RoadVitals

1996 Acura RL Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
22
Latest Jul 27, 2018
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Apr 10, 1997

What this page shows

Our database holds 22 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Acura RL. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–22 of 22

Filed Jul 27, 2018

ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ; LOCKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING. FREQUENT ALARMS.

NHTSA ID
11114116
Incident
Jul 26, 2018
Airbags
Filed Apr 12, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10972087
Incident
Feb 3, 2016
Electrical
Filed Jul 1, 2016
Fire reported

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 ID
10882156
Incident
Jun 30, 2016
Mileage
179,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 6, 2012

WHEN DRIVING NORMALLY, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY DIE, AS IF THE IGNITION HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THE COSE SET IN OBD II INDICATED MISFIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS. IT STARTS AGAIN IMMEDIATELY, BUT DOES NOT ALWAYS CONTINUE TO RUN. THIS WILL HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES PER DAY, SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW, THEN NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TESTS COMPLETELY OK. FUEL PRESSURE TESTS ARE OK TOO. CAR IS AT GOSS' GARAGE IN SEABROOK, MD, PHONE 301-577-9200. *TR

NHTSA ID
10442640
Incident
Jan 27, 2011
Mileage
193,200 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 6, 2012

WHEN DRIVING NORMALLY, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY DIE, AS IF THE IGNITION HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THE CODE SET INDICATES MISFIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS. STARTS AGAIN IMMEDIATELY, BUT DOES NOT ALWAYS CONTINUE TO RUN. THIS WILL HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES THEN NOT AGAIN FOR DAYS. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TESTS OK, FUEL PRESSURE TEST OK, TOO. *TR

NHTSA ID
10442629
Incident
Jan 27, 2011
Mileage
193,200 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 6, 2010

SPEEDOMETER DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10353975
Incident
May 1, 2005
Mileage
70,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 23, 2007
Fire reported

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 ID
10206675
Incident
Oct 22, 2007
Mileage
125,500 mi
Brakes
Filed May 16, 2007

WHEN I FIRST START VEHICLE I HEAR A NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEAR THE FIREWALL. THE NOISE SOUNDED FOR A 20 TO 30 SECONDS, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ABS SYSTEMS WENT OUT. WHEN THE NOISE WAS SHORT THE ABS SYSTEM WENT OUT AFTER A MILE OR TWO DRIVE. DURING THE MILE OR TWO DRIVE. I HEARD THE SAME NOISE OFF AND ON UNTIL THE ABS SYSTEM EVENTUALLY WENT OUT. THIS FIRST OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2006. *AK

NHTSA ID
10190864
Incident
Sep 24, 2006
Mileage
144,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 25, 2006

THE 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

NHTSA ID
10166540
Incident
May 23, 2004
Mileage
100,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 13, 2004
Crash reported

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO STRIKE A POST. DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER DID NOT AGREE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10103681
Incident
Nov 11, 2004
Mileage
149,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 17, 2003

2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THIS PREVIOUSLY-OWNED RL, I HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE THAT I THOUGHT WAS COMING FROM THE A/C AND REPORTED IT TO MY DEALER WHO COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME I HEARD THIS NOISE MY WINDOWS WERE DOWN AND THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD, IT ECHOED OFF SURROUNDING BUILDINGS. I HIT MY BRAKES TO PULL OVER AND INVESTIGATE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. REPORTED TO DEALER BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THIS NOISE STILL POPS UP FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT GOES AWAY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. NOISE IS A SQUEALING/HISSING SOUND THAT EMINATES FROM THE ABS AREA UNDER MY HOOD NEXT TO THE FIREWALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, ABS LIGHTS HAVEN'T ILLUMINATED DURING THE EVET AT ANY TIME, YET.*AK

NHTSA ID
10028480
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Brakes
Filed Mar 9, 2003

WHEN I FIRST START MY CAR, I HEAR A NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE FIRE WALL. WHEN THE NOISE SOUNDS FOR A 20 TO 30 SECOND PERIOD, THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ABS SYSTEMS GOES OUT. WHEN THE NOISE IS SHORT (5 SECOND BURSTS OF SOUND), THE ABS SYSTEM GOES OUT AFTER A MILE OR TWO DRIVE. DURING THE MILE OR TWO DRIVE, I HEAR THE SAME NOISE OFF AND ON UNTIL THE ABS SYSTEM EVENTUALLY GOES OUT. THIS FIRST OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 24, 2002. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10010178
Incident
Dec 24, 2002
Mileage
92,300 mi
Body & structureEngineTransmission
Filed Feb 6, 2003

AFTER RECALL#99V227000 WAS PERFORMED, THE VEHICLE REMAINED EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE WHEN DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE, EXTENSION SHAFT AND SECONDARY DRIVE GEAR WAS WORN. A TRANSMISSION WAS ADDED, AND THE BROKEN DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. SCC

NHTSA ID
10006705
Incident
Feb 3, 2003
Visibility
Filed Dec 16, 2002

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

NHTSA ID
10003929
Incident
Dec 2, 2002
Visibility
Filed Nov 22, 2002

WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE 5/2000 AND 11/2002. FEEL THIS IS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. DT

NHTSA ID
770024
Incident
Nov 19, 2002
Brakes
Filed Feb 6, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THAT AS VEHICLE STARTED HE HEARD NOISE UNDER THE HOOD, WHERE SYSTEM-SUPPLEMENTING ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE NOISE COMES ON EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, 10 DAYS LATER ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. *YD

NHTSA ID
564316
Incident
Oct 20, 2001
Visibility
Filed Aug 9, 2001

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

NHTSA ID
750159
Incident
May 4, 2001
Visibility
Filed Mar 6, 2001

POWER WINDOWS ON FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WORK ERRATICALLY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA ID
882215
Airbags
Filed Feb 23, 2000
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 40 MPH IN WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID
857448
Incident
Dec 3, 1999
Transmission
Filed Sep 14, 1999

THE CONSUMER HAS A RECALL LETTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION/RANSFER CASE. UPON CONTACTING THE DREALER CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND COULD NOT BE ADVISED ON WHEN THERE WOULD BE. MFR RECALL #K68. *AK

NHTSA ID
847613
Engine
Filed Sep 8, 1999

ENGINE BLEW UP AS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE. WILL SEND IN MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
847247
Incident
Sep 5, 1999
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 10, 1997

SPEEDOMETER DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID
603027
Incident
Jul 1, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .