Acura TL: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
2,888 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Acura TL, model years 2000 to 2014. 4 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2003 (transmission 25×); 2002 (transmission 22×); 2000 (transmission 11×); 2001 (transmission 10×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2011, 2009, 2013. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 TL | 249 | transmission 11× | 6 | |
| 2001 TLFEW REPORTS | 148 | transmission 10× | 3 | |
| 2002 TL | 332 | transmission 22× | 7 | |
| 2003 TL | 391 | transmission 25× | 5 | |
| 2004 TL | 550 | — | 6 | |
| 2005 TL | 388 | — | 7 | |
| 2006 TL | 247 | — | 6 | |
| 2007 TLFEW REPORTS | 124 | quiet: 5 of 14 | 4 | |
| 2008 TLFEW REPORTS | 124 | — | 4 | |
| 2009 TLFEW REPORTS | 42 | quiet: 2 of 14 | 3 | |
| 2010 TLFEW REPORTS | 64 | quiet: 4 of 14 | 3 | |
| 2011 TLFEW REPORTS | 20 | quiet: 1 of 14 | 3 | |
| 2012 TLFEW REPORTS | 130 | — | 3 | |
| 2013 TLFEW REPORTS | 62 | quiet: 3 of 14 | 3 | |
| 2014 TLFEW REPORTS | 17 | — | 3 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Acura models
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 200020022003200420052006