Is the 2003 Acura TL a bad year?
391 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 246, 25× a quiet TL year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2003 Acura TL were filed between 44k and 110k miles. You're at 78,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2003 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 78,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 246 (63%) | 44k–110k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 50 (13%) | 65k–146k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 20 (5%) | 71k–159k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Speed control | 20 (5%) | 16k–92k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 15 (4%) | 67k–110k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 15 (4%) | 60k–154k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Suspension | 14 (4%) | 55k–150k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Brakes | 9 (2%) | 25k–96k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Steering | 5 (1%) | 98k–174k miles · ahead | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Tires | 12 (3%) | 9k–27k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 9 (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 78,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 391 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 17 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Jul 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
A day before while driving my acura's VSA light came on and within few miles engine light came on. By the end of the trip the car was having problem shifting gears especially in lower.
Traveling at freeway speed car suddenly downshifted to 2nd gear causing rapid deceleration and lockup of the seatbelt.
On thursday 7/23/09 as I was on my way home from work, my transmission completely failed. I was pulling out onto a busy road and was almost involved in a very bad collision when my transmission quit working.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 78,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2003 Acura TL: 5
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.
On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with V6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be damaged and fail. If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
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: 27
Repair instructions Acura sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2003 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: 4
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Automatic transmission sudden downshift
Neighbouring years
2002 TL: 332 complaints, consider selling · 2004 TL: 550 complaints, keep it.
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 2003 Acura TL a bad year?
391 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 246, 25× a quiet TL year. At 78,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2003 Acura TL were filed between 44k and 110k miles. You're at 78,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Acura TL?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (246), air bags (50), engine (20), speed control (20), body structure (15). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 44k–110k miles.
How many recalls does the 2003 Acura TL have?
5 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.