Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Acura RL problems

Owners filed 32 complaints about the 2006 Acura RL with NHTSA between Feb 2006 and Jun 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (9).

Complaints
32
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags9
  2. Electrical system8
  3. Exterior lighting5
  4. Tires4
  5. Service brakes2
  6. Forward collision avoidance1
  7. Power train1
  8. Engine1
  9. Steering1
  10. Visibility1
  11. Wheels1
  12. Vehicle speed control1
  13. Engine and engine cooling1
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20063
20072
20080
20094
20102
20113
20121
20133
20140
20151
20167
20172
20180
20192
20201
20210
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

9 reports1 crash5 related recalls
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 10V504000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), 16V061000 (AIR BAGS), AND 16V344000(AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2016Air bags, Service brakesODI 10920237

Electrical system

8 reports1 crash1 fire
“FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO. THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME DOOR LOCK HAS REOCCURRED. THE LOCKED DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE IS TOUCHED NOR WILL THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK CONTROL LOCK OR UNLOCK THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. WHILE DRIVING THE ACTUATOR IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO LOCK THE DOORS BUT IT DOESN'T WORK. I HAVE SEEN OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE DURING MY ON-LINE RESEARCH. I CONTACTED THE ACURA DEALER THAT REPAIRED AND REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ACTUATOR BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WARRANTY IS 1 YEAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2019Electrical systemODI 11209096

Exterior lighting

5 reports
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 17, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11355496

Tires

4 reports1 crash
“2006 ACURA RL WAS EASTBOUND, WHEN ITS RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONSUMER SLID OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY STRIKING A GUARDRAIL. *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0676-91) *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2011TiresCrash reportedODI 10375732

Service brakes

2 reports
“DRIVING DOWN STEEP "S" TURN IN MOUNTAINS WHEN BATTERY CABLE DISCONNECTED AND ALL OF CAR'S SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. NO BRAKES, NO STEERING, NO POWER. WORST PART WAS THAT DOORS LOCKED AND WE COULD NOT UNLOCK THEM NOR THE WINDOWS. EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING. THERE WAS NO CELL PHONE SERVICE WHERE WE WERE. IF NOT FOR FOREST RANGER WHO CAME ALONG, BECAUSE OF CAR BEING PARTLY INTO ONE OF THE LANES OF THIS TWO-LANE ROAD, WE WOULD HAVE ROASTED TO DEATH. NOBODY ELSE STOPPED IN SPITE OF "HELP" SIGNS. THERE WAS NO INSIDE MANUAL EXIT FROM CAR. RANGER HAD TO JIGGLE AND HOLD BATTERY CONNECTION UNTIL WE COULD UNLOCK CAR. WE WERE JUST LUCKY WE WEREN'T EITHER GOING FASTER OR IN AREA WITH NO MOUNTAIN TO THE SIDE OF US WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE GONE OFF CLIFF. WE WERE ON A DANGEROUS CURVE AND WERE SCARED TO DEATH SOMEONE WOULD HIT US FROM BEHIND. RANGERS AND ONE OF US DIRECTED TRAFFIC UNTIL TOW TRUCK ARRIVED 1-1/2 HRS LATER. THE BATTERY WAS ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS OLD. TOW TRUCK SAID WRONG BATTERY HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT TIME OF CHANGE AND THAT IT "POPPED" THE CLAMPS THAT ENSURE CONNECTION AND A CHARGE ON THE BATTERY. BUT LOSING A BATTERY CONNECTION SHOULDN'T MEAN SOMEONE IS GOING TO LOSE THEIR LIFE!…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 21, 2012Steering, Electrical system, Service brakesODI 10471780

Forward collision avoidance

1 report
“It want start and has something to do with air control”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2023Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11528463
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.