Model year record

1996 Acura RL

2 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 26 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 99V227000

Power train: automatic transmission

Component
Power train: automatic transmission
Manufacturer
AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.
Vehicles affected
96,518
Reported to NHTSA
1999-08-19
Owners notified
1999-08-30

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED BOLT.

Recall campaignNHTSA 99V069000

Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint

Component
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
Manufacturer
AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.
Vehicles affected
124,875
Reported to NHTSA
1999-05-10
Owners notified
1999-05-17

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Visibility: power window devices and controls6100,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip5144,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling3193,200 mi
Air bags1
Air bags: frontal1
Electrical system1179,000 mi
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel170,000 mi
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers1125,500 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine1
Power train1
Power train: automatic transmission1
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift1
Service brakes, air: antilock: control unit/module1
Structure: body: door: hinge and attachments1
Unknown or other1

The 1997 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.