2009 Acura Rl problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Vehicle Speed Control (2) · Air Bags (2) · Wheels (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 (6)
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 2018-01-09 · campaign 18V041000 · 24,945 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura RL, 2010 Honda Element, and 2010-2013 Honda Ridgeline vehicles ever registered in the states of 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." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010 Acura RL, 2010-2011 Honda Element and Honda Ridgeline vehicles ever register
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 air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are U0H, and G0I.
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 (63)
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 63 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2019-04-22 · Electrical System · 130,000 mi · 🔥 fire“the front passenger door handle started smoking and burning on my vehicle. it melted part of the door handle and left most of the electrical equipment inoperative including the inability to start the car. the vehicle was parked/stationary & off at the time of occurrence.…”
2017-06-02 · Air Bags · 93,000 mi“failed to get a date to remedy the airbag recall on my car.…”
2016-09-07 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2009 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 recall repair. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the contact ha…”
2014-03-09 · Power Train · 73,320 mi“my husband drove onto a sloped driveway (uphill) and left the car running, got out and rang the doorbell to our daughter's house to see if anyone was home. they answered the door and he came back to the car and motioned for me to get out of car and come into house. he remembered he had left the car running, so as i got out of the front passenger se…”
2012-01-18 · Vehicle Speed Control“was driving at highway speed; suddenly noticed very slow car ahead; upon braking, car accelerated instead; to avoid head on collision to left, or rear end collision ahead, took to shoulder to attempt to slow car down; eventually got car under control again; have reached no definite conclusions yet as to cause, but have contacted dealer for help, as…”
2010-03-05 · Vehicle Speed Control · 17,000 mi · 💥 crash“i have a 2009 acura rl. while stopped at a light, the light turned green. after about 20 feet i needed to brake. the car accelerated instead of braking. we hit the car in front of us. only the driver air bag deployed. the front end of the car was damaged. non of the doors would open either from the inside or the outside. the trunk would not open ei…”
2010-02-17 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 15,000 mi“on three occasions the gas pedal and brake pedal deployed at the same time on my 2009 acura rl. the third time this resulted in an impact on a parked vehicle. the brake pedal and accelerator pedal are two inches apart and when i step on the brake pedal it stops on a level equal to the accelerator pedal therefore it causes a circumstance that deploy…”
2009-06-12 · Wheels · 300 mi“tl*the contact owns a 2009 acura rl. the contact noticed that the wheel wells on his vehicle collected water anytime it rained or if moisture was present on the road surface. he stated that it seemed as if there were pockets on the wheels. the contact slipped while walking in his garage on more than one occasion due to the puddles formed by prec…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.