38 of the 4,055 complaints filed about the Acura TL are about the seat belts — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2000.
38
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
SEAT BELTS
The passenger side seatbelt does not latch
NHTSA complaint #11521777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The driver’s side seat belt is frayed. The area of concern on the belt goes through the upper guide loop and into the B-pillar trim panel. When in use it resides along my upper left torso. The amount of fraying is about twelve inches in length and the width is decreased by about a quarter of an inch in one area. The issue came to my attention on January 18, 2023. when a co-worker, who has worked in designing and engineering vehicle safety components, brought it to my attention. He informed me that that all safety features such as seat belts and air bags, are warrantied for the life of a vehicle as they work together as a safety system as an industry standard, and that the belt is compromised and may not work as designed in the event of a crash. On January 18, 2023, I spoke on the telephone with the service manager, Martin, of Acura of Troy in Troy, Michigan. Martin informed me that the belt was not a warranty item. I also contacted Acura by online chat on January 19, 2023, and received the same information. On January 27, 2023, I visited the Acura of Troy dealership and had a service representative review the component and received a written estimate to replace the defective parts at my expense, and not under warranty. I believe this to be a defective part caused by the components comprised in the system. I would like this matter to be elevated with Acura as a matter of record. My expectation is to confirm this is either not a safety concern or repair the belt as required under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11508091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
04 acura tl my transmission wen applying the brakes feel like a big part of tranny broke u feel it move like it grinding about to brake it can cause a big accident or death .if wen fully apply brakes complete stop .it will b bad it say a recall yrs ago 4 this same thing I'm telling u now about trannie i got kids I take n car seat belt lock don't work n back lights keep flashing n back at nite out of no were is there something n my car my gmail is [XXX]. 04 Acura tl had only 2mounths paid 3000 n Montclair now it sits not going to chance it driving no safe at all please help me INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11463272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
MY SON WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED.
NHTSA complaint #11397856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE ACURA DEALERSHIP INSPECTED MY AIRBAG INFLATOR AND DENIED REPLACEMENT SINCE THE AIRBAG NUMBER ENDED WITH "00" RATHER THAN "96", "97", "98", "99". THERE IS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY "00" IS SAFE. NO ONE KNOWS AT THE DEALERSHIP OR CORPORATE OFFICE. AM I AND OTHERS DRIVING WITH A SAFE AIRBAG OR IS IT STILL DEFECTIVE? DELAYED RESPONSE FROM ACURA AND HONDA. NO OPTION PROVIDED TO PURCHASE A NEW INFLATOR TO GUARANTEE SAFETY. NOW THEY ARE SAYING TEKATA SEATBELTS MAY ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE, AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO INSPECT SEATBELT UPON REQUEST.
NHTSA complaint #11365930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE VSA SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON THE DASHBOARD I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THE COMPUTER IS SIGNALING IS LETTING US KNOW THAT IN A CASE OF A ACCIDENT I WOULDN'T BE SAFE ALSO THE AIRBAGS ARE SHOWING AN MALFUNCTION IT WOULD NOT PROTECT ME BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT DEPLOY ALSO DUE TO AN ACCIDENT
NHTSA complaint #11302874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SRS LIGHT CAME ON IN DASHBOARD. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE (NO CONTINUITY). ACCURA WARRANTY STATES, "WILL REPAIR OR REPLACE ANY ACURA SEAT BELT COMPONENT THAT FAILS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY DURING NORMAL USE. THIS INCLUDES ALL PARTS AND LABOR CHARGES. COVERAGE CONTINUES FOR 15 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. CAR IS LESS THAN 15 YEARS OLD AND HAS 139K MILES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY COSTING $429 AND SAID I HAD TO GET WARRANTY CLAIM FROM ACURA HQ. I CONTACTED ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS (CASE # 100009213) AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. HOW A CALL CENTER REP OVER THE PHONE COULD TELL ME WHAT WAS OR WAS NOT WRONG WITH THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY IS A MYSTERY. FURTHER, HE SELECTED THE SENSOR AS A COMPONENT THAT HE SAID WAS NOT WORKING AND HE DID NOT CONSIDER THAT A COMPONENT OF THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE ISSUE IS THAT ACURA CAN'T SELECTIVELY DEFINE WHAT IS AND IS NOT A COMPONENT AFTER STATING IN THE WARRANTY, "REPAIR OR REPLACE ANY ACURA SEAT BELT COMPONENT THAT FAILS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY...." THE WORD, "ANY" BY DEFINITION MEANS NOT SPECIFIC OR PARTICULAR. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT ACURA HAS NOT MET ITS OBLIGATION TO ENSURE THAT THE SEAT BELT COMPONENTS ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WITHIN THE STATED TIME PERIOD.
NHTSA complaint #11279086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE AIRBAG SEAT BELT SENSOR OR LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME IT'S COMMON FOR THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES OF 2004 TO 2008. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED, I WAS TOLD IT WASNT UNDER WARRANTY OR A RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OLDER THAN 10 YEARS, BUT CLEARLY ON THE WEBSITE IT SAYS UNDER 15 YEARS IT SHOULD BE COVERED. I WANTED TO CLEAR THIS UP WITH ACURA SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME ABOUT $600 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND ALMOST $2000 FOR REINSTALLING AN AIRBAG AND SENSOR, WHICH I SAW ONLINE IT'S A RECALL BUT MY CARS VIN SAYS I DONT HAVE A RECALL. I ALREADY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THRU MY MECHANIC AND HAVE ALL THE CODES THAT STATES IT IS A RECALL WHAT CAN I DO? I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND THE AIRBAG SEAT BELT SENSOR LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON.
NHTSA complaint #11240571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
STRUTS SNAPPED ON HIGHWAY
NHTSA complaint #11128597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED DUE TO DEFECTIVE SWITCH IN SEAT BELT BUCKLE. MANUFACTURER HAS LIFETIME SEAT BELT WARRANTY BUT WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THAT THE SWITCH IS PART OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND NOT PART OF THE SEAT BELT. SO MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAS TO DRIVE A CAR WITH NO AIR BAGS BECAUSE HONDA/ACURA WILL NOT HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS, AS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #11080263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY 35 MPH ON ROUTE 9 IN CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AND FRONT SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON ALMOST CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. THE SEAT BELT ACTUATOR IS NOW LOCKED RENDERING THE SEAT BELT USELESS. ACURA TOWED THE CAR TO A DEALER WHO UPLOADED ALL THE COMPUTER CODES AND CLAIMS THAT THE OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT! THE CODES LISTED ON THE RECEIPT ARE F3-11, 61-1, 81-55, 25-11. THEY LIST A DEFECT CODE 03217. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ACURA NORTH AMERICA CITED THE CONDITION OF THE 4 RIMS, (WHICH ARE ALL SCUFFED AT THE EDGES), AND SCUFFS ON THE BUMPER INDICATE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IF THIS WAS POSSIBLE, SHOULDN'T THE AIRBAG HAVE DEPLOYED WHEN THE SCUFFS OCCURRED? THERE WAS NO EVENT THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIRBAG ACTIVATION UNDER STEADY DRIVING. ACURA SEEMS TO HAVE HAD MORE EXAMPLES OF THIS PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED ON VARIOUS ACURA FORUM WEB PAGES WHERE UNPROVOKED SIDE AND SEAT AIRBAGS UNEXPLAINABLY DETONATE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT AT ACURA HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS. HAD THIS RESULTED IN A PHYSICAL INJURY RATHER THAN AND EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL ONE, A COURT CASE COULD HAVE BEEN PURSUED.
NHTSA complaint #11055358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TAKATA RECALL. AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN TO THE ACURA OF ORANGE PARK FL TO HAVE AIRBAG SYSTEM CHECKED RELATED TO THE RECALL THE REPAIR WAS MADE AND A WEEK LATER THE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO ADVISE AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK WHICH I DID AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL REPAIR WAS MADE. HOWEVER, THE SWITCH IS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR A COST. I THEN CALLED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND WAS TOLD TO RETURN IT AT WHICH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT ISN'T COVERED IN THE RECALL. NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM INDICATOR IS ACCURATE OR NOT BECAUSE THE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF DAILY AS I DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #11051859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEPT 2016 WAS HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE SRS LIGHT REMAINING ON CONSTANTLY. SEAT BELT BUCKLE UNDER RECALL, HAD THAT REPLACED'THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. JULY 2017 NOW THE DASHBOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE HAS A DEEP STRAIGHT CRACK. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER ACURA TL HAVE THIS ISSUE. THE AIRBAG IS IN THAT DASHBOARD RIGHT WHERE THE CRACK IS. ACURA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL NOT REPAIR, REPLACE OR RECALL. I HAVE KEPT THE CAR IMMACULATE, I HAVE REGULAR SERVICE AND A HONDA/ACURA REPAIR SHOP. I UNDERSTAND ACURA TL SPECIFICALLY 2008 HAS THIS PROBLEM AROUND THE COUNTRY IN A VARIETY OF CLIMATES, AND WHETHER THE CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED OR NOT. IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. IT IS ENDANGERING MY PASSENGER. ALSO, IF YOU FIND A JUNK PART AND REPLACE THE DASH, APPARENTLY THE REPLACEMENT DASH WILL CRACK ALSO AND THE SRS LIGHT WILL BE ON AND THE AIRBAG COMPROMISED AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #11020140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER HITTING A SMALL POTHOLE GOING AROUND 35 MPH ON A PAVED CITY ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #11019471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVERS SIDE CURTAIN AND TORSO AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND SEAT BELT TENSIONER OPERATED WHEN PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HIT A POTHOLE ON THE OFF RAMP OF A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY. CAR WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #10971441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON I-90 EAST IN WASHINGTON STATE, AT 60MPH WHEN I HIT A VERY SMALL POTHOLE RIGHT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE, AND IT DEPLOYED THE DRIVER'S SEAT AIRBAG, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG, AND LOCKED THE SEATBELT TIGHT AGAINST ME. THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED AND HIT ME VERY HARD DISORIENTING ME AND BARELY ALLOWING ME TO PULL OVER. THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION NEARLY CAUSED ME TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE WHILE I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE CAR WITH ME. NO OTHER AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED.
NHTSA complaint #10970392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TAKATA RECALL AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: AIR BAG DEPLOYED RIGHT SIDE OF CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING RIGHT SIDE BEFORE THE CRASH. BECAUSE OF DEPLOYMENT OF RIGHT SIDE AIR BAG IT CAUSED THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG TO BE DEPLOYED. CAR WAS EXITING HIGHWAY RAMP WHEN AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DOCUMENTED INS ESTIMATE AVAIL.
NHTSA complaint #10957500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
HONDA REPLACED MY AIRBAG AND I STILL GET THE SRS MALFUNCTION LIGHT. ACURA DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND IS WANTING ME TO REPLACE THE SAFETY COMPONENTS AT MY COST. SRS LIGHT IS ON AND I SUSPECT FAULTY SEAT BELTS. BUT HONDA DOES NOT WARRANTY SEAT BELTS AND SAFETY COMPONENTS AFTER 10 YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10899228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED A POT HOLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK VIOLENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND FLIPPED OVER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S LEFT SHOULDER STRAP SEAT BELT WAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE LEAVING BEHIND ONLY THE WAIST STRAP SEAT BELT AS THE CONTACT SHIFTED FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO THE PASSENGERS SEAT DURING THE ACCIDENT. FURTHERMORE, THE CONTACT'S HEAD WAS PARTIALLY HANGING OUT OF THE WINDOW AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED WRIST, CHEST PAINS, MULTIPLE LACERATIONS AND A CONCUSSION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT'S STOMACH WAS SEVERELY TWISTED OUT OF SHAPE AND THE CONTACT VOMITED AND FAINTED NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10837599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AIR BAG DASH WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED.
NHTSA complaint #10545322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.