1999 Acura RL problems & reliability
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1999 Acura RL, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1999 Acura RL vehicles were involved in 4 fatal crashes 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 9 | 38% |
| Visibility | 4 | 17% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 8% |
| Power Train | 2 | 8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% |
| Tires | 1 | 4% |
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
“1999 acura rl. Consumer writes in regards to airbag safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time completing the recall repair. *js”
Air Bags · filed Jan 21, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 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 exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called radley acura…”
Air Bags · filed Jul 6, 2020
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1999 acura rl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v026000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Courtesy acura (3701…”
Air Bags · filed May 26, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
78 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1999 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
Acura service campaign: see document search button for owner letter. Warranty extension: opds unit or opds sensor triggers srs dtc's 15-1, 15-2, 15-3. Csc was received. *nj
06-008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 5, 2008
Homelink won't program with aftermarket remotes. *jb
090105 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 16, 2005
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
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
The 1999 Acura RL has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 1999 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.