There are 6 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Acura RLin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. LESTER RAINES HONDA (5102 MACCORKLE AVENUE SW, SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV 25309, (304) 768-1251) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MARCH AND WAS TOLD TO PARK MY CAR. I DID FOR 9 MONTHS, FORCED TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. ACURA REFUSED TO PROVIDE A RENTAL. WE FILED A CLASS-ACTION SUIT. ACURA REQUIRED AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRBAGS/INFLATOR. I RECEIVED AN INVOICE I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND AND CALLED THE DEALER. THEY REFUSED TO RETURN FIVE MESSAGES, AND WHEN WE I REACHED THEM THEY WOULDN'T TELL ME WHAT ITEMS ON THE INVOICE MEANT, SAYING THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO, AND THAT I HAD TO CALL ACURA. I CALLED ACURA AND THEY TOLD ME TO CALL THE DEALER. THE INVOICE MENTIONED A DISCONNECTED AIR BAG AND A FAULTY MODULE. BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS PUT ME AND MY PASSENGERS IN DANGER. THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO 'INCREASED PRESSURE IN THE AIRBAG DEFLATOR.' I FELT I DESERVED AN EXPLANATION BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF INCREASED PRESSURE IS A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING. THE ACURA REP TOLD ME SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION. AFTER SOME PRESSURE SHE TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT ACCESS THE DEALER INFORMATION. UPON PRESSURE, SHE READ ME SOME HOUSE INFORMATION THAT SAID THE CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY AND THAT THEY REPLACED THE INFLATOR, AMONG OTHER THINGS. I ASKED HER TO REPEAT THAT. AGAIN SHE USED THE WORD REPLACED. 'REPLACED' IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM 'INSPECTED.' I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENTATION, BUT SHE REFUSED. I THINK THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT I ACTUALLY HAD THE FAULTY INFLATOR, BUT THEY REPLACED IT AND REPORTED THAT TO ACURA, AND THEN SIMPLY SENT AN INVOICE TO ME AND MY ATTORNEY SHOWING THE CAR HAD BEEN INSPECTED. I THINK THEY THOUGHT THAT ONCE EVERYBODY SAW IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED, THAT WOULD BE THE END OF THE ISSUE AND THE CLASS ACTION SUIT. REGARDLESS, THEY BEHAVED EGREGIOUSLY, MY CAR IS IN THE SAME SHAPE, IF NOT WORSE, THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE INSPECTION, MY PASSENGERS AND I REMAIN IN DANGER, AND I FEAR DRIVING THE CAR EVEN MORE THAN I DID BEFORE. I DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS AND I WANT SOME ANSWERS.
2003 ACURA RL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT MAKE A REASONABLE ATTEMPT TO ASSIST WITH THE 500 MILE ROUND TRIP TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NO LONGER AUTHORIZING LOCAL DEALERSHIPS TO COMPLETE RECALLS. *JS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ACURA OF WESTCHESTER (2155 PALMER AVE, LARCHMONT, NY 10538, (914) 834-2222) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PHIL SMITH ACURA (940 N FEDERAL HWY, POMPANO BEACH, FL 33062, (954) 785-7100) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE REMEDY PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR GOES ON AND STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY. HAPPENS ALMOST ALWAYS. REPORTED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. BELIEVE SIDE AIR BAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL WHEN LIGHT IS ON. STARTED AFTER DEALER SERVICING ABOUT SEPT., 2003 AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026