2005 Acura TSX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
51 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
102,965 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 34 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 16 of 51 complaints (31.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 7 | 13.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 5.9% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 3.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 3.9% |
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 | 16 |
| Steering | 6 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Seat Belts | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 |
Air Bags: 16; Steering: 6; Unknown Or Other: 6; Power Train: 4; Electrical System: 3; Seat Belts: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Exterior Lighting: 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 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 7
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 17 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 5; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 5; 2011: 1; 2012: 3; 2013: 4; 2014: 6; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 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 10285943 · 2009-10-01 (October 1, 2009)
2005 ACURA TSX PRESENTED AT DEALER WITH PREMATURELY-DETERIORATED POWER STEERING HOSE. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ON HOT ENGINE PRESENTS FIRE HAZARD, PER DEALER SERVICE MANAGER. HOSE WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL ON TL AND RL MODELS, BUT NOT THE TSX. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10285943 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10340947 · 2010-07-01 (July 1, 2010)
IN SEPTEMBER 2009 I PURCHASED MY 2005 ACURA TSX FROM PAUL BURNS AUTO GROUP WHO HAD RECEIVED THE CAR VIA DAVIS ACURA. I BROUGHT IT HOME I NOTICED THE CAR WAS PINK, ESPECIALLY FADED PAINT ON THE HOOD, TRUNK AND TOP OF THE CAR. AFTER A DAY OR TWO OF DRIVING I NOTICED A NOISE AND HAD TROUBLE STEERING. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THERE WAS A SEVERE LEAK IN POWER STEERING FLUID COMING FROM THE RACK. I BATTLED WITH THE DEALER AND WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE RACK FOR THE HALF THE COST IT WOULD HAVE. THE CAR'S WARRANTY EXPIRED IN APRIL 2009 ONL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10340947 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169386 · 2006-09-27 (September 27, 2006)
2005 ACURA TSX MULTIPLE FAILURES EXPERIENCED UNDER WARRANTY OF AIR CONDITIONING, TRANSMISSION, EXHAUST MANIFOLD. TRANSMISSION NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED, AS RESULT OF REPAIR ERRORS AND DEFECTS INTERIOR CABIN OF VEHICLE REPEATEDLY FLOODED WITH SEVERAL GALLONS OF WATER. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 7,163 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10510053 · 2013-04-30 (April 30, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED GEARS WITHOUT WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN INTERNAL FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10510053 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10228181 · 2008-05-19 (May 19, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA TSX. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE SENSOR FROM THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD NOT PROVIDE AN ERROR CODE. THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY WITH THE DEALER. THEY HAVE TEST DRIVEN THE VEHICLE, BUT ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER CONTINUE TO STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,050.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10228181 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10350188 · 2010-08-17 (August 17, 2010)
FRONT BRAKE FAILURE. FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPING TO CAUSE SERVE VIBRATIONS AND VERY WEAK BRAKES. THIS HAD OCCURRED BEFORE REACHING 50,000 MILES. ROTORS AND PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I DO NOT WANT TO USE ORIGINAL DEALER REPLACEMENT PARTS DUE TO THE FACT IT WILL JUST HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS IS WELL KNOW ON INTERNET AND EVEN MY LOCAL INSPECTION GARAGE KNOWS ABOUT IT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE PLEASE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10350188 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11362895 · 2020-10-05 (October 5, 2020)
CAR BEGINS BRAKING WHILE ACCELERATING AND STARTS SLIDING WHEN BRAKING ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE OTHER MODEL FROM THIS YEAR SUCH AS THE MDX HAVE A RECALL FOR THE VSA SYSTEM HOWEVER THE TSX DOES NOT. THE MDX RECALL FROM 05 MATCHED THE SAME ISSUES THE 05 TSX HAS.
Owner-reported narrative. 175,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11362895 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10703701 · 2015-04-04 (April 4, 2015)
THE SRS (AIR BAG) INDICATOR BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE SRS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WOULD BECOME DISABLED. DUE TO THIS SAFETY HAZARD, MY VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PASS MASSACHUSETTS STATE INSPECTION. AN ACURA DEAL PULLED TO CODES AND DISCOVERED A REPORT OF CODE 81-1- INDICATING A FAILURE OF THE CAR SEAT BUCKLE AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAR SEAT BUCKLE AT A COST OF NEARLY $400. THE PART NUMBER IS 04816SECA12ZD. THE ACURA DEAL IS UNABLE TO COVER THIS REPAIR UNDER THE LIFETIME CAR SEAT BELT WARRA…
Owner-reported narrative. 93,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10703701 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10907327 · 2016-09-17 (September 17, 2016)
AROUND 11:15PM ON 9/16/16 MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15MPH ALL THE CENTER CONSOLE LIGHTS/CONTROLS WENT OUT, VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL, SHIFTED TO MANUAL AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AS WELL, STILL NO ACCELERATION, ONLY MOTOR REVVING, TURNED HEADLIGHTS OFF THEN IT ACCELERATED, ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, ALL GAUGES FAILED, VEHICLE STALLED, TRIED TO CRANK AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER, PUT A CHARGE TO THE BATTERY, VEHICLE STARTED BUT ALL ISSUES REMAINED. UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
Owner-reported narrative. 127,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10907327 at NHTSA ↗