Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Acura RL VIN Decoder
Decode any Acura RL VIN free in under three seconds. Type the 17-character vehicle identification number into the decoder above and pull the generation, model year, engine, drivetrain, trim, plant of origin, and open NHTSA recalls. No account, no credit card, no email gate.
This page is the dedicated Acura RL hub. Below you’ll find the real chassis codes the RL carries inside its own VIN across both generations, the single plant that built every one, the two V6 engine codes it used, a position-by-position guide, and where to physically find the VIN on the car.
About the Acura RL
The RL was Acura’s flagship sedan, and it replaced the Legend for the 1996 model year, taking over as the brand’s top-of-line car after Honda retired the Legend name in North America. It ran for two full generations before Acura discontinued the nameplate after 2012:
| Generation | Model years | VIN chassis code (positions 4-6) | Engine | Drivetrain | Built at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st gen | 1996-2004 | KA9 | 3.5L C35A1 V6 | FWD | Sayama, Saitama, Japan |
| 2nd gen | 2005-2008 | KB1 | 3.5L J35A8 V6 | SH-AWD (standard) | Sayama, Saitama, Japan |
| 2nd gen | 2009-2012 | KB2 | 3.7L J37A2 V6 | SH-AWD (standard) | Sayama, Saitama, Japan |
The second generation, launched for 2005, is the one that matters most for anyone researching the RL’s engineering legacy: it introduced Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), the first production all-wheel-drive system able to actively vector torque side to side at the rear axle rather than just splitting it front to back. That system later spread across the rest of the Acura lineup and became a signature Honda/Acura technology. On the RL, SH-AWD was standard equipment for the entire second generation, not an option, which is part of why the car never carried a plain front-wheel-drive variant after 2004.
After 2012, Acura retired the RL name. What would have been a third generation arrived for the 2014 model year as a separate nameplate, the Acura RLX, sold through 2020. We cover that car on its own page rather than folding it in here, since it carries its own VIN structure and WMI history; see the FAQ below for how the two relate.
Acura RL WMI codes (positions 1 to 3)
The first three characters of a VIN form the World Manufacturer Identifier, assigned by SAE on behalf of ISO. Every RL VIN we decoded, spanning 1996 through 2010 and both generations, carried the same WMI:
| WMI | Country | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| JH4 | Japan | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Acura passenger cars) | Every RL, both generations, built at Sayama |
Because the RL was only ever built at one plant for its entire production run, this block never varied the way it does on a nameplate assembled in multiple countries. If a VIN presented as an RL starts with anything other than JH4, decode it with the tool at the top of this page before trusting the listing; it’s either a different Acura or Honda model, or a data-entry error on the listing.
How to decode an Acura RL VIN, position by position
Every RL VIN uses the 17-character ISO 3779 standard, split into a World Manufacturer Identifier, a Vehicle Descriptor Section, a check digit, and a Vehicle Identifier Section.
Positions 1 to 3: World Manufacturer Identifier
See the WMI table above. JH4 identifies Honda Motor Co. as the manufacturer of a Japan-built Acura passenger car, and it’s the only WMI that ever appears on a genuine RL.
Positions 4 to 8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
This is where the generation, engine, and drivetrain live. Positions 4 through 6 spell out the platform code, and on the RL that code alone tells you the generation and, for the second generation, the engine as well:
| Code (positions 4-6) | Years | Engine | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| KA9 | 1996-2004 | 3.5L C35A1 V6 (210 hp through 2001, 225 hp from 2002) | FWD |
| KB1 | 2005-2008 | 3.5L J35A8 V6 (300 hp) | SH-AWD |
| KB2 | 2009-2012 | 3.7L J37A2 V6 (300 hp) | SH-AWD |
All three codes, and the horsepower figures for each, were confirmed against real, checksum-valid RL VINs decoded through NHTSA’s vPIC database, including the 2002 jump from 210 to 225 horsepower on the first-generation 3.5L engine. Position 7 carries body and restraint-system data, and position 8 shifts with trim and equipment level; neither maps cleanly to a single published meaning on its own across every VIN we pulled, so we’re not going to guess at a table for them. The decoder above reconstructs trim from the full VDS plus build data, not from position 8 in isolation.
Position 9: Check digit
The check digit catches typos. It’s calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. Every VIN used to build this page passed NHTSA’s check-digit validation; mistype a single character anywhere in an RL VIN and the math stops matching, which is why any compliant decoder, state DMV, or the NHTSA recall lookup will reject it.
Position 10: Model year
The 10th character maps to model year on the standard 30-year cycle every VIN-compliant vehicle uses. Because the RL ran from 1996 through 2012, here’s the complete range that actually applies to the car, with no years skipped:
| Char | Year | Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T | 1996 | 3 | 2003 | 9 | 2009 |
| V | 1997 | 4 | 2004 | A | 2010 |
| W | 1998 | 5 | 2005 | B | 2011 |
| X | 1999 | 6 | 2006 | C | 2012 |
| Y | 2000 | 7 | 2007 | ||
| 1 | 2001 | 8 | 2008 | ||
| 2 | 2002 |
We confirmed T, V, X, Y, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and A directly against real RL VINs decoding to 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010 respectively. The remaining years in the RL’s run (W for 1998, 1 for 2001, 3 for 2003, 7 for 2007, B for 2011, and C for 2012) follow the same fixed ISO cycle as every character we did confirm, but we didn’t have a real, checksum-valid VIN for those specific model years in hand while researching this page. The letters I, O, and Q are always skipped because they resemble 1 and 0.
Position 11: Assembly plant
Every RL VIN we decoded, across both generations and every engine, carried the same single character:
| Char | Plant |
|---|---|
| C | Sayama Plant, Sayama, Saitama, Japan |
Acura never built the RL anywhere else, so this position doesn’t discriminate the way it does on a nameplate assembled at multiple sites. The Sayama plant also built the Honda Odyssey, the Accord Hybrid, and later the Acura RLX, before Honda began winding the facility down in favor of its newer Yorii plant.
Positions 12 to 17: Serial number
The final six characters are the production sequence stamped on your specific RL as it left the line. Combined with the previous 11 characters, this makes every RL VIN globally unique; two cars with the same generation, year, and engine still differ here.
RL trim levels and how they appear in the VIN
An RL VIN doesn’t spell out the trim name; the decoder reconstructs it from the VDS plus the equipment package on file. Trim lineups by generation, based on Acura’s own press materials:
- 1st gen (1996-2004): RL, RL with Premium Package, later 3.5RL and 3.5RL with Navigation once satellite navigation was added to the option list
- 2nd gen (2005-2008): RL (base), RL with Technology Package (navigation, AcuraLink, Active Front Lighting), RL with Technology Package plus CMBS and PAX run-flat tires
- 2nd gen (2009-2012): RL (base), RL with Technology Package, RL with Technology Package plus CMBS and Adaptive Cruise Control
When you decode an RL VIN with the tool above, the result also returns the drivetrain and factory options so you can match it against a sticker or a build sheet.
Where to find the VIN on an Acura RL
- Lower-left corner of the windshield, visible from outside the car
- Driver’s side door jamb sticker
- Stamped on the engine bay firewall or shock tower
- Vehicle title, registration, insurance card
The windshield and door jamb are the fastest to check on a used-car lot. The firewall stamp is the one to check if you suspect a cloned or re-titled car; it’s physically tied to the vehicle and far harder to alter than an adhesive label.
Acura RL recalls and safety
The RL has been the subject of several NHTSA campaigns across its production run. On the early second generation, a 2013 recall (13V-092) covered certain 2005-2006 RL and MDX models built between March 2004 and June 2005, where a capacitor could be damaged during assembly of the Vehicle Stability Assist control module, causing the system to intermittently apply light braking without driver input. Late first-generation RLs, along with related Honda and Acura models from the same era, were caught up in the broader non-azide driver inflator (NADI) airbag campaign that Honda ran through the early 2000s, where moisture intrusion could cause inflators to underinflate or rupture. Decades later, the second-generation RL was also swept into the industry-wide Takata airbag inflator recall: campaigns 19V-500 and 19V-501, covering driver and passenger inflators respectively, applied to 2005-2012 RL models whose propellant could degrade after years of heat and humidity exposure and rupture the inflator housing.
To check your specific RL:
- Decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the exact model year and generation
- Cross-reference the 17-character VIN with NHTSA’s recall database
- Contact your nearest Acura dealer for any open campaign repair
Recall repairs are free regardless of vehicle age, mileage, or ownership history.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode an Acura RL VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN from the windshield, door jamb, or title into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in seconds and include generation, model year, engine, drivetrain, trim, plant of origin, and any open NHTSA recalls. No sign-up.
Is the Acura RL the same as the Acura RLX?
Related, but not the same VIN structure and not the same era. The RL ran from 1996 to 2012 and was discontinued after that model year. What would have become a third-generation RL arrived instead as a new nameplate, the Acura RLX, for the 2014 model year, and it sold through 2020. If your VIN is from a 2013 or newer flagship Acura sedan, it’s an RLX, not an RL; this page covers 1996-2012 RL VINs only.
Where is the VIN on an Acura RL?
The two easiest spots are the lower-left corner of the windshield, readable from outside the car, and the driver-side door jamb sticker. Both are required by federal labeling regulation. The firewall stamp in the engine bay carries the same number and is harder to tamper with.
How do I tell which RL generation I have from the VIN?
Look at positions 4 to 6. KA9 means a 1996-2004 first-generation RL with front-wheel drive and the 3.5L C35A1 V6. KB1 means a 2005-2008 second-generation RL with SH-AWD and the 3.5L J35A8 V6. KB2 means a 2009-2012 RL, still SH-AWD, but with the upgraded 3.7L J37A2 V6. Position 10 then confirms the exact model year.
Did the Acura RL ever come without all-wheel drive?
Yes, but only in the first generation. Every 1996-2004 RL was front-wheel drive only. SH-AWD became standard equipment across the board starting with the redesigned 2005 model, and Acura never offered a front-wheel-drive RL again after that.
Is the Acura RL VIN decoder really free?
Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every RL VIN free of charge with no sign-up. The basic decode covers everything the factory stamped into the VIN. A full vehicle history report (accident records, odometer history, prior ownership, salvage status) is available as a paid upgrade if you need it.
Can an Acura RL VIN be faked?
The 17 characters can be retyped on a counterfeit plate, but the check digit at position 9 catches most single-character changes through math, and the firewall stamp is physically tied to the original car. If the windshield and door-jamb VINs match but the firewall stamp doesn’t, treat the car as potentially cloned. The guide how to check if a car is stolen by VIN walks through the verification steps.
Decode any Acura RL VIN free
Type your 17-character RL VIN into the decoder at the top of this page for an instant breakdown. To go deeper into VIN structure or check other Acura models:
- Acura VIN decoder hub for the brand-wide guide
- How to read a VIN number for the general standard
- What every character in a VIN means for a position-by-position reference
- Classic car VIN decoder for pre-1981 vehicles
- VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report for what a decode covers vs. what it doesn’t
