Suspension complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 | 3% | 35,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 2% | 13,000 miles |
| 2008 | 7 | 6% | 88,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 2% | 149,000 miles |
| 2006 | 9 | 4% | 43,000 miles |
| 2005 | 11 | 3% | 125,000 miles |
| 2004 | 30 | 5% | 63,000 miles |
| 2003 | 14 | 4% | 73,000 miles |
| 2002 | 7 | 2% | 91,000 miles |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% | 131,000 miles |
| 2000 | 3 | 1% | 143,000 miles |
| 1999 | 2 | 1% | 275,000 miles |
| 1998 | 1 | 5% | 107,000 miles |
| 1997 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 1996 | 3 | 12% | 68,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
February 2020 going downhill at 30mph on a curved road, and my wheel snaps to the right thanks to recalled ball joints!!!!!!!!! Hit the curb, snapped my rotor in half and the brake line. Lower control arm went thru my cradle. Spinning out of control with no steering and no freaking brakes at all. Out of nowhere! Totaled suspension all the way around. Only freakin airbag to go off was the passenger window airbag. Whole car was [redacted] because of manufactor issues! Sounds like Acura should replace my freaking car. Oh wait.. I did. And today the one im driving right now randomly had the power steering explodeeeeee and I almost got hit by a semi while turning and randomly losing steering out of nowhere once again!! Which fried my cooling fan, and overheated my motor on my attempt to drive home with no power steering.... So yeah. …
My 2008 Acura TL's compliance bushings were found to be cracked. However, what makes me report this to the NHTSA is the fact that Acura's 2004-2008 TL compliance bushings consistently crack, posing a danger to the car's occupants, and any surrounding cars. The cracked compliance bushings pose a danger because it becomes possible for the lower control arm to come loose, causing the collapse of the respected wheel, posing a threat to traffic. On another occasion, a 2004-2006 Acura TL's wheel collapsed in the middle of a crowded street, and thankfully other cars were able to avoid the TL, however, a bigger issue could arise if this were to happen on a highway, or if a driver couldn't avoid the TL. NHTSA, please look into this issue. It's a pricey fix at dealers, and Acura should take this into consideration.
I was told by a mechanic that this 2006 Acura TL I bought from Joe's Garage here In Clovis Ca was a car I do not want to be driving. Now when purchased from Joe's Garage he stated he put engine didn't say new or used, He also said the car was practically brand new because previous owner was a high school kid who assume he cracked his radiator and was not the problem, but the kid bought a new car and left Acura there since. Since the purchased I had nothing, but engine problems told Joe never responded I did my own research come to find out Joe's business licensed was suspended and that where he got my car Acura to pass smog of course was a smog business already being investigated for passing car illegally. …
At around 8,000 miles, I hit a curb hard enough to bend the wheel of my 2006 Acura. The dealership replaced the wheel and sent me on my way. 3 months and 3,000 miles later, the wheel came off the axel. Fortunately I was going around 5 miles per hour headed to a stop sign when it happened, otherwise, it could have been a fatal incident. The bolt that caused the problem was completely severed. There are marks across it that show the wear on the bolt over the 3,000 miles. The dealer indicated that hitting the curb has caused the bolt to be damaged and that they had seen it in one other Acura that had a similar situation. I have a serious concern that either there is a design problem or the metal used to make the bolt is substandard. Had I been on the interstate, the result would have been very different.
Ball joint purchased from Napa Auto Parts #260-1791was defective. Nut supplied with ball joint was too small. This caused the ball joint to separate from the steering knuckle. After driving a very short distance the front end of the car collapsed, causing the front axle to break. The car fell on the front fender damaging it. This is the same problem reported in 2011. [redacted] This is a serious safety issue.
My wife, [redacted] , purchased a 2005 Acura TL on [redacted]. The car was not inspected, it had a hole in the oil tank, was leaking battery acid, had broken control arms, wore out rotors, wore out brake pads, bald tires, Vehicle Stability Control disabled, no AC, cracked dashboard where the passenger air bag is located, and the alignment was so bad that the car would try to pull very hard off of the road. Toxic hot fumes entered the cockpit during my wife's drive home from the car dealership. The fumes made her feel sick and gave her a horrible headache because of the leaking battery acid and perhaps the hole in the oil tank. It's a health and safety issue that needs to be taken seriously. The used car dealership (Premium Auto Outlet Inc.) is selling vehicles to customers and are not providing them with the title. My wife paid in full, yet she had to fight to receive the title. …
The contact owns a 2004 Acura TL. The contact stated while driving at 60 MPH with her mother in the front passenger's side seat, her mother informed her that the vehicle was bouncing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the front lower control arms, shocks, and bushings were replaced; however, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side of the vehicle dropped significantly and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 11E022000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
I purchased this used car and while driving the VSA (Vehicle Stability Assis) light comes on with the accompanying trianlge with exclamation point. When the light comes on while driving the car will tug you to the right. Once you stop the vehicle and turn off and re-start the light will turn off. As you drive again, the light comes on and tugs the vehicle to the right. When we purchased the vehicle I drove it home with my 16 year old (it is planned to be his first car) and I was on the highway going 60 and the VSA light came on and tugged the vehicle to the right. I did not lose control but it can definitely catch someone off guard and cause them to over correct. I took the car in to a local auto shop and they said there was a fault on the VSA module and a couple of other issues. …
Related recalls (1)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura TL years have suspension problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (30), 2003 (14), 2005 (11), 2006 (9) and 2002 (7) model years. Suspension complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Acura TL suspension problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 99V-069 (lower ball joint, May 10, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Acura TL suspension problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles; 35% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › control arm › lower ball joint (13 mentions), followed by the front (8).
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.