1997 Acura TL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
86,260 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 14 complaints (28.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 21.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 14.3% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 14.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 7.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 1 |
Electrical System: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 2; 2001: 2; 2002: 3; 2004: 2; 2005: 2; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000021 · 2002-12-13 (December 13, 2002)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MY 97 ACURA 3.2TL
Owner-reported narrative. 81,519 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000021 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10082791 · 2004-07-27 (July 27, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 78,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082791 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098341 · 2004-11-05 (November 5, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10098341 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10110678 · 2005-02-17 (February 17, 2005)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110678 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121900 · 2005-07-08 (July 8, 2005)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121900 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10157954 · 2006-05-21 (May 21, 2006)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10157954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233732 · 2008-07-10 (July 10, 2008)
MY 1997 ACURA TL 2.5 SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES IN THE AREA OF THE STARTER. THIS WAS CLEARLY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11123319 · 2018-08-29 (August 29, 2018)
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 Y…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11123319 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
99V069000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
Reported: 1999-05-10 (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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V227000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 1999-08-19 (August 19, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗