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#BS-1998-ACURL-3CCB

1998 Acura Rl

Based on reports from 16 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 16 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 3 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Power Train:automatic TransmissionHIGH

2 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 99K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (2 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Power Train:automatic Transmission2 (13%)

Airbags2 (13%)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:pads1 (6%)

Power Train:driveline:differential Unit1 (6%)

Visibility:windshield1 (6%)

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint1 (6%)

Latches & Locks1 (6%)

Suspension:front1 (6%)

1998 Acura Rl: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1998 Acura Rl, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 99,446 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 99K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1998 Acura Rl, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:pads Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:pads complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Acura Rl, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:pads-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:driveline:differential Unit Issues

Power Train:driveline:differential Unit complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Acura Rl, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:driveline:differential unit-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Acura Rl. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

20V026000Oct 2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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.

99V069000May 1999

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.

99V227000Aug 1999

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Acura Rl is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.

1998 Acura Rl vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

Class avg

246

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 16 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Acura Rl Model Years

2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

View all Acura Rl years →

1998 Acura Rl: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Acura Rl?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Acura Rl is related to the power train:automatic transmission, with 2 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1998 Acura Rl reliable?

The 1998 Acura Rl has 16 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.

How much does it cost to fix 1998 Acura Rl problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1998 Acura Rl have any recalls?

Yes, the 1998 Acura Rl has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Acura Rl problems start?

Based on 7 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 99,446 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.