Most common 2004 Acura RL problems
Share of the 11 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Acura RL complaints by model year
Best RL years: 2012, 2003, 2011. Years to avoid: 2005, 2000, 2002, 2006. Compare all years →
What 2004 Acura RL owners say
Electrical system
I parked the car and turned off the ignition. The lights on the dash blinked right after turning off the car. I knew I had a problem because the door locks wouldn't work. I tried to re-engage the electrical system to open the door locks, but the car was totally electrically dead. I tried a couple more times to start the car, but absolutely nothing. I sat in the car a couple minutes without touching anything. I tried once again to start the car and it worked. All the radio and nav system needed to be reset. This has occurred 3 more times over 3 months. Each the same way. As I parked and turned off the ignition, it blinked and electrically failed. Last two times being only 5 days apart. So it's happening more frequently and closer together. I had my mechanic look at the car. He'd never heard of this problem and had no clue as to how or why it happened. …
I tried starting my car and all of a sudden, my battery went dead. All the gadgets on my dash and not one could tell me my battery was dying or low on charge. So I call aaa and they replace the battery and all of a sudden my car is working better and my ac is working better. All the times I complained to the Acura dealership that my ac was not cooling properly in this florida heat and they check it and they tell me it's working just fine. All of a sudden, I get a new battery and my ac is working much better and now my car is really cooling down. No warning light came on telling me low battery. A car with all these electronics and no warning and the Acura dealership in delray beach checked it out numerous time and did not know that the ac was not functioning correctly because the car needed a new battery. Shame on Acura.
2004 Acura RL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Acura RL a good car?
Based on 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 RL rates better than average: 46% fewer complaints than a typical year of the RL at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Acura RL?
The electrical system — 5 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (2) and steering (2).
How many recalls does the 2004 Acura RL have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 Acura RL. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Acura RL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2003 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2000, 2002 and 2006. See the full Acura RL years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Acura RL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 107,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.