2014 ACURA RLX Complaints

WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON U.S. 1, A SIX LANE ROAD, I PLACED A TELEPHONE CALL USING THE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. SHORTLY AFTER THE CALL WAS CONNECTED, THE CAR'S WARNING ALARM SOUNDED AND AN "I" APPEARED IN THE INFORMATION DISPLAY. FRANTICALLY TRYING TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, I USED THE CONTROL ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO SCROLL DOWN THE INFORMATION LIST AND FOUND A RED DISPLAY SAYING "12 VOLT BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM PROBLEM". BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS SO THICK, I DECIDED NOT TO TRY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN I GOT TO A RED LIGHT, I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. THE MESSAGE DID NOT REAPPEAR. BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR FOR A MONTH, I ASSUMED THAT ACURA USED ITS LINK SYSTEM TO REMOTELY CORRECT THE SOFTWARE ERROR. THE ASSUMPTION WAS INCORRECT. OVER THE NEXT 5 MONTHS, THE SAME THING HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES. ON SEPTEMBER 19 I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ACURA BULLETIN ON THIS SOFTWARE ISSUE DATED APRIL 16, 2014. IN MY OPINION, THIS SOFTWARE ISSUE THAT ISSUES A FALSE ALARM THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A NOISY RECALL, OR AT LEAST A QUIET RECALL. MY CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 2 OCCASIONS BETWEEN MAY 15 AND SEPTEMBER 19, AND THE SOFTWARE ERROR WAS NOT CORRECTED. IF ACURA COULD SEND AN E-MAIL TO ALL OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 16 ADVISING OF A SOFTWARE INCOMPATIBILITY FOR STATIONARY VEHICLES WITH THE IOS 8 FOR IPHONES, WHY COULDN'T ACURA SEND AN E-MAIL REGARDING AN ERROR IN ACURA SOFTWARE THAT AFFECTS MOVING VEHICLES? I RAISED THIS ISSUE WITH ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO ESCALATE THE ISSUE. MY REQUESTS FOR CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF AMERICAN HONDA AND AMERICAN HONDA'S CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER WERE DENIED. I DID NOT EVEN SUCCEED IN SPEAKING WITH A SUPERVISOR. *TR

THE RLX HAS ALL WHEEL STEERING. THE REAR STEERING WHEEL ACTUATORS MAKE A GROANING SOUND, WHICH ACURA HAS NOT EVALUATED FOR POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AND COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IF IT FAILS. ACURA KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT DUE TO THE UNAVAILABILITY OF CORRECTED PARTS. *TR

CAR HAS NUMEROUS RATTLES AND HAS HAD A RECALL FOR REAR SUSPENSION BOLTS. RATTLE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED OVER 5 ATTEMPTS. BOTH FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND STILL RATTLES. I HAVE READ THERE ARE ISSUES WITH BOLTS COMING LOOSE AND TIE RODS SHEARING FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE WHEEL(S) TO COME OFF. HAVE TOLD THE MANUFACTURER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BUT THEY INSIST THERE IS NO SAFETY ISSUE WITH VEHICLE. I DO NOT DRIVE CAR ON HIGHWAYS AS I AM AFRAID THAT ALL THIS RATTLING WILL LOOSEN THESE BOLTS AN ACCIDENT JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

SINCE TAKING DELIVERY OF THE CAR, IT HAS MADE LOUD CLUNKING AND RATTLING NOISES AND VIBRATION FROM ALL FOUR WHEELS, PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE WHILE DRIVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS (15-45 MPH). THE DEALER MADE AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS BY REPLACING THE DAMPERS ON ALL FOUR STRUTS AT THE DIRECTION OF ACURA. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, THE DEALER HAS BEEN AWAITING DIRECTION FROM ACURA AS TO HOW TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT. DURING AN ARBITRATION HEARING, ACURA INFORMED THE ARBITRATOR AND ME THAT ALL 2014 RLXS HAVE THIS DEFECT. THEY SAID REDESIGNED PARTS ARE BEING TESTED NOW. AS OF 7/15/14 NO FURTHER REPORT HAS BEEN RECEIVED REGARDING THE RESULTS OF THIS TESTING, AND NEITHER ACURA NOR THE DEALER HAS CONTACTED ME TO ADVISE WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTION(S) WILL BE TAKEN AND WHEN. *TR

AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A SHOPPING PLAZA, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING ME TO HIT A PARKED VEHICLE ABOUT 10 FT TO MY LEFT. UPDATED 3/17/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RLX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT. UPON COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARM BOLT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT WOULD BE SENDING OUT AN ENGINEER TO EVALUATE THE WORK DONE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V622000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,100....UPDATED 06/04/2014 *BF UPDATED 06/06/2014 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RLX EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN RADIAL X TUBELESS TIRES, SIZE 245/40R19, AND DOT NUMBER HN1C00LX4312. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND EXHIBITED BUBBLING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRES WAS 6,376. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,601. UPDATED 3/21/14*CN *TR

DEER WERE CROSSING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE ON THIS VEHICLE TO TURN OFF OR DIM HEADLIGHTS UNLESS VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR PARKING BRAKE IS ON (HENCE A COMPLETE STOP). DEER FROZE IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND I HAD TO COMPLETELY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO HAVE THE DEER SAFELY MOVE ON (ONCE LIGHTS WERE OUT). THIS IS A HAZARD TO ME, ANYONE BEHIND ME AND OTHER DRIVERS TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS WHILE MOVING WILL KEEP THE DEER MOVING MOST OF THE TIME. ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS HAS CONFIRMED THIS FEATURE AS BEING "AS DESIGNED" AND HAVE NO SOLUTION TO OFFER. I TRAVEL EVERY EVENING ON THIS ROAD (SPEED LIMIT 55) AND DEER ARE A DAILY OCCURRENCE. I FEEL ACURA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER A FIX TO A CLEAR SAFETY OVERSIGHT. *TR

VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR AT RANDOM TIMES - THIS CAN BE WHEN UNDER MODERATE LOAD TO LIGHT LOAD. THIS WILL LIMIT THE CAR TO A SPEED TO APPROX. 50MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS SLOWED DOWN 10+MPH AND SOMETIMES WILL REQUIRE YOU TO COME TO A DEAD STOP TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THIS HAS CAUSED A HANDFUL OF SAFETY RISK AS YOU CANNOT FORCE THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN SOME INSTANCES - LIKE MERGING ON A HIGHWAY OR A HIGHWAY WITHOUT A SHOULDER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 4 OTHER RLX THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED - ACURA'S RESPONSE WAS WE DON'T SEE IT BEING A PROBLEM AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. - NO MATTER MY SAFETY CONCERNS. THIS HAS BEEN VERY HARD FOR THE DEALER TO REPRODUCE - IT CAN BE FORCIBLY REPRODUCED WITH HEAVY LOAD - BUT THE RANDOM LIGHTER LOAD EXAMPLES CAN TAKE 1-2 WEEK TO HAPPEN. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY WHEN THE BACK-END OF THE CAR BECAME VERY LOOSE AND OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR WAS SWERVING BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AVOIDING THE CARS TO THE LEFT OF ME AND THE DITCH TO THE RIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND I SLOWED THE SPEED WAY DOWN. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND INTO A DRIVEWAY TO INSPECT. I FOUND THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE TILTED INWARDS TOWARDS THE CAR AT ABOUT A 20 DEGREE ANGLE AND FOUND THE TIE ROD THAT CONNECTS THE CAR TO THE NEW ALL WHEEL STEERING DEVICE DISCONNECTED AND LAYING ON THE GROUND. THE BOLT EITHER CAME OUT OR SHEERED OFF. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND INSPECTED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A DEFECT AND REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY. ACURA CLIENT CARE RECEIVED THE PHOTOS AND A DESCRIPTION FROM THE DEALER. I WAS INFORMED THE BOLT PROBABLY VIBRATED LOOSE. UPDATED 10/22/13*LJ UPDATED 10/23/2013 *JS *TR