Acura RL problems
125 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
- No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record
- Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
Driver and passenger side mirrors became dangerously loose. Service bulletin 08-022 issued june 7, 2008 by Acura warning "probable cause: the bolts fastening the mirror housing to the mirror base were not properly torqued." mirrors must be replaced at cost of $750 each to…
2005 Acura rl broke down within 10 miles of dealership immediately after purchase. Vehicle has electrical problems. *bf on each breakdown, the sh-AWD and vsa warning light illuminated at the same time. The navigation screen which controlled all of the electrical system…
Passenger side low beam flickers and will completely go off. Have taken into dealer with no results (claim they could not find the problem). This I believe is a safety issue. People have complained of this since 2005 with no solution. If when driving you turn your lights off…
Headlights flicker when car hit bumps or when headlights turn. It is very annoying. The flickering comes and goes, but it is getting more frequent. Have called the dealer about taking the car in and will make an appointment to take my cpo rl to dealer for inspection this…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA15001 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Common questions
Is the 2005 Acura RL reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 125 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Acura RL is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2005 Acura RL?
On the NHTSA data, the 2005 Acura RL does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2005 Acura RL?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is lighting, with 40 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 89,607 miles. Average repair cost runs about $250 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The lighting is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $250 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 89,607 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Acura RL has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2005 Acura RL?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 125 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $250, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.