Parts availability for the RL - CONCERNED!
 

Hi folks, 1st post here but have read many posts over the years and appreciate it.
Concerned about RL parts availability after this recent experience. Would appreciate advice.

Have a 2010 RL with 70k miles. Blinker began intermittently not holding when turning right, and after a few months I just have to hold it up to turn right. Took it into dealer, they found correct part "Switch assembly lighting and turn" Part #35255-SJAA52. However it showed only one total in the USA available, and when they called it was on hold for another customer. They said they would dig into it and get back to me. In meantime I went online to AcuraOEMparts.com and they had the part - which I ordered for $120 - and by next day received an email saying the order was cancelled, the part is not available, on back order, with "NO ETA" which means "Acura has no timetable for release of this part."

I contacted the dealers parts manager the next day, and pushed again. He said he would reach out to his regional Acura parts manager. Later that day I heard from him and he said although there were none in the US, there were 4 in Japan soon to ship to US, and I could order one and it would arrive in 3-4 weeks. I ordered it. (Tired of holding up the blinker!) I asked the manager how often parts are tough to come by for 2nd gen RL and he said common parts such as starters easy to come by, others tougher, dealers phasing out supplies on older vehicles, and this model was a low selling model in US. We did a little check and randomly put in "Headlight assembly" hypothesizing that someone backed into me, and I needed to switch that out. (My 2010 has the headlights that turn on the curves) Total supplies of the Headlight assembly were = 1 total in USA.

Has me thinking about long term this might turn into a real pain in the butt. I was planning on driving this car well over 200K - and love the vehicle. Can't help but wonder what happens when something you need to actually keep the car drive-able is "None in stock or available in US." A month long wait for a part from Japan could really wreck a persons day to day. I'm wondering if this is out of the ordinary and other folks have better information to help here? On a 9 year old car, it seems nuts that a simple $120 common part becomes a month wait. My prior car was a 2005 TL and I never had any issue with parts - my teen son drives it today at 180k and we just did $800 of service work with zero issues.

All thoughts welcome here. Hoping my experience was unusual and it's a better forecast for parts than this suggests for next 5 years. Thank everyone.

I think it's a smart idea to buy in advance if you plan on keeping the car a long time. Especially maintenance items that will eventually go in the future.

LKQOnline.com is another great alternative... check 'em out

Thanks for the replies. I didn't realize there was such a big aftermarket out there for the RL. Stopped by my local Auto Zone and they had the "Switch assembly Lighting and Turn signals" part aftermarket for $80. I don't mind aftermarket, if there is no longer OEM down the road. I was getting the impression there would be nothing but junkyard hunting soon to keep her going for many years.

There's always the international grey used market. Items in Japan and Europe could be a source of replacement parts.

lol at lot part I ordered for my 06 RL they all come in with the label attached as "legacy part" lmao, meanwhile they have no problem getting my 05 TL part.

This thread title needs less panic, the problem is dealing with the stealerships who create demand for unique parts.

Appreciate the posts. The dealer definitely pushed my buttons telling me to think of the 2010 RL as an "antique car" and get used to hunting the country for parts. Spoke with another Acura dealer in Denver today, and they said government requires they have parts available for 10 years. I guess getting my blinker stem/switch assembly lighting and turn part from Japan, in 4 weeks = part is available.

They also suggested RockAuto.com and Uneedapart.com

Glad to have new sources, look forward to driving the RL a long time. Great vehicle.

I had similar concern as I plan to keep the RL for a long time. Maybe in a few years I will just buy a parts car for a few hundred $ and use it as spare parts bin :)

Which means the dealer must have parts for at least another 4 years.

Appreciate it. Agree need to edit thread title.

Think I finally have enough time/posts to do so as a new subscriber, but cannot figure out how to edit subject title.
If you know how please inform.

Thanks much.

only moderator has access to change edit title. you only have 5 mins within posting to change/edit post.

You mean like $200 for 2 bumper plugs on a 3rd Gen TL?

3D printers can't go mainstream fast enough.

Hello gents. Im sourcing two headlight assemblies now and having loads of fun finding them on the used market. The new stock is simply too expensive.

Do a search for the HFL module and the XM module on the web. $1000 for the HFL and $3200 for XM., so it may not be an issue of unavailability but affordability on car only worth $10-13k. Granted you can live without these two modules. Turn signals and headlights are more essential needs.

I also had an order cancelled for the positive battery terminal fuse cover

I'm not planning to argue with the people who are not internet savvy, but try ebay.

For those of you trying to buy OEM new old stock, then you have to pay.

You can tell a great deal about situations like this when there is limited to no aftermarket options....the rl, unfortunately, wasnt a hot seller in the US market and the market doesnt support the cost of keeping a lot of its parts in stock

not to mention it was only 4 years before the redesign.