2004 Acura RL

Routine

Owners filed 11 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System5
000
Air Bags2
102
Steering1
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages1
000
Exterior Lighting › Headlights1
000
Electronic Stability Control (esc)1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Oct 26, 2017122,000 milesCA

THE POWER STEERING LINE IS POURING OUT THE FLUID AND BURNS UNDER THE CAR CAUSING SMOKE

Steering
Filed Jan 15, 2017131,000 milesTX

FAILURE OF POWER STEERING TILT/REACH. POWER STEERING TILT/REACH STOPPED WORKING. THE GEARS ACURA HAVE USED ARE PLASTIC AND FRAGILE. ACURA DOES NOT SELL THE GEARS, THEY WANT PEOPLE TO BUY NEW STEERING COLUMN. ONE PERSON CAN GET STEERING POSITIONED AT COMFORTABLE PLACE BUT THEN IF A PERSON OF DIFFERENT SIZE HAS TO DRIVE HE/SHE GETS TIRED THAT CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENT AND FATALITY. SEARCHING WEB SHOWS THAT PROBLEM IS COMMON IN ACURA RLS. ACURA SHOULD FIX THIS ISSUE ASAP.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 29, 2014123,200 milesCA

I PARKED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BLINKED RIGHT AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR. I KNEW I HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DOOR LOCKS WOULDN'T WORK. I TRIED TO RE-ENGAGE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS, BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ELECTRICALLY DEAD. I TRIED A COUPLE MORE TIMES TO START THE CAR, BUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I SAT IN THE CAR A COUPLE MINUTES WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING. I TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO START THE CAR AND IT WORKED. ALL THE RADIO AND NAV SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE RESET. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 MORE TIMES OVER 3 MONTHS. EACH THE SAME WAY. AS I PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, IT BLINKED AND ELECTRICALLY FAILED. LAST TWO TIMES BEING ONLY 5 DAYS APART. SO IT'S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND CLOSER TOGETHER. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR. HE'D NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAD NO CLUE AS TO HOW OR WHY IT HAPPENED. HE EXAMINED THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FOUND NADA. SO FAR, IT HAS NOT RE-OCCURRED 3 WEEKS AFTER BEING LOOKED AT. FRUSTRATING, CONCERNING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 1, 201482,000 milesFL

I TRIED STARTING MY CAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY BATTERY WENT DEAD. ALL THE GADGETS ON MY DASH AND NOT ONE COULD TELL ME MY BATTERY WAS DYING OR LOW ON CHARGE. SO I CALL AAA AND THEY REPLACE THE BATTERY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR IS WORKING BETTER AND MY AC IS WORKING BETTER. ALL THE TIMES I COMPLAINED TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP THAT MY AC WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY IN THIS FLORIDA HEAT AND THEY CHECK IT AND THEY TELL ME IT'S WORKING JUST FINE. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I GET A NEW BATTERY AND MY AC IS WORKING MUCH BETTER AND NOW MY CAR IS REALLY COOLING DOWN. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TELLING ME LOW BATTERY. A CAR WITH ALL THESE ELECTRONICS AND NO WARNING AND THE ACURA DEALERSHIP IN DELRAY BEACH CHECKED IT OUT NUMEROUS TIME AND DID NOT KNOW THAT THE AC WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE CAR NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. SHAME ON ACURA. *TR

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed Sep 1, 201482,000 milesFL

MY DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING AGAIN AND I'M UNSURE WHETHER IT'S THE SWITCH OR THE ACTUATOR. HONDA'S AND ACURA'S ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH MALFUNCTIONING ACTUATORS.FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR, I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO FIX DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS NUMEROUS TIMES. MY DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, MY WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING EVERY SINGLE YEAR THAT I HAVE OWNER THIS CAR. I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY SO THEY COULD FIX MY DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS EVERY YEAR. IT'S RIDICULOUS THE PRICES THEY CHARGE FOR THIS CAR AND THEY CAN'T MAKE IT LAST MORE THAN 1 YEAR. THE ACURA DEALERSHIP SHOWED ME, THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND THEY WEAR. AS LONG AS IT'S UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, I HAVE TO KEEP PAYING A DEDUCTIBLE AND BRINGING IT IN FOR THEM TO FIX. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Jul 17, 2013GA

THE AIRBAG OR SRS(SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) LIGHT IS ON MY 2004 ACURA RL WHEN BUYING THE CAR I DON'T NOTICE THE LIGHT WAS ON UNTIL I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND BILL OF SALES WAS FINAL AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSE SINCE I BROUGHT THE CAR RIGHT BEFORE CLOSING TIME. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Apr 21, 2013101,000 milesIL

THE DVD NAVIGATION SYSTEM IN THE RL IS BURNING OUT THE DVD DISK AND CAUSING THE NAVIGATION TO STOP WORKING. THE GPS LOCATOR ON THE SCREEN HAD MY VEHICLE NOWHERE NEAR THE ACTUAL LOCATION. THE NAVIGATION VOICE WOULD GIVE COMMAND TO MAKE A TURN WHERE NO ROAD EXISTED. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE FAILURE OF THE DVD DRIVE IN THE CAR IS A MORE COMMON EVENT AS I READ THE ACURA FORUMS. HTTP://TSX.ACURAZINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=676588. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Jan 31, 201390,000 milesIL

(10/18/12 APPROXIMATELY) THE ALARM SYSTEM WENT OFF RANDOMLY AND THE REMOTE FOB FAILED TO OPERATE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS CYCLING ON AND OFF AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY WOULD REMAIN LIT. IT WAS A STORMY NIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE ALARM SENSOR BEING OVER SENSITIVE. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON 1/29/13 THE VEHICLE ALARM ACTIVATED AGAIN RANDOMLY AND WAS ABLE TO BE RESET WITH THE KEYLESS FOB. ON THE MORNING OF 1/30/13 THE VEHICLE FOB FAILED TO LOCK OR UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY LIGHTS WERE ON WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE STARTED AND AFTER A 20 MINUTE DRIVE AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WENT OFF AS THE SHOULD. ON THE EVENING OF 1/30/13 THE VEHICLE KEYLESS ENTRY OPERATED CORRECTLY HAVING NOT FUNCTIONED EARLIER IN THE DAY. LATER ON THAT SAME EVENING (1/30/13) THE ALARM ACTIVATED. IT COULD NOT BE RESET BY THE KEYLESS FOB AND THE KEY NEEDED TO BE USED IN THE DOOR TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WHICH DEACTIVATED THE ALARM. THE VEHICLE WAS RE-LOCKED WITH THE KEY AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER I WENT OUT AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON AND THE ALARM WAS NOT SOUNDING. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT FLASHING BUT REMAINED ON CONTINUOUSLY. I TURNED THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL FROM 'AUTO' TO 'OFF AND THE LIGHT TURN OFF BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS REMAINED LIT. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND GOT NO RESPONSE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FUSE BOX IN THE DRIVER WELL I FOUND WATER IN THE FUSE BOX AND A DRIP COMING FROM SATURATED

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Oct 18, 2012107,000 milesNJ

MY WIFE WAS ENTERING A BEND IN THE ROAD AND CAME UPON A CAR STOPPED IN HER LANE, WITH NO BRAKES LIGHTS!!! SHE ATTEMPTED TO SWERVE TO THE SHOULDER BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. SHE IMPACTED THE CAR IN THE REAR, SLIGHTLY OFFSET TO THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE. THE FRONT OF HER CAR IMPACTED SLIGHTLY OFFSET TO THE LEFT (DRIVER'S) SIDE. SHE BRACED FOR IMPACT WITH HER LEFT HAND ON THE WHEEL. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG (EMPTY SEAT!) DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT!! THE FULL FORCE OF THE IMPACT WAS ABSORBED BY HER HAND, SHATTERING HER WRIST. SHE NEEDS SURGERY TO PIECE IT BACK TOGETHER AND THE SURGEON ESTIMATES A 12-18 MONTH RECOVERY TIME. SHE'S A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER WITH ~20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND DRIVES A SCHOOL BUS FOR A LIVING. NO WAY SHOULD HER AIRBAG NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. HER CAREER AND OUR FINANCIAL WELL BEING IS IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY BECAUSE OF THE SEVERITY OF HER INJURY. I'VE NEVER SUED ANYONE IN MY LIFE AND DON'T CARE FOR THE PRACTICE, BUT I DON'T SEE HOW I CAN'T, THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 20, 2004MA

NO SUMMARY. *AK

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Sep 18, 2004CT

XEON HIGHLIGHTS ON HIGH END AUTOMOBILES ARE BLINDING AND LEAVE RETINAL SPOTS. DID ANYONE CHECK THESE LIGHTS BEFORE THEY WERE APPROVED? *AK

11 of 11 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2005
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20152000Routine
20121600Routine
20113600Routine
20109700Routine
20098610Routine
200813600Routine
200720710Routine
200632810Routine
20051251110Routine
2004 — this page11000Routine
20039100Routine
200243200Routine
200112210Routine
200059400Routine
199924210Routine
199811300Routine
199719200Routine
199622320Routine

Compare every RL year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.