U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Acura TL problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

248 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

110,400 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 147 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 80 of 248 complaints (32.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	94	37.9%
Braking behavior	25	10.1%
Electrical and battery issues	12	4.8%
Engine operation	10	4.0%
Steering behavior	3	1.2%
Fuel system concerns	2	0.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Air Bags

Power Train

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices

Air Bags:Frontal

Vehicle Speed Control

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	80
Air Bags	48
Power Train	31
Electrical System	15
Unknown Or Other	9
Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices	9
Air Bags:Frontal	8
Vehicle Speed Control	8

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 80; Air Bags: 48; Power Train: 31; Electrical System: 15; Unknown Or Other: 9; Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices: 9; Air Bags:Frontal: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 32; 100,000 to 149,999: 59; 150,000 and above: 28

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (59). 101 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2024

2026

2000: 14; 2001: 9; 2002: 16; 2003: 13; 2004: 30; 2005: 15; 2006: 4; 2007: 11; 2008: 23; 2009: 10; 2010: 18; 2011: 10; 2012: 10; 2013: 9; 2014: 10; 2015: 8; 2016: 4; 2017: 4; 2018: 2; 2019: 2; 2020: 20; 2021: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 94 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10002175 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A RAPID STOP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND PERFORMED MAINTENANCE. THE CONSUMER IS NOW EXPERIENCING SEVERE "SLIPPAGE" OF TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING. MR THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002175 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006055 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)

NAR 1/29/2003. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IRREGULAR SHIFTING BEHAVIOR THAT OTHER DRIVERS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING. THE CONSUMER ALSO OWNS THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006055 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000008 · 2002-12-13 (December 13, 2002)

TTHINK TWICE AND LONG BEFORE BUYING A 2000 ACURA 3.2 TL.WE ARE THE SECOND OWNERS OF THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR. WE AND THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:ON SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2001, AT 20129 MILES, THE FIRST OWNER TOOK THE AUTOMOBILE TO AN ACURA SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE SRS (SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) INDICATOR LIGHT HAD COME ON.THE SHOP REPLACED THE 'OPDS UNIT' BUT PROVIDED NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE WARNING INDICATOR HAD COME ON. AT 26467 MILES, THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000008 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019487 · 2003-05-19 (May 19, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER CAME TO A STOP, WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR AND THE VEHICLE FINALLY FISH TAILED TO A STOP. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019487 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10038051 · 2003-09-03 (September 3, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH SRS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THIS MAY RESULT IN AIR BAG FAILURE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038051 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10062535 · 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)

I PURCHASED MY TL BRAND NEW IN 2000. SINCE THEN I HAVE IT IN THE REPAIR SHOP 7 TIMES FOR THE SAMETHING. BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF EACH ATTEMPTED REPAIR: *AK THE 1ST ATTEMPT TO REPAIR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (NOV 9 2000) THREE MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW, THE COIL AND FUEL INJECTOR WAS CHECKED. A SHORT WAS FOUND IN THE WIREHOOK (FALSE CODE). THE 2ND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (DEC 13 2000) WAS A CODE P0305 #5 CYLINDER MISS FIRE AND THEY REPLACED 5 INJECTOR WITH 4 INJECTOR THE THIRD ATTEMPT TO REPAIR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062535 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10043508 · 2003-10-24 (October 24, 2003)

FAULTY TRANSMISSION ON MY 2000 ACURA 3.2 TL. GRINDING SOUND. CAR SURGES WHEN STOPPED. STALLS OUT WHEN STOPPED. MAKES VIBRATING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION. DOWN SHIFTS BY ITSELF. SOUNDS LIKE THEIR IS A BROKEN PART MOVING AROUND INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043508 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088891 · 2004-08-31 (August 31, 2004)

I HAVE A 2000 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING ON THE DELWAY MEMORIAL BRIDGE DOING ABOUT 70 MPH I NOTICED SMOKE IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR, THEN THE CAR STARTED REVING AND NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED TRANMISSION FLUID AT THE SIDE OF THE CAR BEHIND THE CAR AND UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO A GAS STATION ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT ITS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION MUST HAVE OVERHEATED AND EXPLODED BECAUSE THE GUY COULD NOT FIND A LEAK NOWHERE. WHEN HE OPENED THE BOLT ON THE TRANSMISSION IT SMELLED LIKE SOME…

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088891 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039999 · 2003-09-15 (September 15, 2003)

THE PCM CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO DOWN SHIFT AT RANDOM TIMES . SHIFTS WHILE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039999 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10461251 · 2012-06-11 (June 11, 2012)

WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE WHICH I JUST PURCHASED ON MAY 26TH 2012, AND MY CAR BEGAN TO HAVE SHIFTING PROBLEMS IN 2ND AND THIRD GEAR RACING RPMS AND WOULD NOT STAY ENGAGED IN 2ND, 3RD, 4TH AND 5TH GEAR AND VIOLENTLY DOWNSHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS CAUSING ME EVEN RESTRAINED BY THE SEAT BEAT TO FLY INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND WINDSHEILD BUMPING MY HEAD AND HURTING MY BACK DUE TO WHIP LASH. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THEN THE D5 WOULD START FLASHING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BECAME LITE. AFTER CALLING ACURA CUSTOMER CARE, BRI…

Owner-reported narrative. 121,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10461251 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10807510 · 2015-11-30 (November 30, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 ACURA TL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 146,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10807510 at NHTSA ↗