Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Acura RL, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train4
- Electrical system4
- Suspension3
- Tires2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Steering1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Engine1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 1997 RL vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Acura RL failed the safety check 2.31% of the time — 44% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 170,258 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Acura RL.
| 1999156 19 Aug 1999 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the transmission case bolt which allows service access to disconnect the differential from the transmission could loosen and fall out. If … |
| 1999101 26 May 1999 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the front suspension lower ball joints may prematurely wear out due to improper finishing of the surface of the spherical portion of the ba… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Acura told its dealers about the 1997 Acura RL: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636758 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT SUSPENSION SQUEAKS IN COLD WEATHER. *TT |
| 633353 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM, TYPE 1. *TT |
| 629322 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLESHOOTING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1705, P1768, P0753, P0758. *TT |
| 629320 | SUBJECT REGARDING A SQUEAL NOISE AT FRONT SUSPENSION AT LOW TEMPERATURE. *TT |
| 629312 | INFORMATION ON RESETTING THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP DISPLAY. *TT |
| 626607 | SUBJECT REGARDING SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 5-1 THROUGH 8-3, INTERNAL SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM UNIT FAILURE. *YD |
| 626550 | SUBJECT REGARDING WITH NAVIGATION SKYSTEM - REAR WINDOW TINT APPLICATION TIPS. *YD |
| 626524 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW AUTO-DOWN INOPERATIVE. *YD |
| 626449 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE STARTS AND DIES WHEN IGNITION IS RELEASED. *YD |
| 626434 | INFORMATION REGARDING ENGINE DIES WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS RELEASED.*JB |
| 625978 | SUBJECT REGARDING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *JB |
| 623291 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE STARTS AND DIES WHEN IGNITION IS RELEASED. *JB |
| 619898 | INFORMATION REGARDING VEHICLES EXHIBITING A TRIP ODOMETER THAT DISPLAYS THREE DASHE (- - -). *TT |
| 619889 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLESHOOTING REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSIONS EXHIBITING A HUMMING, BUZZING, OR WHISTLING SOUND THAT CHANGES TONE IN DIFFERENT GEARS. *TT |
| 619886 | SUBJECT REGARDING CURRENT VARIABLE INTERMITTENT WIPERS SPEED SENSITIVE. *TT |
| 618769 | SUBJECT REGARDING OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION SENSOR (OPDS) UNIT LOCATION. *TT |
| 618763 | CONCERNS WITH TRIP ODOMETER READING - - -. *TT |
| 618762 | INFORMATION ON PROGRAMMING THE IMMOBILIZER KEYS. *TT |
| 617701 | BRIEF INFORMATION REGARDING BLANK NAVIGATION DISPLAY CONDITION. *TT |
| 617697 | INFORMATION ON REPLACING SEAT BELT TENSIONERS AFTER DEPLOYMENT. *TT |
| 617695 | TECH LINE SUMMARY REGARDING THE INTERMITTENT WIPER FEATURE. *TT |
| 610580 | SOME VEHICLES FROM VIN JH4KA9 ... YC000001 THRU JH4KA9 ... YC005649 MAY EXHIBIT RATTLE TYPE NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE MOONROOF WHILE DRIVING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS WITH THE SUNSHADE OPEN. *TT |
| 610263 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE FOG LIGHT BULB AND SOCKET SET TO REPLACE FAULTY SOCKETS. *TT |
| 610235 | CONCERNS WITH ONE OR BOTH OF THE FOG LIGHTS NOT WORKING WHEN YOU TURN THEM ON. *TT |
| 606305 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WARRANTY EXCHANGE PROGRAM. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)