Total Complaints
33 filings
ACURA TL · model year
33 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996ACURATL carries 33 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 5 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 1996 TL is suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint with 3 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (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 1996 TL, 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.
Total Complaints
33 filings
Crashes Reported
8 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 3 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
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
Mileage: 245,000
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
Mileage: 245,000
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
Mileage: 245,000
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
Mileage: 197,000
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, FEE
Mileage: 150,000
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, FEE
Mileage: 150,000
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, FEE
Mileage: 150,000
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 ,
Mileage: 56,569
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
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
Mileage: 114,000
2. *NM
Mileage: 111,000
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
Mileage: 40
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
Mileage: 30,150
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
Mileage: 40,000
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 PURCHASE
Mileage: 68,100
I PURCHASED AN 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL IN OCTOBER OF 1998 AND I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE OF ANY KIND FOR THIS VEHICLE. MY ADDRESS HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR THE LAST 9 1/2 YEARS. THE ONLY PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT HAS CHANGED IS MY LAST NAME, FROM WASHINGTON TO GORDON WHICH CHANGED JULY 13, 2002. *AK
I OWN A 1996 ACURA 2.5TL. A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING MY PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED DUE TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT BREAKING. I CONDUCTED RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THAT PART ,AND IN FACT THERE WAS. THE PROBLEM IM FACING IS THAT IT ONLY COVERED CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS([XXX].... THROUGH [XXX]...)MY VIN # IS [XXX]. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY VEHICLE DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THOSE NUMBERS BUT I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY IF IN FACT THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE OTHER VEHICLES. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THERE IS A LOUD GROWLING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGING COMPARTMENT OF MY 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL. THE DEALER INFORMED THAT IT IS A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND HE HAS SEEN IT MANY TIMES BEFORE. HOWEVER, THEY STILL DID NOT OFFER TO SUBSIDIZE THE REPAIR IN ANY WAY. I WOULD THINK THAT AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD SHOULD NOT CRACK THIS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE CAR. WHAT IS EVEN WORSE, IS IT IS KNOWN PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE MANIFOLD IS THE SAME AS THAT FROM THE OLD ACURA VIGOR'S. I WOULD THINK THE MANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM BY NOW. I SINCERELY HOPE THE MANUFACTURER CORRECTS THIS PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY AS IT MAY POSE A FIRE HAZARD.
Mileage: 59,000
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.