1998 Acura RL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RL years
- About as many complaints as other years 11th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Acura RL. That ranks 11th out of 18 RL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 18%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 11owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 18% | 99,446 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 18% | 114,723 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 18% | 77,421 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 18% | 99,446 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 9% | 99,446 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 9% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Acura RL recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
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.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1998 acura rl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v026000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 acura rl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v026000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. An unknown…
May 15, 2010...i had my left cv axle and tire alignment on the left side serviced. July 2, 2010 i was driving and made a left turn. About a half a mile down the road my car on the left side completely collapsed. I thought it was a tire blow out, but it wasn't. Vehicle was towed and inspected…
1998 acura and other honda vehicles interior door handles on drivers side fails not allowing drivers to egress the vehicle. You cant open the door from inside. The only way out of the vehicle if sitting in the drivers seat is to have someone open the door from the outside. Acura refuses to fix…
Dt: the contact stated intermittently two of the seat belts locked and they held the passengers in the seat. These were the passenger side front and driver side rear. The seat belts had to be unbuckled and then put back on to release. The vehicle was taken to the dealership, but they could not…
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 | 11 | 3 |
| 1997 RL | 19 | 2 |
| 1996 RL | 22 | 2 |
See all Acura RL problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
Similar Acura models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Acura RL?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, seat belts problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Acura RL?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.