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Model file · AcuraUpdated · 11 sources

Selling a damaged or junk Acura RLX

Steering is the word in the Acura RLX's file. Owners have filed 118 complaints about the car with NHTSA, and 50 of them name the steering, 41 on the 2014 model year alone. No recall on the list covers the steering itself.

A black 2014 Acura RLX sedan with LED headlights, parked on a sunny lot with a window sticker on the rear side glass
Photo: Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years
2014-2020
Owner complaints to NHTSA
118
Complaints naming steering
50
Complaints on the 2014
85
Recall campaigns
7
Engine
3.5 V6 (J35Y4), plus a hybrid
Built in
Sayama, Japan

The RLX was sold for seven model years. If yours has a problem that costs more than it is worth, we buy whole non-running and junk cars, and you can sell the whole car as it sits with free pickup anywhere in the US.

2014-2017: the launch years

Wikipedia dates RLX production from December 2012 to June 2020 at Honda's Sayama plant in Japan. It used a 3.5-liter Earth Dreams V6 (J35Y4). Wikipedia lists front-wheel drive for the RLX, an SH-AWD layout, and a lithium-ion battery. The EPA lists both the RLX and the RLX Hybrid.

These four years hold 107 complaints, and the 2014 dominates: 85, led by steering (41), electronic stability control (11) and suspension (8). The 2015 drops to 11, with steering at 6. Five recalls reach these cars:

  • Rear lower control arm bolts, 2014 (13V622). Dealers replace the bolts that hold the arms to the sub-frame. The recall summary names only the 2014 RLX.
  • Front seat belts, 2014 (14V639). Dealers replace the driver and front passenger belts. The campaign also covers 2014-2015 MDXs.
  • Headlights, 2014-2015 (14V792). Dealers replace both headlights.
  • Collision Mitigation Braking System, 2014-2015 (15V301). The recall concerns how the system behaves in certain driving conditions; dealers update its software. The campaign includes MDXs.
  • Fuel pump module, 2014-2020 (23V858). The campaign counts 2,490,460 vehicles across many models. Owner letters went out September 6, 2024.

2018-2020: the 10-speed years

From 2018 the RLX used a 10-speed automatic. Complaints nearly vanish: 9 on the 2018, led by the engine (3), none at all on the 2019, and 2 on the 2020. Acura ended the RLX after the 2020 model year.

The 2019 still has its own recalls. 19V298 covers timing belts whose teeth may separate, a problem the dealer fixes by inspecting the belt and replacing it if affected. 20V314 replaces a fuel pump. Each campaign reaches beyond the RLX, so 93,946 and 135,995 are whole-campaign totals.

Year-by-year RLX record

Figures are NHTSA owner complaints, read October 10, 2026. The 2019 has none on file. The 2014 also had the longest stretch on the road to gather them.

Model yearComplaintsSteering complaintsRecall campaigns
201485415
20151163
20168not among top three0
2017310
20189not among top three1
2020211

Deciding what to do with it

  1. Run the VIN. NHTSA's recall lookup shows whether the fuel pump, the belts or, on a 2019, the timing belt work is still open. Our open recall guide explains how that affects a sale.
  2. If the engine is damaged, check first whether the 2019 timing belt recall applies, then read broken timing belt.
  3. Get the quote in writing for anything else; compare it against asking prices for a working RLX of the same year. A luxury sedan with expensive parts can cross that line quickly.

Selling your RLX whole

  1. List the VIN, miles and the fault.
  2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Give the address and say if it moves. Hybrids: say so.
  4. Leave it whole. Missing wheels or parts change the offer, so say so if anything is off.
  5. Have the title at pickup. Still paying it off? See still owe on the loan.

The RL came before the RLX, and the TLX is Acura's midsize sedan. Every Acura model is on the make page.

Questions people ask

Why does the 2014 RLX have most of the complaints?
The 2014 holds 85 of the RLX's 118 NHTSA complaints as of October 10, 2026, and 41 of those name steering. It was the first model year, and each later year has spent fewer years in service.
Is there a timing belt recall on the RLX?
Yes, on the 2019. Recall 19V298 covers belts whose teeth may separate; dealers inspect and replace affected belts. The campaign's 93,946 vehicles also include MDX, Pilot, TLX, Odyssey and Ridgeline models.
Will you buy an RLX that won't run?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US. If the wheels are locked, mention it when you ask.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 13V622: rear lower control arm bolts, 2014 RLX nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 14V639: front seat belts, 2014 nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 14V792: headlights, 2014-2015 nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 15V301: Collision Mitigation Braking System, 2014-2015 nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 19V298: timing belt, 2019 nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 20V314: fuel pump, 2019 nhtsa.gov
  9. NHTSA recall 23V858: fuel pump module, 2014-2020 nhtsa.gov
  10. EPA fuel economy data (model years and name variants) fueleconomy.gov
  11. Wikipedia: Acura RLX (engine, layout, plant, end of production) en.wikipedia.org