Acura RL years to avoid
More than twice the RL's typical complaint count for a model year.
Best Acura RL years
Fewest owner complaints among the last 20 model years, counting only those with at least four years on the road.
Acura RL complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common Acura RL problems
All model years combined.
- Airbags141
- Lights62
- Electrical60
- Transmission40
- Brakes32
- Engine24
- Visibility18
- Acceleration16
- Steering15
- Body15
- Fuel system14
- Seat belts13
Acura RL problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 93 | 2 | Driver assistance | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | 91 | 1 | Lights | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | 87 | 3 | Acceleration | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | 74 | 9 | Airbags | 7 | 1 | Fewest complaints | |
| 2009 | 77 | 8 | Airbags | 73,320 | 6 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2008 | 65 | 13 | Airbags | 6 | 1 | Fewest complaints | |
| 2007 | 45 | 20 | Airbags | 35,000 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 25 | 32 | Airbags | 46,000 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2005 | 5 | 125 | Lights | 73,000 | 11 | 4 | Avoid |
| 2004 | 65 | 11 | Electrical | 107,000 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 79 | 9 | Airbags | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | 26 | 43 | Airbags | 76,500 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 75 | 11 | Airbags | 113,000 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2000 | - | 59 | Airbags | 77,000 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1999 | - | 24 | Airbags | 92,751 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1998 | - | 11 | Airbags | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1997 | - | 19 | Electrical | 147,000 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1996 | - | 22 | Brakes | 144,000 | 2 | 2 |
Recalls 20
Questions about the Acura RL
What years of the Acura RL should you avoid?
2005. It has more than twice the Acura RL's typical number of owner complaints for a model year; 2005 alone has 125, mostly about lights and airbags.
What is the best year for a used Acura RL?
2009, 2010 and 2008 have the fewest owner complaints among model years that have been on the road for at least four years (8, 9 and 13).
What is the most common problem with the Acura RL?
Airbags, with 141 complaints across all years, followed by lights (62) and electrical (60).
How many recalls does the Acura RL have?
20 recalls between 1996 and 2015. The 2005 model year has the most, with 11.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used Acura RL?
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