Acura RL Problems by Year
NHTSA has 423 owner complaints and 20 safety recalls on file for the Acura RL, across 18 model years (1996–2015). The 2005 model year has the most complaints (125). The most reported problem area overall is air bags.
Acura RL years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical RL year: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2005 RL: 125 complaints, 11 recalls
- 2000 RL: 59 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2002 RL: 43 complaints, 2 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Acura RL problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 141 | 15 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 61 | 8 | 1 |
| Electrical System | 60 | 13 | 1 |
| Power Train | 41 | 13 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 23 | 10 | 4 |
| Visibility | 17 | 6 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 8 | 6 |
| Steering | 15 | 8 | 0 |
| Structure | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 6 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| Suspension | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 8 | 0 |
| Tires | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Equipment | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1 | 0 |
All Acura RL model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 RL | 2 | 0 | — | Electronic Stability Control (esc) | |
| 2012 RL | 1 | 6 | — | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2011 RL | 3 | 6 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2010 RL | 9 | 7 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2009 RL | 8 | 6 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2008 RL | 13 | 6 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 RL | 20 | 7 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 RL | 32 | 8 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 RL | 125 | 11 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 RL | 11 | 0 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2003 RL | 9 | 1 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2002 RL | 43 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 RL | 12 | 2 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 RL | 59 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 RL | 24 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 RL | 11 | 3 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1997 RL | 19 | 2 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 1996 RL | 22 | 2 | — | Visibility | More complaints than other years |
More from Acura: all Acura models · Acura VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura RL years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1999 (24), 2000 (59), 2002 (43), 2005 (125), 2006 (32) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical RL year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Acura RL?
Air Bags, with 141 complaints across 15 model years.
How many recalls does the Acura RL have?
20 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.