YearToAvoid

2010 Acura RL Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2010 Acura RL has 9 NHTSA complaints and 7 recall campaigns, with a complaint index of 38, ranking 6th out of 9 model years and earning a Good verdict relative to other RL years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
38/100
#6 of 9 RL years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
9
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
7
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
—
no alternative with data
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2010 Acura RL problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags7 (78%)
  2. Electrical System1 (11%)
  3. Engine1 (11%)
  4. Structure & Body1 (11%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report Takata airbag recall parts were unavailable for extended periods, leaving replacement pending.
  • Some owners say dealers did not notify them proactively about the airbag recall campaigns.
  • One owner reported the vehicle rolled over a curb into a tree while parking at 200 miles, with minor damage and no injuries.
  • A driver described low-beam headlights that failed to illuminate beyond 30 yards, citing a fender design that blocked light and nearly caused an accident in flooded rural road conditions.
  • One airbag-related complaint noted a failure mileage of 40,000.
2010 Acura RL complaints: complaints filed per month4Dec 2009Nov 2010Jul 2016Aug 2016Sep 2016
9 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2009 to Sep 2016; peak Aug 2016 (4).

2010 Acura RL recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V500000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,558 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 19V501000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,657,752 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 18V662000Sep 27, 2018Airbags57,095 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles nationwide. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2012 Acura RL, 2011 Honda Element and 2011-2013 Ridgeline vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Lastly, if not included above, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2011 Honda Element, 2010-2012 Acura RL and 2010-2013 Ridgeline vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: 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 November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are H2H and S2I.

See all 7 recalls for the 2010 Acura RL →

2010 Acura RL fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other RL years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200520062007200820092010201120122015
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Caution5013619
2009Avoid758618
2010Good389718
2011No verdict253620
2012No verdict01620

All Acura RL years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Acura RL reliable?
Relative to other RL model years, 2010 ranks 6th out of 9 with a complaint index of 38, which earns a Good verdict. It has fewer complaints (9) than years like 2005 (125) or 2006 (32).
What problems does the 2010 Acura RL have?
NHTSA lists 9 complaints for the 2010 RL, with airbags making up 78% of them (7 complaints), mostly tied to Takata inflator recalls. There is also one engine-related complaint and one structure/body complaint.
Does the 2010 Acura RL have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2010 RL, nearly all involving airbag inflator replacement, including campaigns 19V500000, 19V501000, 18V041000, 17V029000, and 16V344000.
What is the median mileage for airbag complaints on the 2010 RL?
The median mileage at failure for airbag-related complaints on the 2010 RL is 40,000 miles.
How does the 2010 RL compare to the 2005 RL?
The 2010 RL has a complaint index of 38 versus 100 for the 2005 RL, and the 2005 RL has an Avoid verdict versus Good for 2010.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.