2003 Acura RSX problems & reliability
25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Acura RSX. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2003 Acura RSX vehicles were involved in 12 fatal crashes with 10 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 8 | 32% |
| Air Bags | 7 | 28% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 20% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 12% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The srs light just turned on in my vehicle. There was a recall for this same problem sometime in 2012 or 2013.”
Air Bags · filed Aug 22, 2018
“2003 acura rsx. Consumer writes in regards to takata airbag safety recall. *ld consumer sent additional correspondence. *ld *js”
Air Bags · filed Apr 18, 2018
“Tl* the contact owns 2003 acura rsx. The contact stated that the vehicle spontaneously accelerated without warning. The only way the contact could stop the failure was by shifting into park and braking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was awaiting diagnosis of the failure. The manufacturer was…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Feb 5, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
71 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Acura RSX. The 10 most recent:
Sending vehicle data to tech line.
BJA46167 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2017
Special Tool Loan Program: Under TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN, the list has been updated.
B98015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 2016
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
DLR MSG - Acura · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2014
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-023, Safety Recall: Front…
DLR MSG - Stop S · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2014
Searching isis for diagnostic trouble code information. 1996 - 2003 models. *tt updated 12/12/11. *pe
1202 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 12, 2011
Acura: there are guidelines for various situations and procedures including: tire pressure valve stem installation, trailer stability malfunction light is on, engine oil application guide, new software, new transmission…
SB-0708 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2010
Acura: 6 speed manual transmission grinds when shifting into 3rd gear, pops out of 3rd gear, or is hard to shift into 3rd gear. Transmission has a faulty 3rd gear synchronizer or 3-4 shift sleeve. *pe
08-018 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 18, 2008
Load carrying capacity reduced label for all acura vehicles. *pe
08-026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 31, 2008
Acura: warranty extension: vehicle warranty mileage. A federal court provided final approval of the settlement of a class action lawsuit alleging that the odometers on certain models were overstating mileage. Vehicles…
SB-06-050 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 9, 2008
Warranty extension: vehicle warranty mileage. *kb affects 2002 through 2006 acura models. Updated 8/15/08. *pe
06050 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 9, 2008
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2003 Acura RSX in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Acura RSX?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.