1998 Acura TL — 2.5L

The 1998 Acura TL generated 26 federal complaints and 2 recalls, down from 33 complaints in 1997 and 39 in 1996, and dramatically below the 159 to 551 complaints that characterize the 1999-2004 period. Across the full model run shown, the federal record follows a low early plateau through 1998, then climbs steeply to a peak of 551 complaints in 2004 before tapering downward in subsequent years. Positioned at the end of that initial low-activity phase, the 1998 model carries the lowest complaint volume of its immediate cohort, with TSBs at 39 and no investigations opened. For this specific year, the highest-volume complaint areas were Engine & Engine Cooling with eight reports and Power Train with four, alongside six crash-related complaints and zero fire complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Because it sits immediately before the sharp escalation in complaints and recalls without sharing that higher-risk profile, 1998 occupies one of the most favorable positions in the entire year-by-year record. Buyers seeking a used TL with minimal federal-filed complaint and recall exposure relative to the full dataset should view the 1998 model as a comparatively sound choice.