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1998 Acura Tl

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Acura Tl are lower than the model-year median of 124.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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: 13 of 20 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports
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98,000 miles · Nov 28, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V025000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE POSITION, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD FORGET TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK SOMETIMES. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V025000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE POSITION, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD FORGET TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK SOMETIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 12/19/14*CN UPDATED 05/26/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10661180

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 1998
Electrical System

THE BOTTON FOR THE HORN IS TOO SMALL TO LOCATE IN A PANIC SITUATION. DEALER SAYS THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828321

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 1998
Electrical System

HORN BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS A DESIGN DEFECT. IT IS TOO SMALL (3/4" BY 1"} AND IN A EMERGENCY OR PANIC SITUATION, THE HORN IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. CORRECTED ACTION HAS BEEN DONE TO THE 1999 MODELS, BUT MANUFACTURER SAID NO CORRECTION CAN BE DONE TO THE 1998 MODELS, BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEELS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. WH…

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HORN BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS A DESIGN DEFECT. IT IS TOO SMALL (3/4" BY 1"} AND IN A EMERGENCY OR PANIC SITUATION, THE HORN IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. CORRECTED ACTION HAS BEEN DONE TO THE 1999 MODELS, BUT MANUFACTURER SAID NO CORRECTION CAN BE DONE TO THE 1998 MODELS, BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEELS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, ANOTHER CAR AHEAD OF MY DAUGHTER BACKED INTO HER IN A PARKING GARAGE WHILE SHE WAS FRANTICALLY SEARCHING FOR THE BUTTON TO WARN HIM. RESULTING IN A LOW IMPACT COLLISION TO THE FRONT BUMPER.

NHTSA ODI #541785

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.