2011 Acura TSX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
45 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
79,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 28 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 45 complaints (40.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 18 | 40.0% |
| Braking behavior | 6 | 13.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.2% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 18 |
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 7 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
Steering: 18; Air Bags: 11; Service Brakes: 7; Engine: 4; Electrical System: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Structure:Body: 2; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 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 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2012: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 10; 2017: 7; 2018: 8; 2019: 8; 2020: 2; 2021: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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 11023345 · 2017-09-13 (September 13, 2017)
THE STEERING WENT OUT IN MY CAR WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 100,000 MILES AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING MODULE FOR $1300. THIS SEEMS ODD TO ME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN A NEWER CAR.
Owner-reported narrative. 116,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11023345 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11055819 · 2017-12-20 (December 20, 2017)
MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND AND INDICATOR CAME ON STATING "CHECK POWER STEERING." THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WENT ON MY WAY, HOPING IT WAS A TEMPORARY PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY THE NEXT TIME I TURNED ON MY CAR. BUT 3 DAYS LATER, THE VAR DID THE SAME THING WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT. THIS TIME, IT NEVER WENT AWAY. THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN, AND WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEER…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11055819 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10836271 · 2016-02-15 (February 15, 2016)
ON THREE OCCASIONS 2011 ACURA TSX BREAKS HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BREAK IN ORDER TO AVOID ACCIDENT. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN WHILE GOING OFF THE HIGHWAY EXIT AND PUSHED ON BREAKS ONLY TO FIND THE BREAK PEDAL WAS EXTREMELY STIFF AND WOULD NOT MOVE NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED ON IT... AFTER FEW MINUTES, THE BREAKS STARTED WORKING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS PRE-WARMED FOR AT LEAST 15 MIN BEFORE DRIVING EVERY TIME. THE WEATHER TEMPERATURES ON ALL THREE OCCASIONS WERE BELOW 10 DEGREES F.THERE ARE MULTIPLE …
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10836271 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10882416 · 2016-07-04 (July 4, 2016)
IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES, MY CAR HAS AN EXTREMELY HARD BRAKE PETAL (IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NO POWER ASSIST)AND WILL NOT STOP THE CAR. AS SOON AS CAR WARMS UP THE BRAKE PETAL FEEL COMES BACK AND BRAKING RETURNS TO NORMAL. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN 3 TIMES DURING THE DEAD FREEZING COLD TEMPERATURES AND WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES AND I HAD NOTHING TO STOP MY CAR. I WAS ABLE AT EACH ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS IN TIME TO MOVE TO ANOTHER LANE TO AVOID HITTING A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT WAS VERY SCARY TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN, AND IT MADE ME PARK MY CAR THAT I PAID…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10882416 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11395130 · 2021-02-08 (February 8, 2021)
7 F, CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE ALL NIGHT, STARTED CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, BACKED OUT, BRAKES NORMAL, DRIVING FORWARD SLOWLY, BRAKES NORMAL, WAS GOING 30 APPROACHING STOP SIGN, WENT TO BRAKE, PEDAL WAS SOLID...NOTHING WAS UNDER THE PEDAL, BUT FELT LIKE THERE WAS A BRICK UNDER THE PEDAL. OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T STOP, THANK GOODNESS NO CARS WERE ON THE ROAD. I SLOWED DOWN EVENTUALLY, THEN PUSHED EXTREMELY HARD ON THE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO BRAKE. THEN AFTER DRIVING VERY SLOWLY & TESTING HARD PEDAL, THE PEDAL ACTED NORMAL AFTER A FEW MINUTES. NORMAL P…
Owner-reported narrative. 119,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11395130 at NHTSA ↗