AcuraRLX2015Overview/acura/rlx/2015/base/

2015 Acura RLX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 RLX.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2015 Acura RLX is a passenger car driven by an automatic six-speed transmission and an engine that requires 4.5 quarts of 0W-20 oil, returning EPA estimates of 20 city, 30 highway, and 23 combined mpg. Within the model's 20142020 span, the 2015 model year logged 11 total owner complaints — far below the 2014 high of 83 but above the 2020 low of 2 — with steering identified as the leading complaint category and three recalls recorded. That places the 2015 RLX in the middle of a steep reliability improvement curve, indicating the platform was still resolving early issues but trending toward the markedly cleaner reports seen in later years.

Model year202020182017201620152014

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/30/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP245/40R19 W/TECH, ADVANCED PKG, U.S. TECH AUDIOOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.0-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.5 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase112.2 in
Curb weight3942 lb
Track (front / rear)64.2 / 64.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 30 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume102 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the RLX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

4.9–5.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.90 sec — 2018 Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Advance Package
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2014Advance Package 3.5L V65.80 sec14.30 sec310 hpFWD
2014Advance Package 3.5L V65.80 sec14.30 sec310 hpFWD
2014Advance Package 3.5L V65.90 sec14.40 sec310 hpFWD
2018Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Advance Package 3.5L V6 + Elec 1.1-kWh4.90 sec13.60 sec377 hpAWD
2018Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Advance Package 3.5L V6 + Elec 1.1-kWh4.90 sec13.60 sec377 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantAcura Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2
Engine Coolant Capacity8.44
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Fuel Tank Capacity18.5 gallons

Engine torques

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)68.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts24
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts24
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts24
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission53.0 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts40.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub242 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)630-730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)900-1000 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap1.0 - 1.1 in
Spark Plug Torque16 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance5 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity16.0-17.8 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeDENSO ND-OIL 8
Oil Capacity7.70-8.50 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)57-64 psi
Engine Compression135 min psi
Intake Valve Lash0.008-0.009 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.011-0.013 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 37; Rear: 26 /; Front: 37; Rear: 26
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 101; Rear: 80 /; Front: 101; Rear: 80
ABS Sensor Torque7.5 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness0.063 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .906; Rear: .315
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0006
Maximum Rotor Runout.0016
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.024; Rear: .315

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

At 160,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Acura RLX demonstrates a significant downward trend in federal complaints and technical service bulletins (TSBs) across its production run, following a peak in 2014. The 2015 model marks a sharp improvement over the previous year, reducing complaints from 83 to 11 and recalls from 5 to 3. Specifically for 2015, steering was the primary complaint area with 5 reports, while the data shows zero reported fire or crash complaints. Positioned early in the generation, the 2015 model sits at the start of a steady decline in TSBs, which dropped from 157 in 2015 to just 10 by 2020. Given the dramatic reduction in issues compared to the debut year and a stabilizing record in subsequent years, this is a good year to buy.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
157
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
11
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 11 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Steering5
Structure1
Exterior Lighting1
Suspension1
Engine1
Steering,Suspension1
Steering,Electrical System,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V301000Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent BrakingReported 20/05/2015

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX 2WD and AWD, RLX and 2014 Acura RLX Hybrid vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the CMBS software, free of charge. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238…

14V792000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 16/12/2014

American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Acura RLX vehicles manufactured November 22, 2012, to January 30, 2014, 2015 Acura RLX vehicles manufactured June 4, 2014, to November 18, 2014, and… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both of the headlights, free of charge. The recall began February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 157 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B16-0082024-09-04EngineService Bulletin - Drivers may experience a chirping sound coming from the engine area…
ONL6R5082120232023-08-21SteeringWarranty Extension - Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from the…
ONL6R5071420232023-07-14SteeringOwner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from…
BBOM060920239012023-06-09SteeringDealer Message - Due to manufacturing errors, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear…
B23-0222023-06-09SteeringService Bulletin - Due to manufacturing errors, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific RLX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2015 RLX take?

4.5 qt of 0W-20 STARBURST, per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 RLX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the RLX get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 30 highway / 23 combined mpg.