RoadVitals

2000 Acura RL Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Nov 8, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
14%
of 59 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Acura RL submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsElectrical
Filed Nov 8, 2015

THE SRS SENSOR JUS POP ON THE ABS SENSOR POP ON ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND ALSO I HEARD TICKING AND TAPPING AND THE ENGINE STARTED JUMPING WHETHER I'M GOING SLOW OR FAST I REALLY NEED SOME SERIOUS HELP WHY IS BECAUSE I CAN POSSIBLY BE IN GREAT DANGER DO TO THE SENSORS THAT ARE GOING OUT IN MY VEHICLE .

NHTSA ID
10789136
Incident
Nov 8, 2015
Mileage
162,090 mi
ElectricalFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 29, 2014

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, UPON ACCELERATION. ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE PLACED IN PARK AND CAR WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN AWAY. MAIN FUEL RELAY WAS REPLACED. PER ACURA SERVICE BULLETIN 01-044, THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED COULD BE DUE TO A FAILED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. PER ACURA SERVICE BULLETIN 01-044, THERE WAS AN UPDATED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, BUT THIS PART HAS SINCE BEEN DISCONTINUED AND IS NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED BY ACURA. I HAVE CALLED ACURA CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 01-044, THERE IS NOTHING THEY ARE ABLE TO DO TO REPAIR THE CAR. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE DUE TO THE RISK THAT THE VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTINUE TO STALL AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10640035
Incident
Sep 20, 2014
Mileage
76,500 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Mar 20, 2012

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM ACURA. THEY RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT RECALLED THE DEFECT. INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (SUPERSEDES 98-028, SECURITY SYSTEM SOUNDS INTERMITTENTLY, DATED SEPTEMBER 28, 1998) SYMPTOMS THE SECURITY SYSTEM SOUNDS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED. THE DOOR LOCKS CYCLE WHILE DRIVING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS REMAIN ON. PROBABLE CAUSE WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE FRONT PILLARS. THE WATER IS GETTING INTO THE CONNECTORS FOR THE UNDER-DASH FUSE/ RELAY BOX, THE DRIVERS MULTIPLEX CONTROL UNIT, OR THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR, CAUSING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *KB

NHTSA ID
10452400
Incident
Mar 17, 2012
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 15, 2011

I AM HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH MY IGNITION SWITCH NOT WORKING AT TIMES. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START MY VEHICLE AFTER TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT WON'T START. WHEN I TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND PLACE IT BACK IN ABOUT THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME TO TRY AND START IT, IT EVENTUALLY STARTS. I JUST RECENTLY REPLACED MY STARTER AND BATTERY THINKING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT IT IS NOT. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID
10430276
Incident
Jun 1, 2011
Electrical
Filed Jun 2, 2010

I AM WRITING TO REPORT A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2000 ACURA RL. THIS CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A DESIGN FLAW WHEREBY THE CAR'S NATURAL DRAIN CHANNELS GET CLOGGED AND WATER LEAKS IN THROUGH ALTERNATE PATHWAYS INTO THE VEHICLE'S FUSE BOX. THIS CAUSES ALL OF THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO GO HAYWIRE, KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS LIKE THE AIRBAGS AND TRACTION CONTROL SHUT OFF, WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON BY THEMSELVES, AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE MOVES RANDOMLY. FURTHERMORE, THE SECURITY SYSTEM CAN BE TRIGGERED AND THE HORN SOUNDS, POSSIBLY WHILE DRIVING. I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED MORE SERIOUS ISSUES, BUT I WON'T BE SURPRISED IF THIS LEADS TO A FIRE EVENTUALLY. I HAVE HAD MY CAR REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM TWICE. THE FIRST MAJOR FAILURE WAS IN APRIL 2007 AT AROUND 52000 MILES, AND THE SECOND MAJOR FAILURE WAS IN MAY 2006 AT 72000 MILES. BOTH TIMES, THE FUSE BOX AND ASSOCIATED RELAYS, ETC. WERE CORRODED FROM THE INSIDE, AND THE CAR NEEDED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. IN BETWEEN THESE TWO FAILURE TIMES, THE CAR HAS SHOWN MINOR FAILURES DURING RAIN (RANDOM SECURITY ALARM, UNEXPECTED BATTERY DRAIN, ETC), WHICH HAVE CORRECTED THEMSELVES ONCE THE RAIN GOES AWAY AND THE ELECTRONICS HAS HAD A CHANCE TO DRY OUT. ACURA KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND EVEN ISSUED A TSB TO FIX IT. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS SERIOUS AND WARRANTS A RECALL. WHEN I EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH MY CAR FOR THE SECOND TIME, I LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ONLINE IN THE ACURA OWNER COMMUNITY. IT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THAT PARTICULAR BODY STYLE, WHICH WAS USED FOR RL MODEL YEARS FROM 1999-2004. *TR

NHTSA ID
10334250
Incident
May 15, 2010
Mileage
52,254 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Feb 13, 2009

CONSTANT REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE ROTORS. THE ROTORS HAVE TO BE RESURFACED EVERY 8 TO 10,000 MILES AND THEN REPLACED. I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED REGULARLY WITH THE SAME GARAGE AND CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THESE ROTORS CONTINUE TO WEAR. I HAVE A 1993 NISSAN MAX THAT HAS NEVER NEEDED ROTOR REPAIR. ALSO, THE SRS AND SIDE AIRBAG LIGHTS COME ON, I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLEAR THE LIGHTS SAYING NOTHING IS WRONG. HOW ARE YOU TO KNOW IF THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN ALL THEY DO IS CLEAR THE LIGHTS??? *TR

NHTSA ID
10258542
Incident
Feb 2, 2009
ElectricalSeat belts
Filed Apr 23, 2007

IN TWO SEPARATE INSTANCES SRS LIGHT HAS COME ON. THE FIRST TIME WAS SOMETIME IN 2005. I REPAIRED IT WITH REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT PARTS. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN APRIL 2007. THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE SCHEDULED REPAIRS DURING A NORMAL SERVICE CALL THIS MONTH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10188564
Incident
Apr 22, 2007
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Jul 20, 2001

WHEN TRAVELING 60 TO 65 MPH AND HAVE TO COME TO STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC OR DECELERATING LANE CAR "SHUTS OFF". I HAVE HAD TO ROLL OFF ROAD, PUT ON FLASHERS AND SHUT OOF CAR TO RESART. I AM TERRIFIED AT THIS TIME TO CHANCE BEING IN CAR. I TRAVEL ON HIGHWAYS TO WORK WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS BEHIND ME. FOUR OCCURRENCES. ACURA OFFERING TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NOW. THIS IS 2ND TRANSMISSION. THE FIRST ONE A T 6000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
748797
Incident
Jul 15, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .