Acura TL Problems by Year
NHTSA has 3,118 owner complaints and 25 safety recalls on file for the Acura TL, across 20 model years (1995–2014). The 2004 model year has the most complaints (551). The most reported problem area overall is power train.
Acura TL years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical TL year: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2004 TL: 551 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2003 TL: 391 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2005 TL: 388 complaints, 5 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Acura TL problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 904 | 19 | 26 |
| Air Bags problems | 826 | 19 | 65 |
| Structure problems | 548 | 18 | 9 |
| Electrical System problems | 260 | 17 | 16 |
| Steering problems | 210 | 19 | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 117 | 16 | 30 |
| Tires problems | 108 | 11 | 6 |
| Suspension | 96 | 15 | 6 |
| Visibility | 93 | 16 | 0 |
| Engine | 90 | 17 | 4 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 83 | 14 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 71 | 14 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 46 | 10 | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 45 | 13 | 5 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 38 | 12 | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 38 | 13 | 8 |
| Equipment | 37 | 11 | 1 |
| Wheels | 37 | 13 | 6 |
| Seats | 31 | 13 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 20 | 11 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 8 | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Acura TL problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2006: air bags (85) · structure (64)
- 2005: structure (156) · air bags (144)
- 2004: structure (232) · air bags (199) · power train (56) · tires (51)
- 2003: power train (246) · air bags (50)
- 2002: power train (224)
- 2001: power train (103)
- 2000: power train (111) · air bags (62)
- 1999: electrical system (58)
All Acura TL model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 TL | 17 | 3 | 4★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 TL | 62 | 3 | 4★ | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 TL | 130 | 3 | 4★ | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2011 TL | 20 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 TL | 64 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 TL | 42 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 TL | 124 | 2 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 TL | 124 | 2 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2006 TL | 247 | 4 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 TL | 388 | 5 | — | Structure | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 TL | 551 | 4 | — | Structure | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 TL | 391 | 5 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 TL | 333 | 7 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 TL | 149 | 3 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 TL | 249 | 6 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 TL | 157 | 4 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 TL | 20 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1997 TL | 23 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 TL | 26 | 2 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 TL | 1 | 0 | — | Service Brakes |
More from Acura: all Acura models · Acura VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura TL years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2000 (249), 2002 (333), 2003 (391), 2004 (551), 2005 (388) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical TL year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Acura TL?
Power Train, with 904 complaints across 19 model years.
How many recalls does the Acura TL have?
25 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.