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2009 Acura RDX airbags problems
severe
Owners of the 2009 Acura RDX have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
2
Avg fix
$1,100
airbags complaints on the Acura RDX, by model year
An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented
repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall
(it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service BulletinB18-020Feb 2026
Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Driver's Airbag Inflator for 2013-14 ILX Hybrid and Other Listed Years and Models.
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The bulk of complaints center on the Takata airbag recall—NHTSA campaign 16V061000. Owners received recall notices starting in February 2016 but hit a wall: dealerships couldn't get replacement parts. No manufacturer could say when parts would arrive. One owner waited nine months past the recall notice with nothing done. Dealers offered no loaner vehicles while owners sat with supposedly defective airbags. The manufacturer acknowledged the issue but couldn't deliver parts or timelines. One owner noted that nearby dealerships had already installed fixes on 2016 RDX models, raising frustration about inconsistent supply.
One distinct failure stands apart: an owner involved in a collision reported that the airbags didn't deploy despite impact, along with a chemical smell and an intermittent check airbag warning light. The driver's seatbelt also locked up and wouldn't retract. This suggests a potential electrical or mechanical malfunction independent of the recall supply issue.
Same Acura RDX airbags reports on nearby years: 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Takata airbag recall parts unavailable
Owners received NHTSA campaign 16V061000 recall notices for Takata airbags but manufacturers could not provide replacement parts within a reasonable timeframe. No specific delivery dates were given, and delays exceeded 9 months in some cases.
When: February 2016 recall notification; delays persisted for 9+ months
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received with no parts available; Dealers unable to schedule repair; No estimated delivery date provided; Owners unable to determine when repair would be completed
Codes mentioned:16V061000
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repair could not be performed due to parts unavailability. Loaner vehicles not provided by dealership.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V061000 (Takata airbags); manufacturer aware but unable to provide parts or timeline
Airbag non-deployment with chemical smell
Following a collision, airbags failed to deploy despite impact conditions that should have triggered them. Owner also reported chemical odor and intermittent check airbag warning light. Driver seatbelt also failed to retract.
When: During accident / impact event
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy on impact; Chemical smell during or after impact; Check airbag light comes on intermittently; Driver seatbelt locked up and does not retract
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
10 most recent
airbags
· filed 10/18/2016
"takata recall" nothing has happened and that is the problem. I got the recall notice in february 2016 and I just checked and the fix is still not available. I am patient but 9 months seems like too long to have to wait to have a dangerous airbag corrected.
airbags
· filed 06/17/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the vehicle would be repaired. The…
airbags
· filed 06/17/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the vehicle would be repaired. The…
airbags
· filed 06/15/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
airbags
· filed 06/01/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Acura rdx. The contact received a notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool…
airbags
· filed 05/03/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Acura rdx. The contact stated that the recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) was received in february of 2016. After contacting the dealer and the manufacturer, the contact was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle were still not available and no estimated time for receiving the parts could be given. The contact had…
airbags
· filed 05/01/2016
Takata recall called Acura national , told to call Acura dealership. Dealership doesn't know when new part will be available and doesn't have loaner car to give me. Car is being driven by my 18 y/o daughter for school commute. Repair will be more than 60 days and there is no provision for temporary replacement for my older 2009 car when I know a recent replacement was already installed on a…
airbags
· filed 03/22/2017
Takata recall
airbags
· filed 02/23/2025
I was involved in an accident and upon impact the airbags didn’t deploy although there was a chemical smell that occurred and the check airbag light comes on intermittently. Also driver seatbelt locked up and does not retract out.
airbags
· filed 02/13/2017
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags). The part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts…
Had airbags trouble with your 2009 Acura RDX?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2009 Acura RDX?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Acura/RDX.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.