Check a VIN

2004 Acura RL problems

The most common problem on the 2004 Acura RL is electrical system. Its complaint count is close to a typical RL model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
65/100
Owner complaints
11
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
34
Worst area
Electrical
Fuel economy
18mpg

The worst 2004 Acura RL problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Electrical
    5
  • Airbags
    2
  • Steering
    2
  • Driver assistance
    1
  • Engine
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Electrical
    5
  • Airbags
    2
  • Steering
    2
  • Driver assistance
    1
  • Engine
    1
  • Lights
    1
  • Locks
    1
  • Transmission
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Technical service bulletins for the 2004 Acura RL 34

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 34 bulletins for the 2004 Acura RL

2004 Acura RL fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
3.5L 6‑cylFWD162218

What 2004 Acura RL owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 26, 2017 · Driver assistance, Steering · 122,000 miles · CA

The power steering line is pouring out the fluid and burns under the car causing smoke

Filed Jan 15, 2017 · Steering · 131,000 miles · TX

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.

Filed Sep 29, 2014 · Electrical · 123,200 miles · CA

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.

Filed Sep 1, 2014 · Electrical, Engine · 82,000 miles · FL

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.

Filed Sep 1, 2014 · Locks · 82,000 miles · FL

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.

Filed Jul 17, 2013 · Airbags · GA

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.

Filed Apr 21, 2013 · Electrical · 101,000 miles · IL

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.

Filed Jan 31, 2013 · Electrical · 90,000 miles · IL

(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 insulation above. Pressing on the insulation result in a flow of water. A similar situation documented in the acura service bulletin 98-028 may bed a similar problem now occurring in the 2004 model. Electrical failures could cause the vehicle systems to shut down or malfunction during operation resulting in serious if not fatal injuries.

Filed Oct 18, 2012 · Airbags · 107,000 miles · NJ · crash · 2 injuries

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.

Filed Sep 20, 2004 · Electrical · MA

No summary.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2004 Acura RL before you buy

Compare the 2004 Acura RL

Other model years

199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122015

Questions about the 2004 Acura RL

Is the 2004 Acura RL reliable?

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2004 Acura RL, close to a typical RL model year.

What is the 2004 Acura RL year score?

The 2004 Acura RL scores 65 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Acura RL: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Acura RL?

Electrical system, with 5 complaints. Next is airbags (2).

How many recalls does the 2004 Acura RL have?

No recalls on record.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Acura RL get?

Official estimates for the 2004 Acura RL range from 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.5L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 16 city and 22 highway.

Share your experience with the 2004 Acura RL

Tell other buyers what went wrong and what it cost. We review every report before it appears, and we never publish names, emails or VINs.

No names, contact details or links. Reports about a dealer or a person are not published.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2004 Acura RL?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history
Is this car on a recall?Check VIN