Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Acura rlx. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for regular service and the technician determined that the driver side outer and inner tie rods needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was concerned for his safety and did not drive the vehicle since the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage…
2014 Acura RLX steering problems
moderate 48 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
48
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 48 steering complaints filed for the 2014 Acura RLX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Steering accounts for 58% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 48 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2014 Acura RLX's PAWS rear-wheel steering system has a documented defect causing the rear wheels to turn abruptly without driver input, resulting in dangerous fishtailing and loss of control at any speed. Acura acknowledges the problem and extended warranty coverage, but the extension expired in 2024; repairs cost $4,600–$7,000 and parts are often unavailable. Buy only if you can verify recent rear-actuator replacement and understand the repair liability you are assuming.
Owners describe a pattern of dangerous rear-wheel steering failures in the 2014 Acura RLX equipped with the PAWS (Precision All Wheel Steering) system. The rear wheels abruptly turn when the vehicle is driving straight—typically moments after completing a turn—causing violent fishtailing, sudden jerking to one side, and momentary loss of steering control. This happens at all speeds and without warning, sometimes followed by a cascade of dashboard warning lights (power steering, brake assist, lane departure, forward collision, VSA, hill start assist). Owners report moaning or grinding noises from the rear suspension during turns or straight driving. Dealers consistently claim inability to reproduce the problem during diagnostics. Multiple owners cite a service bulletin (13-041 or 23-022) and mention Acura issued a warranty extension on rear toe actuators—parts Acura acknowledges contain "manufacturer error"—but the extension expired. Repair estimates range from $4,600 to $7,000 for replacement actuators, which owners say are often unavailable. One owner reported a tie-rod disconnection on the highway. Several note their vehicles have fishtailed near oncoming traffic or into opposite lanes, and one owner states actuators were already replaced once at 25,000 miles, yet failed again by 66,000 miles. No owner reports adequate resolution from dealers or Acura.
Failure modes owners describe
PAWS rear-wheel steering erratic actuation
Rear wheels turn abruptly while vehicle drives straight or immediately after a turn is completed, causing violent fishtailing, jerking to one side, and loss of steering control. Event may last 2–3 seconds before self-correcting or may persist longer.
When: All speeds; typically after turns; happens without warning; reported at 25k–156k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Violent fishtailing or rear-end swinging out of lane; Sudden jerking to left or right; Steering wheel unresponsive or fighting driver input; Rear end feels like it's sliding sideways; Vehicle swerves into opposite lanes or toward oncoming traffic
Codes mentioned: U0122-00, U0155-00, U0029-00, 27-21, 86-23, U129D-00, U0416-68, U126-00, U0100-00, U0101-00, C1600-94, U129D, U1281
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of left and right rear toe (PAWS) actuators; estimated $4,600–$7,000. Parts frequently on backorder or unavailable. One owner reported actuators replaced at 25k miles, failed again by 66k miles.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Acura issued Service Bulletin 13-041 and TSB 23-022 acknowledging 'manufacturer error' in rear steering actuators. Warranty extension issued for 10 years from purchase date (expired 2024 for 2014 models). Acura extended warranty does not cover failures after expiration. Dealers often cannot replicate issue during diagnostic visits.
Rear suspension moaning/grinding noise during turns and straight driving
Loud moaning, grinding, or rubbing sound coming from rear suspension, particularly during turns at low speed or when driving straight. Noise persists despite tire replacement and wheel alignment.
When: Low speeds; during turns; while driving straight; onset within first few years; 25k–156k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Moaning or rubbing noise from rear; Grinding sound from rear suspension; Noise especially noticeable during left or right turns; Noise may decrease but does not fully resolve after tire/alignment service
Repairs/costs cited: Service Bulletin 13-041 addresses actuator noise; Acura does not cover full repair cost in some cases. Tire replacement and wheel alignment do not resolve. Owners report dealership unable or unwilling to repair beyond acknowledging the bulletin.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletin 13-041 issued; Acura acknowledges problem but does not consistently cover repair costs.
Cascading warning lights and vehicle limp-mode deceleration
When PAWS malfunction occurs, dashboard illuminates with multiple warning lights (power steering, brake assist, lane departure, forward collision, VSA, hill start assist, brake hold system, CMBS). Vehicle may enter limp mode, cutting engine power or preventing acceleration.
When: During or immediately after fishtailing events; at highway speeds and low speeds; 75k–131k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple dashboard warning lights flash simultaneously; Power steering assist lost or reduced; Brake functionality lost or reduced; Engine power cut or severely reduced; Vehicle decelerates without driver input; Vehicle unable to accelerate properly; Loss of adaptive cruise control function
Codes mentioned: U0122-00, U0155-00, U0029-00, U0100-00, U0101-00
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report dealerships unable to determine root cause from warning codes; one owner was told alternator or battery needed replacement, but failures persisted or issue could not be replicated.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Acura notified; cases opened with case numbers assigned. Manufacturer has not provided solution beyond warranty extension on actuators.
Intermittent power steering assist loss and reduced responsiveness
Front-wheel power steering assist intermittently fails or becomes sluggish, requiring increased driver effort to maneuver the vehicle. May occur with or without warning lights.
When: Various speeds; intermittent; 87k–156k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel requires increased manual effort; Abnormal sound from front end during steering; Power steering assist warning light illuminated (in some cases); Failure intermittent and difficult to reproduce
Codes mentioned: TSB 13-041
Repairs/costs cited: No repair completed in reported cases. One owner investigated failure against TSB 13-041 without taking vehicle to dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Technical Service Bulletin 13-041 exists; manufacturer case opened but no resolution provided.
Rear tie-rod disconnection and suspension bolt failure
Tie-rod connecting rear PAWS system to suspension disconnected and laying on ground; passenger-side rear tire tilted inward 20 degrees. Bolt either vibrated loose or sheared off. Vehicle experienced violent loss of control on freeway.
When: Unknown mileage; October 2013
Symptoms owners cite: Violent fishtailing on freeway with no driver control; Passenger rear tire tilted inward significantly; Tie-rod visibly disconnected; Severe loss of handling
Repairs/costs cited: Repaired under warranty by dealership. Acura stated bolt 'probably vibrated loose.'
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership repair covered under warranty; Acura attributed to vibration-induced loosening, not design defect.
Synthesized from 48 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
Paws rear wheel steering sticking causing sudden correction to rear wheel alignment. After turning left or right from a full stop sudden correction feels like rear of car is falling out, driver may respond with an over correction placing everyone in danger. This has happened numerous times over the past month, dealer seems concerned but bring money. Contacted Acura america, they deny any…
The contact owns a 2014 Acura RLX. The contact stated that while his son was driving 55 MPH, the power steering and the brakes failed with the ABS and power steering warning lights illuminated. The contact's son managed to coast the vehicle onto the shoulder as the power steering and the brake functionality returned. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it remained for…
I was driving down the freeway when the back-end of the car became very loose and out of control. The car was swerving back and forth violently. I was able to gain control avoiding the cars to the left of me and the ditch to the right. I was able to get the car under control and I slowed the speed way down. I pulled off the highway and into a driveway to inspect. I found the passenger rear…
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Acura rlx. While driving various speeds, the power all wheel steering (paws) feature malfunctioned. When driving straight, the rear wheels would erroneously turn and caused the vehicle to suddenly jerk and fishtail. During the failure, the driver lost control of the steering and the vehicle drove into the opposite lane. The vehicle was taken to classic Acura (1000…
The car, unexpectedly fishtails while driving straight.This has happened since I purchased the car and it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS as it can thrust the car into oncoming traffic. The service technicians can never duplicate the problem. The problem, according to the dealer is the PAWS system rear wheel steer and it is a very well known problem with the 2014 RLX. The dealer told me that the PAWS…
I purchased a 2014 Acura RLX. It had a LKAS Problem warning when purchased. I thought that meant that feature would be disabled. No big deal. In stead I have experienced the car making abrupt jerks to the right on multiple occasions. One instance, I turned onto an on-ramp that was dual lane. There was a vehicle to the right of me and my car abruptly jerked to the right towards the other car. I…
While driving and turning left or right the car feels like the backend is coming around to the front of car, then I have to hold the steering while tight because it feels like I'm gonna loose control of the car then it'll straighten back up. I can be driving on the streets or on the highway the same thing. And since I've had the car it has had a roaring noise in the rear end and I have bought new…
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Acura rlx. While driving between 30 and 40 MPH, the rear of the vehicle fishtailed. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle would not turn in the direction of the steering wheel. The vehicle was currently at classic Acura (1000 I-10 frontage rd, beaumont, tx 77702, (409) 898-8001) waiting to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made…
The contact and her husband own a 2014 Acura RLX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact lost control of the vehicle due to the vehicle jerking to the right. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and an unknown software update was performed. The failure persisted after the software update. The vehicle was…
Had steering trouble with your 2014 Acura RLX?
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 steering problem on the 2014 Acura RLX?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 48 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 25 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 60,000 and 97,000 miles, with the median around 79,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 60,000; a quarter make it past 97,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
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/2014/Acura/RLX.
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.