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1996 Acura Rl

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
22Owner complaints

Model-year median: 12.5

2Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
22
199619
199711
199824
1999
Compare all Rl years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Visibility
5Engine And Engine Cooling
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Electrical System
3Power Train
3
All reported categories
Air Bags
2Service Brakes, Air
1Structure
1Unknown Or Other
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 9 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
179,000 miles · Jul 1, 2016
Electrical SystemFire

TL* CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA RL. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A STRONG BURNING ODOR WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS…

Read full complaint

TL* CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA RL. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A STRONG BURNING ODOR WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 179,000.

NHTSA ODI #10882156

70,000 miles · Sep 6, 2010
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10353975

125,500 miles · Oct 23, 2007
Electrical SystemFire

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA 3.5RL. ON OCTOBER 22, 2007, THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND SMELLED SMOKE. SHE THEN HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CIRCUI…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA 3.5RL. ON OCTOBER 22, 2007, THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND SMELLED SMOKE. SHE THEN HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CIRCUIT BOARD BURNED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 125,500.

NHTSA ODI #10206675

Official recalls

2

99V227000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Aug 19, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE COULD LOSE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO THE PARK POSITION WOULD NOT LOCK THE WHEELS, AND A PARKED VEHICLE COULD MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT SET.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED BOLT.

99V069000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

May 10, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH BALL JOINTS THAT CAN PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND, IN THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.