2012 Acura Tl problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (36) · Steering (24) · Power Train (23)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Acura Tl model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
81 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V500000 · 1,558 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute hu
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-03-06 · campaign 19V182000 · 1,101,534 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2016-02-03 · campaign 16V061000 · 2,232,187 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
Service bulletins (114)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2026-02-28 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - warranty extension: customer support program for driver's airbag inflator for 2013-14 ilx hybrid and other listed years and models.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2022-04-08 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Equipment 2022-03-01 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Brakes 2021-02-26 · BPaS02262021905 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
dealer message - american honda motor co., inc. (ahm) is searching for certain 2009-2014 tls, tsxs & tsx wagons with a client complaint of the brake pedal feeling soft or spongy when depressed, almost reaching the floor. to better understand the cause of this condition, ahm would like to collect spe
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 2021-02-10 · BPaS02102021903 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
dealer message - american honda motor co., inc. (ahm) is searching for certain 2009-2014 tls, tsxs & tsx wagons with a client complaint of the brake pedal feeling soft or spongy when depressed, almost reaching the floor. to better understand the cause of this condition, ahm would like to collect spe
Wheels 2021-01-26 · B15090E · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
servicenews article - do you have a slow tire leak, but there are no signs of sidewall damage or anything stuck in the tread? while you're checking for leaks, check the valve stem; it could have oxidation buildup from road salt. this buildup can cause a poor seal, resulting in a slow leak.
Showing the 6 most recent of 114 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-02-21 · Electrical System“the vehicle has a faulty hands free link module which runs the battery down when the vehicle is not in use. acura has been aware of this problem since 2005. the government of this sorry ass country has done nothing about this issue except sit on their hands and accept payoffs from acura. acura dealers refuse to call back when this issue is mentione…”
2025-10-21 · Air Bags“airbag light came on and remained …”
2025-07-08 · Unknown Or Other“driving down the highway with my sun shade open but the actual sunroof closed and all of a sudden i just hear a loud pop and glass is all over my head and thighs. the sunroof shattered leaving me with glasses everywhere. no rock was in the sunroof when i was vacuuming the remaining parts of glass.…”
2025-06-10 · Unknown Or Other“they changed the originality milleage of the car and sold it too expensive…”
2025-02-21 · Electrical System“immobilizer unit (recognizes/reads chip in key fob) failure led to the car shutting off the fuel pump leading to the car shutting down. the car could not be started again leaving the driver stranded by the side of the road. vehicle had to be towed to an acura dealer since the electronic immobilizer unit cannot be replaced/programmed by non acura…”
2025-01-20 · Unknown Or Other“driving on the freeway on a particularly warm day in california with the sunroof tilted up. heard a explosion and glass fell on top of me and my family. we pulled over to see what had happened because we didn't see any objects flying at us. upon inspection of the vehicle we noticed that the sunroof had imploded. the glass didn't shatter all the w…”
2023-05-03 · Electrical System“on 4/28/2023 per balcones heights police officer ford and officer [xxx] there is an issue with the license plate light. the light has been replaced twice, to avoid traffic stops. police continue to cite the issue of no license plate light. there are not any warning lights on the dash board only cited by law enforcement. on 12/19/2020 officer [xxx…”
2022-08-03 · Structure:body · 💥 crash“in an auto collision where a car rear end the vehicle from an idle position into an 18-foot box truck in front which was also idle. the vehicle smashed in the front and back which it was deemed a total loss and the airbag did not deploy. this caused the driver to have several injuries including a head concussion. when contacted the dealer servic…”
2022-05-18 · Equipment:electrical:radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.“unknown, i cant keep a mobil phone connected to the car bluetooth and tpms system always seems to show light as well as all the other senors. lots of parts have been tampered with …”
2022-02-23 · Air Bags“check airbag sensor keeps coming on intermittently. …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.