Headlight complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
When I started the vehicle, it had a moaning sound. I continued driving and the battery light, airbag light, csv light, all came on just before the dash lights flickered on and off, then totally went out and the car engine shut off. When I tried to jumpstart the car, the car started after a few minutes but when the jumper cables were removed, the car instantly shut down. The car was in the middle of the road and had to be towed to my house. Three months ago, the car would not start. I got it jumpstarted and it ran perfectly until the above incident occurred. This is the third battery this car has had since 2009.
I was driving my Acura home the other night about 7:30 pm in the pouring down rain. All of the sudden both of my headlights went out at once and the high beams did not work either. I couldn't even see the side of the road to pull over, so I followed a semi's taillights until I could take the next exit. It was terrifying. We took the car to a mechanic and he couldn't figure out the problem so he called Acura in fife and they said it was an electrical issue and they had been having trouble with other cars doing the same thing. They want $1600 to fix headlights!! Shouldn't this have been a recall issue since there is a huge safety factor here, putting not only the driver in danger, but other drivers on the road as well. I do plan on writing Acura as well.
2005 Acura TL- parked winters, garaged, babied and all service completed at the Acura dealerships. Car has 141,000 on it and was near 50,000 when purchased (aspec package etc). Car has developed cracks in the dashboard from the windshield to the instrument panel, across the center speaker and now directly on the indentation where the airbag is located on the passenger side. Reached out to Acura for assistance ((attached)) and they said the car is too old and outside warranty to help me. Irregardless of the fact I have always taken it to Acura and one look at the cars exterior and interior *paint and leather interior* shows that this car has been spoiled. The dashboard is a known issue for this generation and even made the news from complaints. …
Takata recall - my drive is flashing which is to do with my transmission and I'm having wiring problems also. Also I have no bright headlights they just completely stopped working and it's a wiring problem.
About 18 months ago the headlights on my 2004 TL began flickering on and off while I was driving. I took the car to Acura but they couldn't find the problem and they told me it would cost $1000 to do an "appropriate diagnostic test". The problem with the headlamps stopped after a few months, but then other lights began going out (interior center console where the ac and radio are, and the interior console to the left of the steering wheel, and the interior door console) and flickering (exterior side panel lights when I alarm or dis-alarm the car). I took the car to Acura again in nov 2011, and they told me the problem was was fixed after they replaced my battery, but they mistakenly only looked at the driver's dashboard lights where the speedometer/odometer are located (and where there is no problem) and the techs didn't understand what I was talking about. …
The rear brake lights of this Acura TL were failing to turn on when pressing on the brake pedal or were extremely dim. Another driver notified me when he nearly rear ended the car. The problem was determined to be a faulty brake switch, which seems to be a common issue on many (2004+) tls based on the TL forums. Honda/Acura has issued a new replacement part with updated part number as well. This part should be swapped out on all affected models to prevent rear end collisions!
!!!warning this is a safety issue and needs to be addressed!!! "cruise control control box defect!" 2003 TL type s automatic 4 door without cruise control on car engine began to rev out of control while driving, tried to apply brakes but engine is too strong, once vehicle hit 80 MPH from this on highway I calmly turned ignition off one click so steering wheel would not lock and coasted to safety. I had to detach module as well as speed control wire going to the idle control of engine. If I was inexperienced I could have been killed either by getting into an accident or by my airback being deployed and killed from the Takata inflator. "clear coat" 2003 TL type s black clear coat paint flaking off and massively discolored due to the dry winter cold and the uv heat during summer. …
TL* the contact owns a 2003 Acura TL. The contact stated that the driver's side headlights failed to illuminate while driving at night. Also, the passenger side headlight assembly retained steam. The vehicle was taken to joe rizza Acura (located at 8150 w 159th st, orland park, il 60462, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the headlight units needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the repair fees. The contact stated that the failure intermittently occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura TL years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (10), 2004 (10), 2002 (6), 1999 (5) and 2000 (5) model years. Headlight complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Acura TL headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for any Acura TL model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Acura TL headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles; 25% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (11 mentions), followed by the brake lights › switch (3).
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.