO CHANGE GEARS. THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM MADE ME STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY THREE TIMES. ONCE AGAIN I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK AND TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR EXCEPT THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKES PADS AN MY OWN COST. CUSTOMER RELATIONS WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES (MR. IAHWAN) BUT THIS MANAGER WILL NOT ANSWER MY LETTER, FAX OR VOICE MESSAGE. I INFORMED THE DEALER THAT D4-LIGHT WAS FLASHING, WHICH IN THE MANUAL STATES THAT IT CAN BE A PROBLEM W/TRANSMISSION, UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALER DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE D4 LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK. PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA ODI #10064141

21,280 miles · Mar 18, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10063478

24,000 miles · Mar 16, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 35 MPH+. AFTER COLLISION, THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT SRS SYSTEM IS "DEFECTIVE" AND NEEDS A NEW PART IN ORDER FOR AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY PROPERLY IN THE FUTURE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10062336

48,000 miles · Mar 12, 2004
Power Train

MY 2002 ACURA RSX-S WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU MAY PULL OUT AND NEED TO ACCELERATE AND YOU CAN NOT. ROSENTHAL ACURA LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID IT NEEDED SOME PARTS FOR 3RD GEAR. THEY TOOK THE CAR APART AND FOUND A BROKEN SHIFT FORK LEVER. ACURA CORP SAID THAT THIS WAS NO…

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MY 2002 ACURA RSX-S WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU MAY PULL OUT AND NEED TO ACCELERATE AND YOU CAN NOT. ROSENTHAL ACURA LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID IT NEEDED SOME PARTS FOR 3RD GEAR. THEY TOOK THE CAR APART AND FOUND A BROKEN SHIFT FORK LEVER. ACURA CORP SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH MY 50,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS STILL IN EFFECT. THEY DID NOT GIVE ANY REASON FOR DENYING MY CLAIM. AS OF NOW ACURA IS REFUSING TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY AND IS QUOTING ME OVER 2000 DOLLARS TO FIX A CAR THAT IS NOT EVEN 2 YEARS OLD! THERE ARE OVER 900 PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET THAT HAVE ALL SIGNED A PETITION TO GET ACURA TO RECALL ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE 2002 AND 2003 ACURAS. PLEASE HELP ME OUT HERE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10062036

3,500 miles · Mar 3, 2004
Structure

*OPEN BODY SEAM AT DRIVERS A-PILLAR. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TWICE AS SUSPENSION NOISE WHICH I THOUGH WAS THE PROBLEM; DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION. A FEW MONTHS WENT BY AND I REALIZED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE SPECIALLY WHEN TURNING WHEELS ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. DEALER KEPT THE CAR FROM 2/12/…

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*OPEN BODY SEAM AT DRIVERS A-PILLAR. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TWICE AS SUSPENSION NOISE WHICH I THOUGH WAS THE PROBLEM; DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION. A FEW MONTHS WENT BY AND I REALIZED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE SPECIALLY WHEN TURNING WHEELS ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. DEALER KEPT THE CAR FROM 2/12/04 UNTIL 2/28/04... BODY SEAM WAS REWELDED BY AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP. NOW I GET METAL CLICKING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AFTER ALL AND I GET FRUSTRATE EVERYTIME I HEAR NOISES IN THE FRON END.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10060299

5,705 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility

I PURCHASED MY ACURA RSX, TYPE S ON 10-14-02. ON 02-14-03 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY NOT WORKING WHEN IT WAS COLD OUT. THE PROBLEM OCCURED FOUR TIMES. I WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH MY KEY AND I WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY LOCK THE CAR. IT WOULD ONLY LAST UNTIL IT WARMED UP. I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT ON 0…

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I PURCHASED MY ACURA RSX, TYPE S ON 10-14-02. ON 02-14-03 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY NOT WORKING WHEN IT WAS COLD OUT. THE PROBLEM OCCURED FOUR TIMES. I WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH MY KEY AND I WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY LOCK THE CAR. IT WOULD ONLY LAST UNTIL IT WARMED UP. I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT ON 02-14-03, THEY SAID THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ACTING UP AT THAT TIME. ALSO ON 02-14-03 THE CHECK ENGINE CODE WAS PULLED. IT WAS P1163, SLOW RESPONSE OF THE PRIMARY OXYGEN SENSOR. THEY STATED THAT THEY KNEW THE O2 SENSORS WERE SENSITIVE AND SUGGESTED TO RESET THE CODES AND WATCH FOR FURTHER PROBLEMS. ON 09-12-03 THE CHECK ENGINE COSE WAS PULLED AGAIN. IT WAS P1163, O2 SENSOR & P0219 ENGINE OVER SPEED FOR CONDITION. ON 09-23-03 THE O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED. ON 10-13-03 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I COULD NOT GET IN UNTIL 10-16-03. ON 10-15-03 THE LIGHT WENT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT WANT TO PULL THE CODES SINCE THE LIGHT WENT OFF. I INSISTED THAT THE CODES BE PULLED, BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO BE FOUND NEGLIGENT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD. THE CODES PULLED WERE P1163 & P0219. THEY SUGGESTED I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT AT. THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST REPLACED IT. THEY FELT THERE WAS AN UNDERLYING CONDITION BESIDES THE O2 SENSOR. ON 11-03-03 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MY APPOINTMENT IS 11-06-03. I HAVE SENT MY INFO TO AUTOMOBILE LEMON LAW ATTORNEYS IN ELMHURST IL. I ALSO CONTACTED ACURA CUSTOMER SERVICE IN TORRENCE CA. I WANT OTHERS TO BE AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS. THE ONLY REASON I BOUGHT AN ACURA IS BECAUSE OF IT'S REPUTATION OF BEING A WELL BUILT CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10069937

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.