Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 1996 Acura TL, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Acura TL year.
No EPA fuel-economy match for this model. Naming may differ, or it predates EPA records.
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 99V227000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 99V069000
The parts named most often across 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
1 injured
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
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
I WAS HEADED UP A HILL WHEN I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO LET AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE PASS. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REENTER TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, SOME GRINDING NOISE, AND A JOLT AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS. I WAS STARTLED WHEN I IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT IT CONTINUED TO ROLL DOWN HILL. THEN I ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE, (I NEVER USE THE PARKING BRAKE DUE TO AN UNFORTUNATE HAPPENING IN THE PAST WITH A DIFFERENT VEHICLE). I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THINKING THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED ONLY TO RESET ITSELF WHEN A LOUD GRINDING NOISE BEGAN TO EMANATE FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, ALONG WITH SMOKE COMING FROM MY HOOD. AT THAT POINT, I LEFT THE VEHICLE THERE AND HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD SOMEHOW BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
MAY 2013, ON A STRAIGHT ROAD, AT 8:55PM. MOTORIST TRAVELING TOWARDS ME SPEEDING WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS ON. MOTORIST MADE CONTACT WITH MY CAR ON PASSENGER SIDE FENDER AND DOOR. MOTORIST HIT AND RAN AND LATER TOLD POLICE SHE THOUGHT SHE HIT AN OBJECT. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AS THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, DARKNESS, AN AWFUL SMELL, SMOKE, I COULD NOT SEE, I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AS THE CAR VEERED ACROSS THE STREET TO ON- COMING TRAFFIC. I THOUGHT I HAD DIED, BUT AS THE CAR STOPPED IN THE GRASS, I FELT THE BRAKES AND REALIZED I HAD NOT DIED. I EXIT THE CAR COUGHING AS MY CHEST FELT LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE, I COULD BARELY SEE, MY EYES WERE BURNING, THEN I REALIZED I WAS HIT. NEIGHBORS CAME AND OFFERED TO HELP; I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT FEELING ANY PAIN, YET . AFTER EFFECTS: BURN ON BOTH FOREARMS, RIGHT SIDE OF FACE FELT LIKE SOMEONE SLAPPED WITH AN OBJECT-LIKE A HOT BATH TOWEL, FEELING OF DUST IN MY EYES, WATERY EYES, LOSS OF TASTE OF FOOD, CONSTANT TIREDNESS, FEELING LETHARGIC EVEN 9 MONTHS LATER, SEVERE PAIN AND NUMBNESS IN RIGHT LEG AND RIGHT ARM, LOWER BACK PAIN NOT SEVERE, THE URGE TO KEEP MY EYES CLOSE, CANNOT REMAIN ASLEEP FOR EXTENDED PERIOD, AND WHEN I WAKE I WANT TO KEEP MY EYES CLOSE, THREE TIMES DID NOT GO TO WORK BECAUSE MY HEART PALPITATING ALL DAY LIKE I AM HAVING AN HEART ATTACK, USED A CAKE BECAUSE I WAS LIMPING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE REPAIR SHOP FOR A DEAD BATTERY. THE REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 99V227000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,569. RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 07/24/07 FAILED. *LJ ,
1996 ACURA SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK AND AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT**CC THE CONSUMERS WIFE HIT A TREE AND CONSEQUENTLY HER HEAD WENT OVER THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD. *JB
GOT 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
2. *NM
THE PROBLEM IS: AT CERTAIN COMBINATIONS OF RPM AND SPEED, THE ENGINE LABORS. IT CAUSES EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS, WHICH CONTINUE UNTIL EITHER THE SPEED OR RPM IS CHANGED. IT IS NOT RELATED TO TRAVELING UP OR DOWN AN INCLINE. TAKEN TO ACURA DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM BUT NOTED THAT IT SHIFTED HARD ON 1-2 UPSHIFT AND FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THIS DID NOT FIX THE VIBRATION. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR SAME PROBLEM THEY STATED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REPLACED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP WITH SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND THE TIRES WERE THEN BALANCED. PROBLEM CONTINUED SO I DETERMINED THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM AND GAVE UP. *JB
1996 ACURA TL WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED ON THE VEHICLE.*MR THE WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THIS WIPER FAILURE RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN. *NM
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
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND COOLANT SPILLED INSIDE THE ENGINE. *AK
THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO ACURA: HAVE A 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL THAT WAS PURCHASED AT RADLEY ACURA. MY VIN # [XXX]. I NOW KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND SAW THAT AN ACURA 2.5 TL VIN # [XXX] COLLAPSED DUE TO THE LOWER JOINT BREAKING ON MAY 22, 2003. I HAD TO REPLACE MY LOWER BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT OF MY CAR ON 11/19/2003. AS I DROVE INTO THE CAR DEALERSHIP, I WAS NOT DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE. I MENTIONED NOTHING ABOUT DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE. MY CAR WAS MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE WHEN I DROVE INTO THE SURFACE AREA. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS I TOLD THE RADLEY DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE NOISE IN MY PASSENGER FRONT SUSPENSION. EACH TIME THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD LUBRICATE THE AREA BECAUSE THE BUSHINGS NEEDED LUBRICATION. NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE BALL JOINTS. PAM VAUGHAN (ACURA SERVICE ADVISOR) SHOULD REMEMBER THAT MY VEHICLE WAS LUBRICATED BECAUSE I TALKED WITH HER EACH TIME I HAD THE PROBLEM. AT THIS TIME MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTRA 3-YEAR WARRANTY ON THE CAR. I DID HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A NOISE IN MY FRONT SUSPENSION AS EARLY AS 7/22/96 (SEE RECEIPT). RADLEY SAID THEY JUST TIGHTENED THE SUSPENSION. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AND THEY DID NOT HAVE A LOANER CAR TO GIVE ME SO THAT I COULD LEAVE THE CAR. NOT UNTIL I READ THE RECALL NOTICE AFTER THE REPAIR THAT 124,875 CARS WERE RECALLED THAT I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE DRIVEN THAT CAR HOME BECAUSE THE BALL JOINT COULD HAVE SEPARATED CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE AND STEERING CONTROLLABILITY TO BE REDUCED. THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME OF THIS.*AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Showing 12 of 39 complaints.
Rated configuration: 1996 Acura TL 4-DR.