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Acura RLModel year report

2003 Acura RL Problems

Complaints
9filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
80,818miles, 4 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Acura RL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 9 consumer complaints for the 2003 Acura RL. The part named most often is air bags, with 6 complaints (67% of the total), followed by electrical system (1) and engine (1). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 50% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 80,818 miles. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 28 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the inflator module and 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 13 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Air bags: “Side airbag indicator goes on and stays on intermittently. Happens almost always. Reported to dealer several times. Dealer can't find anything wrong. Believe side air bags are not functional when light is on. Started after dealer servicing about sept., 2003 and continues to this day.”

NHTSA complaint #10293538, filed 2009-11, 3,800 miles

Engine: “Was driving on interstate 71 north, at the posted speed limit (70) when the car stopped running. All dash warning lights came on. The engine stopped running, so all of the power-assist stopped working. I pulled to the side of the road, came to a complete stop, turned off the ignition and tried to restart the car. I turned the ignition key and the car started and ran without any problems. This has now happened 6 more times. The most recent time was after 6pm on monday june 22nd. This time, after restarting the car, the check engine light stayed on. …”

NHTSA complaint #10730303, filed 2015-06, 132,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

50% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 29,635 and 132,000 miles.

25%0–100%10–2525%25–500%50–750%75–10025%100–15025%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (4 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 80,818 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2007200920152016202032021
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Acura RL. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
RL · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2003 Acura RL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 28 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 28 bulletins →

Other model years of the Acura RL

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2010920,1007—18—Not enough data
2009845,1606—18—Not enough data
20081318,1776—19—Not enough data
20072034,7507—19—Falling
20063246,0008—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200512573,00011—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200411104,0000———Not enough data
2003980,8181———Not enough data
20024376,5002——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200112112,2002———Not enough data
20005977,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19992492,7512———Falling
19981199,4463———Not enough data
199719145,0002———Stable
199622144,0002———Stable

All Acura RL model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Acura RL have?

NHTSA recorded 9 consumer complaints for the 2003 Acura RL as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Acura RL is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 6 complaints (67% of the total), followed by electrical system with 1.

Has the 2003 Acura RL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Acura RL reported?

Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 80,818 miles and the middle half falls between 29,635 and 132,000 miles; 50% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.