IllustrationGOT ESTIMATE FROM DEALER FOR 2600.00 DOLLARS FOR MECHANICAL REPAIR ON A FREE 41 POINT INSPECTION. TOOK CAR TO ANOTHER SHOP AND HAD REPAIRED FOR 119.00 DOLLARS. *NM
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tl 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: 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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
5 reportsOUR 1996 ACURA 3.2 TL HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. ABS LIGHT CAME KEPT COMING ON. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED, WHICH RESOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL ACURA DEALER, JERRY DAMSON HONDA/ACURA AND WAS CHECKED OUT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPT., THE ABS MODULATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, A COST OF APPROX…
Read full complaint
OUR 1996 ACURA 3.2 TL HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. ABS LIGHT CAME KEPT COMING ON. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED, WHICH RESOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL ACURA DEALER, JERRY DAMSON HONDA/ACURA AND WAS CHECKED OUT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPT., THE ABS MODULATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2100 - THEY DID DRAIN AND BLEED THE ABS SYSTEM BUT THAT ONLY SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER IS NOT INCLINED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM TO EVERYONE'S SATISFACTION, AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AS TO ITS AGE, NOT NECESSARILY MILEAGE. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE, AND A PRODUCT THAT MUST BE REASONABLY DURABLE, AND THIS FAILURE OCCURRED LONG BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE. AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE, AND THE ABS SYSTEM IS TIED TO THE TRACTION SYSTEM, ITS FAILURE TO OPERATE PROPERLY MAY HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. OUR RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT MOST OWNERS SIMPLY DISCONNECT THE SYSTEM AS THE COST TO FIX IT IS EXORBITANT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SEE THE FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEMS ON THIS YEAR OF CAR MORE IN CARS THAT ARE DRIVEN IN A REASONABLE MANNER.*AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE DEFECTS. EVERY EIGHT MONTH OR LESS CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE BRAKE REPAIRS DONE. EVERY REPAIR WORK WAS DONE BY THE DEALER AT COST TO THE CONSUMER. *AK
REAR BRAKES FAILED.
REAR BRAKE PADS WORN.
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.