ACURA 3.0L · model year

1999 ACURA 3.0L

8 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999ACURA3.0L carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 3.0L is engine with 2 filings, followed by power train (2) and air bags (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1999 3.0L, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

8
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

8 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE2
POWER TRAIN2
AIR BAGS2
STRUCTURE:BODY1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20181011CrashAIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL: I WAS INVOLVED IN AN MVA (7/31/2015) THE "AT FAULT" PARTY FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY, AMONG NUMEROUS OTHER NEGLIGENCE TO BE PROVEN AT TRIAL. I WAS THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL OCCUPYING THE VEHICLE VIN NUMBER: [XXX]. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING MULTIPLE BODILY INJURIES. I WILL ATTACHED DETAILED INFORMATION. I REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SAFETY OF THE AIRBAGS IN THAT VEHICLE. KINDEST REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 150,000

20171211CrashAIR BAGS

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT 12/2016 CAR WAS IN MOTION AIRBAG DEPLOYED BURNED MY RIGHT INNER FOREARM SO BAD HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL. I GOT EMERGENCY ROOM PAPERWORK PLUS PICTURES ON MY PHONE. CAR WAS TOTALED INSURANCED THROUGH STATE FARM

Mileage: 120,000

20171211CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT 12/2016 CAR WAS IN MOTION AIRBAG DEPLOYED BURNED MY RIGHT INNER FOREARM SO BAD HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL. I GOT EMERGENCY ROOM PAPERWORK PLUS PICTURES ON MY PHONE. CAR WAS TOTALED INSURANCED THROUGH STATE FARM

Mileage: 120,000

20171211CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT 12/2016 CAR WAS IN MOTION AIRBAG DEPLOYED BURNED MY RIGHT INNER FOREARM SO BAD HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL. I GOT EMERGENCY ROOM PAPERWORK PLUS PICTURES ON MY PHONE. CAR WAS TOTALED INSURANCED THROUGH STATE FARM

Mileage: 120,000

20160615POWER TRAIN

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE NOW FOR ONLY THREE WEEKS AND I HAVE HAD THE MOST PROBLEMS OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION. IT SHIFTS HARD TO THE POINT THAT IT ALMOST STOPS WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. IT DRIVES SMOOTH WHILE GETTING TO A HIGHER SPEED HOWEVER THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE. THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE VEHICLES APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC AS I HAVE BEEN FINDING OUT AND NO ONE WANTS TO OWN UP TO IT, OR EVEN REPLACE WITH A NON FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I DRIVE A TOTAL OF A 100 PLUS MILES PER MORNING AND EVENING SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND DRIVING AT AT LEAST 75 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY. THE HARDSHIFTS START WHEN I AM DRIVING AROUND TOWN, OR DRIVING AT SPEEDS UNDER 35. I HAVE TO DRIVE IN DRIVE 3 GEAR JUST FOR A SMOOTHER RIDE. IF MY VEHICLE WAS TO ALL OF A SUDDEN NOT SHIFT I WOULD BE IN AN ACCIDENT. ALL THESE TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE ON A RECALL LIST. YES IT MAY BE EXPENSIVE BUT WHAT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE IS SOMEONE SUING THE CAR MANUFACTURER FOR MAKING FAULTY CAR TRANSMISSIONS AND NOT RECALL

Mileage: 183,000

20150817ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 ACURA 3.0L. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION KEY WAS NOT COMMUNICATING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V120000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. MA 10/8

Mileage: 200,000

20150516POWER TRAIN

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MY 1999 ACURA CL 3.0 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE, WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, DOWNSHIFTED CAUSING THE RPM'S TO REDLINE AND THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY. THE TIRES SPUN AT THIS TIME. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BUT EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS LOST USE OF ALL BUT ONE GEAR, 2ND GEAR. REVERSE IS NOT WORKING AS WELL. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS ITS HONDA COUNTERPARTS. ALL I WANT IS THE PROBLEM REPAIRED AND A VEHICLE TO DRIVE WHILE IT IS BEING FIXED. THANKS.

Mileage: 174,715

20150503ENGINE

I DRIVE MY CAR ON HIGHWAY I CROSS ONE HOLE ON MY WAY AFTER ONE MILE MY CAR STOP. NO RUNNING ANY MORE SOME BDDY TELLME IS THE COMPUTER OTHER PERSONS SAY IS THE ALARM I DO NOT WHAT IS TRUE..MY NAME IS [XXX]. MY E MAIL [XXX] SOMEBODY CHECK THE TIMEBELT IS OK, ONE MECHANIC TELL ME NO HAVE POWER THE INJECTORS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 1,650,241

Compare 1999ACURA3.0L to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 ACURA 3.0L have?
The 1999 ACURA 3.0L has 8 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 ACURA 3.0L?
The most-complained component for the 1999 ACURA 3.0L is ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and AIR BAGS.
Is the 1999 ACURA 3.0L safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.