2012 Acura TL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
130 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
56,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 82 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 43 of 130 complaints (33.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 27 | 20.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 20 | 15.4% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 4.6% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 3.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 43 |
| Power Train | 27 |
| Steering | 25 |
| Engine | 18 |
| Electrical System | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 4 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
Air Bags: 43; Power Train: 27; Steering: 25; Engine: 18; Electrical System: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Service Brakes: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 14 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 14 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 48 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 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 30 |
| 2017 | 16 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2012: 8; 2013: 10; 2014: 5; 2015: 11; 2016: 30; 2017: 16; 2018: 20; 2019: 13; 2020: 5; 2021: 2; 2022: 3; 2023: 1; 2025: 5; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 20 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 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 10489381 · 2012-12-20 (December 20, 2012)
12/19/2012 9AM, I WAS DRIVING CALIFORNIA FREEWAY (110) ABOUT 30 MILES/HR. WEATHER WAS CLEAR, ROAD WAS DRY AND NO POT HOLES. I GOT "POWER STEERING WARNING" LIGHTS/BEEPS AND I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. IT WAS VERY STIFF TO STEER AND I BARELY PULLED OVER TO THE CURVE.(ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING). AND I STOPPED THE ENGINE AND TURNED BACK ON THEN THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. BUT IT WAS THE SCARY EXPERIENCE ON THE FREEWAY. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER, SANTA MONICA ACURA AND LEFT OVERNIGHT FOR TROUBLESHOOT. NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE ADVISER TOLD ME THAT THEY …
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10489381 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10490025 · 2012-12-24 (December 24, 2012)
GOT ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) WARNING LIGHT AND LOST THE POWER ASSIST. COULD NOT RESET AND HAD TO DRIVE CAR TO DEALER WITH NO POWER ASSIST. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT LOW SPEED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10490025 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10463638 · 2012-06-30 (June 30, 2012)
I PURCHASED MY 2012 ACURA TL TECH ON 4/30/12 WHICH HAD 100 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WHEN ACCELERATING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 MPH AND 80MPH, THERE APPEARS TO BE A SLIGHT VIBRATION IMITATING FROM THE GAS PEDAL AND DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR. THIS SEEMS TO BE MECHANICAL AS BALANCING IS NOT AN ISSUE AND IT FEELS RHYTHMIC IN NATURE. I HAVE DRIVEN ON THIS FOR 2 MONTHS BEFORE REALIZING THIS CANNOT BE RIGHT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING, USED THE COOKIE CUTTER SCRIPTED "VEHICLE CHARACTERISTIC." THEY CLAIM THEY WILL CONTACT ACURA TECH TO W…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10463638 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10561330 · 2014-01-24 (January 24, 2014)
AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. THE ENGINE DID NOT STALL AND THE RPM'S DID NOT DROP, BUT THE GAS PEDAL DID NOT RESPOND TO INPUT. THE VEHICLE JUST COASTED. AFTER PRODDING THE GAS PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, IT BEGAN TO RESPOND AND I WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE ISSUE LASTED FOR ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS. IT FELT AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS DISCONNECTED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10555625 · 2013-12-16 (December 16, 2013)
2012 ACURA TL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ACCELERATION AND STALLING PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND LOST POWER AND IT ALMOST SEEMED TO STALL OUT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10555625 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10913739 · 2016-10-04 (October 4, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 02/21/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED DURING ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND JERK. LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES IN ACCESSORY MODE, THE BATTERY WOULD DIE. UPDATED 02/23/17.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10913739 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11046112 · 2017-11-14 (November 14, 2017)
ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING INTERNAL FAILURE *BF *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11046112 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10468077 · 2012-07-28 (July 28, 2012)
TURNED CORNER IN LARGE CENTER CITY AND HIT A CONSTRUCTION LARGE POT HOLE AND/OR OBSTRUCTION ON THE LEFT REAR. AFTER COMPLETING TURN ONTO A NARROW ONE-WAY STREET ACCELERATION INCREASED, BRAKES DID NOT WORK, ENGINE COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF, GEARS COULD NOT MOVE. AFTER GOING THROUGH TWO MAJOR INTERSECTIONS WITHOUT ACCIDENT I KEPT PULLING ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CAR SLOWLY STOPPED AND WAS THEN PERFECTLY NORMAL. COULD USE THE BRAKES, SHIFT, ETC. I PARKED OVERNIGHT IN A GARAGE. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY (7/21/12), WHERE IT IS STIL…
Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10468077 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10519752 · 2013-06-13 (June 13, 2013)
I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION AND THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I SLOWED DOWN AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE STOP AND PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. AT THIS TIME, I HIT THE BACK OF A VEHICLE WHICH WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME AND DID VERY LITTLE DAMAGE AS I WAS TRAVELING ONLY AT 12 MPH. THERE WAS MORE DAMAGE DONE TO MY VEHICLE THAN TO THE OTHER PARTY BECAUSE HE WAS DRIVING AN SUV WHICH SAT UP HIGH AND IT DAMAGE MY HOOD AND PUSHED THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE IN AND BROKE THE VENT AND RADIATOR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10519752 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11644200 · 2025-02-21 (February 21, 2025)
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 dealers. Car has been sitting at Acura since the end of December 2024 waiting on parts.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11644200 at NHTSA ↗