2002 Acura RL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RL years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Acura RL. That ranks 3rd out of 18 RL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (18 complaints, 42%), typically at around 128,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 43owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Acura RL problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 18 | 42% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 23% | 46,059 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 12% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 9% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 7% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 5% | 77,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 5% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | 85,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Acura RL recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, during the manufacturing process, oil was applied to the brake pedal assembly to prevent rust. This oil can leak into the brake stop switch and contaminate the electrical contacts.
Risk: Eventually, the brake lights will not illuminate when the brakes are applied, which increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will clean any excess oil from the pedal assembly and replace the stop switch. Owner notification began may 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact acura at 1-800-382-2238.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
About 2013 the 2000 acura rl vsa and abs lights came on then the tilt on the steering wheel up and down stop working then the srs lights and seat belts light came on and want go off. So from then till now I have spent about 15k to correct the vsa and abs issues. Replace rotors bearing wheel sensor…
This is a continuation complaint with national cemter for dispute settlement to fix safty issues and discontinued parts. The car is not 40 years old and i cannot find a maintenance repair book. The power door locks are coming on and off and the fob key do not work Sutton acuta in macon said it…
Rack and pinion replacement. Exterior issues: rear bumper felled off; gasoline cover won't closed; door handles falling off; fuel pump needs replacement
I recieved a notice of recall about the air bags more than 10 months ago and dealer says they do not have part yet. When will the part be in? We don't want to wait until their is a problem.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR…
Other Acura RL years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 RL | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 RL | 1 | 6 |
| 2011 RL | 3 | 6 |
| 2010 RL | 9 | 7 |
| 2009 RL | 8 | 6 |
| 2008 RL | 13 | 6 |
| 2007 RL | 20 | 7 |
| 2006 RL | 32 | 8 |
| 2005 RL | 125 | 11 |
| 2004 RL | 11 | 0 |
| 2003 RL | 9 | 1 |
| 2002 | 43 | 2 |
| 2001 RL | 12 | 2 |
| 2000 RL | 59 | 4 |
| 1999 RL | 24 | 2 |
| 1998 RL | 11 | 3 |
| 1997 RL | 19 | 2 |
| 1996 RL | 22 | 2 |
See all Acura RL problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
Similar Acura models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Acura RL?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Acura RL?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Acura RL a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RL model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.