Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Acura RL problems

Owners filed 8 complaints about the 2009 Acura RL with NHTSA between Jun 2009 and Apr 2019. The most-cited component is air bags (3).

Complaints
8
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags3
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  3. Vehicle speed control2
  4. Electrical system1
  5. Power train1
  6. Fuel system, other1
  7. Latches/locks/linkages1
  8. Fuel system, gasoline1
  9. Structure1
  10. Wheels1

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
20091
20102
20110
20121
20130
20141
20150
20161
20171
20180
20191

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

3 reports1 crash6 related recalls
“FAILED TO GET A DATE TO REMEDY THE AIRBAG RECALL ON MY CAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2017Air bagsODI 10992870

Service brakes, hydraulic

2 reports
“WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED; SUDDENLY NOTICED VERY SLOW CAR AHEAD; UPON BRAKING, CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD; TO AVOID HEAD ON COLLISION TO LEFT, OR REAR END COLLISION AHEAD, TOOK TO SHOULDER TO ATTEMPT TO SLOW CAR DOWN; EVENTUALLY GOT CAR UNDER CONTROL AGAIN; HAVE REACHED NO DEFINITE CONCLUSIONS YET AS TO CAUSE, BUT HAVE CONTACTED DEALER FOR HELP, AS STILL WITHIN WARRANTY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2012Service brakes, hydraulic, Vehicle speed controlODI 10444420

Vehicle speed control

2 reports1 crash
“I HAVE A 2009 ACURA RL. WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. AFTER ABOUT 20 FEET I NEEDED TO BRAKE. THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF BRAKING. WE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. ONLY THE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED. NON OF THE DOORS WOULD OPEN EITHER FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN EITHER. I FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, ONLY ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYING, AND THE DOORS REFUSING TO OPEN, THAT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR SOMETHING GOING ON. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2010Fuel system, other, Air bags, Latches/locks/linkages, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10317137

Electrical system

1 report1 fire
“THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE STARTED SMOKING AND BURNING ON MY VEHICLE. IT MELTED PART OF THE DOOR HANDLE AND LEFT MOST OF THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT INOPERATIVE INCLUDING THE INABILITY TO START THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED/STATIONARY & OFF AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2019Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11202827

Power train

1 report
“MY HUSBAND DROVE ONTO A SLOPED DRIVEWAY (UPHILL) AND LEFT THE CAR RUNNING, GOT OUT AND RANG THE DOORBELL TO OUR DAUGHTER'S HOUSE TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS HOME. THEY ANSWERED THE DOOR AND HE CAME BACK TO THE CAR AND MOTIONED FOR ME TO GET OUT OF CAR AND COME INTO HOUSE. HE REMEMBERED HE HAD LEFT THE CAR RUNNING, SO AS I GOT OUT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, HE REACHED IN AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I TURNED TOWARD THE BACK OF CAR TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE BACK SEAT. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS STILL OPEN ALL THE WAY. THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, I TRIED TO RUN BUT THE DOOR HIT ME KNOCKED ME FACE DOWN ON THE ASPHALT OF THE STREET, AND THE BOTTOM OF THE OPEN FRONT DOOR SCRAPED OVER ME, ABRADING MY HEEL, BACK, AND LACERATING MY HEAD. WHEN MY FACE HIT THE ASPHALT, MY TWO UPPER FRONT TEETH GROUND INTO THE ASPHALT, BOTH HANDS TRYING TO BREAK MY FALL, AND BOTH KNEES CRASHING ON THE STREET SURFACE. I SUFFERED FRACTURES OF BOTH UPPER INCISORS, A 1 INCH LACERATION TO BACK OF SCALP, SPRAINED R THUMB, ABRASIONS OF BOTH HANDS AND BOTH KNEES. I PROCEEDED TO HAVE A RATHER SIGNIFICANT ASTHMA ATTACK FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTERWARD AND I THOUGHT I HAD ASPIRATED…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2014Power trainODI 10568056

Fuel system, other

1 report1 crash
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.