FaultScore

Worst years for a Acura TL

Owners have filed 4,055 complaints about the Acura TL with NHTSA across model years 1995 to 2014. More of them are about the transmission & drivetrain than anything else.

Avoid

2003 Acura TL

466 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly transmission & drivetrain.

Cleanest on record

2014 Acura TL

17 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Acura TL year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2014 A 17 0 0 36,000 Airbags
2013 A 74 1 0 66,328 Steering
2012 C 162 4 0 48,708 Airbags
2011 B 23 1 2 89,500 Airbags
2010 B 75 7 1 60,000 Airbags
2009 C 51 5 0 50,075 Airbags
2008 C 181 6 12 88,000 Airbags
2007 C 167 5 7 75,529 Airbags
2006 C 345 13 4 90,000 Airbags
2005 C 553 10 6 96,000 Body & Structure
2004 D 766 17 8 90,000 Body & Structure
2003 D 466 36 5 76,667 Transmission & Drivetrain
2002 D 403 38 2 73,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2001 C 163 8 2 81,500 Transmission & Drivetrain
2000 D 325 30 6 113,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
1999 C 197 27 5 112,000 Electrical System
1998 B 22 4 0 98,000 Engine & Cooling
1997 B 29 3 2 91,000 Electrical System
1996 B 33 8 0 114,000 Engine & Cooling
1995 3 0 0 Steering

What breaks on a Acura TL

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Worst in 2003

Airbags 834 20.6%

Worst in 2004

Body & Structure 549 13.5%

Worst in 2004

Worst in 1999

Worst in 2005

Steering 213 5.3%

Worst in 2004

Engine & Cooling 174 4.3%

Worst in 2003

Brakes 125 3.1%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2003

Tires 110 2.7%

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2000

Suspension 96 2.4%

Worst in 2004

Lights 52 1.3%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2002

Exactly what failed on a Acura TL

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 586 61.4%
Body 156 16.4%
Frontal 77 8.1%
Manual Transmission 27 2.8%
Switch 23 2.4%
Engine 21 2.2%
Sidewall 16 1.7%
Rearview Mirrors/Devices 16 1.7%
Ignition 16 1.7%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 16 1.7%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Acura TL, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Apr 1997 peak 46 Aug 2026

Acura TL problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Acura TL

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.