1996 Acura RL problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Acura RL. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1996 Acura RL vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 5 | 23% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 18% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 14% |
| Power Train | 3 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 had not experienced a…”
Air Bags · filed Apr 12, 2017
“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 failure. The failure…”
Electrical System · filed Jul 1, 2016
“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 pressure test ok, too…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jan 6, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
69 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1996 Acura RL. The 10 most recent:
This SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for the outer diameter of the ball joint housing being too small. The outer diameter being too small would…
DORE5C4S09 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 11, 2019
Sending vehicle data to tech line.
BJA46167 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2017
Service bulletin - navigation system information.
B05-018 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 23, 2016
Special Tool Loan Program: Under TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN, the list has been updated.
B98015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 2016
"service bulletin - this bulletin updates the troubleshooting procedures for dtc p1456 (evap control system leakage [fuel tank system]) and dtc p1457 (evap control system leakage[evap canister system]). Depending on the…
B99-040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 8, 2015
Acura: there are guidelines for various situations and procedures including: tire pressure valve stem installation, trailer stability malfunction light is on, engine oil application guide, new software, new transmission…
SB-0708 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2010
Speedometer shops can transfer odometer mileage. Acura. Servicenews. *tt
07012005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2005
Cranks won't start, immobilizer light flashes. *tt
505 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 16, 2005
Navigation system won't map match or gets lost. Acura tech line summary. *tt
704 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 16, 2004
Audio unit and navi anti-theft codes available on in. Acura servicenews. May 2004. *tt
05012004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2004
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1996 Acura RL in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1996 Acura RL?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.