Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Acura TL, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system58
- Power train37
- Air bags13
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Unknown or other11
- Vehicle speed control10
- Steering8
- Visibility7
- Structure6
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 14 1999 TL vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. 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 1999 Acura TL failed the safety check 1.89% of the time — 7% more often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 143,996 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1999 Acura TL.
| 2020014 17 Jan 2020 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, exposure to moisture over time could cause the driver-front airbag not to inflate properly in a crash. In some cases, this could c… |
| 2003276 10 Nov 2003 | Other On certain vehicles, the ignition switch may wear excessively and prevent proper interlock operation, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the off pos… |
| 2002096 24 May 2002 | Electrical On certain vehicles electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is sta… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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 vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTERLOCK OPERATION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS, THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY WEAR EXCESSIVELY AND PREVENT PROPER INTERLOCK OPERATION, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO "PARK."
ON CERTAIN SEDANS, COUPES, HATCHBACKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN DEGRADE DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.
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 1999 Acura TL: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 638045 | CONCERNS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK AT AXLE SEALS, ROARING NOISE, ERRATIC SHIFTING. *TT |
| 637938 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING THE ODOMETER, SPORT SHIFT INDICATOR ILLUMINATION INOPERATIVE. *TT |
| 637647 | SUBJECT REGARDING SYNCHRONIZING CUP HOLDER COVERS. *TT |
| 637623 | SUBJECT REGARDING TIMING BELT TENSIONER BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. *TT |
| 637406 | SUBJECT REGARDING FAULTY BEVERAGE HOLDER COVERS. *TT |
| 637396 | SERVICE MANUAL FIX REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR RATIOS. *TT |
| 636799 | SUBJECT REGARDING TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS MISSING FOR TIMING BELT TENSIONER. *TT |
| 636764 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLE SHOOTING MULTIPLE MISFIRE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0301 THRU P0306. *TT |
| 633359 | INFORMATION REGARDING SQUEAKS HEARD FROM THE MOONROOF SEAL WHILE DRIVING WITH THE GLASS CLOSED AND THE SUNSHADE OPEN. *TT |
| 631968 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEAT BACK PANEL BECOMING LOOSE OR DETACHED. *SLC |
| 631772 | INFORMATION REGARDING SEAT BACK PANEL REPAIR KIT. *SLC |
| 631035 | SOME 2000 MDX MODELS AS WELL AS OTHER MODELS MAY EXHIBIT BRIEF HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH ENGINE SPEED. *TT |
| 629322 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLESHOOTING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1705, P1768, P0753, P0758. *TT |
| 627275 | INFORMATION REGARDING NAVIGATION DISPLAY NOT CENTERED. *YH |
| 627135 | INFORMATION REGARDING NOISE FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *YH |
| 627132 | INFORMATION REGARDING EGR PORT CLOGGING. *YH |
| 626635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CRANKS, WON'T START WITH TYPE II IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. *YD |
| 626607 | SUBJECT REGARDING SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 5-1 THROUGH 8-3, INTERNAL SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM UNIT FAILURE. *YD |
| 626590 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPEED SENSOR PLUG MISSING. *YD |
| 626550 | SUBJECT REGARDING WITH NAVIGATION SKYSTEM - REAR WINDOW TINT APPLICATION TIPS. *YD |
| 626530 | SUBJECT REGARDING SRS LIGHT ON AFTER OPDS CONTROL UNIT REPLACEMENT. *YD |
| 626524 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW AUTO-DOWN INOPERATIVE. *YD |
| 626428 | INFORMATION ON WARRANTY EXTENSION ON EGR SYSTEM CLOGGING.*JB |
| 626267 | V6 ENGINE OIL LEAKS. *JB THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES 01-041, DATED 10/29/2001. *TT |
| 626239 | BRAKE PEDAL PULSE. *JB |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation