2012 Acura TSX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
133 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
72,277 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 106 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 99 of 133 complaints (74.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 100 | 75.2% |
| Braking behavior | 12 | 9.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 7.5% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 1.5% |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 99 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Power Train | 5 |
| Structure:Body | 4 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
Steering: 99; Electrical System: 15; Service Brakes: 9; Air Bags: 6; Engine: 6; Power Train: 5; Structure:Body: 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 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 39 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 33 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 13 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 39; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 3
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (39). 27 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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 47 |
| 2019 | 20 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2013: 4; 2014: 3; 2015: 3; 2016: 6; 2017: 17; 2018: 47; 2019: 20; 2020: 14; 2021: 2; 2022: 6; 2023: 3; 2024: 2; 2025: 4; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 100 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 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 10758477 · 2015-08-21 (August 21, 2015)
UPON STARTING VEHICLE I NOTICED INTERMITTENT "CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM". DURING DRIVE CYCLE I ENCOUNTERED FAILURE OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST, VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER VEHICLE. WENT TO DEALER FOR SERVICE, THEY WITNESSED SAME SYMPTOMS STATED ABOVE, BUT INTERMITTENT CHECK LIGHT WILL NOT PRODUCE A FAULT CODE, TECHNICIAN STATED IT SEEMS LIKE A GROUND PROBLEM. UNABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE DUE TO UNSAFE CONDITION, VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FORCE NEEDED TO STEER VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 64,710 miles reported. Look up ODI 10758477 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10917470 · 2016-10-20 (October 20, 2016)
MY 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, WHO'S LEARNING TO DRIVE WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL WHEN THE CAR STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T ALLOW HER TO TURN THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY WE HADN'T APPROACHED THE HIGHWAY YET OR WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY AND SHE SAID THE WHEEL FELT FUNNY. WE WERE A MILE FROM OUR HOME ENTERING A ROUND AND HEADING ONTO THE HIGHWAY WHEN SHE SAID THE WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN AND SHE PANICKED. I GRABBED THE WHEEL AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. WE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE R…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10917470 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10626545 · 2014-08-20 (August 20, 2014)
ON 7/3/2013, I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE BECAUSE IT HAD DEMONSTRATED SEVERAL EPISODES OF ENGINE HESITATION. I HAVE ALWAYS USED PREMIUM GAS. THE CAR WAS CHECKED, BUT THE SYMPTOMS WERE NOT OBSERVED AND NO CAUSE COULD BE DETERMINED. ON 9/19/2013, I RETURNED FOR AN OIL CHANGE (ANNUAL SERVICE) AND ALSO ASKED IF ANY ENGINE HESITATION SERVICE BULLETINS OR ADVISOR'S HAD BEEN ISSUED. NONE HAD BEEN. THESE EPISODES: ?HAVE OCCURRED ABOUT 15 TIMES WHILE OWNING THE CAR. ?HAVE ALL OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING MODERATELY FROM BELOW 20 M…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626545 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10644740 · 2014-10-15 (October 15, 2014)
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL EPISODES OF ENGINE HESITATION. I HAVE ALWAYS USED PREMIUM GAS. I RETURNED FOR AN OIL CHANGE (ANNUAL SERVICE) AND ALSO ASKED IF ANY ENGINE HESITATION SERVICE BULLETINS OR ADVISORIES HAD BEEN ISSUED. NONE HAD BEEN. THESE EPISODES HAVE OCCURRED ABOUT 20 TIMES WITH THE CAR. IT ALWAYS OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING MODERATELY FROM BELOW 20 MILES AN HOUR. IT LAST FROM 2 TO 3 SECONDS, WHILE THE ENGINE DOES NOTHING. THE HESITATION CANNOT BE SUMMONED UPON DEMAND. ON SOME OCCASIONS, THE HESITATION HAS PUT ME AT RISK OF COLLISION, WHERE I …
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10644740 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10874317 · 2016-06-15 (June 15, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TSX. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS LATER, THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED WHILE TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND NO REPAIRS WERE …
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10874317 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10945236 · 2017-01-14 (January 14, 2017)
I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THE SNOW AND SLID INTO THE GUARDRAIL WHILE TURNING. NOT MUCH BODY DAMAGE, BUT THE STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED. WAS STUCK IN THE ROAD FOR 2 HOURS WITH THE POLICE HAVING TO BLOCK OFF AROUND ME. HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING WITH IT BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL AND COULD NOT CLEAR THE CODE THAT WAS COMING UP AND NEEDED TO GO THE DEALERSHIP.HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE REPLACING THE STEERING.
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10945236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10494674 · 2013-01-25 (January 25, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED BETWEEN 3500 AND 4200, THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT A MOMENTARY DELAY BEFORE RESPONDING AND CONTINUING NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN BOTH AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL MODE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,750 WAS AND THE CUR…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10494674 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10496006 · 2013-01-31 (January 31, 2013)
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED BETWEEN 4000 AND 4200, THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT A MOMENTARY DELAY BEFORE RESPONDING AND CONTINUING NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN BOTH AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL MODE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE CAR IS IN UPSIDE A HILL, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800 WAS AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,906. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,906 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496006 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11355035 · 2020-09-14 (September 14, 2020)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, A WARNING MESSAGE TO "CHECK POWER STEERING!" APPEARED AND THE POWER STEERING DEACTIVATED COMPLETELY. THIS LEFT ME SUDDENLY IN A VERY HEAVY AND DIFFICULT TO TURN VEHICLE. I HAD TO PUSH/PULL THE WHEEL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT TO SLOWLY GET IT OFF THE HIGHWAY WHILE BARELY MISSING OTHER CARS. THIS WAS A VERY UNSETTLING/HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR SPECIFICALLY HAS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING FAILING. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND …
Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11355035 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11603279 · 2024-07-18 (July 18, 2024)
Check engine Transmission ABS VSA TPMS All lights went on suddenly. While I was driving suddenly all lights came on dashboard. I’ve used OBD scanner to find the root cause but the problem can’t be detected. I went to Acura dealer in NJ and paid $250. They inspected, and said it could be this Instrument cluster or that ECu. But they did not said anything concrete what could be faulty. Both are expensive to replace around $2000-$4000 each The lights comes and goes. These lights are not persistent. I’ve been driving with it. Sometimes when …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11603279 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11073165 · 2018-02-15 (February 15, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (2175 S BRADLEY RD, SANTA MARIA, CA 93455) AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME YEAR. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT, DUE TO THE WARRANTY BEING EXPIRED, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE REMAINED PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 125,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11073165 at NHTSA ↗