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2006 Acura RL Problems and Recalls

Owners filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Acura RL, most often about the air bags (28% of complaints). It is 4th of 14 RL model years by number of complaints and has 8 recalls.

Complaints32
Recalls8
Crashes reported3
Fires reported1
Injuries reported2

Most common 2006 Acura RL problems

  1. Air bags

    9 complaints · 28%

    Tl contact owns a 2006 Acura RL. While driving 70 MPH the vehicle hydroplaned on water, crashed into a rail, and then was struck by a semi-tractor trailer. The vehicle was completely destroyed. After the failure, the check air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument control panel, but the air bags failed to…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2009, at 50,000 miles
  2. Electrical

    8 complaints · 25%

    Half of these problems showed up before 49,000 miles. Parts named most often: ignition.

    In 2008 I bought a 2006 Acura RL that after 8 months caught fire while is parked overnight, the fire inspector deemed electrical due to faulty electric in door channel overhead. I subsequently bought another of the same Acura RL 2006 as of 6 weeks ago the air conditioning system was faulty and by the Acura dealer…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2010, at 55,000 miles
    The contact owns a 2006 Acura RL. The contact stated that the vehicle would sporadically stall without warning. The vehicle was taken to three separate dealers for inspection however, not one dealer was able to diagnose a failure. The failure mileage was 43,000 and the current mileage was 45,000. Updated 04/30/13
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 43,000 miles
  3. Lights

    5 complaints · 16%

    While driving at night headlights do not illuminate the road far enough ahead, creating dangerous driving cituations, Acura dealership(3 times) and Acura help center tell me this is a "characteristic" of this model. This is not acceptible, as the vehicle is a hazard to drive at night. Please help as I believe Acura is…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2011, at 46,000 miles
    While driving at night, on numerous occasions the right headlight would flicker intermittently and then go out completely. You have to turn headlight switch off and then back on for the headlight to come back on. I have concerns for me and my family's safety. Please investigate for a possible recall order on this make…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 81,600 miles
  4. Wheels and tires

    4 complaints · 13%

    Tl contact owns a 2006 Acura RL. While driving 70 MPH, the contact drove over a pothole and nothing happened. He then drove over another pothole and the tire deflated. The contact refilled the tire with air. The vehicle was taken to a tire company, which noticed a bubble on the tire and refilled it with air. The…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2007, at 5,500 miles
    Honda/michelin pax tires (no flat) are design for only about 20-30k miles. This information was not disclosed at the time of the purchase of my vehicle. They have deceived the consumer that this is a quality product. In addition, these tires are flawed and expensive to replace and your car can't be de-pax. If they are…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2009, at 44,000 miles
  5. Brakes

    3 complaints · 9%

    Parts named most often: foundation components.

    Driving down steep "s" turn in mountains when battery cable disconnected and all of car's systems shut down. No brakes, no steering, no power. Worst part was that doors locked and we could not unlock them nor the windows. Extremely frightening. There was no cell phone service where we were. If not for forest ranger…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2012, at 120,000 miles

Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

2006 Acura RL recalls

  1. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 19V501000 · June 27, 2019 · 1,657,752 vehicles

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began august 12, 2019. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are e5d and x5c.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2012 rl, 2003-2007 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, and 2006-2014 ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  2. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 19V500000 · June 27, 2019 · 1,558 vehicles

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began august 12, 2019. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are s5b and w59.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2013 acura ilx, 2015 rdx, 2005-2010 and 2012 rl, 2009-2014 tl, 2010 and 2012 zdx, 2007-2011 cr-v, 2011-2013 and 2015 cr-z, 2009-2013 fit, 2013 fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 insight and 2007-2014 ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  3. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 17V029000 · January 10, 2017 · 308,884 vehicles

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan march 2017. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are kd9 and ke0.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 acura mdx and honda cr-v vehicles, 2005-2011 honda element vehicles, 2005-2012 acura rl vehicles, 2006-2012 honda ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 honda fit vehicles and 2005-2008 honda pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, if not included in "zone a" above, honda is recalling certain 2005-2006 acura mdx and honda cr-v vehicles, 2005-2009 acura rl and honda element vehicles, 2007-2008 honda fit vehicles, 2005-2008 honda pilot vehicles and 2006-2009 honda ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, ke

  4. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 16V344000 · May 23, 2016 · 1,790,894 vehicles

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began june 27, 2016. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are ka0, ka1, ka2, and ka3.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2011 acura rl, 2005-2006 honda cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2003-2008 pilot, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2006-2011 ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2008 acura rl, 2005-2006 honda cr-v, 2003-2008 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2003-2008 pilot, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2006-2008 ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland

  5. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 16V061000 · February 3, 2016 · 2,232,187 vehicles

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began march 2017. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are jy0, jy1, and jy2.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 honda cr-v, 2011-2015 cr-z, 2010-2014 fcx, and insight, 2009-2013 fit, 2013-2014 fit EV, 2007-2014 ridgeline, 2013-2016 acura ilx, 2013-2014 acura ilx hybrid, 2007-2016 rdx, 2005-2012 acura rl, 2009-2014 acura tl, and 2010-2013 acura zdx vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

  6. Brakes: master cylinder

    NHTSA 10V504000 · October 22, 2010 · 471,820 vehicles

    Risk: A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder seal free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during december 2010. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.

    Full defect summary

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 odyssey and acura rl vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as a lubricant for certain brake system components. If replacement brake fluid is used that does not contain such polymers, or that contains only small amounts, a part of the rubber seal located at the rear of the brake master cylinder may become dry, and the seal may curl during movement of the piston. If this occurs, a small amount of brake fluid could slowly leak from the seal into the brake booster.

  7. Steering: hose, piping, and connections

    NHTSA 07V551000 · December 4, 2007 · 43,200 vehicles

    Risk: Power steering fluid leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire.

    Fix: Dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge. The recall began on december 12, 2007. Owners may contact honda at 800-382-2238.

    Full defect summary

    On certain passenger vehicles, prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid.

  8. Equipment: owners/service/other manual

    NHTSA 06V270000 · July 26, 2006 · 1,190,000 vehicles

    Risk: The language in the owner's manuals is not in accordance with the current mandatory requirements.

    Fix: Honda will send a postcard to dealers and owners with the correct NHTSA vehicle safety hotline information and with instructions to insert the card into the "reporting safety defects" section of the owner's manual. The recall began on august 2, 2006. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009, acura at 1-800-382-2238 or honda motorcycles at 1-866-784-1870.

    Full defect summary

    On certain passenger vehicles and motorcycles, the owner's manuals contain incorrect contact information for the national highway traffic safety administration's (NHTSA) vehicle safety hotline.

Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.

Questions about the 2006 Acura RL

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Acura RL?
By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (9 complaints); electrical (8 complaints, typically around 49,000 miles); lights (5 complaints).
How many recalls does the 2006 Acura RL have?
8 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 27, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
Is the 2006 a bad year for the Acura RL?
It is 4th of 14 RL model years by number of complaints, with 32 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.

Other Acura RL years

Acura RL problems by year