Acura RL Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year RL should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 2005 Acura RL has the most documented problems with a problem score of 113 — driven by 6 recalls, 91 complaints.

Q: What is the best year RL to buy?

The 2012 Acura RL is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 6, meaning 2 recalls and 0 complaints on record.

Q: Which RL has the fewest problems?

The 2012, 2001, 2003 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Acura RL model year (1996–2012) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Years Tracked

Total Recalls

295

Total Complaints

Reported Injuries

Reported Deaths

Acura RL Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2005

6 recalls · 91 complaints

2 reported injuries

Top issue: EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Problem score: 113

#2 WORST

2000

2 recalls · 55 complaints

1 reported injury

Top issue: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 63

#3 WORST

2002

1 recall · 27 complaints

Top issue: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 30

Best Acura RL Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2012

2 recalls · 0 complaints

Main area: No significant complaints

Problem score: 6

#2 BEST

2001

1 recall · 5 complaints

Main area: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Problem score: 8

#3 BEST

2003

1 recall · 7 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 10

Found the right year? Verify that specific RL with a free VIN report.

Acura RL — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Injuries	Deaths	Problem Score	Verdict
2012	2	0	—	—	6	Excellent
2011	3	2	—	—	11	Excellent
2010	4	7	—	—	19	Good
2009	2	12	1	—	20	Good
2008	2	5	—	—	11	Excellent
2007	1	11	1	—	16	Good
2006	1	21	2	—	28	Good
2005	6	91	2	—	113	Avoid
2004	0	14	—	—	14	Good
2003	1	7	—	—	10	Excellent
2002	1	27	—	—	30	Good
2001	1	5	—	—	8	Excellent
2000	2	55	1	—	63	Caution
1999	2	7	1	—	15	Good
1998	3	7	—	—	16	Good
1997	2	13	3	—	25	Good
1996	2	11	—	—	17	Good

All 17 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Acura RL Shopping Guide by Era

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older RL models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year RL should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2005 Acura RL if possible. It has 6 recalls, 91 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 113 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year RL to buy?+

The 2012 Acura RL is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 6. It has only 2 recalls and 0 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which RL has the fewest problems?+

The 2012, 2001, 2003 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Acura RL Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Acura RL.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Acura RL.

Check a Specific Acura RL VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →