Most common 1996 Acura TL problems
Share of the 26 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Acura TL complaints by model year
Best TL years: 2011, 2014, 2009. Years to avoid: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2005, 2000. Compare all years →
1996 Acura TL recalls (2)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A transmission case bolt can loosen and fall out allowing the transmission to disengage from the differential.
Remedy: Dealers will install a redesigned bolt.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
What 1996 Acura TL owners say
Brakes
Our 1996 Acura 3.2 TL has 40,000 miles on it. ABS light came kept coming on. Brake fluid was added, which resolved the problem for a few days. The car was taken to the local Acura dealer, jerry damson Honda/Acura and was checked out. According to the service dept., the ABS modulator would need to be replaced, a cost of approximately $2100 - they did drain and bleed the ABS system but that only solved the problem for about 2 months. The dealer is not inclined to resolve this problem to everyone's satisfaction, as the car is out of warranty as to its age, not necessarily mileage. This is a safety feature, and a product that must be reasonably durable, and this failure occurred long before it should have. As this is a major safety feature, and the ABS system is tied to the traction system, its failure to operate properly May have serious consequences. …
Got estimate from dealer for 2600.00 dollars for mechanical repair on a free 41 point inspection. Took car to another shop and had repaired for 119.00 dollars.
Engine & cooling
Yea the vehicle was purchased September 2019 @185K miles and started having problems around April 2020 @ 250K miles my , this month after driving for about an hour you could say , my car over heated and the battery and electricity sensors and such stopped working which causes all my lights to come on my dash including my engine light so I hope the battery doesn't cause my car to barely switch gears or idle unlock the gasket has blown but I don't even drive fast so pls help , the reservoir was shooting water and steam and I looked up recalls recently and saw that there were 2 on these so I was hoping could I get a replacemt or repairmant ? I'm going through the moving process so I'd now some type of transportation please
There is a loud growling sound coming from the enging compartment of my 1996 Acura 2.5 TL. The dealer informed that it is a cracked manifold and he has seen it many times before. However, they still did not offer to subsidize the repair in any way. I would think that an exhaust manifold should not crack this early in the life of the car. What is even worse, is it is known problem and the manufacturer is doing nothing about it. The manifold is the same as that from the old Acura vigor's. I would think the manufacturer would have fixed the problem by now. I sincerely hope the manufacturer corrects this problem, especially as it May pose a fire hazard.
Transmission & drivetrain
I was headed up a hill when I pulled over to the side of the road to let an emergency vehicle pass. When I attempted to reenter traffic, there was a loud bang, some grinding noise, and a jolt as the vehicle began to roll backwards. I was startled when I immediately placed the vehicle in park but it continued to roll down hill. Then I engaged the parking brake, (I never use the parking brake due to an unfortunate happening in the past with a different vehicle). I attempted to put the vehicle in drive, thinking the transmission needed only to reset itself when a loud grinding noise began to emanate from the underside of the vehicle, along with smoke coming from my hood. At that point, I left the vehicle there and had it towed to a shop where I was informed that the differential had somehow become disengaged from the transmission.
The problem is: at certain combinations of RPM and speed, the engine labors. It causes excessive vibrations, which continue until either the speed or RPM is changed. It is not related to traveling up or down an incline. Taken to Acura dealership several times and they stated they were unable to reproduce the problem but noted that it shifted hard on 1-2 upshift and flushed the transmission system. This did not fix the vibration. When I took the car back in for same problem they stated the front brake rotors were warped and replaced front brake rotors and pads. Took car back to dealership with same problem again and the tires were then balanced. Problem continued so I determined they couldn't find the problem and gave up.
1996 Acura TL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 5-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Acura TL a good car?
Based on 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 TL rates better than average: 74% fewer complaints than a typical year of the TL at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Acura TL?
The brakes — 5 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › control unit/module. Next are the engine & cooling (5) and transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many recalls does the 1996 Acura TL have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1996 Acura TL, the most recent from August 19, 1999 (automatic transmission). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Acura TL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2014 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2005 and 2000. See the full Acura TL years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Acura TL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.