Is the 2002 Acura TL a bad year?
332 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 223, 22× a quiet TL year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2002 Acura TL were filed between 32k and 94k miles. You're at 53,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2002 TL owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 53,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 223 (67%) | 32k–94k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 42 (13%) | 71k–152k miles · ahead | — |
| Brakes | 21 (6%) | 18k–92k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Speed control | 15 (5%) | 22k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 13 (4%) | 48k–161k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 12 (4%) | 69k–158k miles · ahead | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Suspension | 7 (2%) | 63k–133k miles · ahead | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Visibility and wipers | 11 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 53,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 332 complaints: 25 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 12 report an injury · 3 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
1. Transmission started slipping and jerked the car violently several times. 2. Transmission failure and at 52,000 miles.
I was on highway 280 doing about 65 in my morning commute from san francisco to cupertino. Without warning, my transmission shifted from fourth to second, sending my car into a sideways skid as if I had hit the brakes...hard.
Vehicle shifts into gear ok until it reaches 40 miles per hour then gear stops shifting as if the gears aren't catching.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 53,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2002 Acura TL: 7
These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode. An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
On some Mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage. Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
Repairs were made from march 9 through july 27, 2001. Honda also determined that incorrect front seat belt buckle replacement parts were used for some product update repairs of 2000 Acura 3.2TL vehicles, and warranty or collision repairs of 2000-2002 3.2TL vehicles. In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "Seat belt assemblies." Certain driver and passenger seat belt buckles were improperly manufactured. In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.
Vehicle description: sedans equipped with an "Auto-up" Power window feature on the driver's door. The driver's side power window control unit can fail, and depending on the failure mode, the window could become inoperative, open or close independent of switch activation, or the auto-reverse system may not operate. The auto-reverse system failure could result in occupant injury.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Acura: 22
Repair instructions Acura sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2002 Acura TL. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
You are required to install a remanufactured A/T (automatic transmission) and torque converter on any vehicle with an internal failure that calls for A/T…
The inspection procedure for Takata driver's airbags was removed because all Takata driver's airbag inflators installed in the recall vehicle population…
There are guidelines for various situations and procedures including: tire pressure valve stem installation, trailer stability malfunction light…
NHTSA defect investigations: 5
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Rupturing driver's air bag inflators
Automatic transmission sudden downshift
Neighbouring years
2001 TL: 148 complaints, consider selling · 2003 TL: 391 complaints, consider selling.
Every Acura TL year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · All TL years side by side
Other Acura models: Acura CL · Acura ILX · Acura Integra · Acura MDX · Acura RDX · Acura RL · Acura RSX · Acura TLX · Acura TSX. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2002 Acura TL a bad year?
332 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 223, 22× a quiet TL year. At 53,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2002 Acura TL were filed between 32k and 94k miles. You're at 53,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Acura TL?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (223), air bags (42), brakes (21), speed control (15), engine (13). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 32k–94k miles.
How many recalls does the 2002 Acura TL have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 19V-499), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-182), Air bags (NHTSA 15V-320), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 04V-176) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.