IllustrationOEM FOGLIGHT LENSES, CRACKS TOO EASILY. *AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rsx years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
150–25K
825–50K
550–75K
675–100K
6100–150K
4150K+
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 reportsSECOND GEAR GRINDING LED TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NOW I HAVE TO GET MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED, AND DEALER WANTS ME TO BELIEVE ITS MY FAULT WHEN I RARELY DRIVE IT HARD.
POSSIBLE LEMON LAW QUALIFIER. *MR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON FOUR TIMES THE DEALER STATED THE #02 SENSOR WAS SENSITIVE, THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE PART SHOULD RESET. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS AND KEYLESS ENTRY. *SCC *JB
PROBLEMS WITH 2002 ACURA RSX POSSIBLE LEMON LAW QUALIFIER. *MR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE 02 OXYGEN SENSOR WAS SENSITIVE AND WAS RESET BUT THE PROBLEM WAS MORE THAN TWO OCCASIONS. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS/KEYLESS ENTRY, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. *SC…
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PROBLEMS WITH 2002 ACURA RSX POSSIBLE LEMON LAW QUALIFIER. *MR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE 02 OXYGEN SENSOR WAS SENSITIVE AND WAS RESET BUT THE PROBLEM WAS MORE THAN TWO OCCASIONS. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS/KEYLESS ENTRY, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. *SCC *JB
2ND GEAR GRIND ON 6SPEED TRANSMISSION. SOMETIMES 3RD GEAR POPS OUT WHILE DRIVING. RICK CASE ACURA HAS REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION TWICE IN ONE YEAR. THE TRANSMISSION STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW PUTTING IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. I AM NOT THE ONLY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
IN THE 12 MONTHS I HAVE HAD MY CAR, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 7+ TIMES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE AIR CYCLES COLD-HOT-COLD-HOT-ETC, THEN OVER TIME BLOWS OUT HOT AIR. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED ALL THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPONENTS UNDER THE HOOD AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED, THE CAR ALSO HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 2+ TIMES FOR STALLING AND E…
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IN THE 12 MONTHS I HAVE HAD MY CAR, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 7+ TIMES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE AIR CYCLES COLD-HOT-COLD-HOT-ETC, THEN OVER TIME BLOWS OUT HOT AIR. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED ALL THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPONENTS UNDER THE HOOD AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED, THE CAR ALSO HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 2+ TIMES FOR STALLING AND ENGINE LOOSING POWER PROBLEMS, THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND THEN TOOK THE TOP PART OF THE ENGINE APART AND CHANGED THE VALVE CLEARANCE, THEY SAID THE VALVES WERE "TOO TIGHT" AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOOSE POWER AND SOMETIMES STALL, IT STILL HAS THE PROBLEM TODAY AND IS NOT FIXED.
I TOOK MY RSX-S TO VALENCIA ACURA FOR THEM TO CHECK MY TRANSMISSION FOR GRINDS AND WEARING OF THE CLUTCH. I LEAVE MY CAR THERE AND DECIDE TO GO TO THE MALL. AS I AM COMING BACK FROM THE MALL, I SEE MY CAR ON THE STREET BEING DRIVEN VERY HARD, AND FOR WHAT REASON? THERE'S NO REASON TO BE DRIVING LIKE THAT IN ORDER TO TEST THE GEA…
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I TOOK MY RSX-S TO VALENCIA ACURA FOR THEM TO CHECK MY TRANSMISSION FOR GRINDS AND WEARING OF THE CLUTCH. I LEAVE MY CAR THERE AND DECIDE TO GO TO THE MALL. AS I AM COMING BACK FROM THE MALL, I SEE MY CAR ON THE STREET BEING DRIVEN VERY HARD, AND FOR WHAT REASON? THERE'S NO REASON TO BE DRIVING LIKE THAT IN ORDER TO TEST THE GEARS OR CLUTCH OUT. SO THEY SAID THEY CALLED THEIRE DISTRICT MANAGER AND THEY WILL HEAR FROM THEM LATER IN THE DAY. SO I PICK MY CAR BACK UP AND START DRIVING AND I FELT THE CAR WAS A LITTLE WEIRD. WELL IT JUST SOO HAPPENED SOMETHING HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER HAD IT AND I WASNT TOLD. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AS I USUALLY DO AND MY CAR LATER DIED ABOUT 1/2 MILE DOWN THE ROAD. NOW THEY HAVE THE MOTOR OPENED UP AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE MOTOR WAS MIS FIRING ALL 4 CYLINDERS AND ITS DUE TO OVER REVVING THE ENGINE. I NEVER OVER REVVED MY ENGINE AND IT ONLY HAPPENED AFTER I GOT MY CAR FROM THE DEALER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND POTHOLES ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*AK
MY 2002 ACURA RSX EMITS A TERRIBLE ROTTEN EGG ODOR FORM THE EMISSION SYSTEM .. FUMES ARE VERY STRONG AND SURELY UNSAFE.. DEALER SAYS ONLY THAT I HAVE "BAD GAS" BUT IT'S BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM FOR 18 MONTHS THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY.*AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE WHEN STOPPING ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH ANY KIND OF BUMPS OR POTHOLES. THIS OCCURS AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES PER MONTH. THE BRAKES DO NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS, AND COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, HAD THEM LOOK AT THE CAR, THEY TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL AND NO ERROR CODES SH…
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ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE WHEN STOPPING ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH ANY KIND OF BUMPS OR POTHOLES. THIS OCCURS AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES PER MONTH. THE BRAKES DO NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS, AND COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, HAD THEM LOOK AT THE CAR, THEY TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL AND NO ERROR CODES SHOWED UP ON THE DIAGNOSTICS. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.