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1996 Acura Tl

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Acura Tl are lower than the model-year median of 124.

About this comparison →
26Owner complaints

Model-year median: 124

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
1
199526
199623
199720
1998157
1999
Compare all Tl years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
5Engine And Engine Cooling
4Power Train
4Air Bags
3Suspension
3
All reported categories
Visibility
3Electrical System
2Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Engine
1Equipment
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Seat Belts
1Steering
1Structure
1Wheels
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: 11 of 26 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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 →
  • Power Train. 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.

3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

1 reports
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245,000 miles · May 3, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFuel/propulsion SystemCrash

YEA THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED SEPTEMBER 2019 @185K MILES AND STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AROUND APRIL 2020 @ 250K MILES MY , THIS MONTH AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR YOU COULD SAY , MY CAR OVER HEATED AND THE BATTERY AND ELECTRICITY SENSORS AND SUCH STOPPED WORKING WHICH CAUSES ALL MY LIGHTS TO COME ON MY DASH INCLUDING MY ENGINE …

Read full complaint

YEA THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED SEPTEMBER 2019 @185K MILES AND STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AROUND APRIL 2020 @ 250K MILES MY , THIS MONTH AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR YOU COULD SAY , MY CAR OVER HEATED AND THE BATTERY AND ELECTRICITY SENSORS AND SUCH STOPPED WORKING WHICH CAUSES ALL MY LIGHTS TO COME ON MY DASH INCLUDING MY ENGINE LIGHT SO I HOPE THE BATTERY DOESN'T CAUSE MY CAR TO BARELY SWITCH GEARS OR IDLE UNLOCK THE GASKET HAS BLOWN BUT I DON'T EVEN DRIVE FAST SO PLS HELP , THE RESERVOIR WAS SHOOTING WATER AND STEAM AND I LOOKED UP RECALLS RECENTLY AND SAW THAT THERE WERE 2 ON THESE SO I WAS HOPING COULD I GET A REPLACEMT OR REPAIRMANT ? I'M GOING THROUGH THE MOVING PROCESS SO I'D NOW SOME TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION PLEASE

NHTSA ODI #11323115

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.