2008 Acura Rl problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (8) · Tires (1) · Service Brakes (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Acura Rl model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (5)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V500000 · 1,558 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute hu
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V501000 · 1,657,752 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2017-01-10 · campaign 17V029000 · 308,884 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, o
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KD9 and KE0.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2016-05-23 · campaign 16V344000 · 1,790,894 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2016-02-03 · campaign 16V061000 · 2,232,187 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
Service bulletins (72)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2026-06-30 · B18-023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - warranty extension: customer support program for front passenger's airbag inflator.
Air Bags 2026-02-28 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - warranty extension: customer support program for driver's airbag inflator for 2013-14 ilx hybrid and other listed years and models.
Electrical System 2023-05-17 · B23040A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service news - the navigation clock and date are incorrect. this is due to a limited gps receiver capacity resulting in rollover of internal chip memory. the rollover occurred on january 1, 2022 at 12:00am local time
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2022-04-08 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Equipment 2022-03-01 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Electrical System 2022-01-25 · B21120A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
servicenews article - the clock shows the incorrect time. this issue is due to a limited gps receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on january 1, 2022, at 12:00am local time. as a result, the navigation date and time will be incorrect.
Showing the 6 most recent of 72 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2017-09-21 · Service Brakes“tl* the contact owns a 2008 acura rl. the contact stated that there was a progressing failure of which the brakes failed to function properly when applied. the dealer (dave white acura, 5868 monroe st, sylvania, oh 43560, (419) 885-3600) serviced the brake system but the failure continued. in addition, the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer …”
2016-11-08 · Air Bags“2008 acura rl. consumer writes in regards to recall notices 16v-344 & 16v-061 remedy not available within a reasonable time frame- over 60 days. *smd …”
2016-10-11 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 acura rl. the contact stated that the dealer repaired the vehicle per nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags). the dealer was unable to confirm for months if the front passenger side air bag recall would be completed or if the vin was excluded. the manufacturer was contacted concerning the front passen…”
2016-08-29 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 acura rl. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 16v061000 (air bags) and 16v344000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware …”
2016-07-19 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 acura rl. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v344000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not exp…”
2016-07-01 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 acura rl. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 16v344000 (air bags) and 16v061000 (air bags); however, the parts needed to repair the vehicle were unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. the manufacturer was …”
2016-05-16 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 acura rl. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had …”
2016-05-04 · Air Bags“received0 a notice about the air bag. call trying to get it replaced in march 2016. still have not heard anything about getting it replaced. it's now may 2016.…”
2016-04-19 · Air Bags“takata recall: my car is under the takata recall. when i contacted my local dealer, they informed me i had to bring the car in first and then they would issue an ron so a rental car could be obtained. they said i could then take my rl home and park it in the garage until the parts were obtained. since i bought the car at the dealer, they have serv…”
2012-10-05 · Latches/Locks/Linkages · 75,000 mi“three of the four door locks on the vehicle do not function electronically and must be manually actuated. *tr…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.