The Acura RL is the flagship of the Japanese luxury brand. Like any vehicle, there are a few common problems that have been reported with Acura RLs, some of which are covered under recalls issued by Acura. To check if your Acura RL has had any problems addressed under warranty, contact your local Acura dealer's service department.
The fuel pump plays a vital role in getting gasoline from the fuel tank to the engine of the Acura RL. On some 2005 models, the fuel pump can suddenly quit, and the vehicle will not start. The source of the problem has been traced to a defective electric coil which must be replaced.
On Acura RLs manufactured from 2005 to 2008 there is a known problem with some of the vehicles' power steering system. Prolonged periods of high temperature in the engine compartment, caused by long road trips or extended city driving, have been known to cause the power steering hose to break down and crack. The cracking causes power steering fluid to leak out of the hose. If enough power steering fluid leaks out before the problem is discovered, a sudden loss of power steering in the RL can occur.
On some Acura RLs manufactured from 1996 to 1998, the lower ball joint on the front control arm has prematurely failed. Failure of the ball joint can cause vibration and grinding noises in the RL's suspension. In a worst case scenario, the ball joint can come loose from the control arm, causing the front suspension of the car to collapse.
