1996 Acura RL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RL years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Acura RL. That ranks 6th out of 18 RL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (5 complaints, 23%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 fires. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 22owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Acura RL problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 5 | 23% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 18% | 193,200 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 18% | 144,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 14% | 125,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Acura RL recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: 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.
Fix: Dealers will install a redesigned bolt.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Anti-theft system ; locking system malfunctioning. Frequent alarms.
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…
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…
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…
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…
Other Acura RL years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 RL | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 RL | 1 | 6 |
| 2011 RL | 3 | 6 |
| 2010 RL | 9 | 7 |
| 2009 RL | 8 | 6 |
| 2008 RL | 13 | 6 |
| 2007 RL | 20 | 7 |
| 2006 RL | 32 | 8 |
| 2005 RL | 125 | 11 |
| 2004 RL | 11 | 0 |
| 2003 RL | 9 | 1 |
| 2002 RL | 43 | 2 |
| 2001 RL | 12 | 2 |
| 2000 RL | 59 | 4 |
| 1999 RL | 24 | 2 |
| 1998 RL | 11 | 3 |
| 1997 RL | 19 | 2 |
| 1996 | 22 | 2 |
See all Acura RL problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Acura RL?
Owners most often report visibility, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Acura RL?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Acura RL a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RL model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.