FaultScore

Acura RL headlight problems

63 of the 525 complaints filed about the Acura RL are about the lighting — 12% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2005.

63

Complaints

12%

Share of all complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

Lights complaints by model year

2000 RL 2 3.2%

Median failure at 25,000 miles

2002 RL 1 1.6%
2004 RL 1 1.6%
2005 RL 50 79.4%

Median failure at 74,000 miles

2006 RL 5 7.9%

Median failure at 90,800 miles

2007 RL 2 3.2%

Median failure at 34,450 miles

2010 RL 1 1.6%
2012 RL 1 1.6%

Median failure at 16,000 miles

What owners said

2006 Acura RL Riverside, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS ARE OFTEN POINTED FAR TOO LOW AND MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE IN NORMAL CITY CONDITIONS, HIGHWAY CONDITIONS HOWEVER ESPECIALLY ON BACKROADS. ACCORDING TO AN ONLINE FORUM FOR OTHER ACURA OWNER'S, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT FACTORY STANDARDS DO NOT CORRECT.

NHTSA complaint #11355496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL Milwaukee, WI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #11301852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Acura RL at 178,000 miles Crestwood, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY QUIT WORKING CREATING HAZARD DRIVING AT NIGHT AND INCLEMENT WEATHER. SOMETIMES ONE SIDE AND THEN RANDOMLY BOTH LIGHTS DISCONTINUE WORKING. ACCORDING TO OWNERS ON ACURA OWNER WEBSITE/FORUM, THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #11222244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 237,000 miles Nottingham, MD

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #11155315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 145,000 miles Littleton, CO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES ITS ONE AND SOMETIMES BOTH. YOU HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AND THEY TURN BACK ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10957674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 120,000 miles Bloomington, MN

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM FLICKERS AND WILL COMPLETELY GO OFF. HAVE TAKEN INTO DEALER WITH NO RESULTS (CLAIM THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM). THIS I BELIEVE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS SINCE 2005 WITH NO SOLUTION. IF WHEN DRIVING YOU TURN YOUR LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON THEY COME BACK ON TILL THE FLICKERING STARTS AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10936128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 161,000 miles Allentown, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKER A LOT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THEY GO OUT SOMETIMES ONE AT A TIME, DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT OR PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. SOMETIMES THEY BOTH GO OFF AND I AM REQUIRED TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON USING THE SWITCH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE AFS LIGHT COMES ON EVERY SO OFTEN. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY. I READ FROM SEVERAL FORUMS THAT A LOT OF ACURA OWNERS FOR YEARS 2005 AND 2006 EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE THAT I AM GOING THROUGH. I NEED ACURA TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS? PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT ME ASAP!

NHTSA complaint #10887908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 145,000 miles LA Quinta, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2005 ACURA RL, HEADLIGHTS HAVE FLICKERED SINCE PURCHASE IN 2005, HAVE REPORTED THIS OVER THE PAST 9-10 YEARS CORPORATELY AND TO THE LOCAL ACURA DEALERS, ACURA OF PLEASANTON AND ACURA OF THE DESERT. THIS HAS NOW BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, FLICKERING LIGHTS NOW TURN OFF AT NIGHT IN THE DARK WHILE IN MOTION CREATING A DRIVING HAZARD FOR BOTH THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ACURA AND ANY SURROUNDING VEHICLES. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 ACURA RL ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS ONLINE BLOGS AND SITES. ACURA CONTINUES TO IGNORE AND REFUSES TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF CURRENT 2005 ACURA RL OWNERS, A FIX OR RECALL IS NECESSARY BEFORE SOME IS KILLED OR INJURED.

NHTSA complaint #10875310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 118,000 miles SAN Jose, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

FRONT PASSENGER LIGHT FLICKERING MORE FREQUENTLY THESE DAY. WENT TO DEALER AND REPLACED THE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULB. STILL EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE WHEN YOU MADE A RIGHT TURN AND NOTICED LIGHT START FLICKERING AND SOMETIME IT OFF. VERY ANNOYING AND BOTHERSOME TO DRIVER. SAW NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FLICKERING LIGHT AND THINK IT'S TIME FOR NHTSA TO START LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THEY GET WORSE. HONDA KNEW THE PROBLEM BUT AVOID ACKNOWLEDGE UNTIL SOMEONE GET HURT. DEALER ARE CHARGING CONSUMER OVER $1000 JUST TO REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT. SOMETIME, STILL WOULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, I URGE NTHSA TO INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA complaint #10871423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 130,451 miles Florence, SC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

ONE NIGHT WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BEGAN FLICKERING CONSTANTLY AND THE AFS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND HAS BEEN STEADILY ON SINCE THEN, WHENEVER MY HEADLIGHTS ARE IN OPERATION. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHT WENT DARK. THIS BEGAN WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION HEADING FROM A RURAL AREA INTO A MORE POPULATED ONE. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF VERY QUICKLY AND THE HEADLIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. HOWEVER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LOOKS ILLEGAL FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT POINT OF VIEW. EVERY SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH INTERMITTENT OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS. ONE OF THEM WILL FLICKER CONSTANTLY AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, TURN OFF COMPLETELY. ALSO, THE AFS DOESN'T WORK SO MY HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER SHIFT WHEN I TURN. IN ADDITION TO MYSELF, I HAVE READ SEVERAL FORUMS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO OWNERS OF THIS SAME GENERATION RL. FROM RESEARCH, REPLACING THE BULB ITSELF AND/OR THE IGNITER IS NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM. IT WILL START AGAIN AND ANY OTHER SOLUTIONS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. IT SEEMS WITH THIS BEING SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT SOMETHING IS FAULTY ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT USED IN PRODUCTION. I THINK HONDA NEEDS TO RESEARCH THIS AND OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKE BY ISSUING A RECALL WHEN THEY DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10783431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Acura RL at 100,000 miles Willingboro, NJ

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT WOULD FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN GO OUT COMPLETELY. YOU HAVE TO TURN HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND THEN BACK ON FOR THE HEADLIGHT TO COME BACK ON. I HAVE CONCERNS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY.

NHTSA complaint #10748254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 174,000 miles Eden Prairie, MN

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FLICKER AND SHUT OFF, SEEMINGLY REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE SPEED OR DRIVING CONDITIONS. AT TIMES, THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT SHUTS OFF. LESS FREQUENTLY, THE LEFT DRIVER SIDE OR BOTH LIGHTS SHUT OFF. ALSO, OF LATE, THE ACTIVE FRONT LIGHTING INDICATOR ("AFS") TURNS ON, SEEMINGLY AT RANDOM, AND WHETHER OR NOT AFS IS ON OR OFF.

NHTSA complaint #10693315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 186,454 miles Lisbon, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT STARTED FLICKERING AND CUT OFF. I TURNED LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON AND HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THE NEXT DAY BOTH HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING AND BOTH WENT OFF TURNED LIGHTS OFF AND ON UNTIL THEY CAME BACK ON.

NHTSA complaint #10573744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL Jacksonville, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING, OR STATIONERY, DRIVER HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND SHUTS OFF, FOLLOWED BY THE PASSENGER LIGHT. THE ONLY WAY TO REGAIN HEADLIGHT FUNCTION, LIGHTS MUST BE TURNED OFF AND BACK ON CONSTANTLY.

NHTSA complaint #10566645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 73,000 miles Kansas City, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,240.

NHTSA complaint #10548970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 115,000 miles Linden, NJ Crash

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WAS STRUCK BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON GSP. LEFT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR WAS SIDE SWIPED FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT. I HADN'T NOTICE THE LIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT HOWEVER ACCORDING TO THE BODY SHOP THERE WAS A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AFS LIGHT WAS NOT TRIGGERED BY THE INCIDENT AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. INSURANCE REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER CLAIM AS STATED BY THEM.....ACURA SHOULD REPAIR DUE TO THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10546634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Acura RL at 81,600 miles Jacksonville Beach, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT WOULD FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN GO OUT COMPLETELY. YOU HAVE TO TURN HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND THEN BACK ON FOR THE HEADLIGHT TO COME BACK ON. I HAVE CONCERNS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL ORDER ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL, THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10544888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 148,500 miles ST. Louis, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I RECENTLY HAD ISSUES WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY ACURA 2005 RL(WHICH I'VE ONLY HAD FOUR MONTHS). I WAS DRIVING DOWN A RURAL ROAD AT NIGHT WHEN I PUT MY SIGNAL ON TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT. I KEPT TURNING THE KNOB TRYING TO GET THEM TO COME BACK ON BUT IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THEY WOULD COME ON AGAIN. FORTUNATELY I ONLY HAD TO GO A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE PULLING INTO A FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY. I WAS TOLD THE LEFT HEADLIGHTS HADN'T BEEN ON SINCE I HAD LEFT THE GAS STATION. WE TESTED THE LIGHTS TO DISCOVER THAT SOMETIMES ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE WOULD WORK, OR THEY WOULD FLICKER AND THEN IMMEDIATELY GO OFF. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD ALL GO OFF. NOT WHAT I WOULD EXPECT FOR A $50,000 CAR FROM ACURA. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS AND ACURA ISN'T STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. WHY HASN'T ACURA PUT OUT A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM....AND WHEN DID ACURA STOP CARING ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS? THIS IS THE THIRD ACURA I HAVE OWNED, THE OTHER TWO WERE GREAT VEHICLES BUT THIS ONE IS A $50,000 LEMON! IF ACURA DOESN'T REMEDY THE SITUATION IT WILL BE THE LAST VEHICLE I BUY FROM THEM. I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THEY ARE NO LONGER STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY AS SERIOUS AS THIS ONE.

NHTSA complaint #10534121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Acura RL at 125,000 miles Frisco, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HID HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND FLICKER ALL THE TIME. WHEN I CHECK ON LINE, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND THE DEALERS ARE TRYING TO CHARGE ASTRONOMICAL PRICES TO FIX THIS SAFETY ITEM.

NHTSA complaint #10521107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Acura RL at 16,000 miles Irving, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CANNOT SEE BEYOND ABOUT 50-60 FEET ON DARK ROADS USING LOW BEAMS ONLY.

NHTSA complaint #10485977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Acura RL problems