IllustrationTHE WINDOW REGULATORS ON MY 1996 ACURA 3.5 RL ARE BROKEN ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR WINDOWS. BEFORE THE REGULATORS BROKE, THE WINDOW WOULD COME UP SLOWLY AND STOP ALMOST TO THE TOP. AFTER A LITTLE WHILE, I HAD TO PULL THE WINDOW UP THE REST OF THE WAY. *JB
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rl years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
Visibility complaints
5 reportsNAR 1/15/2003. THE LEFT REAR AND RIGHT REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD USED THE WINDOW NO MORE THAN 60 TO 75 TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE AND A WINDOW REGULATOR SHOULD NOT FAIL IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE DEALER DID REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW REGULATOR UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH HAD SINCE EXPIRE…
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NAR 1/15/2003. THE LEFT REAR AND RIGHT REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD USED THE WINDOW NO MORE THAN 60 TO 75 TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE AND A WINDOW REGULATOR SHOULD NOT FAIL IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE DEALER DID REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW REGULATOR UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH HAD SINCE EXPIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMITTED THE REGULATORS WERE PRONE TO FAILURE. *JB
WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE 5/2000 AND 11/2002. FEEL THIS IS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. DT
FAILED LEFT FRONT, LEFT BACK, RIGHT BACK WINDOW REGULATORS WITH IN 3 MONTHS I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT , BUT ACURA IS NOT ADMITTING
POWER WINDOWS ON FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WORK ERRATICALLY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.
Official recalls
299V227000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.