Acura TL Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Acura TL options? We analyzed 10 model years (2005–2014) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Acura TL has 1,216 owner complaints and 39 safety recalls across model years 2005–2014. The most reported issue area is AIR BAGS. 2005 drew the most complaints; 2014 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Acura
- Model
- TL
- Model years analyzed
- 2005–2014 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 1,216
- Safety recall campaigns
- 39
- Crash-related complaints
- 35
- Fire-related complaints
- 20
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2005 (387 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2014 (17 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- AIR BAGS
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Acura TL: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe ACURA TL has 1,216 NHTSA complaints and 39 recalls on record. 35 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 1,216 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 39 federal recall campaigns
- 35 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
39 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2005–2014. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 1,216 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
1,216 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I have a 2014 Acura TL. I have kept up with all the maintenance on my car since day one including getting my oil changes every 3,000 miles or a little under 3,000 miles or even when my dash would say 30-40% oil life.And when it gets to 30-40% oil life the dash board dings check oil. This time my dash board dinged at 60% which I found very odd- My husband checked my oil dipstick & I had no oil- I’ve been parking my car in the same spot in my drive way for the last 10 years so no oil drain marks & the car is not showing any signs of burn oil such as any type of smoke. I go to the dealer to buy a quart of oil- parts guys asked me for model and year of my car- I said 2014 TL he comes back with the quart that says 0W- we put it in it. A week later we get another quart- same part guy brings out 0W- I said why are you giving me 0W when my car manual and engine cap clearly says 5W- he is puzzled and says ok if you want 5W I’ll give you that, I said I’m only going by my car manual and engine cap. My husband puts it in and still low, at this point my husband goes to auto store and buys 2 more quarts of 5W. Car still low on oil- I take in the next day to the Acura dealer for an oil change and explain everything to the advisor and service manager. The manager digs deeper into my maintenance and see’s that I have been keeping up with the maintenance for 11 years. Now he digs deeper and looks up my VIN # for any recalls- apparently there was a recall on my engine piston and piston rings which causes an issue with burning oil and/or oil consumption &make it seem like there is no oil in car. I said I never received a recall. He states unfortunately I am out of the recall window and nothing can be done. I am original owner and having been living at same address 32 years-never got a recall notice. Per NHTSA there's 86 manuf. comm. on the engine pistons from 2016-2019. They say I have Rear main seal leak-they want me to fix first before they can advocate for recall- 2 separate issues
After driving the vehicle for about 30 minutes a red flashing dash warning light came on with an alarm that there is a power steering problem, after which power steering was lost. Parked the vehicle for two hours to have dinner and then proceeded home with normal steering until reaching home when the same dash warning light and alarm occurred. The following day had vehicle towed to dealership to diagnose the problem. They could not duplicate the problem, and no computer code of failure was recorded, therefore they could not therefore proceed to execute a repair, so I picked up the vehicle and drove home. I called Honda customer service to open a case number for my issue and the called the following day and basically told me what the dealership told me. I have since driven the vehicle several times without issue, however, am concerned that my wife is the primary driver and being elderly will have extreme difficulty in maneuvering the vehicle if she encounters a power steering failure.
On Monday, August 30, 2021, just south of Temple, Texas on I-35 south, the sun roof shattered. It was about 89 degrees outside.
My 2014 Acura TL with 36,000 miles has developed serious aluminum alloy wheel corrosion and metal peeling on all four (4) wheels and results in intermittent tire pressure loss. The Acura company refuses to replace at their cost the defective material alloy wheels which cost and the dealer is requesting per wheel $357.00 plus 245$ plus labour and for new tire pressure sensors located inside on the mag wheels. I believe that they did not use the proper balancing weights which are clearly recommend that Acura weights be used. I have investigated the cause of this problem by consulting with automotive engineers and it is certainly in their view related to poor quality mag surface coating which causes moisture to enter in between the rim and wheel thus resulting in wheel corrosion and loss of tire pressure which when driving can result in a serious accident. Yes, tire pressure waring lights came on frequently. The Dealer did inspect the and notice the corrosion last fall (2020). It is in their files and noted on my invoice. Please note that I live in Quebec Canada J0E 1B0.
MY CAR ONLY HAS 56,700 MILES ON IT AND THE EPS FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. NEARLY CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHEN THE STEERING FROZE AND I COULD NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Read 14 more owner reports
TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUE. IN LOWER SPEED CAR JERKS. REALLY BAD IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC.THIS ISSUE IS WITH 2013/2014 TL. ON SLOW SPEED FROM 0 -40. DEALER SAY THEY AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT DONT HAVE A FIX. THEY HAVE A RELEASE (S/B #16046) FROM MANUFACTURE REGARDING THE PROBLEM JUDDER FROM TORQUE CONVERTER LOCK-UP CLUTCH.
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE RECALL IN MAY 2016. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALER IN WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY TO HAVE THEM GET THE PART. IT IS NOW 4 MONTHS AND NO NEWS IS AVAILABLE CONCERNING WHEN THE PART MAY BE DELIVERED. THE DEALER CONTINUES TO SEND ME NOTICES WITH BRIGHT RED TEXT WARNING THAT THE INSTALLED AIRBAGS MAY CAUSE DEATH OR OTHER SERIOUS INJURY. WHAT IS YOUR AGENCY DOING TO PRESSURE THE INVOLVED CORPORATIONS TO EXPEDITE THE DELIVERY OF THIS PART KNOWN TO CAUSE FATALITIES????
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER PLACED HIM ON A WAITING LIST SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME (96 DAYS) FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. ....UPDATED 08/08/16 *BF UPDATED 08/10/16.*JB
2014 ACURA TL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT PARTS STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR DRIVER FRONT AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL NOTICE. *SMD
TAKATA INFLATORS: I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH HOW HONDA/ACURA IS HANDLING THE RECALL OF THE 2014 ACURA TL AWD THAT I AM CURRENTLY LEASING. THE TWO OPTIONS THEY OFFERED IF I ACCEPT EITHER WILL END UP COSTING ME MORE MONEY AND PUTTING MORE CASH IN THEIR POCKET. I HAVE SPENT HOURS ON THE PHONE BEING TRANSFERRED FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER 6 TIMES YESTERDAY WITHOUT SATISFACTION TO MY SITUATION AND YES I FIRST WENT TO DOWNTOWN ACURA IN CHICAGO TO DISCUSS MY OPTIONS. THE BEST DEAL THAT THEY COULD GIVE ME WAS TO TRADE IN MY 2014 ACURA TL AWD WHICH I AM PAYING $539.99 A MONTH & LEASE A 2016 ACURA FWD FOR 527.43 I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS A FAIR APPLES TO APPLES DEAL. I AM CURRENTLY LEASING AN AWD I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE AN FWD.TO THEY WANT $569.57 A MO. FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS FOR AN AWD. I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TAXES, TRANSFER OF TITLE FEES ECT. ACURA IS GOING TO MAKE MONEY IN THIS SITUATION LEASING ME A MORE EXPENSIVE VEHICLE AND I AM GOING TO LOOSE MONEY. SO WHO WOULD BE MAKING OUT ON THIS DEAL? ACURA OF COURSE. NOT ONLY ON THE INCREASED LEASE AMOUNT BUT WHEN THE PART IS AVAILABLE FOR THE 2014 ACURA THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SELL IT FOR A PRETTY PENNY SEEING AS HOW IT WILL BE AROUND 2 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 21,000 MILES ON IT. TO BE HONEST I DON'T EVEN LIKE THE LOOKS OF THE NEW ACURA 2016. THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE ARE NOT APPEALING TO ME. OPTION 2 IS TO GIVE THEM THE ACURA 2014 TO SIT ON THEIR LOT WHILE THEY RENT ME A TOYOTA COROLLA WHILE ALL THE WHILE I AM STILL PAYING $539.99 A MONTH FOR AN ACURA THAT I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE. I TRIED TRADING IT IN ON A NISSAN MARANO ONLY PROBLEM THEY WOULD LOSE MONEY TRYING TO GET ME A REASONABLE LEASE PAYMENT AFTER HAVING TO PAY OFF MY LEASE AT $5390.00. AS YOU CAN SEE I AM STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. THIS ENTIRE SITUATION EXCUSE MY SLANG. SUCKS! I HOPE THERE WILL BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT STARTED AGAINST HONDA/ACURA.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE TIME FRAME FOR THE PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE INTERIM NOTIFICATION LETTER ONLY INDICATED THAT THE PART MAY BECOME AVAILABLE MID SUMMER 2016. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOLS CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I OWNED AN ACURA TL 2014 SINCE NEW. I TOOK WELL CARE OF IT BUT THERE ARE MANY BIG CRACKS ON THE DASHBOARD. I FOUND MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. IT IS A LUXURY CAR AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF ISSUE.
AFTER FINISHING WORK, I OPENED THE CAR DOOR, TURNED THE IGNITION ON AND THEN SHUT THE FRONT DOOR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD BOOM. I TURNED AROUND TO SEE MY REAR WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED WITH GLASS EVERYWHERE INCLUDING MY 2 CAR SEATS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS OCCURRED SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT TRAUMA OR CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE AND IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION OR IF MY GRANDCHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED. THIS CAR IS NEWLY PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY 3-4 WEEKS AGO AND SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION IT WAS ONE OF THE SAFEST CARS. NOW TO FIND THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE, I AM ASKING FOR A NEW ACURA TL OR ELSE I AM CONSIDERING TRADING IT IN FOR ANOTHER NEW CAR. I CANNOT TAKE ANY CHANCES SINCE I CARE FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN AND NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SAFE. ANOTHER CONCERN, IS THAT EVEN IF THEY FIX THE DAMAGE, THE WINDSHIELD WILL BE WEAKER THAN FACTORY INSTALLED AND MAY OCCUR AGAIN. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN. I AM EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS ACURA TL AND WILL SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS THAN A NEW CAR OR I WILL BE FORCED TO TRADE IT IN. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY NEW CAR ACURA TL SH AWD (6 DAYS OLD) ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A SUNNY DAY OUT IN THE OPEN WITH NO CARS IN FRONT OR ALONG SIDE ME, AND I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. I REALIZED THAT MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. I HAD THE SUN SHADE OPEN AND A FEW PIECES OF GLASS WERE ON ME AND THE PASSENGER SEAT. THERE WERE ALSO A FEW PIECES IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, ON ME AND IN THE BACK SEAT, BUT MOST OF THE GLASS WAS BLOWN UPWARD AND OUT OF THE CAR. THERE WERE NICKS IN THE PAINT, IN TWO LINES ON THE ROOF AND ON THE TRUNK. SOME OF THE PIECES INSIDE THE CAR WERE VERY SMALL, BUT SOME WERE 3" TO 4" IN LENGTH. ACURA SAYS IT MUST HAVE BEEN A ROCK AND WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. SOME OF THE REMAINING GLASS IN THE SUNROOF (APPROXIMATELY 15%) WAS POINTED IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST A ROCK HIT IT. THIS IS MY FIFTH ACURA AND PROBABLY MY LAST. *TR
I purchased a 2011 Acura TL with a salvaged title. The steering wheel airbag appeared to have been repaired with certain glue or epoxy after appearing to have been deployed by previous owner. However the airbag is fully intact. The Acura dealership refused to conduct the recall due to this issue. Would this warrant a refusal to be replaced by the dealership? Thank you
Driving my 2011 Acura TL on I95 South in NC from VA to SC at about 2p on 12/2/22, It is a clear sunny day. It is 62 degrees out, there were no vehicles around and no debris flying or dropping and no overpasses or anything around. Heard a loud explosion. Sounded like a shovel with a ton of rocks being dropped on the roof. Opened the slider for moonroof (which is a original manufactured item) and realized the sound was the moonroof glass. The glass was shattered and huge amount missing. Glass rained down into the car all over everything including me. No evidence of any source of cause for this happening. Just glass shards. Appears to have just combusted on its own? Prior to this event the moonroof was operable and in good working order with no cracks or anything. Setup a service appointment for tomorrow 12/3/22 at 3p at McDaniel's Acura dealership in Charleston, SC
THE CAR IS BURNING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATE WHICH CAUSES A WARNING WHEN THE OIL LIFE IS AROUND 40 TO 50% THAT THE ENGINE HAS LOW OIL LEVEL.
Showing 20 of 1,216 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Acura TL
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Acura TL, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Acura TL has 1,216 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Acura TL has 39 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 35 of the Acura TL's 1,216 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Acura TL vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Acura TL vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Acura TL has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Acura TL by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Acura TL.
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Keep researching before you buy
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Acura TL reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Acura TL reliable?
Poor. The Acura TL has 1,216 NHTSA owner complaints and 39 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is AIR BAGS. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Acura TL years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2005 (387 complaints), 2006 (247 complaints), 2012 (130 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Acura TL problems?
Top reported issues: AIR BAGS (440 complaints); STRUCTURE (277 complaints); STEERING (151 complaints).
Does the Acura TL have recalls?
Yes — 39 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Acura TL. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.