2019 Acura RLX

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
23–28 mpgcombined; city 20–28, highway 29; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,370–$17,500U.S. average; Ohio $13,540–$16,490 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
3over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
0filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Versions

NHTSA's VIN data lists no trims for the 2019 RLX, so these are the versions EPA tested, by its names. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 0 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 RLX. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 201485
  2. 201511
  3. 20168
  4. 20173
  5. 20189
  6. 20190
  7. 20203

Every RLX year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 RLX over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery

NHTSA campaign 23V858000 · reported Dec 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 vehicles potentially affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

NHTSA's record and documents

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery

NHTSA campaign 20V314000 · reported May 28, 2020 · 135,995 vehicles potentially affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

NHTSA's record and documents

Engine and engine cooling: engine

NHTSA campaign 19V298000 · reported Apr 12, 2019 · 93,946 vehicles potentially affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.

Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 21 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2019 RLX, the latest on May 1, 2024. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (8), engine and engine cooling (5), fuel system (4), power train (4), steering (4).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Defect petition DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
Electrical systemJan 27, 2023Closed Aug 7, 2023
Petition withdrawn
NHTSA's record and documents
Engineering analysis EA19001
Electrical overstress · covers 11 makes
Air bagsApr 19, 2019Closed Sep 19, 2024
NHTSA's summary names recall 16V668000, 18E043000, 18V137000, 18V363000, 20V024000
NHTSA's record and documents

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2019 RLX.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
RLX
Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S10)Premium Gasoline20 / 29 / 23
RLX Hybrid
All-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cylAutomatic (AM-S7)Premium Gasoline28 / 29 / 28

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data