Most common 2000 Acura TL problems
Share of the 249 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Acura TL complaints by model year
Best TL years: 2011, 2014, 2009. Years to avoid: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2005, 2000. Compare all years →
2000 Acura TL recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch May not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to park.
Remedy: Dealers will perform an inspection procedure that confirms interlock function. Vehicles will be updated with a redesigned interlock lever free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2005.
Power train › Automatic transmission
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.
Remedy: On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear.
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger vehicles, a component in the inflator of some passenger air bag modules was not welded properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Owner notification began April 5, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within…
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Vehicle description: the following vehicles were repaired with incorrect parts: 2002 Acura 3.2tl sedans with replacement buckles installed per recall 01v-166001; certain 2000 Acura 3.2tl vehicles with replacement buckles installed as product update repairs; and certain 2000-2002 Acura 3.2tl vehicles with replacement buckles…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the front seat belt buckles. Owner notification began August 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2000 Acura TL:
Ignition-park interlock
The above failure report counts are for model year (my) 1999 - 2001 Honda accord models that were not within the scope of a related Honda recall action (NHTSA 03V423); these vehicles were investigated by odi under defect petition (dp) 04-006.complaint information for other models and model years was not obtained by odi.the noted population indicates the number of vehicles (including the my 2002 accord plus the…
Automatic transmission sudden downshift
See attached report.
What 2000 Acura TL owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 111 →
The contact owns a 2000 Acura TL. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle independently downshifted to second gear with the traction control and check engine warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle would not exceed 50 MPH while driving to the residence. The contact then called a local dealer who informed him that NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V176000 (Power Train) recall repair was already performed on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.
Hello, I have contacted Acura and because my car is now in [redacted] they are telling me I can't have my car repaired. Acura says there are no recalls on this car but when I put in the Vin [redacted] , the recalls come up right away. my mother brought this car to Canada in 2004 and was unaware of any recalls until recently. She use's this car often and Im worried about the safety of this vehicle, The car is in mint condition and has very low mileage and now qualifies for collector insurance plates. any help would be much appreciated. Thank you. ( In my contact information I had to put Washington as it doesn't have an option for Canada)
Air bags all 62 →
My incident that I am reporting about is regarding the safety recall on my 2000 Acura TL -Safety Recall: MULTI-MODEL NADI AIRBAG INFLATOR SAFETY RECALL H6S Jan 22, 2020 My issue is that I have contacted the dealer in my area on multiple occasions and have been told things such as "they must order the part needed and will get back to me once it has arrived" or they aren't sure my vehicle was effected by this recall, after I informed them I have a letter stating my vehicle is one of the vehicles effected by the recall, I have takes to multiple different people through phone calls, emails, and even third party services. They never return my calls or attempts to resolve this issue and it is a major safety concern. I don't know how else to approach this situation.
Hello, I have contacted Acura and because my car is now in [redacted] they are telling me I can't have my car repaired. Acura says there are no recalls on this car but when I put in the Vin [redacted] , the recalls come up right away. my mother brought this car to Canada in 2004 and was unaware of any recalls until recently. She use's this car often and Im worried about the safety of this vehicle, The car is in mint condition and has very low mileage and now qualifies for collector insurance plates. any help would be much appreciated. Thank you. ( In my contact information I had to put Washington as it doesn't have an option for Canada)
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 29 →
TL* the contact owns a 2000 Acura TL. The contact stated that the rearview mirror leaked a toxic substance (over six months ago) over the seat and onto the plastic surrounding the gear shifter. There was an odor in the vehicle and the substance left a burn mark on the contact. The substance also burned a hole through the plastic next to the gear shift and on the leather seat. Acura stated that they would not be responsible because the vehicle was older. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the mirror needed to be replaced, but would not do the repair for free. The failure mileage was 197,000.
Yesterday, 8/18/13, our auto darkening rear view mirror leaked a black liquid that melted the plastic console under it. The liquid could not have been on the console for more than 45 minutes as the rear view mirror went from being clear when we arrived to a shopping center, to a distorted view when we were leaving. Searching google, ??2000 Acura TL rear view mirror leak,?? I found many instances of this happening to others. I also found that the substance is toxic (perhaps as many as 6 compounds including Mercury). In some cases these mirrors have exploded throwing black toxic goo on passengers and the interior. Some have reported getting ill from exposure. Needless to say, I removed the mirror. What I can??t understand is that these mirrors have not been recalled, not just because the liquid ruins the interior of the car, but it??s dangerous as a health hazard well. …
2000 Acura TL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 27 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Acura TL a good car?
Based on 249 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 TL rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the TL at the same age. It is one of the TL years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Acura TL?
The transmission & drivetrain — 111 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the air bags (62) and windows, wipers & sunroof (29).
How many recalls does the 2000 Acura TL have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2000 Acura TL, the most recent from January 17, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Acura TL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2014 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2005 and 2000. See the full Acura TL years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Acura TL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 110,000 miles; 7% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.