Acura RL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
416 owner complaints analyzed
20 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 to 2015 model years. Data snapshot: . 223 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 129 of 416 complaints (31.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 56 | 13.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 6.5% |
| Steering behavior | 25 | 6.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 18 | 4.3% |
| Engine operation | 17 | 4.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 129 |
| Exterior Lighting | 53 |
| Electrical System | 50 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Unknown Or Other | 15 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 12 |
| Steering | 12 |
Air Bags: 129; Exterior Lighting: 53; Electrical System: 50; Power Train: 15; Unknown Or Other: 15; Vehicle Speed Control: 15; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12; Steering: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 30 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 30 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 37 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 38 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 58 |
| 150,000 and above | 30 |
Under 25,000: 30; 25,000 to 49,999: 30; 50,000 to 74,999: 37; 75,000 to 99,999: 38; 100,000 to 149,999: 58; 150,000 and above: 30
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (58). 193 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 18 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2005 | 17 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 14 |
| 2008 | 13 |
| 2009 | 24 |
| 2010 | 29 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 21 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 23 |
| 2015 | 18 |
| 2016 | 72 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2000: 3; 2001: 18; 2002: 12; 2003: 11; 2004: 26; 2005: 17; 2006: 16; 2007: 14; 2008: 13; 2009: 24; 2010: 29; 2011: 14; 2012: 21; 2013: 16; 2014: 23; 2015: 18; 2016: 72; 2017: 12; 2018: 5; 2019: 7; 2020: 28; 2021: 7; 2022: 2; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 1; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 56 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 27 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10010178 · 2003-03-09 (March 9, 2003)
WHEN I FIRST START MY CAR, I HEAR A NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE FIRE WALL. WHEN THE NOISE SOUNDS FOR A 20 TO 30 SECOND PERIOD, THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ABS SYSTEMS GOES OUT. WHEN THE NOISE IS SHORT (5 SECOND BURSTS OF SOUND), THE ABS SYSTEM GOES OUT AFTER A MILE OR TWO DRIVE. DURING THE MILE OR TWO DRIVE, I HEAR THE SAME NOISE OFF AND ON UNTIL THE ABS SYSTEM EVENTUALLY GOES OUT. THIS FIRST OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 24, 2002. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 92,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010178 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028480 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)
2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THIS PREVIOUSLY-OWNED RL, I HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE THAT I THOUGHT WAS COMING FROM THE A/C AND REPORTED IT TO MY DEALER WHO COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME I HEARD THIS NOISE MY WINDOWS WERE DOWN AND THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD, IT ECHOED OFF SURROUNDING BUILDINGS. I HIT MY BRAKES TO PULL OVER AND INVESTIGATE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. REPORTED TO DEALER BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THIS NOISE STILL POPS UP FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT GOES AWAY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. NOISE IS A SQUEALING/HISSING SOUND THAT EMINA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10028480 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10442629 · 2012-01-06 (January 6, 2012)
WHEN DRIVING NORMALLY, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY DIE, AS IF THE IGNITION HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THE CODE SET INDICATES MISFIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS. STARTS AGAIN IMMEDIATELY, BUT DOES NOT ALWAYS CONTINUE TO RUN. THIS WILL HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES THEN NOT AGAIN FOR DAYS. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TESTS OK, FUEL PRESSURE TEST OK, TOO. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 193,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10442629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10442640 · 2012-01-06 (January 6, 2012)
WHEN DRIVING NORMALLY, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY DIE, AS IF THE IGNITION HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THE COSE SET IN OBD II INDICATED MISFIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS. IT STARTS AGAIN IMMEDIATELY, BUT DOES NOT ALWAYS CONTINUE TO RUN. THIS WILL HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES PER DAY, SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW, THEN NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TESTS COMPLETELY OK. FUEL PRESSURE TESTS ARE OK TOO. CAR IS AT GOSS' GARAGE IN SEABROOK, MD, PHONE [phone removed]. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 193,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10442640 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10616750 · 2014-07-28 (July 28, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT SEIZED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10616750 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10201954 · 2007-09-05 (September 5, 2007)
ENGINE QUIT WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF EFI RELAY WHICH CUT OFF POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED. PART WAS REPLACED - OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE. 1) I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO A LOCAL STREET WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC NEAR AND I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR BACK INTO AN ADJACENT LOT. 2) HOWEVER, IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY JUST ONE BLOCK AWAY, I WOULD HAVE LOST POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND HAVE BEEN IN MUCH HEAVIER TRAFFIC, WHICH COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO A HIGH-SPEED COLLISION. 3…
Owner-reported narrative. 81,395 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006705 · 2003-02-06 (February 6, 2003)
AFTER RECALL#99V227000 WAS PERFORMED, THE VEHICLE REMAINED EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE WHEN DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE, EXTENSION SHAFT AND SECONDARY DRIVE GEAR WAS WORN. A TRANSMISSION WAS ADDED, AND THE BROKEN DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006705 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10140963 · 2005-10-27 (October 27, 2005)
1) WHILE EXITING A SHOPPING MALL PARKING INTO THE STREET I HEARD A SUDDEN LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. MY VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. WHEN WE PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE CURB SIDE, AND PUT IT IN PARK IT STARTED ROLLING DOWNHILL TILL I PULLED THE HAND BRAKE. 2) THE FAILURE WAS IN THE SAME AREA FOR WHICH MY VEHICLE WAS RECALLED PREVIOUSLY. (99V227000) THE SPLINE OF THE SHAFT THAT CONNECTS THE DIFFERENTIAL TO THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. 3) THIS SHAFT AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 147,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140963 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10454661 · 2012-04-10 (April 10, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD NOISE AND STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V227000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 138,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 138,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10454661 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 888381 · 2001-05-16 (May 16, 2001)
WHILE FEEDING THE FUEL TANK FLAMES CAME OUT OF FUEL TANK.CONSUMER FAST RECAPED THE TANK, AND FIRE WAS PUT OUT. CONSUMER DOES NOT FEEL SAFE IN VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 888381 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2015 | 0 |
1999: 2; 2000: 4; 2001: 2; 2002: 2; 2003: 1; 2004: 0; 2005: 11; 2006: 8; 2007: 7; 2008: 6; 2009: 6; 2010: 7; 2011: 6; 2012: 6; 2015: 0