The 2009 Acura RL has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 6,016,220 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS19V5010002019-06-271,657,752 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
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.
AIR BAGS19V5000002019-06-271,558 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
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.
AIR BAGS18V0410002018-01-0924,945 affected
Defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura RL, 2010 Honda Element, and 2010-2013 Honda Ridgeline vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana…
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are U0H, and G0I.
AIR BAGS17V0290002017-01-10308,884 affected
Defect
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,…
Consequence
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
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.
AIR BAGS16V3440002016-05-231,790,894 affected
Defect
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,…
Consequence
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
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.
AIR BAGS16V0610002016-02-032,232,187 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
3
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
1fires
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
1
1crashes
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
1
1crashes
POWER TRAIN
1
1injuries
STRUCTURE
1
WHEELS
1
Total complaints14
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The front passenger door handle started smoking and burning on my vehicle. It melted part of the door handle and left most of the electrical equipment inoperative including the inability to start the car. The vehicle was parked/stationary & off at the time of occurrence.”
“Failed to get a date to remedy the airbag recall on my car.”
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 acura rl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v344000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…”
“My husband drove onto a sloped driveway (uphill) and left the car running, got out and rang the doorbell to our daughter's house to see if anyone was home. They answered the door and he came back to the car and motioned for me to get out of car and come into house. He remembered he had left the…”
“Was driving at highway speed; suddenly noticed very slow car ahead; upon braking, car accelerated instead; to avoid head on collision to left, or rear end collision ahead, took to shoulder to attempt to slow car down; eventually got car under control again; have reached no definite conclusions yet…”
“Was driving at highway speed; suddenly noticed very slow car ahead; upon braking, car accelerated instead; to avoid head on collision to left, or rear end collision ahead, took to shoulder to attempt to slow car down; eventually got car under control again; have reached no definite conclusions yet…”
“I have a 2009 acura rl. While stopped at a light, the light turned green. After about 20 feet I needed to brake. The car accelerated instead of braking. We hit the car in front of us. Only the driver air bag deployed. The front end of the car was damaged. Non of the doors would open either from…”
“I have a 2009 acura rl. While stopped at a light, the light turned green. After about 20 feet I needed to brake. The car accelerated instead of braking. We hit the car in front of us. Only the driver air bag deployed. The front end of the car was damaged. Non of the doors would open either from…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2009 Acura RL as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.