2003 Acura RL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RL years
- Not enough data 13th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Acura RL. That ranks 13th out of 18 RL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (6 complaints, 67%), typically at around 3,800 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 9owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 | 6 | 67% | 3,800 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 11% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 11% | 132,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 11% | 132,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 11% | 132,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 11% | 29,635 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Acura RL recalls (1)
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.
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.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL…
I received a recall notice in march and was told to park my car. I did for 9 months, forced to buy another car. Acura refused to provide a rental. We filed a class-action suit. Acura required an inspection of the airbags/inflator. I received an invoice i could not understand and called the dealer…
2003 acura rl. Consumer writes in regards to driver frontal airbag safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the manufacturer did not make a reasonable attempt to assist with the 500 mile round trip to an authorized dealer. The manufacturer was no longer authorizing local dealerships to complete…
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE…
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER 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 | 9 | 1 |
| 2002 RL | 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 2003 Acura RL?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Acura RL?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.