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Acura RLModel year report

2005 Acura RL Problems

Complaints
125filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
73,000miles, 77 complaints with mileage
Recalls
11campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl 4WD/AWD · 16 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Acura RL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2005 Acura RL report headlight problems far more than anything else: HID low beams that flicker, switch off unexpectedly, and come back after the switch is cycled. Airbag-related complaints are the second theme, mostly SRS warning lights and Takata inflator recalls, and these tend to appear at much higher mileage. A smaller share of complaints covers melting interior trim, brakes and stability-control behavior, and door-handle electrical shorts.

  1. Exterior lighting

    Headlights flicker or go out

    • 41 complaints (33%)
    • median 74,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (34 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 11 quotes)
    • filed 2009–2018

    Owners describe low-beam headlights that flicker, dim, or switch off while driving, sometimes one side and sometimes both. Many say hitting a bump or making a turn brings it on, and that flipping the headlight switch to off and back on restores the light. Several complaints mention a quote of several hundred to over a thousand dollars per side, with some parts (inverter, igniter, bulb, control unit) replaced without a lasting fix; others say the dealer could not reproduce the problem or called it normal. Reported from very low mileage up to roughly 250,000 miles, with many complaints between about 30,000 and 90,000 miles, often noticed at night.

    What to check: Test the headlights at night on a bumpy road and watch for flicker on either side; ask the seller whether bulbs, igniters, or control units have been replaced, and keep the receipt for the switch-cycle workaround in mind.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Own 2005 Acura RL, that has afs light system. While driving vehicle on interstate, the headlights are intermittent and goes off at times, leaving me without visibility of the road ahead. I've contacted Acura and they state that vehicle is out of warranty and cannot service. My concern is that is a safety issue. I have also googled issue and have seen numerous complaints abut the afs system.”

    NHTSA complaint #10269482, filed 2009-05, 81,000 miles

    “I have a 2005 Acura RL. The headlights flicker and periodically go out. The only way to get them to come back on is if I turn the headlights off and then back on. This, of course, happens at night and is extremely dangerous when I'm traveling down the road at 65 MPH! This has been occurring for the past 4 months. The dealer replaced the sop hid control unit two days ago and it has not fixed the problem. It did cost me $553.95.”

    NHTSA complaint #10295202, filed 2009-12, 65,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    SRS/airbag warning light and inflator recalls

    • 36 complaints (29%)
    • median 140,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2025

    Owners report the SRS or airbag warning light coming on, sometimes intermittently, and dealer diagnoses involving wiring harness faults, seat-belt buckle replacement, or SRS system replacement quoted at over a thousand dollars. Several complaints are tied to the Takata inflator recalls, including owners saying parts were unavailable or that repairs were delayed; one describes the passenger airbag-off message appearing constantly. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 275,000 miles, often years after purchase.

    Recall 19V500000Recall 19V501000Recall 17V029000Recall 16V344000Recall 16V061000Recall 14V700000Recall 14V3530008 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check for open airbag recalls by VIN with a dealer and confirm the inflators were replaced; also check that the SRS light goes out after the bulb test at start-up.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Srs light came on. Took car to dealership for repair. Was told it was fault code 92-21. Was told a new wiring harness could possibly fix the problem at a cost to me of $3000. Yes, that was three thousand dollars$$ now I have no srs on my car an Acura feels its not there problem. I understand how warranties work and how wear and tear effect every car, but a wiring harness should not malfunction, especially on a safety system!! This has to be a manufacture defect!! Thanks Acura for standing behind the safety of your vehicles!!! …”

    NHTSA complaint #10512489, filed 2013-05, 140,000 miles

    “The srs light came on suddenly on day in january 2014 and after disappeared after two weeks. However, the message in the log showed a 92-22 error message and required me to take the car to dealership. As the light srs had gone off I took the car in to dealership on april 4th for another recall issue and asked them to look in to srs message. Mind you the srs light was off when I took the car to the dealership. After they looked into the issue the srs light came back on and now the dealership wants $1300 to replace the srs system. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10579399, filed 2014-04, 132,000 miles
  3. Exterior lighting

    Low beam aims too low / AFS warning

    • 10 complaints (8%)
    • median 81,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2005–2016

    Owners report that the low beams light only a short distance ahead, making it hard to see on unlit roads, and that the lights tilt down on hills or bumps. Others mention the AFS warning light coming on intermittently, often in rain or snow, and dealers responding that the aim is within specification or that nothing can be adjusted. Some reports at very low mileage (under 3,000 miles) and others between about 45,000 and 160,000 miles.

    What to check: Drive the car on an unlit road at night if possible and check the reach of the low beams and whether the AFS light stays on.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Ref 2005 Acura RL the high beam headlights do not shine far enough down the road. I was driving in vermont on dark country roads and almost hit a tree. Driving at the speed limit of 50 MPH I outrun the lights. Acura says there is no way to adjust the halogen lights & that the parameters were approved by DOT. I feel that a mistake has been made on your part that will result in unnecessary single vehicle accidents on the nations highways.”

    NHTSA complaint #10136494, filed 2005-11, 1 miles

    “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? …”

    NHTSA complaint #10887908, filed 2016-07, 161,000 miles
  4. Body and structure

    Melting or sticky interior trim

    • 5 complaints (4%)
    • median 92,500 mi at 9.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2021

    Owners describe the glovebox lid, armrest, and center console turning soft, sticky, and easily marked, especially in heat or direct sun. Some report cracked and peeling surfaces and difficulty cleaning them, and a few say the dealer or manufacturer did not offer a remedy. Reported from roughly 10,000 to 220,000 miles, with owners linking it to hot weather and sun exposure.

    What to check: Open the glovebox and press the console and armrest surfaces; look for a tacky feel, impressions, peeling, or exposed sharp trim edges before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 2005 Acura RL has chrome trim that is apparently a thin sheet of metal that has been applied to the vehicle. After some time, it has degraded, and is peeling from its original position. This has exposed very sharp edges. One of the delaminated trim pieces is under the hood release, and while inserting my fingers to open the hood I received a cut on my hand.”

    NHTSA complaint #10455724, filed 2012-04, 145,000 miles

    “I have been driving since 1980 and have had various vehicles from various manufacturers and I have never had a dashboard melt for any reason. I expected my car to have minor problems at 40,000 miles but melting was not one of them. The interior of my car is melting. Especially the glove compartment, the arm rest and the console. The glove compartment has melted and remain soft and sticky, to the point that anything coming into contact with the glove box leaves an impression or pock mar. The arm rest and center console have cracked and peeled. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10629853, filed 2014-09, 40,000 miles
  5. Brakes

    Brakes and stability control acting up

    • 10 complaints (8%)
    • median 69,611 mi at 8.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2004–2019

    Complaints describe a low or soft brake pedal, a metallic noise from the suspension and brakes at low speed on rough roads, and in one case brakes engaging on their own with the VSA and SH-AWD lights on at 45-50 mph. Owners report dealer quotes for an ABS/VSA modulator or brake clip adjustments that did not last. Reported from very low mileage (under 10,000) up to about 100,000 miles.

    Recall 10V504000Recall 13V092000

    What to check: Ask whether the brake master cylinder and VSA recalls were performed, and test the pedal feel and listen for metallic clunks over rough pavement on a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Defect investigation ea13002 has 1 related recall NHTSA campaign id number: 13v092000 my car was not experiencing any problems at the time of this recall but I did take it in to have the service completed in june 2013. A couple of months ago my car started acting exactly as described in the complaint. While driving anywhere from 45-50 MPH, the brakes will engage on their own, jerking the car to the side and the vsa warning light as well as the sh-awd drive light will come on in the car. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10606234, filed 2014-06, 98,000 miles

    “At low speeds on rough streets, all 4 wheel suspensions make a very metallic noise. I have been lead to beleive that it is due to mis manufactured brake components. One dealer did bend the brake clips and the noise subsided for about 1000 miles, but the problem is back and the dealers are saying it is a mfgr problem and they can't fix without factory tech support which has not been forth coming. I only know other 2005 Acura RL owner in the small town of visalia (100k pop.) and he is being given the same runaround. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10119690, filed 2005-05, 2,000 miles

Buying note. Check headlight operation carefully at night and confirm the airbag and brake recall work was completed by VIN before purchase; interior trim condition and any SRS light are also worth a close look on a car of this age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 125 consumer complaints for the 2005 Acura RL. 77 of the complaints include a mileage, and 26% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 73,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns and 131 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

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.

Also reported: Transmission and drivetrain (3), Electronic stability control (2), Engine (2), Seat belts (2), Steering (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Engine cooling (1).

Example complaints

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, filed 2014-03, 186,454 miles

Air bags: “Airbag warning light on because of a malfunction with the right side airbag inflator, as in many other Acura vehicles, and as shown by the recalls on it. Also the airbag is not working because of the passenger weight sensor is showing as not working, and the airbag is not working because the driver seat belt sensor in the buckle switch is not working either, all affecting the airbag deployment and thus the safety of the cars passengers. Acura refuses to fix under warranty.”

NHTSA complaint #10652737, filed 2014-11, 199,000 miles

Electrical system: “I was driving at about 30 MPH on rufe snow in north richland hill, tx about 2:00pm, when my engine suddenly stopped. All electrical was shut down. Traffic was approaching me from behind and I was afraid of being hit from behind. I was unable to open my doors, lower windows or even put the emergency flashers on. I was trapped. I called 911 and reported my situation. However, just before the police arrived, a man walked over to my vehicle and tried to open the door from the outside without success. …”

NHTSA complaint #10551476, filed 2013-11, 136,100 miles

Brakes: “After informing the Acura service center about 3 months prior to the accident that the brakes were not functioning properly on 2 separate occasions, and being reassured that there was nothing wrong with the brakes, I rear-ended another car on april 5 because the brakes failed again. Acura refused to run a computer check on the car or to send anyone from california to inspect the car. The dealer service center had initially told me that they would have someone from california come to inspect the brakes after the accident. …”

NHTSA complaint #10118199, filed 2005-04, 8,256 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

26% of the 77 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 48,000 and 125,000 miles.

9%0–101%10–2516%25–5025%50–7516%75–10022%100–15012%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (77 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 73,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05’08’11’1431’17’20’25
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 2005 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 rated5 / 5——5 · 9.7% risk

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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2005 Acura RL version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
RL 4WD/AWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162419$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 11 recalls for the 2005 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. 131 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 131 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

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Acura RL?

Owners of the 2005 Acura RL report headlight problems far more than anything else: HID low beams that flicker, switch off unexpectedly, and come back after the switch is cycled. The issues reported most often: Headlights flicker or go out; SRS/airbag warning light and inflator recalls; Low beam aims too low / AFS warning.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Acura RL have?

NHTSA recorded 125 consumer complaints for the 2005 Acura RL as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2005 Acura RL is reported most often?

Exterior lighting is named most often, in 49 complaints (39% of the total), followed by air bags with 36.

Has the 2005 Acura RL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2005 Acura RL get?

The EPA rates the 2005 Acura RL (RL, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Acura RL reported?

Among the 77 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 73,000 miles and the middle half falls between 48,000 and 125,000 miles; 26% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.