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 THEN BACK ON THEY COME BACK ON TILL THE FLICKERING STARTS AGAIN. *TR
2005 acura RL lighting problems
moderate 40 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250
Complaints
40
Recalls
0
Crashes
1
Avg fix
$250
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
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 WEEK. CAR HAS 56K MILES AND IT IS A CPO ACURA. *TR
2205 RL HEADLIGHT BRIEFLY GO OUT WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR PAST 6 MONTHS BUT NOW I AM NOTICING IT HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. *TR
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 T…
HID HEADLIGHTS. MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH MY HEADLIGHTS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED IN JULY OF 2015. EVERY NOW AND THEN THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WOULD FLICKER AND GO OUT. I CAN GET THE HEADLLIGHT TO COME BACK ON BY TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURNING THEM BACK ON. THE PROBLEM CAN BE SO BAD AT TIMES THAT I HAVE TO DO IT REPEATEDLY WHILE I'M DRIVING. I DO MOST OF MY DRIVING AT NIGHT S…
2005 ACURA RL: HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN HITTING BUMP IN THE ROAD. OCCURS DAILY (NIGHTLY) NOW AND GETTING WORSE. I EXPECT THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GO OUT. NOW GETTING QUOTES TO CORRECT. HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND PROBABLY OVER $1000 THAT I DON'T THINK I SHOULD PAY. *TR
DRIVING ON MOUNTAIN ROAD AT NIGHT. HEADLIGHTS FLICKER, WITH ONE SIDE GOING OUT, TURN KEY OFF THEN RESTART AND ALL IS WELL UNTIL YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR TURN A SHARP CORNER. *TR
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 SI…
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2005 ACURA RL DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIGHT UNLESS THE HIGH BEAM IS ENGAGED WHICH YOU OFTEN CANNOT DO. *NM
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2005 acura RL?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 40 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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