2014 Acura Rlx Hybrid Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Acura Rlx Hybrid, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical1100.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY CAR HAS BEEN DAMAGED 3 TIMES BY RODENTS CHEWING ON WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TWICE. FORTUNATELY, THE BREAKDOWNS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED, AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BUT, YOU ONLY NEED TO DO A SEARCH OF THE 'NET TO FIND REPORTS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD BREAKDOWNS WHILE DRIVING, AND EVEN FIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IS THAT MANUFACTURING OF WIRING IS NOW USING "ECO-FRIENDLY" LUBRICANTS BASED ON SOY OR PEANUTS. THIS CREATES AN "ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE" FOR RODENTS TO CHEW ON THE WIRING, THINKING IT MAY CONCEAL FOOD. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PICTURE I ATTACHED, THE WIRING HAD BEEN WRAPPED WITH A GREY "ANTI-RODENT" TAPE (WHICH CONTAINS CAPSAICIN) THE SECOND TIME IT WAS REPAIRED. BUT, I DON'T THINK IT WAS COMPLETELY WRAPPED ALL THE WAY TO THE CONNECTOR, AND ONLY A SMALL PART WAS LEFT EXPOSED. THIS TAPE IS AN ACTUAL HONDA PART THAT CAN BE ORDERED BY THEIR SERVICE DEPT. SO, HONDA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THREE MEN FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST AMERICAN HONDA IN 2016. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY HONDA TO DISMISS IT, THE PLAINTIFFS FILED A MOTION TO CERTIFY THE LAWSUIT AS A CLASS ACTION. WITHIN WEEKS, THE LAWSUIT WAS WITHDRAWN WITHOUT PREJUDICE BY THE PLAINTIFFS, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE HONDA SETTLED. THIS METHOD OF MANUFACTURE IS IMPOSING SIGNIFICANT COSTS ON CONSUMERS TO REMEDY THE RESULTING PROBLEM, INCLUDING HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIUMS. I'M ACTUALLY NOT FILING A CLAIM ON MY LATEST DAMAGE, BECAUSE MY INSURANCE COMPANY CAN CANCEL MY INSURANCE IF I HAVE MORE THAN ONE CLAIM IN A YEAR DUE TO ANIMAL DAMAGE. I AM NOT ASKING FOR A RECALL. BUT, SOME REGULATION IS NEEDED TO BAN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS FROM USING FOOD-DERIVED LUBRICANTS IN MANUFACTURING, FOR SAFETY REASONS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .