RoadVitals

2001 Acura RL Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
12
Latest Oct 9, 2020
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since May 10, 2001

What this page shows

Our database holds 12 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Acura RL. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–12 of 12

Airbags
Filed Oct 9, 2020

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL IN MARCH 2020. WHEN I CALLED THE ACURA DEALER IN CHARLOTTE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PART WOULD BE THERE IN JULY, CALLED IN JULY THEY SAID AUGUST CALLED IN SEPTEMBER AND THEY SAID THAT THE PART IS STILL NOT THERE

NHTSA ID
11363527
Incident
Mar 10, 2020
Airbags
Filed Jun 2, 2015

I CALLED ACURA TO SEE IF THE TYPE AIR BAG INFLATOR IN MY CAR USED AMMONIUM NITRATE. MY CAR IS NOT ON THE RECALLED LIST BUT GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM I WAS GOING TO REPLACE, AT LEAST THE DRIVER'S SIDE, IF THE INFLATOR WAS USING THE UNSTABLE PROPELLANT. ACURA WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME ANY INFORMATION. I CALLED NHTSA AND THEY TOLD ME TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THIS SITE TO SEE IF I CAN GET THE INFORMATION TO PROTECT MYSELF AND FAMILY REGARDLESS OF THE CORPORATE DECISION.

NHTSA ID
10722868
Incident
Jun 2, 2015
Mileage
175,580 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 20, 2012
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING PUMP WAS LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000. UPDATED 09/06/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID
10466785
Incident
Jan 4, 2012
Mileage
140,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 14, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA 3.5RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BECAME FLAT. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF MILES, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT THEN EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER AND THE REAR WHEELS WERE SPINNING ABNORMALLY AT DIFFERENT RATES. THE CONTACT THEN SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL BRAKING OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID
10355493
Incident
Sep 11, 2010
Mileage
110,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 23, 2009

THE SRS (SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND AN ERROR CODE 15-1 AND THEY RESET THE LIGHT BUT SAID THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SRS SYSTEM. I FOUND ANOTHER COMPLAINT (#10251604) AND HAVE THE SAME QUESTION WHY THIS IS NOT REGARDED AS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10259711
Incident
Jan 22, 2009
Mileage
85,663 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 12, 2008

2001 ACURA RL. SRS LIGHT IS ON. DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND PROBLEM WITH OPDS UNIT AND SENSOR AND REPLACED. AFTER REPLACEMENT, RE-INITIALIZED THE SYSTEM BUT THE SRS STAYS ON. NOW, TURN OUT THAT THE SRS CONTROL UNIT IS BAD. DEALER SAID IT WILL COST APPROX $2000 TO REPLACE THE SRS CONTROL UNIT. WHY SRS CONTROL UNIT IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ITEM? *TR

NHTSA ID
10251604
Incident
Nov 12, 2008
Mileage
113,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 12, 2008

2001 ACURA 3.5 RL SRS LIGHT ELLUMINATES OPDS SENSOR OR MODULE ARE REPLACEABLE UNDER WARRANTY BUT OPDS BRAIN OR UNIT IS NOT COVERED AND THIS IS THE PART THAT IS CAUSING THE SRS LIGHT TO ELLUMINATE. DEALER SAYS IT IS FAULTY AND CAN NOT BE REPLACED FREE. SO NOW I HAVE NO AIR BAGS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
10237807
Incident
Aug 5, 2008
Mileage
111,400 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 20, 2003

THE DIFFERENTIAL LEAKED OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A NOISE.*JB

NHTSA ID
10008798
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 10, 2003

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES.*JB

NHTSA ID
10006857
Incident
Jul 15, 2001
Transmission
Filed Nov 7, 2001

TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN UPSHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR INTO SECOND GEAR.*AK

NHTSA ID
754184
Transmission
Filed Oct 6, 2001

TRANSMISSION ON THIS MODEL FAILING ACROSS THE NATION, ACURA NOT ACKNOWLEDGING. *AK

NHTSA ID
752983
Incident
Sep 24, 2001
Transmission
Filed May 10, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS, VEHICLE STALLED. TRANSIMMISON HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS ACCELERATING & DECELERATING. *AK

NHTSA ID
745170
Incident
May 8, 2001

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .