1997 Acura TL

Routine

Owners filed 23 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System4
020
Vehicle Speed Control3
101
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip2
102
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Linkages1
100
Unknown or Other1
000
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Suspension › Front › Control Arm1
000
Structure › Body › Bumpers1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Automatic Transmission99V227000
Filed Aug 19, 199996,518 vehiclesAmerican Honda Motor Co.

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

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.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint99V069000
Filed May 10, 1999124,875 vehiclesAmerican Honda Motor Co.

Defect. 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.

Risk. 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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Aug 29, 2018120,000 milesVA

ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD NOW, I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ABOUT THE PROBLEMS I'VE EXPERIENCED AND IT APPEARS CARS MADE FROM 1997 EXPERIENCED MALFUNCTIONING IGNITION SWITCHES. MY KEY WILL NOT START MY ENGINE AND HAS GOTTEN STUCK INSIDE THE CYLINDER MANY TIMES. I JUST REPLACED THE BATTERY AS WELL DUE TO MY VEHICLE STALLING WHEN I TURN IT ON. THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON OTHER THAN THE FAULTY MACHINERY THAT'S GIVING ME ALL THIS TROUBLE. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR HAVE EXPIRENCED THESE EXACT ISSUES. I BELIEVE YOU GUYS HAVE ISSUED A RECALL WHICH IS WHY I'M INFORMING THE COMPANY. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP. THANK YOU .

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jul 10, 2008101,000 milesDC

MY 1997 ACURA TL 2.5 SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES IN THE AREA OF THE STARTER. THIS WAS CLEARLY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *TR

Electrical System
Filed May 21, 2006OK

MY 1997 ACURA TL HAS BEEN ACTING UP. IT WOULD STALL PERIODICALLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING (I.E WHEN I WAS GOING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR RAN JUST FINE; BUT ALL THE SUDDEN I LOSE POWER AND THE CAR STALL. IT ALSO HAPPEN WHEN I TOOK THE INSIDE ROAD.) WHEN I TRIED TO RESTARTED THE CAR. IT WOULDN'T STARTED. I WAITED 10 MINUTES LATER, IT STARTED, BUT ONLY TO STALL AGAIN AFTER 5 MINUTES.) I HAD TO HAVE TOW IT TO MY MECHANIC BUT THE CAR STARTED FINE WHEN HE TRIED IT. HE RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT COULDN'T NOT FIND ANY THING WRONG WITH IT. THE CAR WORK FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK; THEN IT START STALLING AGAIN. I HAVE TO WAIT FROM 10 MIN TO AN HOUR SOMETIME FOR THE CAR TO START UP AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSE ME TO ALMOST GET INTO SEVERAL WRECKS AND MADE OTHER DRIVERS ANGRY AT ME. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID MY CAR HAS SOME RECALLS WHICH PREVIOUS OWNER HAD ALREADY HAD IT FIXED. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO BRING IT TO MY DEALER. AND I CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. *NM

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jul 8, 200591,000 milesCA

DT: THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN THE NIGHT BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT UP AND WENT TO GET IN THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, DRIVER SIDE DASH , AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT HAD BURNED. THE FLOORBOARD WAS DAMAGED BY DRIPPING PLASTIC. THE ONLY HOT WIRE WAS IN THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM. THE FIRE WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WAS A FUSE OPERATIONAL IN THE CIRCUIT. THE BATTERY WAS ALMOST BRAND NEW, AND IT WAS ALMOST DEAD. THE CALLER STATED THAT THE ONLY REASON THE FIRE DIED OUT WAS BECAUSE IT RAN OUT OF OXYGEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, AND HAS NOT RETURNED THE CALL. ALSO THE CALLER INDICATED THAT THE DOOR LOCK MADE A NOISE EVEN AFTER THE DOORS WERE LOCKED BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED UNREPAIRABLE. *SC *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 17, 200520,000 milesTX

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION KEEPS POPPING WHEN CHANGING GEARS. BROUGHT BACK FOR SERVICE WHEN UNDER WARRANTY. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FLUSHED. PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A MONTH. AFTER A MONTH PROBLEM WOULD ARISE AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. I FRIEND WAS THE SAME MODEL, HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module
Filed Nov 5, 2004VA

1997 ACURA 3.2 TL FAULTY AIRBAG. MY ACURA RECENTLY DISPLAYED A SRS ERROR. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO RADLEY ACURA IN FALLS CHURCH WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT A POTENTIALLY FAULTY AIRBAG IS NOT COVERED BY ACURA AND THAT TO HAVE THE AIRBAG REPLACED TO PREVENT IT FROM EITHER DEPLOYING RANDOMLY OR NOT DEPLOYING AT ALL IT WOULD COST ME OVER $1200. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash
Filed Jul 27, 200478,500 milesFL

DIGITAL A/C DISPLAY STOPPED FUNCTIONING. DEALER SAID COMPONENT COST WOULD BE @ $1,600.00 (85% VALUE OF CAR). OFFERED NO ALTERNATIVE (AFTER-MARKET, USED PART). COINCIDED WITH DASH LIGHTS GOING OUT, INDICATED GEAR POSITION (NUETRAL, REVERSE, DRIVE, ETC).*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 13, 200281,519 milesMO

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MY 97 ACURA 3.2TL

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Nov 7, 2002OH

CALLED DEALERSHIP, ACURA OF BOARDMAN SERVICE DEPT., SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AND HAD NEVER HEARD OF INGNITION FAILURE BEING A PROBLEM. DID RESEARCH BECAUSE OF THE ODD AND DAMAGING BEHAVIOR OF THE IGNITION SWITCH TO MY VEHICLE AND BECAME AWARE OF MAJOR RECAL ON IGNITION SWITCHES. HOWEVER THE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE MY SPECIFIC MAKER IN MY SPECIFIC YEAR BUT IT DOES INCLUDE MY MAKE AND A DIFFERENT YEAR. WILL CONTACT ACURA/HONDA ABOUT HAVING THEM REPLACE. IT IS DEFINITELY A HAZARD! DT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Aug 21, 2002PA

ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED BRAKES WERE GOOD. ABS LIGHT IS STILL COMING ON, CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE ABS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch1 injured
Filed Jul 9, 2001FL

THE HE CAR WAS PARKED IN PARK AND SHIFTED BY ITSELF DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE WHICH CAUSED IT TO ROLL EROVOV ROLL D. *AK

Structure › Body › Bumpers
Filed Jun 29, 2001TN

WHILE TRAVELING 20-25MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING BUMPER FELL OFF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed Jun 2, 2000IA

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON FOR THE 3RD TIME. ACURA OF MEMPHIS, TN HAS SERVICED THE VEHICLE FOR THIS COMPLAINT. LUJACKS AUTO PLAXA IN DAVENPORT, IA HAS SERVICED THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS COMPLAINT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY ACURA DEALERS SERVICE DEPT THAT IT IS OK FOR ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT BEING ON IS DUE TO CLOGGED EMISSION SENSORS. I AM QUITE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT IN. I AM CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE 3RD SERVICE FOR THIS COMPLAINT TO ACURA OF LISLE, ILLINOIS WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS SHOULD THIS ENGINE LIGHT COME ON FOR THE 4TH TIME. I CERTAINLY AM NOT ABLE TO SELL THIS VEHICLE AT THIS TIME WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND NEE TO KNOW WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE?.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 31, 2000NY

SINCE THE WEATHER HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY COLDER THE PAINT IN THE FRONT OF MY CAR HAS BEEN SPONTANEOUSLY PEELING AND CHIPPING. NO SAFETY DEFECT.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm
Filed Sep 22, 1999PA

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #99V069000. CONTACTED DEALER & SET APPOINTMENT. TOOK VEHICLE IN. LATER PICKED VEHICLE UP. QUESTIONED ABOUT FRONT ALIGNMENT. INFORMED NONE DONE & WASN'T NEEDED. WENT TO DIFFERENT DEALER & INFORMED IT SHOULD BE DONE AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. TIRES WERE WORN ON THE EDGE. *AK

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Aug 24, 1999NY

VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD / SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK *YC

Vehicle Speed Control › LinkagesCrash
Filed Aug 9, 1999NY

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Mar 11, 1999NJ

VEHICLE DECELERATES WHILE DRIVING. OCT. 25, 1999 THE STALLING PROBLEM NOW HAS HAPPEN 7 TIMES.

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

TIRE EXPERIENCED SIDE WALL BULGE - ( BRIDGESTONE 205/60/R15 91A ). *YC

Electrical System › Horn
Filed Aug 3, 1998CA

HORN SENSORS ARE DIFFICULT TO LOCATE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

20 of 23 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
201417300Routine
201362300Routine
2012130301Fatalities reported
201120320Routine
201064310Routine
200942300Routine
2008124470Routine
2007124450Routine
2006247620Above average
2005388730Above average
2004551660Above average
2003391541Fatalities reported
2002332721Fatalities reported
2001149320Routine
2000249630Above average
1999157442Fatalities reported
199820200Routine
1997 — this page23220Routine
199626200Routine
19951000Routine

Compare every TL year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 19, 1999. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.