My wife totaled her RL last Wednesday night in the church parking lot. She was turning into a parking space and said the car suddenly accelerated and she couldn't stop before hitting a curb and handicap parking sign. I always thought these cases were caused by hitting the accelerator instead of the brake. There was a cable guy working on a pole an he helped my wife out of the car. He said after she was out that the engine was still reved way up and he turned the key off. I checked the floor mats and they were not the cause. The airbag deployed also.

The car is a 2005 RL that we purchased new 7 years ago this month and had about 102,000 miles. The repair estimate was about $13,000 and the car was totaled.

 

Is your wife okay? sorry to hear about your lost. if you are getting around $13k back for your car that sounds pretty good

 

uhmmm....sounds like the Prius story!

 

My wife was shook up and the airbag scared her. Took her to the ER and they got her calmed down. The insurance paid the retail value, so we came out a lot better than trading the car. She loved that car and wouldn't let me trade it off, but after that experience she said she doesn't want another Acura. I told her it can happen with any car. A computer controls the engine and we all know what computers can do.

 

First, I am glad to hear she is okay.

Are you bringing this up with Acura? I would in a heartbeat. That car needs to be examined under a microscope. You say, "We all know what computers can do", but that is unacceptable for an automotive product. The Japanese take a lot of pride in their work and they would completely agree that this is an unacceptable circumstance. Acura needs to get a call on this one.

 

I am glad your wife is ok

If they examine the car and find the operator at fault that could change the insurance situation. :2cent:

 

Good thing everyone OK

Re insurance, they will assume driver's fault until proven otherwise. No one else involved. They will still pay claim, just will impact future rates.

That said, insurance company could try to subrogate claim to Acura if they believe it was manufacturing or design defect.

 

Glad to hear that the safety features of the RL were in your favor and you have a lovely wife to hug.

I would be on Honda/Acura like stink on a wet dog with this issue. We all need to know what hung up to cause the engine to rev like that. I would have the car impounded until the company can look for a cause. Very unusual for this to happen. I wonder if it has anything to do with the throttle cable.

 

Very odd behavior. I'm betting on operator error, but given what you describe the car should be closely inspected. No one else has reported such an issue with this car on this site. Sounds like an isolated issue but you never know.

 

Shouldn't the black box contain information on throttle position and brake usage?

 

Wait, this car isn't DBW?!

 

Sounds scary -- glad the wife is OK, and don't blame her for the reaction.

Thinking out loud, I've had my RL "jump" a little bit when I first press on the gas after starting up and leaving a parking space. Sometimes a light throttle touch can produce a bit of a surge. If one is turning into a parking space, they're probably pressing on the gas (even a little) rather than "gliding in" like an airplane going into the terminal gate.

Not to discount what was observed, but once the car has actually hit something enough to total it, one would then have to wonder whether the impact could have caused the revving action the cable guy encountered, or whether what he heard wasn't just idling under a smashed hood, or twisted belts, or the A/C compressor.

Still, the car should definitely be checked out before just chalking it up to computers and such.

 

Ugh, so sorry to hear.

Just glad she is okay. And I hope she changes her mind about Acura.

 

It is.

 

Did you guys consider that it was an act by God? I mean, it was in the church parking lot and all.

All kidding aside. Very odd to hear that, would never expect it from Acura. Wouldn't blame her that she doesn't want an Acura anymore, but did she consider that it also was the Acura that protected her? Kind of ironic huh?

 

I can't say that I blame her for not wanting an Acura, but I can't understand it either. That is like saying you got hit by lightning in Central Park, so you are never going to go there again. The chances are minimal at best, and there isn't really a correlation to Acura.

 

Lots of things are said in haste, but in this case I wouldn't push the matter. Let her get something she feels comfortable with, or you'll pay the price later...

 

Like everyone else, I am glad your wife is alright. You can always replace a car.

 

Wow I think this is the 1st time I've read something like this with an Acura. Very glad your wife is ok. That is scary to have the car run away with you in it. At least the cable guy was there to witness it and help her out. I don't think the revving had anything to do idling under smashed/twisted belts etc. OP clearly stated that the car continued to rev until the cable guy turned the key. I thought if you wrecked and the airbags deployed the car automatically shuts off.

Anywho, glad your wife is ok OP. I don't blame her for not wanting another car. Hope she finds something soon that she likes.

 

Glad your bride is ok. We have a 2006 RL and a 2010 RX 350 FWD. The RL has the best throttle control of any car i've owned (going back to 1968!). The RX 350 has terrible throttle control. Both are drive by wire. We have had the system remapped on the RX but it still jackrabbits from a stopped position. The RL is so easy to feather the throttle.

Anything can happen with these cars but my guess is there was some form of operator error and because of the crash, the fuel control linkage was stuck in the high rev position.
Bill in NC

 

Any pics of the car??

 

Updates?

 

I hate to say it but I think this ^^^ is a much more likely scenario.

I'm glad your wife is unharmed. Could have obviously been a lot worse. Cars can be replaced.

 

The car was totaled and I received a check from the insurance company for $17,500, which I gladly accepted. Before the accident I was getting ready to spend $1,000 to replace the timing belt.

We bought our first Acura in 2000, a TL, then a 2004 TL and then the 2005 RL. The only problem is the nearest dealer is in Memphis, 115 miles away. As I said, my wife didn't want another Acura, so we ended up buying a Buick Lacrosse.

I still have my Honda CRV though.

 

The Buick is nice, but it isn't an Acura RL.

 

Buick Lacrosse? Different people have different taste... not sure if Lacrosse is taste or whatever it is?! (just my personal opinion - no disrespect).

 

I agree. No wonder Acura doesn't sell many RLs. None of the dealers in TN even have any in stock. I bought my 05 RL in Jackson, MS and they don't have any either.

 

I told her all the old women drive Buicks.

 

 

The LaCrosse is a looker (I definitely like its style and I'm not old!) and a soft rider. I'm sure she'll like it, and you helped keep some Americans employed, too.

As alfa above said, though, it's not an RL.

 

 

That is awsome that you got 17k for that 05 100+k rl. I recently bought my 08 rl for 22k

Maybe i should crash it....lol

 

I have only had my 07 RL for a few months now, but I noticed that maybe I am just not used to the way it is layed out, but on a few occasions, I was in a slow condition pressing the brake, but noticed it wanting to accelerate. I found out that I had my foot on the brake and gas pedal at the same time. I'm not saying that is what happened here, but I just have never had that experience before in the 100,000's of miles I've driven before. Didn't know if I was just alone in this.

 

congrats on the first post.

This has happened to me with certain dress shoes on.

 

The pedals in the RL are definitely closer together than the average car in its class. This is not a bad thing.

 

Spiked heels ....AGAIN!?

 

Dude, I am going to stop sending you the pics you ask for if you are going to keep calling me out.

 

Then what purpose would that pole in your garage serve? Be free....go with it. Express yourself. Own it.

*hiding under the desk*

 

Dude, have you been watching the whole time, or did you just come back recently? I have read many of your posts, but I can't say you have put up 10 from when I joined to last week.


I have only ever stepped on the gas and brake once and that was in a Geo Metro. Luckily it had a clutch, so it just revved. It didn't, however, have a tachometer, so it took a second to figure out why the car was screaming upon each stop.

 

It's Bob's fault. I gave up on AZ and the silly banter about everything and every car except the RL and moved on with life. But Bob chased me down in the South Pacific and promised me a lot of $$$ to return.

Plus I confess Heavy amuses me so. You should see the man work.