AI Damage1999 Acura RL: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Acura RL filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 38% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 13% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 4% of all complaints
- Air bags: 9 complaints (38% of all).
- Visibility: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (8% of all).
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car had electrical malfunction the odometer keep having equal numbers alot of the time. Also acceleration kept changing on its own. As I was driving and also on the highway going towards oregon. In july of 2016.
Srs light illumimated. Took to acura dealer, stated opds sensor and/or opds unit failure. $1200-$1600 to replace 1 or 2 units. Airbags will not deploy in event of impact. This is totally a safety issue and should be covered by the manufacturer.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 acura rl. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, a gritty liquid began to secrete from the rear view mirror. The liquid splattered on the instrument panel, steering wheel and the front seats and began to disintegrate the leather where it was not wiped away.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 acura rl. The contact stated that while accelerating from a traffic stop, the vehicle exhibited a loud noise and failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a loud noise and stalled on the highway. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified, but the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 99v227000 (power train:automatic…
Accura issued a warranty extension to correct problem if the srs (supplemental restraint system indicator) light stays on. When car brought in for what was described as a free of charge repair I was told only 2 of the 3 broken system components was covered and that the repair would cost $1,150.
The rear view mirror in my wife's 1999 acura rl has a liquid substance sloshing around inside. My wife was complaining of a headache that day when she came in, and, not knowing the contents of the mirror, I removed it for fear that it would leak.
Opds sensortriggers srs: srs light reset 5 times since 02/04 one time by dealership right before purchase of pre certified veh in 2004. The last time was july of 2007 when I was told I would need a new cable reel and drivers air bag priced at 1468.00 at that time I researched srs problems and called a different…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the RL has 21 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 24, about average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Acura RL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, visibility, seat belts. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (17%), seat belts (8%), warning lights, check engine (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Acura RL?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Acura RL from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.