AcuraRLX2020Overview/acura/rlx/2020/base/

2020 Acura RLX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 RLX.

Transmission Automatic (S10)

The 2020 Acura RLX is defined mechanically by its Automatic (S10) transmission and an EPA-rated fuel economy of 20/29/23 mpg, requiring 4.5 quarts of 0W-20 API oil to keep its internals operating smoothly. On the reliability front, the vehicle exhibits notable stability, logging just two total owner complaints focused on the steering alongside a single recall. This places the 2020 model as the lowest-complaint year within the 2014-2020 generation, a dramatic drop from the 83 complaints amassed by the 2014 iteration, meaning researchers can confidently view this final model year as the most trouble-free chapter of the RLX's history.

Model year202020182017201620152014

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque94 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/29/23 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 sizeSee tire information label attached to driver's doorjamb.OEM · verified
Wheel / rimSee tire information label attached to driver's doorjamb. inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S10)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length197.6 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase112.2 in
Curb weight4394 lb
Track (front / rear)64.2 / 64.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 29 / 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
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
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

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 API engine oil, Dot 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 94 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Brake FluidDot 3
Engine CoolantHonda Type 2 antifreeze/coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity8.5
Engine CoolantHonda Type 2 antifreeze/coolant
Engine Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)9.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)3.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)68.0 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)9.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)33.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)16.0 ft-lbs
Flex or Driveplate Bolts55.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts24 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Differential Fill Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Differential drain Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Driveshaft Flange to Transmission29.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts94 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts44.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub242.0
Rear Wheel Hub181.0

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)950 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)950 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerAcura
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque16.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.00-1.11 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.32-4.82 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.96-1.07 lbs
Oil TypePOE 80 Oil or equivalent.

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum60.0
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum68.0
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)60.0
Engine Oil Pressure10.1
Intake Valve Lash0.00350 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.00350 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 53; Rear: 26
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 101; Rear: 80
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.6; Rear: 6.6
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.063; Rear: 0.063 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.204; Rear: 0.315
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: 0.00059; Rear: 0.00059
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: 0.0016; Rear: 0.0016

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
148 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6048 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: Turn 90°, Step 3: Turn 90°, Step 4: When using new bolts turn 90°22 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 47°. Side Bolts: 36.030 ft. lbs

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 2020 Acura RLX sits at the tail end of a clear downward trend in reported issues across the generation. From a high of 83 complaints in 2014, the model year saw a steady decline to just 2 complaints in 2020, with no crash or fire incidents reported. Recalls also dropped from 5 in 2014 to 1 in 2020, and technical service bulletins fell from 188 to 10, indicating that Acura progressively addressed earlier concerns. The 2020 model's two complaints involve steering and vehicle speed control, but the data does not specify root causes or any pattern. With zero open investigations and the lowest complaint and TSB counts in the generation, the 2020 MY represents the most refined and trouble-free version of this RLX generation, making it a strong buy for a used luxury sedan.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
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 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Steering1
Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

23V858000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 18/12/2023

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B24040A2024-05-01EngineService News - Due to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulation change starting with 2019…
BTI&051020229012022-05-10Fuel System, GasolineAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2016-2020 MDXs, RLXs & TLXs…
B21100A2021-11-11Air BagsServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49…
B21100A2021-10-22SeatsServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49…
B19-0682020-04-17Fuel System, Gasoline"Service bulletin - The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) comes on with DTC P0460 (fuel…

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 2020 RLX take?

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

Does the 2020 RLX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 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 / 29 highway / 23 combined mpg.