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1997 Acura Rl

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
19Owner complaints

Model-year median: 12.5

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
22
199619
199711
199824
199959
2000
Compare all Rl years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
4Power Train
4Suspension
3Engine And Engine Cooling
2Tires
2
All reported categories
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Engine
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Steering
1Unknown Or Other
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 10 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Suspension complaints

3 reports
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163,000 miles · Sep 4, 2009
Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BALL JOINT SEPARATED CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BALL JOINT SEPARATED CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL# 99V069000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT) AND THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 163,000. UPDATED 10/13/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/14/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10282901

143,000 miles · Nov 5, 2007
Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE DID NOT HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES. THE C…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE DID NOT HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 143,000. UPDATED 01-29-08. *KB UPDATE

NHTSA ODI #10207956

107,433 miles · Jan 5, 2005
Power TrainSuspensionInjury

WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING VEHICLE STOPPED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT BALL JOINT STUD HAS BROKEN OFF FROM THE LOWER BALL JOINT. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 4/12/2006 - THERE WAS NO N…

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WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING VEHICLE STOPPED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT BALL JOINT STUD HAS BROKEN OFF FROM THE LOWER BALL JOINT. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 4/12/2006 - THERE WAS NO NOISE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AXLE ALSO FAILED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED HONDA CANADA FOR ASSISTANCE BUT THEY REFUSED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED IN THE UNITED STATES IN ADDITION TO THE VEHICLE BEING OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PARAMETERS . *NM

NHTSA ODI #10106888

Official recalls

2

99V227000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Aug 19, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED BOLT.

99V069000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

May 10, 1999

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.