2003 Acura RL Owner Complaints

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. LESTER RAINES HONDA (5102 MACCORKLE AVENUE SW, SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV 25309, (304) 768-1251) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11399697

Incident

Jan 17, 2021

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MARCH AND WAS TOLD TO PARK MY CAR. I DID FOR 9 MONTHS, FORCED TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. ACURA REFUSED TO PROVIDE A RENTAL. WE FILED A CLASS-ACTION SUIT. ACURA REQUIRED AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRBAGS/INFLATOR. I RECEIVED AN INVOICE I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND AND CALLED THE DEALER. THEY REFUSED TO RETURN FIVE MESSAGES, AND WHEN WE I REACHED THEM THEY WOULDN'T TELL ME WHAT ITEMS ON THE INVOICE MEANT, SAYING THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO, AND THAT I HAD TO CALL ACURA. I CALLED ACURA AND THEY TOLD ME TO CALL THE DEALER. THE INVOICE MENTIONED A DISCONNECTED AIR BAG AND A FAULTY MODULE. BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS PUT ME AND MY PASSENGERS IN DANGER. THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO 'INCREASED PRESSURE IN THE AIRBAG DEFLATOR.' I FELT I DESERVED AN EXPLANATION BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF INCREASED PRESSURE IS A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING. THE ACURA REP TOLD ME SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION. AFTER SOME PRESSURE SHE TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT ACCESS THE DEALER INFORMATION. UPON PRESSURE, SHE READ ME SOME HOUSE INFORMATION THAT SAID THE CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY AND THAT THEY REPLACED THE INFLATOR, AMONG OTHER THINGS. I ASKED HER TO REPEAT THAT. AGAIN SHE USED THE WORD REPLACED. 'REPLACED' IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM 'INSPECTED.' I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENTATION, BUT SHE REFUSED. I THINK THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT I ACTUALLY HAD THE FAULTY INFLATOR, BUT THEY REPLACED IT AND REPORTED THAT TO ACURA, AND THEN SIMPLY SENT AN INVOICE TO ME AND MY ATTORNEY SHOWING THE CAR HAD BEEN INSPECTED. I THINK THEY THOUGHT THAT ONCE EVERYBODY SAW IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED, THAT WOULD BE THE END OF THE ISSUE AND THE CLASS ACTION SUIT. REGARDLESS, THEY BEHAVED EGREGIOUSLY, MY CAR IS IN THE SAME SHAPE, IF NOT WORSE, THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE INSPECTION, MY PASSENGERS AND I REMAIN IN DANGER, AND I FEAR DRIVING THE CAR EVEN MORE THAN I DID BEFORE. I DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS AND I WANT SOME ANSWERS.

NHTSA ID

11398990

Incident

Mar 1, 2020

2003 ACURA RL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT MAKE A REASONABLE ATTEMPT TO ASSIST WITH THE 500 MILE ROUND TRIP TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NO LONGER AUTHORIZING LOCAL DEALERSHIPS TO COMPLETE RECALLS. *JS

NHTSA ID

11375538

Incident

Mar 1, 2020

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ACURA OF WESTCHESTER (2155 PALMER AVE, LARCHMONT, NY 10538, (914) 834-2222) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11361785

Incident

Jan 17, 2020

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PHIL SMITH ACURA (940 N FEDERAL HWY, POMPANO BEACH, FL 33062, (954) 785-7100) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE REMEDY PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11328981

Incident

Jan 17, 2020

THE IGNITION IMMOBILIZER DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK AND I TRY TO START IT I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND WAIT FOR THE GREEN LIGHT IN THE SHAPE OF A KEY TO GO OUT ON THE PANEL - THEN I TURN THE KEY. THE IGNITION DOES NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE KEY AND SO THE IMMOBILIZER IS ACTIVATED. WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE CAR EITHER STARTS AND SHUTS RIGHT OFF OR IT JUST WILL NOT START AT ALL. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION I HAVE BEEN ALONE AFTER DARK AND UNABLE TO START MY CAR AND LEAVE. I HAVE A TYPE 1 DIABETIC GRANDCHILD THAT I WATCH AND I AM VERY FEARFUL OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET HIM WHAT HE NEEDS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I PURCHASED 2 NEW KEYS AND IT IS ACTING UP EVEN WORSE NOW. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND SAW THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. I FOUND ANOTHER COMPLAINT ON THIS SITE.

NHTSA ID

10872731

Incident

Jun 6, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 71 NORTH, AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (70) WHEN THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING. ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, SO ALL OF THE POWER-ASSIST STOPPED WORKING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY AND THE CAR STARTED AND RAN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 6 MORE TIMES. THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS AFTER 6PM ON MONDAY JUNE 22ND. THIS TIME, AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL SERVICE GARAGE AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. I HAVE CHECKED NUMEROUS SITES ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH HONDA AND ACURA PRODUCTS. I CONTACTED ACURA, TO SEE IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN A RECALL, THEY TOLD ME THERE HAD NOT. I AM SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR CARS STOP RUNNING, WITH NO NOTICE, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTION BY THE MANUFACTURER!!

NHTSA ID

10730303

Incident

May 26, 2015

Mileage

132,000 mi

SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR GOES ON AND STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY. HAPPENS ALMOST ALWAYS. REPORTED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. BELIEVE SIDE AIR BAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL WHEN LIGHT IS ON. STARTED AFTER DEALER SERVICING ABOUT SEPT., 2003 AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293538

Incident

Sep 16, 2003

Mileage

3,800 mi

HAVE REPEATED TIRE FAILURES IN 3 MICHELIN PILOT MXM4 RBL 94V TL P225/55R16 TIRES @ 30,000 MILES DUE TO VERY SMALL PINHOLE LEAKS IN THE SIDEWALL SEAM. THE TIRES CAME AS OEM TIRES WITH MY NEW 2003 ACURA RL 3.5 SEDAN. HAD TO JUNK THE TIRES SINCE THE LEAK DEVELOPED SLOWLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. CONTACTED MICHELIN AND REPORTED THIS COMPLAINT BUT THEY DID NOT CARE TO ANSWER! THE SIDEWALLS ARE EXTREMENLY WEAK FOR A 225 HP HIGH PERFORMANCE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10185647

Incident

Sep 25, 2006

Mileage

29,635 mi