Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Acura TL owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving my 2013 Acura Tl on my way to work and suddenly I got an electronic power steering error that resulted in my steering wheel stiff and I had to use all my strength to pull over to the emergency lane. The vehicle's steering became very heavy and was very hard to turn. I am fortunate not to be in an accident when it occurred. There is so many people with Acura TL having this issue and Acura need to do something about it.
On Monday, July 27, 2026, my vehicle suffered a complete failure of the EPS system at startup in my garage, making the steering wheel lock and rendering the vehicle completely non-operational. The vehicle did start and would go into gear but there was a severe increase in steering effort, creating an emergency situation and an extreme safety hazard on public roads if it was driven. The vehicle was towed to an independent automotive repair facility where a certified technician performed a diagnostic scan and isolated the failure to the Electric Power Steering (EPS) control unit. The independent shop verified that my vehicle's VIN is covered under American Honda/Acura's active 15-year/unlimited-mile warranty extension for Service Bulletin 19-021, which was issued specifically to address a known manufacturing defect involving internal EPS relay wire fatigue. …
Power steering EPS failure right around 60,000 miles my Acura TL's power steering EPS failed. The car was driving ~45mph on a straight 2-lane highway when the indicator lights went off and the power steering failed. After pulling over to the side of the road and letting the car sit for several hours, it started up with no issues. The next day, upon starting the vehicle, the power steering went out and never returned. This failure caused a chain of events (according to my Acura licensed mechanic) which caused failures in and eventual replacement of the rack & pinion, EPS sensors, steering computer module, and multiple other sensors. The total bill was $4,200 for repair. Since this incident I received a notice from Acura that this is a known problem, and the warranty has been extended. …
While backing out of my garage the check "electronic power system" indicator light came on as I was backing into the street out of my driveway. As I entered the street the steering wheel locked and would not let me turn the wheel to complete turning to straighten the wheels to drive forward. I was literally stuck in the middle of the street and I live on the downside of a hill so cars can't see me until they top the hill, fortunately my husband was home and helped push the car back into the driveway. Although not as scary as some of the incidents I have read about the EPS module failing, I understand the fear they must have had with this happening on a busy highway or street. I now have to have my car towed to the nearest Acura dealership which is 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic because I'm to afraid to drive on the freeway. …
2013 Acura TL - 64,500 miles - driving on freeway in heavy traffic - check steering light comes on - was going to move over to far right lane and stop at next exit to check issue - steering wheel began to lock and would not let me go to right - instantly turned on flashers hoping someone would go around - all I could do to make it to side of road - had to leave car and call uber to arrive safely to my destination - began looking at complains - apparently this has been an ongoing complaint and no safety warnings / recalls have been filed - went with Acura due to their recommendations of very safe and dependable car but am very disappointed and no excuse for putting people in such a dangerous situation- please do something before some is killed - at the very least give a warning that this has been happening - is Acura trying to loose repeat customers- they are succeeding - terrible …
Several times over a couple of days while in the middle of driving the steering wheel just froze and would not turn. The first couple of times shutting off the car and restarting brought it back however, the last time it froze completely and never came back. This car is a 2013 however it only has 30,700 miles on it. We had it diagnosed and it is the entire electronic power steering system module that needs to be replaced. I have read that others have reported this issue. Considering one of the times this happened to us was on the highway I feel this is a serious safety issue and that Acura knows about it. If it doesn't warrant a recall there should at the least be an extended warranty on this system. Not only the high expense to replace this system, more importantly my son was put into a very dangerous situation on the highway and I feel this is unacceptable.
While driving, the electric power steering failed not allowing a safe pull over to the side of road. Car was then stopped in a busy morning commute traffic. The system failed on three separate days. The first two days restarting the vehicle reset the power steering but the third time there was no reset. Car was towed to an Acura dealership where the electronic power steering control unit was replaced at a cost of $1,026.29. The vehicle has 59,711 miles. No trouble code was recorded and was considered intermittent by aaa service center and likely to return. Because we were driving in city morning commute traffic, the speed was low but this could have occurred while driving the posted 45 MPH speed or on a local interstate highway at 70 MPH that could have been catastrophic. This is a major safety defect on my vehicle.
The car lost power steering completely while highway driving. Steering almost impossible to manage and a weaker/smaller/frail individual could not. Turning from a stop even more difficult. No warnings were given and the car was maintained religiously. The vehicle did have 109,000 miles but I have noticed numerous incidents reported online about the same problem with fewer miles. Power steering should be something that lasts the life of the car. This particular power steering involves a "module" that appears to fail frequently and can result in repairs totaling $3500. Most people will not be able to afford that cost. My mechanic also states he believes this is a much more frequent issue than is being reported since most just consider it a maintenance item. Power steering failure is not a routine issue.
I had driven about 10-15mins from my home, my 4yr old son in the backseat. We were going to walmart to retrieve a few items. As I'm approaching the store I turn from a main street into the stores parking lot. As I see a parking spot and go to make a left turn lights flash on my dash and my steering wheel would not move. Trying to then avoid cars while unable to maneuver the wheel I drove straight to the very back of the store into a parking spot. Called my insurance company to get a tow. If I happened to be on the highway I would have caused a horrible accident. Very scary experience. Apparently Honda has extended the warranty on the EPS system but because I have a salvage title vehicle my warranties have been terminated. Because this is a huge safety hazard it should be a recall!!!
I was about to drive in to my garage when I felt my steering wheel had some resistance and hard to maneuver. The driver panel says "check power steering system!" as I parked the car in the garage, I turned off the car and turned it back on, warning message disappeared. Power steering went back to normal. A week later, as I was driving the freeway, "check power steering system!" reappeared. There was some resistance on the power steering while I was driving. When I reached our driveway, I turned off the car and then turned it back on, but the warning message still appears on the drive panel. I went ahead and set-up appointment online at Acura concord on June 23, 2020 at 0730 for service.
Steering complaints in other TL years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2013 Acura TL?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the steering of the 2013 Acura TL, 45% of the model year's 62 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2013 Acura TL steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2013 Acura TL, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Acura TL steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 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.