2001 Acura TL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
149 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
81,937 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 84 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 87 of 149 complaints (58.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 92 | 61.7% |
| Braking behavior | 13 | 8.7% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 2.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 2.0% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 1.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 87 |
| Air Bags | 15 |
| Power Train | 14 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Tires | 3 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 2 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 87; Air Bags: 15; Power Train: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Electrical System: 3; Tires: 3; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 21 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 11
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 65 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 27 |
| 2003 | 20 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2001: 6; 2002: 27; 2003: 20; 2004: 14; 2005: 15; 2006: 5; 2007: 7; 2008: 5; 2009: 5; 2010: 8; 2011: 9; 2012: 1; 2013: 7; 2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2019: 3; 2020: 8; 2021: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 92 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 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 10000973 · 2003-01-12 (January 12, 2003)
AT 26,0000 MILES, 2001 ACURA 3.2TL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. WHILE PASSING A VERY SLOW CAR, TRANSIMISSION SUDDENLY DID NOT ENGAGE AND ENGINE RPMS SOARED WHILE POWER TO WHEELS CEASED. TC AND ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. WENT TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT STOPPING AND ADIVISED IT WAS OK TO CONTINUE DRIVING CAREFULLY, ONE WEEK OUT APPOINTMMENT GIVEN TO ME. AT APPOINTMENT, INFORMED OF AT FAILURE, COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. RETURNED ONE WEEK LATER.
Owner-reported narrative. 27,186 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000973 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004252 · 2003-01-21 (January 21, 2003)
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED ON A COLLISION CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT WANTED TO SEE THE CAR TO LOOK AT IT, BUT CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO. PH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004252 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051489 · 2004-01-01 (January 1, 2004)
MY ACURA 2001 3.2TL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSON WAS STARTED BY TURNING ON THE IGNITION. AS SOON AS IT WAS STARTED, WITH TRANSMISSION IN PARK, THE CAR TOOK OFF IN REVERSE. STEPPING ON THE BRAKE DIDN'T SLOW DOWN THE CAR, NEITHER DID SHIFTING THE GEARS. THE ONLY WAY THE CAR STOPPED WAS WHEN IT HIT THE FENCE AND HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CAR, WELL OVER $7000. I CALLED ACURA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND STATED THAT ACURA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT. THEY DIDN'T HELP AT ALL. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE CEO OF AMER…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054796 · 2004-01-24 (January 24, 2004)
VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 2001 ACURA TL. BOUGHT USED AND HAS BEEN IN SHOP 6 OR 7 TIMES IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. BRAKES, TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, MASTER CYLINDER. BRAKES CONTINUE TO SEEMINGLY HAVE A PROBLEM...YOU HAVE TO ALMOST GO TO THE FLOOR TO STOP, BUT DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS NORMAL ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. TRUE OR NOT-I DON'T KNOW. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, ALSO THE ABS AND TC LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON. ALSO, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE THAT MY CAR NOW HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I HARDLY GO ANYWHERE. IT SEEMS THE ODOMETER …
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054796 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008349 · 2003-03-03 (March 3, 2003)
TRANSMISSION FAILED IN CAR WHICH ALMOST CAUSED IT TO STALL IN ACCELERATION BECAUSE IT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THIRD GEAR WHILE ACCELERATING WITH OTHER CARS BEHIND ME. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND MOVE IT OFF ROAD TO A SAFE SPOT. I HAD RESEARCHED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR SO I REALIZED THE SYMPTOMS IMMEDIATELY BUT HAD LESS THAN A DAY'S NOTICE BEFORE IT HAPPENED. OTHERS HAVE REPORTED EVEN LESS NOTICE WITH THEIR CARS ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED DROPPING FROM 5TH TO 2ND GEAR JERKING THEM FORWARD AND CAUSING THE CAR …
Owner-reported narrative. 66,421 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045018 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REFUSED TO LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 25,721 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045018 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10110104 · 2005-02-08 (February 8, 2005)
I HAD A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH THE CAR HEADING WELL OVER 100 MPH ON THE PA TURNPIKE. NOTHING IN CAR RESPONDED - BRAKES, EMERGENCY BRAKE, GEAR SHIFTING...HAD TO TURN OFF CAR TO STOP IT! ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED. CAR WAS TOWED THIS MORNING (2 DAYS AFTER SITUATION) AND IS NOW AT DEALERSHIP. THEY CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAID THAT ALL WAS FINE - THE BATTERY COVER LOOKED OUT OF PLACE. I JUST HAD THIS CAR IN LAST WEEK FOR THE TRANSMISSION RECALL. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR, LET ALONE HAVE MY DAUGHTER DRIVE …
Owner-reported narrative. 81,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110104 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10143916 · 2005-11-29 (November 29, 2005)
AFTER REAR-END COLLISION (MY FAULT ON SLICK PAVEMENT, GOING EST. 15 MPH WHERE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND CAR SKIDDED FOR AT LEAST 15-20 FEET) THE FRONT END OF MY CAR SIMPLY HAD A DENTED FRONT END AND GRILL AND LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) HEADLIGHT. A FEW MINUTES LATER A SMALL FLAME BROKE OUT AROUND THIS BROKEN HEADLIGHT AND THE FLAME QUICKLY GREW BEFORE THE FIRE ENGINES COULD GET THERE, W/IN 5 MINUTES THE ENTIRE ENGINE AREA WAS ON FIRE AND THE CAR IS NOW TOTALED. THE FIRE CHIEF TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN A HEADLIGHT CATCH FIRE AND THEN SPREAD THE WAY …
Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10143916 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158727 · 2006-05-31 (May 31, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING, BLACK SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A STORAGE LOT, WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY DETERMINED THE FAN MOTOR FAILED CAUSING THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. UPDATED 06/19/06. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158727 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10204823 · 2007-10-04 (October 4, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE STEERING HAS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER ONLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WOULD BE $800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB UPDATED *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204823 at NHTSA ↗