2005 Acura RL

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with consistently high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly, ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016, four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016, four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The PE is now closed/upgraded to an Engineering Evaluation (EA15-001) to include all manufacturersand vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's EA investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The recalls related to this PE are: 14V343, 14V344, 14V348, 14V351, 14V353, 14V655, 14V700, 14V701, 14V752, 14V763, 14V770, 14V773, 14V787, 14V802 and 14V817.The number of vehicles affected are an estimate since some vehicles may have both the driver and passenger side inflators recalled. The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

On March 14, 2013, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) submitted a Defect Information Report to NHTSA identifying a defect in the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system in approximately 183,576 model year (MY) 2005 Honda Pilot, Acura RL and MY 2005-2006 Acura MDX vehicles (NHTSA Recall No 13V-092).The population and failure counts provided pertain only to the MY 2005 Honda Pilots that were the subject of this investigation.Honda's recall addresses two conditions in the VSA system that could result in inappropriate brake activation.The first condition is related to a manufacturing concern with a capacitor in the VSA electronic control unit (ECU) circuit board.According to Honda, VSA systems with damaged capacitors may apply a small amount of braking force for a fraction of a second, when the brake pedal is not applied by the driver.If the driver does apply the brake pedal during a malfunction, the VSA system may employ the brake assist feature rapidly increasing braking force independent of the amount of pressure the driver applies to the brake pedal (releasing the brake pedal would end the brake assist activation in such events).The second condition applied to a portion of the MY 2005 Pilot vehicles manufactured at the Alabama assembly plant that may havebeen assembled without tightening one of the VSA system electrical ground connector fasteners to the proper torque.According to Honda, an improperly torqued fastener can result in increased electrical resistance in the VSA system, causing an incorrect signal to be sent to the VSA ECU, which may result in inappropriate braking while driving with no pedal application by the driver.The owners of all affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer who will install a partial wiring harness containing a capacitor for the VSA modulator and, if necessary, inspect and tighten the affected electrical ground fastener.All work will be performed at no charge to the owner.ODI identified 106 incidents of inappropriate brake activation by the VSA system that appear to be related to the defect conditions addressed by Honda's recall.While many of the incidents reported experiencing significant unexpected braking while driving, none resulted in crashes or injuries.ODI reviewed a VOQ reporting a crash resulting in two fatalities that allegedly may have been related to the VSA conditions investigated in PE12-028 and EA13-002 (VOQ 10492170).After interviewing thecomplainant and reviewing evidence regarding the crash (e.g., police report and witness statements), ODI did not find sufficient evidence to determine that the crash was related to the VSA system.Regarding the 25 incidents of brake activations of short duration due to a yaw rate sensor malfunction, complainants indicate that typically the events are very brief and that the puling effect is mild.This investigation is closed.

I bought the car there was no airbag light on it I was driving down my road and it just randomly turned on been on ever since. Sunnyside Acura Told me that the frontal driver side airbag was replaced in 2016, Then they told me that it would not be under recall because they pretty much said they had already fixed it but the problem had occurred. They said it was done it 2016 the air bag should last the life of the vehicle. I was doing some research on Kelley Blue Book I had noticed that there is a campaign number and it sounds exactly like they issue that I was occurring that Acura told me and charged me $189 for diagnosis and told be about 2K to replace airbag . The campaign number is 19V501000 and it says August 12th 2019 is when the recall stated but Acura is showing not results and it is a safety issue so I would assume that it would be free of charge because of the safety issue not being my fault and having no history of car crashes and maintenance back to 2005 was done. .

NHTSA ID

11656922

Incident

Apr 16, 2025

The center display screen went blank (black) and I can't adjust anything

NHTSA ID

11529219

Incident

Jan 29, 2023

Small electric fire in driver side door panel melted all the way through outside door handle . After this happened to me I looked through forums and this seems to be a common issue with this car and there has been no recall for this issue . Very unsafe

NHTSA ID

11430934

Incident

Aug 29, 2021

MY VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD GLOVE BOX IS DEFECTIVE. I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS TO MANY VEHICLES WHICH NO ONE BOTHERS TO REPORT. MY GLOVE BOX, WHEN IT'S HOT OR THE SUN IS OUT, THE EXTERNAL LEATHER OR MATERIAL THAT IT IS MADE OF, SOFTENS AND DETERIORATED LIKE IT'S MELTED PLASTIC. ANY CONTACT THE LEATHER HAS WITH ANYTHING, THE LEATHER IS DAMAGED EASILY AND INDENTED VERY BADLY WHERE IT'S UNABLE TO REPAIR BESIDES TAKING IT TO A PROFESSIONAL. I'VE NOTICED MANY OTHER VEHICLES WITH THIS ISSUE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT I. THE VEHICLE WHICH IS OVERLOOKED TO BE RECALLED. I'VE HAD MY SUNSHADE JUST TEMPORARILY LEFT TO LAY AGAINST THE GLOVE BOX IN THE SUN FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES, AND THE LEATHER ON THE GLOVE BOX WAS INDENTED AND TORN FROM THE LIGHTWEIGHT SUNSHADE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327339

Incident

Apr 22, 2017

Mileage

220,000 mi

CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM LIGHT ON. CONNECTION TO HEADLIGHT DEFECTIVE, HEADLIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF RANDOMLY LIKE WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP, BUT TURNS BACK ON IF YOU TURN LIGHT OFF THEN ON AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11301852

Incident

Jan 20, 2020

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN SHIFTED TO N DURING AN EVENT, TACHOMETER READS 6000 RPM. THROTTLE PEDAL AND AREA ARE CLEAR, NO CODES.

NHTSA ID

11281621

Incident

Nov 21, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER SON WAS DRIVING AND APPROACHED A CRASH THAT HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. THE VICTIM OF THE CRASH WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAS LYING IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT'S SON SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE DRIVER'S VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND THEN LANDED UPRIGHT AGAIN. THE CONTACT'S SON SUSTAINED HEAD TRAUMA, CUTS TO THE EYES, A BROKEN NOSE, AND ONE OF HIS EYELIDS WAS DETACHED FROM HIS EYE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED BY A PLASTIC SURGEON. HE WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE REMAINED FOR A MONTH AND A HALF, BATTLING INFECTIONS DURING HIS RECOVERY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE OTHER FIVE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A WRECKING YARD TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.*DT CRASH REPORT (XXX) LICENSE NUMBER (XXX) VIN (XXXXXX) VEH LICENSE NUMBER (XXX) ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).')*JB

NHTSA ID

11281525

Incident

Nov 9, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

HID HEADLIGHTS. MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH MY HEADLIGHTS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED IN JULY OF 2015. EVERY NOW AND THEN THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WOULD FLICKER AND GO OUT. I CAN GET THE HEADLLIGHT TO COME BACK ON BY TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURNING THEM BACK ON. THE PROBLEM CAN BE SO BAD AT TIMES THAT I HAVE TO DO IT REPEATEDLY WHILE I'M DRIVING. I DO MOST OF MY DRIVING AT NIGHT SO THIS HAS BECOME A VERY REAL ISSUE FOR ME. I'VE READ HOW OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT ACURA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. IT'S A COSTLY REPAIR ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN'T FIND EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS. I'VE ALREADY GOTTEN STOPPED BY A POLICEMAN ABOUT THE HEADLIGHT BEING OUT. AND WHEN I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT THE ISSUE WAS HE LET ME GO ONCE I SHOWED HIM THAT IT CAME BACK ON. THE CAR ITSELF HAS BEEN AMAZING TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY HOW HARD I'VE DRIVEN IT OVER THE YEARS AND IT NOW HAS ABOUT 238,000 MILES ON IT OF WHICH I PUT ABOUT 95,000 MILES. OTHER MAJOR REPAIRS LIKE THE AIR CONDITIONING I HAD REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS NOT SO LUCKY WITH THE RADIATOR THAT WENT UP. THE WHOLE ORDEAL ENDED UP COSTING OVER $1000 AT A AAA AUTO REPAIR CENTER. I STILL SAY IT IS AN AMAZING CAR FOR THE TECHNOLOGY, ROAD MILES, AND AGE OF VEHICLE. I PURCHASED IT BECAUSE IT WAS ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND THE PRICE WAS JUST UNDER $10K BACK IN 2015. THIS CAR NEW WAS MORE LIKE $50K-$55K. I WISH THAT ACURA WOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FOR THE HID SYSTEM. I ACTUALLY READ HOW ONE OWNER HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. SCARY TO EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT HAPPENING AT THE WRONG TIME AND THEY NOT KNOWING HOW TO FIX IT THE WAY I LEARNED WHICH IS TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON. SOMETIMES I CAN GO SEVERAL MONTHS WITH NO ISSUES AND THEN OTHERS IT HAPPENS JUST ABOUT EVERY NIGHT DEPENDING ON CLIMATE I SOMETIMES THINK, SPECIFICALLY, HUMIDITY, BUT I CAN'T BE SURE.

NHTSA ID

11155315

Incident

Nov 30, 2018

Mileage

237,000 mi

Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator.

Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Driver's Airbag Inflator for 2013-14 ILX Hybrid and Other Listed Years and Models.

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

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.

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.

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.