THE POWER STEERING LINE IS POURING OUT THE FLUID AND BURNS UNDER THE CAR CAUSING SMOKE
- NHTSA ID
- 11040280
- Incident
- Oct 16, 2017
- Mileage
- 122,000 mi
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Acura RL, most frequently naming the electrical, airbags and steering categories. 34 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2004 | 2 | 2 |
| Oct 2012 | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 2013 | 1 | 4 |
| Apr 2013 | 1 | 5 |
| Jul 2013 | 1 | 6 |
| Sep 2014 | 3 | 9 |
| Jan 2017 | 1 | 10 |
| Oct 2017 | 1 | 11 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE POWER STEERING LINE IS POURING OUT THE FLUID AND BURNS UNDER THE CAR CAUSING SMOKE
FAILURE OF POWER STEERING TILT/REACH. POWER STEERING TILT/REACH STOPPED WORKING. THE GEARS ACURA HAVE USED ARE PLASTIC AND FRAGILE. ACURA DOES NOT SELL THE GEARS, THEY WANT PEOPLE TO BUY NEW STEERING COLUMN. ONE PERSON CAN GET STEERING POSITIONED AT COMFORTABLE PLACE BUT THEN IF A PERSON OF DIFFERENT SIZE HAS TO DRIVE HE/SHE GETS TIRED THAT CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENT AND FATALITY. SEARCHING WEB SHOWS THAT PROBLEM IS COMMON IN ACURA RLS. ACURA SHOULD FIX THIS ISSUE ASAP.
I PARKED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BLINKED RIGHT AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR. I KNEW I HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DOOR LOCKS WOULDN'T WORK. I TRIED TO RE-ENGAGE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS, BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ELECTRICALLY DEAD. I TRIED A COUPLE MORE TIMES TO START THE CAR, BUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I SAT IN THE CAR A COUPLE MINUTES WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING. I TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO START THE CAR AND IT WORKED. ALL THE RADIO AND NAV SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE RESET. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 MORE TIMES OVER 3 MONTHS. EACH THE SAME WAY. AS I PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, IT BLINKED AND ELECTRICALLY FAILED. LAST TWO TIMES BEING ONLY 5 DAYS APART. SO IT'S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND CLOSER TOGETHER. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR. HE'D NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAD NO CLUE AS TO HOW OR WHY IT HAPPENED. HE EXAMINED THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FOUND NADA. SO FAR, IT HAS NOT RE-OCCURRED 3 WEEKS AFTER BEING LOOKED AT. FRUSTRATING, CONCERNING. *TR
I TRIED STARTING MY CAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY BATTERY WENT DEAD. ALL THE GADGETS ON MY DASH AND NOT ONE COULD TELL ME MY BATTERY WAS DYING OR LOW ON CHARGE. SO I CALL AAA AND THEY REPLACE THE BATTERY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR IS WORKING BETTER AND MY AC IS WORKING BETTER. ALL THE TIMES I COMPLAINED TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP THAT MY AC WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY IN THIS FLORIDA HEAT AND THEY CHECK IT AND THEY TELL ME IT'S WORKING JUST FINE. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I GET A NEW BATTERY AND MY AC IS WORKING MUCH BETTER AND NOW MY CAR IS REALLY COOLING DOWN. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TELLING ME LOW BATTERY. A CAR WITH ALL THESE ELECTRONICS AND NO WARNING AND THE ACURA DEALERSHIP IN DELRAY BEACH CHECKED IT OUT NUMEROUS TIME AND DID NOT KNOW THAT THE AC WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE CAR NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. SHAME ON ACURA. *TR
MY DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING AGAIN AND I'M UNSURE WHETHER IT'S THE SWITCH OR THE ACTUATOR. HONDA'S AND ACURA'S ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH MALFUNCTIONING ACTUATORS.FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR, I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO FIX DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS NUMEROUS TIMES. MY DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, MY WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING EVERY SINGLE YEAR THAT I HAVE OWNER THIS CAR. I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY SO THEY COULD FIX MY DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS EVERY YEAR. IT'S RIDICULOUS THE PRICES THEY CHARGE FOR THIS CAR AND THEY CAN'T MAKE IT LAST MORE THAN 1 YEAR. THE ACURA DEALERSHIP SHOWED ME, THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND THEY WEAR. AS LONG AS IT'S UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, I HAVE TO KEEP PAYING A DEDUCTIBLE AND BRINGING IT IN FOR THEM TO FIX. *TR
THE AIRBAG OR SRS(SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) LIGHT IS ON MY 2004 ACURA RL WHEN BUYING THE CAR I DON'T NOTICE THE LIGHT WAS ON UNTIL I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND BILL OF SALES WAS FINAL AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSE SINCE I BROUGHT THE CAR RIGHT BEFORE CLOSING TIME. *TR
THE DVD NAVIGATION SYSTEM IN THE RL IS BURNING OUT THE DVD DISK AND CAUSING THE NAVIGATION TO STOP WORKING. THE GPS LOCATOR ON THE SCREEN HAD MY VEHICLE NOWHERE NEAR THE ACTUAL LOCATION. THE NAVIGATION VOICE WOULD GIVE COMMAND TO MAKE A TURN WHERE NO ROAD EXISTED. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE FAILURE OF THE DVD DRIVE IN THE CAR IS A MORE COMMON EVENT AS I READ THE ACURA FORUMS. HTTP://TSX.ACURAZINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=676588. *TR
(10/18/12 APPROXIMATELY) THE ALARM SYSTEM WENT OFF RANDOMLY AND THE REMOTE FOB FAILED TO OPERATE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS CYCLING ON AND OFF AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY WOULD REMAIN LIT. IT WAS A STORMY NIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE ALARM SENSOR BEING OVER SENSITIVE. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON 1/29/13 THE VEHICLE ALARM ACTIVATED AGAIN RANDOMLY AND WAS ABLE TO BE RESET WITH THE KEYLESS FOB. ON THE MORNING OF 1/30/13 THE VEHICLE FOB FAILED TO LOCK OR UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY LIGHTS WERE ON WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE STARTED AND AFTER A 20 MINUTE DRIVE AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WENT OFF AS THE SHOULD. ON THE EVENING OF 1/30/13 THE VEHICLE KEYLESS ENTRY OPERATED CORRECTLY HAVING NOT FUNCTIONED EARLIER IN THE DAY. LATER ON THAT SAME EVENING (1/30/13) THE ALARM ACTIVATED. IT COULD NOT BE RESET BY THE KEYLESS FOB AND THE KEY NEEDED TO BE USED IN THE DOOR TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WHICH DEACTIVATED THE ALARM. THE VEHICLE WAS RE-LOCKED WITH THE KEY AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER I WENT OUT AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON AND THE ALARM WAS NOT SOUNDING. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT FLASHING BUT REMAINED ON CONTINUOUSLY. I TURNED THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL FROM 'AUTO' TO 'OFF AND THE LIGHT TURN OFF BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS REMAINED LIT. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND GOT NO RESPONSE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FUSE BOX IN THE DRIVER WELL I FOUND WATER IN THE FUSE BOX AND A DRIP COMING FROM SATURATED INSULATION ABOVE. PRESSING ON THE INSULATION RESULT IN A FLOW OF WATER. A SIMILAR SITUATION DOCUMENTED IN THE ACURA SERVICE BULLETIN 98-028 MAY BED A SIMILAR PROBLEM NOW OCCURRING IN THE 2004 MODEL. ELECTRICAL FAILURES COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE SYSTEMS TO SHUT DOWN OR MALFUNCTION DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL INJURIES. *TR
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
SUSPENSION
This SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for the outer diameter of the ball joint housing being too small. The outer diameter being too small would prevent the part from being installed, and would therefore have no impact on the end user besides time to complete installation.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Sending vehicle data to tech line.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
SERVICE BULLETIN - NAVIGATION SYSTEM INFORMATION.
EQUIPMENT
Special Tool Loan Program: Under TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN, the list has been updated.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE; FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
"SERVICE BULLETIN - THIS BULLETIN UPDATES THE TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES FOR DTC P1456 (EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM LEAKAGE [FUEL TANK SYSTEM]) AND DTC P1457 (EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM LEAKAGE[EVAP CANISTER SYSTEM]). DEPENDING ON THE MODEL, THERE ARE TWO INDIVIDUAL PROCEDURES IN THIS BULLETIN."
AIR BAGS
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 9 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 8 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 48.9 |
| 2007 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 67.5 |
| 2006 | 32 | 8 | 0 | 52.6 |
| 2005 | 125 | 11 | 3 | 56.7 |
| 2004Viewing | 11 | 0 | 0 | 33.9 |
| 2003 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 41.3 |
| 2001 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 45.0 |
| 2000 | 59 | 4 | 0 | 49.6 |
| 1999 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 49.5 |
| 1998 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 39.5 |
| 1997 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 49.8 |
| 1996 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 52.6 |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.