NHTSA vehicle safety data

1997 Acura TL Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 1997 Acura TL has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 23 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Acura dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1997 Acura TL, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

1997 Acura TL owner complaints

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Acura TL, describing incidents dated November 14, 1997 to July 14, 2018.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 8 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 4 complaints
Power Train 3 complaints
Service Brakes 2 complaints
Unknown or Other 2 complaints
Air Bags 1 complaint

Of the 23 complaints on file, 3 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 23 complaints, owners report 4 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11123319 · Filed 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…
ODI #10233732 · Filed 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
ODI #10157954 · Filed 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…

Read all 23 complaints

HONDA/TRANSMISSION

NHTSA #99V227000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission · NHTSA notice

Reported August 19, 1999 · AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

Potentially affected: 96,518 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign K68 · Owners notified August 30, 1999 · Vehicles built August 22, 1996 – July 21, 1997 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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

Safety 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.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED BOLT.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 1999.OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

HONDA/BALL JOINTS

NHTSA #99V069000 · Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Ball Joint · NHTSA notice

Reported May 10, 1999 · AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

Potentially affected: 124,875 vehicles

Owners notified May 17, 1999 · Vehicles built August 24, 1996 – July 21, 1997 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 17, 1999.OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA 1-800-382-2238.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

1997 Acura TL 4-DR.

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

23 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Acura TL.

Steering; Electrical System; Wheels

ODI #11123319

Incident: July 14, 2018 · Filed: 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 YOU GUYS HAVE ISSUED A RECALL WHICH IS WHY I'M INFORMING THE COMPANY. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP. THANK YOU .

Electrical System

ODI #10233732

Fire

Incident: July 5, 2008 · Filed: 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

Electrical System

ODI #10157954

Incident: May 9, 2006 · Filed: 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 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 System

ODI #10121900

Fire

Incident: May 16, 2005 · Filed: 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 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

ODI #10110678

Incident: September 17, 1998 · Filed: 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

Air Bags

ODI #10098341

Incident: October 10, 2004 · Filed: 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

Electrical System; Equipment

ODI #10082791

Incident: June 23, 2004 · Filed: 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

Power Train

ODI #10000021

Incident: September 28, 2002 · Filed: December 13, 2002

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MY 97 ACURA 3.2TL

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #8016855

Incident: August 21, 2002 · Filed: August 21, 2002

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

Structure

ODI #891694

Incident: June 18, 2001 · Filed: June 29, 2001

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

Other Acura TL model years

Check your 1997 Acura TL VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Acura TL at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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