1999 Acura RL
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 1999 Acura RL. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 1999 Acura RL. Newest first.
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…
Risk and remedy
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.
Remedy
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.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. a transmission case bolt can loosen and fall out allowing the transmission to disengage from the differential.
Risk and remedy
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.
Remedy
Dealers will install a redesigned bolt.
Owner complaints
24 complaints1 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
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
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…
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 (5823 columbia pike, falls church, va 22041, (703) 824-5700) and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
- Air bags
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.…
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 nicholasville rd, lexington, ky 40503) was contacted and confirmed that the part was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
- Electrical system
Car had electrical malfunction the odometer keep having equal numbers alot of the time. Also acceleration kept changing on its own. As I was driving and also on the highway going towards oregon. In july of 2016. *tr
- Air bags
Srs light illumimated. took to acura dealer, stated opds sensor and/or opds unit failure. $1200-$1600 to replace 1 or 2 units. Airbags will not deploy in event of impact. This IS totally a safety issue and should be covered by the manufacturer.
- Air bags
Honda / acura IS refusing to honor the below extended warranty (s/b 06-008) on my vehicle (which IS within stated mileage limits but outside the arbitrary time limits) which has been demonstrating the indicated problem with the opds for about one year. Their file number IS b012015-05-2601760.their…
Honda / acura IS refusing to honor the below extended warranty (s/b 06-008) on my vehicle (which IS within stated mileage limits but outside the arbitrary time limits) which has been demonstrating the indicated problem with the opds for about one year. Their file number IS b012015-05-2601760.their stated solution IS for me to pay for repairs! They (melisa) states I need to pay for diagnosis at an acura dealer with absolutely no assurance of a reimbursement or a factory paid repair. As they have acknowledged the fault in the service bulletin and there are numerous reports of this fault published on line it should be up to the manufacturer to make repairs. It appears to me they covered up what should be an official recall with the expired extended warranty. http://acurazine.com/forums/problems-fixes-70/srs-indicator-light-warranty-extension-478199/ https://repairpal.com/sensor-problems-in-abs-may-cause-srs-light-to-turn-on-519 date: april 5, 2006 to: all acura sales, service & parts managers from: american honda service division re: warranty extension announcement on march 2, 2006, we announced an opds (occupant position detection system) warranty extension for certain 200103 3.2cls, 200102 mdxs, 199903 3.5rls, selected 2004 rls, 200204 rsxs, and 200003 3.2tls. some affected vehicles may have a problem with the opds that causes the srs indicator to stay on with one or more srs dtcs. To ensure continued reliability with the opds, affected vehicles have an extended warranty on the opds unit and the opds sensor. These parts are now covered for 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. customer notification ... for detailed repair, vin, and warranty information, see s/b 06-008, warranty extension: opds unit or opds sensor triggers srs dtc(s) 15-1, 15-2, 15-3.
- Visibility
TL* the contact owns a 1999 acura RL. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, a gritty liquid began to secrete from the rear view mirror. The liquid splattered on the instrument panel, steering wheel and the front seats and began to disintegrate the leather where it was not wiped away. The…
TL* the contact owns a 1999 acura RL. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, a gritty liquid began to secrete from the rear view mirror. The liquid splattered on the instrument panel, steering wheel and the front seats and began to disintegrate the leather where it was not wiped away. The liquid also caused irritation to the contact's skin. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileage was 144,000.
- Power train
TL* the contact owns a 1999 acura RL. The contact stated that while accelerating from a traffic stop, the vehicle exhibited a loud noise and failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 170,000.
- Power train
TL* the contact owns a 1999 acura RL. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a loud noise and stalled on the highway. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified, but the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa…
TL* the contact owns a 1999 acura RL. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a loud noise and stalled on the highway. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified, but the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign ID number 99v227000 (power train:automatic transmission). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 138,000.
- Air bags · Electrical system
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 acura 3.5RL. approximately 2 to 3 weeks after purchasing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the srs warning indicator was illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was driven to the dealer and they stated that the fuses were defective. the vehicle was…
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 acura 3.5RL. approximately 2 to 3 weeks after purchasing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the srs warning indicator was illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was driven to the dealer and they stated that the fuses were defective. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred approximately four weeks later. the failure has occurred intermittently for the past seven years. in april of 2008, the contact received a notice informing her to take the vehicle to the dealer to have the occupant position detection system (opds) replaced. a diagnostic test was performed and the dealer stated that they only needed to replace the sensor, but not the control unit. the vehicle was repaired; however, the srs indicator began illuminating on the instrument panel approximately three weeks later. the manufacturer informed her to take the vehicle back to the dealer for another diagnostic test. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current mileage was 78,000 and failure mileage was 17,000.
- Seat belts
Accura issued a warranty extension to correct problem if the srs (supplemental restraint system indicator) light stays on. When car brought in for what was described as a free of charge repair I was told only 2 of the 3 broken system components was covered and that the repair would cost $1,150. *tr
- Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices
The rear view mirror in my wife's 1999 acura RL has a liquid substance sloshing around inside. My wife was complaining of a headache that day when she came in, and, not knowing the contents of the mirror, I removed it for fear that it would leak. The dealership quotes $300+ to replace, which I feel…
The rear view mirror in my wife's 1999 acura RL has a liquid substance sloshing around inside. My wife was complaining of a headache that day when she came in, and, not knowing the contents of the mirror, I removed it for fear that it would leak. The dealership quotes $300+ to replace, which I feel IS unreasonable for the type of part we're talking about. I located other consumers who had the same problem, except that they left their mirror in place and it either leaked or exploded. Apparently the liquid inside the mirror IS corrosive because in every case the interior of the car was ruined wherever the substance came in contact with it. I then contacted the manufacturer of the mirror but they have so far ignored my calls and emails. *tr
- Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module
Opds sensortriggers srs: srs light reset 5 times since 02/04 one time by dealership right before purchase of pre certified veh in 2004. The last time was july of 2007 when I was told I would need a new cable reel and drivers air bag priced at 1468.00 at that time I researched srs problems and…
Opds sensortriggers srs: srs light reset 5 times since 02/04 one time by dealership right before purchase of pre certified veh in 2004. The last time was july of 2007 when I was told I would need a new cable reel and drivers air bag priced at 1468.00 at that time I researched srs problems and called a different dealership to find out that there was a warranty extension in march 2006. The passenger side opds sensor was faulty and replaced 05/05. Labor was charged 130.50. I had to find out through a different dealership service department that this has been a issue with acuras. I then went back to the local service department and brought it to their attention they owed me monies back for the labor charged due to the warranty extention. There was no notice that went out to the customers even if they had paid for the services now covered no one was notified except the service departments.i was told I would have to file through the cooperate office in order to get my refund. I called corporate and filed a complaint about the monies owed and a charge of 1468.00 to replace an airbag that had never been deployed. They initially agreed to pay for the parts only. When I advised corporate and the service department that I wanted the airbag undeploy released to a bodyshop for further investigation that a deployed airbag would not be of any help in determining a malfunction of airbag system, they agreed to replace the drivers side airbag and the cable reel at no charge. This IS a real concern what would have happened had the car been involved in a collision and the airbag system was faulty? *Tr
- Fuel system, other › Delivery › Fuel pump
Engine quit while driving because of failure of efi relay which cut off power to the fuel pump. Had to have car towed. Part was replaced - old part not available. 1) I was pulling out of a parking lot into a local street when the engine died. Fortunately, there was no traffic near and I was able…
Engine quit while driving because of failure of efi relay which cut off power to the fuel pump. Had to have car towed. Part was replaced - old part not available. 1) I was pulling out of a parking lot into a local street when the engine died. Fortunately, there was no traffic near and I was able to push the car back into an adjacent lot. 2) however, if I had been on the freeway just one block away, I would have lost power steering, power brakes, and have been in much heavier traffic, which could easily have led to a high-speed collision. 3) I had the car towed to an independent shop where, for $300, they diagnosed the failure and replaced the defective part. The mechanic commented that the design of supplying power to the fuel pump through two different relays was poorly thought out.
- Air bags › Frontal · Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Dt*: the contact stated upon placing the key in the ignition, the airbag warning light illuminated and remained on. the contact referred to the owner's manual which indicated if the airbag warning light was illuminated, it was inoperative. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who determined the…
Dt*: the contact stated upon placing the key in the ignition, the airbag warning light illuminated and remained on. the contact referred to the owner's manual which indicated if the airbag warning light was illuminated, it was inoperative. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who determined the supplemental front airbags failed, and the buckle assembly for the right front passenger seat belt needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was alerted.
- Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Interior
99 3.5 RL rear view mirror leaking toxic material. caused sickness. after contacting acura, they have refused to acknowledge problem. their solution was to remove the rear view mirror (because of health issues) only. therefore, I would not have a rear view mirror, which would attribute to a potential safety hazard while driving. *nm
- Tires › Tread/belt
Dt: contact stated while driving she heard a loud noise and realized she was driving on the rim. after pulling off to the side of the road the tire blew out, causing damage to the vehicle. the insurance inspector determined that the tire sustained a tread separation failure. the consumer…
Dt: contact stated while driving she heard a loud noise and realized she was driving on the rim. after pulling off to the side of the road the tire blew out, causing damage to the vehicle. the insurance inspector determined that the tire sustained a tread separation failure. the consumer stated she had just had the tires checked and rotated. the consumer stated there was no warning that she had a defective tire. the consumer has contacted the dealer where she purchased the tire and they did offer to replace the tire. *ak updated 2/7/2006 - *nm
- Air bags › Side/window
The srs indicator comes on and stays on when a cell phone or laptop IS used inside the vehicle. This hinders the proper operation of the air bags which could result in a needless death to the passenger. The light can only be reset by the dealer which cost $84.00 per hour. After some investigation…
The srs indicator comes on and stays on when a cell phone or laptop IS used inside the vehicle. This hinders the proper operation of the air bags which could result in a needless death to the passenger. The light can only be reset by the dealer which cost $84.00 per hour. After some investigation on the web, it appears that this IS not only a problem in the acura rls but also a problem with all acura vehicles (RL, TL, tl-s, rsx and the MDX). There should have been engineering considerations which would have shielded the opds sensors from everyday interferences from laptops and cell phones radio frequencies. please give this matter some attention by contacting the acura corporation and asking for an explanation of what action they intend to take to correct this engineering defect. As with most major corporations, the average consumer has no way of contacting them directly. thanks for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. *ak
- Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Regulator for rear window IS defective on two separate occasions. *jb
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper arm
The left upper control arm breaks without any type of impact to cause it to break. *la
- Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
While feeding the fuel tank flames came out of fuel tank.consumer fast recaped the tank, and fire was put out. consumer does not feel safe in vehicle.
- Unknown or other
I need to know what the navigation exchange program IS as I have the same problem it seems. Also on the second failure my air bag light came on IS this in danger in air bag deploying? I have asthma and don't need this happening.
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
ABS system failed to respond resulting in rear end collision. Mjs
- Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
The female part of the seatbelt IS too low to meet the other side of the buckle. Dealer says needs extention for seats. *Ak
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10211608Special Tool Loan Program: Under TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN, the list has been updated.
- 10193392Sending vehicle data to tech line.
- 10165333This 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 prevent the part from being installed, and would therefore have no impact on the end user besides time to complete installation.
- 10100462Service bulletin - navigation system information.
- 10099960"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 model, there are two individual procedures in this bulletin."
- 10037486Acura: 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 fluid, notchy steering feeling.
- 10024561Acura 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.
- 10018109Homelink won't program with aftermarket remotes.
- 10018038Speedometer shops can transfer odometer mileage. Acura. Servicenews.
- 10016260Cranks won't start, immobilizer light flashes.
- 10014075Srs warning light on after body shop repair.
- 10014071Odometer accuracy.
- 10014067The homelink system may have test information stored in memory that must be erased before it can be programmed.
- 10013727Navigation system won't map match or gets lost. Acura tech line summary.
- 10012658Srs indicator comes on with srs diagnostic trouble code.
- 10012636Deformed windshield molding.
- 10009294Buffeting noise with rear window(s) open. Acura. Servicenews.
- 10009256Intermittent sra diagnostic trouble code 1-1 to 1-5, driver's airbag inflator circuit. October tech line information.
- 10009255Keyless remote transmitter inoperative, . Check keyless, ceiling light, ignition key reminder beeper before troubleshooting keyless remote system. October tech line information.
- 10009254A/c compressor control logic. October tech line information.
- 10009253Clearing antilock braking system diagnostic trouble codes. October tech line information.
- 10009043Navi hdds replaced with flash memory cards. Acura. Servicenews. April 2004.
- 10009042Don't test-drive with the malfunction indicator lamp or d indicator on. Acura. Servicenews. April 2004.
- 10009040Repairing atf leaks under warranty. Acura. Servicenews. April 2004.
- 10009036Srs indicator on after body shop repair. Check for srs diagnostic trouble codes. Acura servicenews. April 2004.
- 10009002Audio unit and navi anti-theft codes available on in. Acura servicenews. May 2004.
- 10005950Poor air conditioner cooling on hard acceleration. Acura servicenews.
- 10005865Ceiling light, ignition key beeper foil keyless entry.
- 10005860Air conditioning (a/c) compressor control logic. Acura service news.
- 10005122Srs indicator comes on after body shop repair. Acura servicenews.
- 10005068Tire noise and/or wind noise can masquerade as a problem with automatic transmission gears. Acura servicenews.
- 10004959Testing brake fluid for petroleum contamination. Various models including 2003 and 2004 NSX and 2004 rsx.
- 10003198Information on remembering navigation system personal identification number (pin).
- 10002692Information on finding a vehicle's emission type or group.
- 10002583Straining the automatic transmission fluid to diagnose automatic transmissions.
- 10000991Malfunction indicator lamp comes on with diagnostic trouble code p1457 evap bypass solenoid valve failure.
- 637638Information on diagnosing srs diagnostic trouble code 6-7 and / or 7-2 internal failure of srs unit.
- 636881Subject regarding disc brake thickness error.
- 633353Information regarding the immobilizer system, type 1.
- 633350Subject regarding srs indicator on with srs diagnostic trouble codes 15-1, 15-2, and 15-3. Replaces 01-013 as well.
Every Acura RL model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.