Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2013 | 3 | 5% | 150,000 miles |
| 2012 | 18 | 14% | 71,000 miles |
| 2011 | 3 | 15% | 105,000 miles |
| 2010 | 4 | 6% | 100,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 5% | 186,000 miles |
| 2008 | 15 | 12% | 100,000 miles |
| 2007 | 7 | 6% | 71,000 miles |
| 2006 | 10 | 4% | 85,000 miles |
| 2005 | 12 | 3% | 80,000 miles |
| 2004 | 11 | 2% | 80,000 miles |
| 2003 | 22 | 6% | 99,000 miles |
| 2002 | 13 | 4% | 170,000 miles |
| 2001 | 6 | 4% | 63,000 miles |
| 2000 | 14 | 6% | 118,000 miles |
| 1999 | 17 | 11% | 164,000 miles |
| 1998 | 9 | 45% | 74,000 miles |
| 1997 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 1996 | 5 | 19% | 245,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2013 Acura TL. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and running, he heard abnormal rattling sounds coming from the hood of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the serpentine belt had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact stated that he contacted the manufacturer but was unable to reach a representative. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The 2013 Acura TL has a problem with the pistons in the engine causing excessive oil consumption. This was the subject matter of a class action described in the website Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This part should be recalled and American Honda should be required to repair or replace the pistons in the engine.
Excessive oil consumption has now LED to 2 engine replacements (this is the cars 3rd engine, original plus 2 replacements). I have had 3 oil consumption test (oct), all showing that there was significant consumption. The local Acura dealership (auto nation Acura of spokane (ana)), is unable of being trusted and incapable of any significant repair so I have been traveling to another Acura dealership over 700 miles away for honest and quality work (ana botched the 2nd oct as they knowingly added oil right before my 2nd trip to the other dealer). Thankfully for me I check my oil every fill up as required by the oct and mark it's level. Unfortunately for me, this negated the second test (even though it should a significant loss, ana of spokane denied topping it off). I then had to do the 3rd oct, and in 3 days put the required minimum 1,000 miles required and returned to dealer 2. …
Car went in for 100K service. Vehicle was diagnosed as also needing valve adjustment. While valves were being adjusted a bad camshaft was identified as cause of noise. I paid to have camshaft replaced but have been in automotive field 50 years so I know unless there is a problem this is not a normal wear item.. I asked for the old parts after the repair. Inspection of the old camshaft showed only one lob had unusual wear which again is unusual. I did a rockwell hardness test on the suspect lobe and the very next lobe and found a significant difference in hardness. The non worn lob was 47.9c and the failed lob measured 42c. I looked on line and noticed many other Acura/Honda owners had posted messages about the same failures. I contacted Honda customer service and gave them this same information. …
TL* the contact owns a 2011 Acura TL. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The fire department was called out and dispersed the smoke. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer bradshaw Acura (2450 laurens rd, greenville, sc 29607, [phone]) where it was diagnosed with needing an unknown box assembly, EPS, aps unit, and sub-harness to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
My wife was driving,I was in the front passenger seat and we smelled rubber burning next we noticed smoke from the hood area. We pulled over turned on the flashers and opened the hood and smoke came out heavy and I saw a fire at the bottom of engine area.we called 911 and a fire truck put out the flames. The engine was destroyed. They towed it to a auto shop and we are waiting for an insurance agent to contact us. Fyi we were driving on a three lane street called portola drive in san francisco ca.
I changed my oil and drove my vehicle roughly 1500 miles in over a month timeframe and I properly checked my oil while the car was stationary on level ground to find that my oil level was very low. I thoroughly checked my engine for any oil leaks and there was no leaks to be found. There is never an oil leak in my garage where I park my vehicle everyday. At this point it is reasonable to assume that the engine is burning oil in some way.
Upon keyless ignition, engine continues to race even though gas pedal is not depressed. When applying brakes, engine continues to accelerate, and gas pedal seems to stick even after foot is removed from gas pedal and placed on brake pedal. This happens intermittently without any warning, and speed doesn't seem to come into play. I am afraid to drive this car with this condition. It has happened when I have other people in the car, and now they refuse to drive with me for fear that I am not going to be able to stop. It happened 4 times last Thursday evening 9/1/11 on the nj turnpike going north after the toll at 16w going west to route 3, past the meadowlands. Traffic was heavy because of an nfl game, and was moving very slowly (no more than 20 miles an hour). When gas pedal was released to reduce speed, the engine was still accelerating, even after the brake was depressed. …
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the water pump and if it is one of the defective pumps, the water pump and timing belt will be replaced. Owner notification began August 30, 2002.
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura TL years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (22), 2012 (18), 1999 (17), 2008 (15) and 2000 (14) model years. Engine complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Acura TL engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 02V-226 (engine, Aug 28, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Acura TL engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 103,000 miles; 19% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (21 mentions), followed by the exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (9).
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.