MODELYEARINDEX

Which Acura TL years to avoid

Across 4 scored model years, the 2012 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Acura TL Full report
F
Grade 2010–2014
2012 vs model median 3.5×
Model median3× median
Airbags & Restraints 23
Drivetrain 16
Engine 6
Avoid

2012

Best

2010 · 2014

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.93× 20 C
2012
3.54× 72 F
2013
1.07× 25 C
2014
0.57× 12 B

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2012 F 72 reports · median 11,424 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 23

    Passenger side airbag warning light comes on intermittently for several seconds (long enough to have photographed it on cell phone on several occasions and sent to ralleye acura dealership) although a passenger is… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Drivetrain 16

    I purchased a new 2012 acura tl on 2/8/12. Each day I drive 35 miles to and from work on interstate 75 with a posted speed of 70 MPH. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 6

    Purchased my new 2012 sh-AWD acura tl advance in march of 2012. The car had less than 100 miles when purchased and currently has 5k miles (january 2013). The car vibrates when driving at speeds between 40 and 80 MPH. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2 crash · 3 injuries

2013 C 25 reports · median 23,000 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 14

    Takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 acura tl. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) and felt that the part expected availability date was unreasonable. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Suspension 2

    Pronounced "clunk" noise coming from rear of car at low speeds - between 15-40 MPH. This is a consistent issue that many people have reported in various acura tl, tsx, and honda accord internet forums. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Drivetrain 2

    Appears to be transmission related problem. I currently have approximately 47,xxx miles on my vehicle which I had purchased brand new. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

1 crash · 1 injuries

The best year for the TL

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2014 is the best-scoring TL model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 78.2 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2014 0.57× 12 B
2010 0.93× 20 C
2013 1.07× 25 C

Recalls

3 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
16V061000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 2,232,187
19V182000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 1,101,534
19V500000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 1,558

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2012 were reported at a median of 11,424 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Acura TL years should you avoid?
2012 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Acura TL model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Acura TL?
2014 is the best-scoring Acura TL model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 78.2 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Acura TL have?
3 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Acura TL model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2012 TL
Complaints in window
72
Severity-weighted
93
Model median (weighted)
26
vs model median
3.54×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
3
Open investigations
0
Score 17.5 F