Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Acura RL problems

Owners filed 13 complaints about the 2008 Acura RL with NHTSA between Mar 2008 and Sep 2017. The most-cited component is air bags (8).

Complaints
13
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags8
  2. Service brakes1
  3. Electrical system1
  4. Latches/locks/linkages1
  5. Fuel system, gasoline1
  6. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  7. Tires1

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 Oct 28, 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
20082
20090
20101
20110
20121
20130
20140
20150
20168
20171

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

8 reports5 related recalls
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM FOR MONTHS IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG RECALL WOULD BE COMPLETED OR IF THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED CONCERNING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG RECALL AND HAD NOT CONFIRMED IF THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V344000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2016Air bagsODI 10915246

Service brakes

1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROGRESSING FAILURE OF WHICH THE BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN APPLIED. THE DEALER (DAVE WHITE ACURA, 5868 MONROE ST, SYLVANIA, OH 43560, (419) 885-3600) SERVICED THE BRAKE SYSTEM BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHO REPLACED VARIOUS PARTS INCLUDING THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER BUT THE REPAIRS PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 11/15/17 *BF UPDATED 11/27/2017*JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2017Service brakesODI 11024767

Electrical system

1 report
“THREE OF THE FOUR DOOR LOCKS ON THE VEHICLE DO NOT FUNCTION ELECTRONICALLY AND MUST BE MANUALLY ACTUATED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2012Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10478693

Latches/locks/linkages

1 report

Fuel system, gasoline

1 report
“MY WIFE DRIVES A 2008 ACURA RL. WE LIVE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. MY WIFE NOTICED GAS FUMES INSIDE THE PASSENGER CABIN LAST SUMMER (2009) AND AGAIN THIS SUMMER (2010) ON HOT DAYS TO THE POINT SHE WOULD BECOME ILL. I COULD SMELL STRONG GAS FUMES AFTER SHE PARK THE RL IN THE GARAGE LAST SUMMER (2009) AND THIS SUMMER (2010) ON HOT DAYS. NOTHING WAS DONE LAST YEAR (2009) BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO REPAIR TO THE PROBLEM. THIS SUMMER (2010) SHE DROVE THE RL TO OUR LOCAL ACURA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ALSO NOTICED THE SMELL OF GAS FUMES INSIDE THE CAR. AFTER THE INSPECTION WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL DUE TO OUR SUMMER HEAT HERE IN LAS VEGAS. THE AFTERNOON TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 107 DEGREES. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE COULD FIX THE PROBLEM WITH HIS OWN TYPE OF REPAIR, HE SAID THAT WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL REPAIR FROM ACURA. THE PROBLEM WITH THE GAS FUMES INSIDE THE CAR SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN FIXED BY THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGERS REPAIR BUT ON HOT DAYS WE STILL SMELL STRONG GAS FUMES IN OUR GARAGE. WE WERE TOLD VERBALLY FROM ACURA TO PARK THE RL OUTSIDE AND NOT IN THE GARAGE ON HOT DAYS IF WE SMELL GAS FUMES COMING FROM THE RL. I…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2010Fuel system, gasolineODI 10355573

Equipment adaptive/mobility

1 report1 crash
“NOTE: 2009 ACURA NOT YET AVAILABLE ON "PULL DOWN" MENU- SO I LISTED 2008.... ENTERING DIVIDED HIGHWAY ON "CLOVERLEAF" ENTRY, APPROX 38 MPH, APPROX 4/5 OF CURVED ENTRY DRIVEN, CAR (2009 ACURA RL) BEGAN TO FISHTAIL, REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, PROBLEM GOT WORSE, BRAKING AND STEERING INEFFECTUAL, "SH" HANDLING, CRASH AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS PRECLUDING DRIVER INITIATED ATTEMPTS OR ALLOWING DRIVER TO BRING CAR UNDER CONTROL. RESULTING IN DAMAGE IN COLLISION WITH GUARD RAIL, FRONT AND REAR. MANUFACTURER HAS PERFORMED "INVESTIGATION" AND CAREFULLY EXAMINED CAR/ DOWNLOADED COMPUTER "HISTORIC" INFO AND SAYS UP TO OEM SPEC/ DESIGN. I SAY THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HOPE A RECALL IS ISSUED OR CHANGES MADE BEFORE SERIOUS INJURIES OCCUR 2009 ACURA RL *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2008Equipment adaptive/mobilityCrash reportedODI 10238156
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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