• My 159,000 2006 Acura RL 159000 died on Saturday. I was driving on a freeway in Dallas, was exiting and was about to coast gracefully into a parking space. No power steering, no power brakes, and unable to put it into park, nothing no lights, no alarms. Before it quit, the radio had stopped working, then a minute later everything stopped.
• 3 months ago, I changed the battery. The only thing not working properly on the car is the xxxx display and the satellite receive both worked off and on for the last two years. The battery tech completed a test and determined the alternator was fine but there was a bad battery cell.
• Since then all was well, until last week, when I started the car one morning. Usually, it starts first try.. But this time the starter cracked slow and remained engaged for an extra 2 seconds then quit. It started on the second try.
• On Thursday the car lost its memory and it was asking for both Security Codes.
• When I was driving yesterday the radio quit, and 60 seconds later all died.
• After it was parked and sat for an hour with the door open, the door open chime started ringing. I was about to put it into park, and hit the start, it fired up. I let it idle for a few minutes, and then shut it off. A yellow warning showed: DRL Off (Daylight Running Lights).
• I tried to restart it after another hour, and it was dead again. Nothing, no cabin lights. No alarms. Nothing. I put jumper cables on it, waited 5 minutes, tried and it started. Slow crank, but fired up.
• I can’t tell if it is a charging issue, voltage issue, cabling/lose connection or alternator. Any suggestions or ideas?

- Any ideas on the issue? Battery? some board, bad connector?

 

All of these symptoms have one thing in common -- they're all electrical. Since you mentioned the battery has been replaced 3 months ago, it is highly unlikely that the battery itself is the problem. Was this an OEM battery or an aftermarket brand? The fact that the car has lost all memory and requires radio/nav code indicates the battery somehow lost it's charge and it dipped below 12V. This indicates a charging system issue, probably the alternator. Is the battery terminal connector secure? Did you see the battery warning light coming on at all? When all of this happened, how heavily loaded was the electrical system? i.e. radio, headlights, A/C, heated seats, etc.

Bring the car to Autozone and have them perform a charging test.

 

No battery warning light ever came on.
It's too hot here in Dallas for heated seats currently, the air was on.
I spoke to the service writer at Acura and he does not believe it is an alternator because it starts at times, and the problem is intermittent.

 

I thought I recall a similar post and it pointed to the battery cables.

 

it could still be your alternator and possibly faulty battery.
i had my battery replaced under warranty as it had bad cell in it that wouldn't hold it's charge.

just because it starts doesn't mean alternator is working as you could also have intermittent problem with your alternator that kicks on and off.
i went thru what you went thru few years ago when all of sudden, my car died on me without any warning.
changed alternator next morning and car is running without issues.
some of acura service writers are not the brightest people and they are more into selling you service rather than diagnosing/solving problems.

i had bad o2 sensor and it came on and off w/ p0420 code. after ignoring for a while it started to give me p0718 code and put the car in limp mode w/ sh-awd disabled along w/ 'D' in shifter position flashing.
1 of acura service advisor told me i needed new transmission, which i ignored and just changed both of my o2 sensors, all other symptoms went away,

 

I had it towed to Acura and the claim it is a loose battery cable. Time will tell if that is really the issue. Hopefully its this simple.

then they gave me a menu of $2300 worth of work I should do...

Including a new oil pump (since mine at 49,000 miles on it
a new steering pump, since mine is leaking (although I have never added fluid)
and 2 motor mounts

At least the towing was covered, and I have had a free loaner for 3 days.

 

FYI, the DRL warning message in the MID is normal. It shows that when you start the car and the parking brake is still engaged.

 

I was about to say: battery cable is the culprit 100%
Added work you have paid for $2300 is well, needed. Engine mounts is definitely a must fix, leaking pwr steering pump as well, overall good investment and not TOO pricey for dealer quoted work