NHTSA Safety Recalls
Acura RL Recalls by Year
NHTSA's files hold 18 recall campaigns for the Acura RL, across 12 model years from 2000 to 2012. The 2005 has the most (11); the fewest among years with a recall is 2003 (1).
- Model years
- 12
- Recall campaigns
- 18
- Most recalls
- 2005
- Owner complaints
- 347
2000–2012, with a recall
11 recalls
all model years, NHTSA
Owners have filed 347 complaints with NHTSA about the Acura RL across 14 model years; the most, 125, concern the 2005.
Owners marked a crash on 18 of the Acura RL complaints (5%) and a fire on 5.
Across all Acura RL model years, owners name the air bags most often (at least 128 complaints), then the exterior lighting (58).
NHTSA received the most complaints about the Acura RL in 2016: 69, across all model years.
The component recalled most often on the Acura RL is air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module, in 30 model-year listings.
The newest Acura RL recall, 20V026000, was reported on January 17, 2020 and concerns the air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module.
NHTSA's recall file lists no recall for the 2004 Acura RL, model year owners have filed complaints about.
Acura RL years to avoid
Too few Acura RL model years have a complete complaint window to rank them: 2 of the 5 needed.
The ranking uses owner complaints in each model year's first years on the road, adjusted for NHTSA's complaint volume for that model year. It is not adjusted for sales and is not a reliability rating. Method
Recalls and complaints by model year
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | First years | vs median year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 0 | 2 | 0 | not ranked |
| 2012 | 6 | 1 | 1 | not ranked |
| 2011 | 6 | 3 | 0 | not ranked |
| 2010 | 7 | 9 | 2 | not ranked |
| 2009 | 6 | 8 | 4 | not ranked |
| 2008 | 6 | 13 | 3 | not ranked |
| 2007 | 7 | 20 | 6 | not ranked |
| 2006 | 8 | 32 | 9 | not ranked |
| 2005 | 11 | 125 | 18 | not ranked |
| 2004 | 0 | 11 | 2 | not ranked |
| 2003 | 1 | 9 | 0 | not ranked |
| 2002 | 2 | 43 | 16 | not ranked |
| 2001 | 2 | 12 | 5 | not ranked |
| 2000 | 4 | 59 | 6 | not ranked |
First years: complaints received from the year before the model year to three years after it.Acura RL years without a link have no recall page on this site.
What gets recalled most on the Acura RL
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE30
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE20
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER4
- STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS4
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH3
- AIR BAGS2
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP1
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE1
- EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL1
Acura RL model-year listings per recall component; one campaign can cover several years.
Every Acura RL recall campaign (18)
| Campaign | Component | Years | Risk named | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20V026000January 17, 2020 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2000 | crash, injury and death | 1,439,841 |
| 20V027000January 17, 2020 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2000–2003 | crash, injury and death | 875,966 |
| 19V500000June 27, 2019 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2005–2010, 2012 | injury and death | 1,558 |
| 19V501000June 27, 2019 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2005–2012 | injury and death | 1,657,752 |
| 18V662000September 27, 2018 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2012 | injury and death | 57,095 |
| 18V041000January 9, 2018 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2009–2012 | injury and death | 24,945 |
| 17V029000January 10, 2017 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2005–2012 | injury and death | 308,884 |
| 16V344000May 23, 2016 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2005–2011 | injury and death | 1,790,894 |
| 16V061000February 3, 2016 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2005–2012 | crash, injury and death | 2,232,187 |
| 14V700000November 4, 2014 | air bags | 2005 | crash, injury and death | — |
| 14V353000June 20, 2014 | air bags | 2005 | crash, injury and death | 133,207 |
| 13V092000March 14, 2013 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2005 | crash | 183,576 |
| 10V504000October 22, 2010 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder | 2005–2007 | crash | 471,820 |
| 07V551000December 4, 2007 | steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections | 2005–2008 | fire | 43,200 |
| 07V097000March 14, 2007 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2005 | crash | 166,561 |
| 06V270000July 26, 2006 | equipment: other: owners/service/other manual | 2006 | — | 1,190,000 |
| 03V239000July 2, 2003 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder | 2000 | crash | 814 |
| 02V119000May 14, 2002 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2000–2002 | crash | 25,765 |
Vehicles: NHTSA's count of potentially affected vehicles in the whole campaign, not only the Acura RL. Each campaign page has the defect, risk and fix in NHTSA's words.
Newest record on this page: April 21, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted