AI Damage2002 Acura RL: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Acura RL filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 43
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 42% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 23% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 18 complaints (42% of all).
- Powertrain: 10 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (12% of all).
- Steering: 4 complaints (9% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (7% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 43 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The car has a known tsb that the car may stall and shut down if it is at very low speeds. This has happened to me twice and the last time it happened 3 days ago. I was in traffic waiting in traffic the car just stalled and rolled back and hit the guy in the back lucky for me it was sitting traffic.
About 2013 the 2000 acura rl vsa and abs lights came on then the tilt on the steering wheel up and down stop working then the srs lights and seat belts light came on and want go off. So from then till now I have spent about 15k to correct the vsa and abs issues.
The power door locks are coming on and off and the fob key do not work Sutton acuta in macon said it needs the antenna but the antenna is discontinued. The navigation system doesn't work because the 6 chamger dvd in the trunk is not working with no electrical tech support from on star.
The contact stated that the steering warning light was illuminated. The contact called acura of augusta ([address], augusta, [ZIP], [phone]) where it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Doors lock when inside, sitting stationary, and can't get them to unlock from drivers position. Passenger may need to get out to use key to unlock from outside.
As I was driving I noticed the srs light was illuminated. Once arriving home, I began to research and troubleshoot the issue. I came up with 2 codes. The first was 3-5, and the second was 1-1. 3-5 was pertaining to a ground for the seatbelt pretensioner, driver's side. 1-1 was pertaining to a module for an airbag.
The adjustable steering column quit working in a position that isn't good for me to drive, you can't buy a part to fix this you have to replace the steering column. This is a $2,500.00 repair. It is not safe to drive in the position it quit working for me.
Initial problem; srs light , advised by acura techs problem was faulty opds occupant position detection system and possibly opds sensor. (safety issue) 10/14/15. Since that time air bag inop light has also deployed
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,758 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the RL has 21 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 43, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Acura RL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 43. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (12%), knocking, grinding or other noise (12%), stalls while driving (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Acura RL?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2002 Acura RL from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2002 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.