Is the 2005 Acura TL a bad year?
388 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other TL years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2005 Acura TL are in line with other TL years. Body structure and air bags stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2005 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 94,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 156 (40%) | 66k–122k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 144 (37%) | 76k–131k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 36 (9%) | 51k–120k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Electrical system | 28 (7%) | 55k–139k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Steering | 25 (6%) | 82k–170k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Engine | 12 (3%) | 59k–135k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Suspension | 11 (3%) | 32k–148k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Tires | 20 (5%) | 5k–25k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 9 (2%) | 39k–89k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 5 (1%) | 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 94,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 388 complaints: 7 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 6 report an injury · 6 say the car was towed.
4 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Aug 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Engine noise: a vibration and low buzzing sound in 5th gear caused by normal engine vibration at around 1,500 RPM, requiring a vibration damper near the rear motor mount.
I left my car to get my phone while car was parked on the driveway with the engine running, transmission in parking and door on the driver side open.
The automobile has a manual transmission with an intermittent shifting problem. Shifting into 3rd gear can result in partial engagement and "Pop out" Of the shift resulting in loss of power and deceleration.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 94,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2005 Acura TL: 7
The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind. If the accelerator pedal binds, the engine may not quickly return to idle after the pedal is no longer pressed, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Aftermarket front suspension lower ball joints, napa part no. 2601662, that may have been mistakenly installed in certain model year 2004 - 2008 Acura tl vehicles due to a mistake in a napa and napa dealers' parts application catalogue. Misapplication of this part could lead to separation of the ball joint from the lower control arm and collapse of the front suspension, which could potentially cause a vehicle crash.
If water enters the windshield wiper motor breather port, which is designed to allow the motor to vent warm air during normal operation, it can result in corrosion inside the motor housing. This could cause a failure of the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor housing. If the circuit breaker fails, it will cause the windshield wiper motor to become inoperative, which can increase the likelihood of a crash in certain conditions.
Prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid. Power steering fluid leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire.
On certain vehicles, a coil wire inside the fuel pump relay may break, causing the fuel pump to lose power. If the fuel pump becomes inoperative, the engine may not start. If the fuel pump loses power while driving, the engine could stall without warning, and a crash could occur.
On certain passenger vehicles, a loose terminal in the main fuse box may cause the fuel pump to lose power. If the fuel pump becomes inoperative, the engine may not start. If the fuel pump loses power while driving the engine could stall without warning which could result in 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: 25
Repair instructions Acura sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2005 Acura TL. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) is on, with DTC P2138 (Accelerator pedal position sensor a/b incorrect voltage correlation)…
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) on with the DTC P2138 (Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor A/B Incorrect Voltage Correlation) stored and poor engine performance
Some vehicles may display a malfunction indicator lamp with the stored DTC P2138 (Accelerator pedal position sensor a/b incorrect voltage correlation)
Due to accelerator pedal position sensor a/b incorrect voltage correlation, engine poor performance and malfunction indicator lamp…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Windshield wiper motor failure
Neighbouring years
2004 TL: 550 complaints, keep it · 2006 TL: 247 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 2005 Acura TL a bad year?
388 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other TL years. At 94,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Acura TL?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: body structure (156), air bags (144), transmission and drivetrain (36), electrical system (28), steering (25).
How many recalls does the 2005 Acura TL have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Speed control (NHTSA 19E068000), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-182), Suspension (NHTSA 11E022000), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 08V-092) 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.