Most common 2006 Acura TL problems
Share of the 247 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 →
2006 Acura TL recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Honda is recalling 273,000 my 2004-2008 Acura tl vehicles. Prolonged high under-hood temperatures May cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge. The recall began on April 28, 2008. Owners May contact Acura at 800-382-2238. This is an expansion of a previous recall (please see 07V551).
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
On certain passenger vehicles and motorcycles, the owner's manuals contain incorrect contact information for the national highway traffic safety administration's (NHTSA) vehicle safety hotline.
Remedy: Honda will send a postcard to dealers and owners with the correct NHTSA vehicle safety hotline information and with instructions to insert the card into the "reporting safety defects" section of the owner's manual.
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger vehicles, on the frontal airbag system where the two external impact sensors is mounted, near the front headlights the front impact sensor bolts were not properly torqued.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and remove the bumper and retorque the loose bolts. The recall began on November 7, 2005. Owners May contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 and Acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What 2006 Acura TL owners say
Air bags all 85 →
The contact owns a 2006 Acura TL. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH uphill, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was an abnormal sputtering sound coming from the vehicle. The "VSA" (Vehicle Stability Assist) and air bag warning lights illuminated, and an unknown message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and waited to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact went to Auto Zone and was informed that the accelerator pedal sensor had failed. The contact replaced the sensor. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. …
My Acura (VIN: [redacted] ) experienced a non-collision spontaneous deployment of the side airbag while the vehicle was completely stationary. There was no impact, no crash, and no triggering event. This is a serious safety defect that could have caused significant injury or loss of vehicle control had the car been in motion. This vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Recall 19V182000 involving Takata airbag inflators, but the recall repair was never completed, and the recall now shows as closed. It is unclear whether the recall was closed in error or whether the inflator or a related airbag component failed due to the unresolved safety defect. There were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the deployment. The airbag system gave no indication of a problem. The deployed components remain in the vehicle and are available for inspection. …
Body & structure all 64 →
Initially, during the warranty period, in June 2009, portion of the dashboard above the passenger side airbag faded from black to a light gray indicating some sort of decomposition. The dealer dyed the plastic black again. Last year, a long crack appearred in the dashboard in the same area running from front to back. This summer a long second crack s appeared possibly outlining the contour of the passenger airbag compartment. This week, a third crack has started in the center of the dashboard. A quick search on the internet reveals that this is a common problem for owners of third generation Acura TL vehicles and May represent a material or quality issue. It is also possible that increased brittlenebritr loss of integrity of the dashboard May adversely affect the performance of the passenger airbag allowing material to be ejected when the airbag deploys. …
Two weeks ago I noticed a small (6") crack on the dashboard of my Acura TL 2006. It is located on the right side on the passenger side. Today the crack is longer ( around 12") and it seems to be wider. There is also a small (4") crack on the perforated area above the steering wheel. Even thought this is a 2006 model, it has only 47K miles. I think that neither age nor high mileage are a factor here. I used to own a corolla ce and drove it for nearly 160K miles and such thing has never happened to it. I am shocked that this is happening with a car considered luxury. My understanding was that the quality of the products used to manufacture this vehicle was higher thus the price for the same. I have read similar complaints and concerns which leads me to believe this is a defective part. Please investigate this issue. Thank you.
Electrical system all 31 →
As I was driving, the vehicle suddenly began smoking through the steering wheel and the hood, then it caught flames and the vehicle was totaled.
I have been dealing with this serious electrical issue for nearly 4 years now. I have gone through 5-6 batteries and have been stranded numerous places as the car doesn't start after a period of time. This is no okay when you have children, it's a safety issue and Acura needs to fix it! With nearly 50,000 miles on my car, my whole navigation system failed. I opted not to have it fixed because they wanted to first try having me buy new cd's to update the system. In conjunction with that fail, the battery dies after a day of not being started...sometimes even over night. I have read that several cars have faulty hfl that heat up and cause this problem. The hfl was hot to touch when I went to disable it. I disconnected mine so that a fire would not start putting me and my family at risk. …
2006 Acura TL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Acura TL a good car?
Based on 247 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 TL rates use caution: 1.8× 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 2006 Acura TL?
The air bags — 85 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about side/window. Next are the body & structure (64) and electrical system (31).
How many recalls does the 2006 Acura TL have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2006 Acura TL, the most recent from March 6, 2019 (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 2006 Acura TL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 16% 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.