Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Acura TSX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2004 Acura TSX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal clicking sound that was coming from the instrument cluster. The contact stated that upon decelerating to come to a stop, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that while the vehicle was rolling, the contact shifted to neutral(N), restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure had been a recurring failure. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in HTSA Campaign Number: 13V093000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System), which the contact related to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall repair was performed; however, the vehicle failed to start after the repair. The dealer informed the contact that he needed to pay a fee for diagnostic test and the repair out-of-pocket. …
My headlights always flicker and turn off everytime i drive within 5 minutes of driving. it gets really bad when i drive in cold/wet weather and i've replaced the bulbs a good 5 times. Something is wrong with my suspension i think? my VSC and warning light always automatically come and stay on and my car makes a noise everytime i turn/reverse. My car continues to start smoking when i drive, especifically on hot days and multiple mechanics have said i have a severe oil leak/power steering leak and i've gone to 3 within the last 6 months. So i'm not sure what to do and i seen the recalls on all of the things i listed above for my model of car just not specifically for my vin number. please help.
While driving the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly shutoff and powered on again. After do some diagnostics we determined is was the ECU/ECM. The ECM has corrosion on the top which caused salty water to eat through the lid. Doing some research this vehicle make and model has recall but doesn't show up under my vin. I've contacted the manufacturer which was willing to help but the dealership seems to not want to help since no recall was under the vin so the manufacturer "HONDA" has closed the case but hasn't given me any answer to why. I'm in contact again with the manufacturer waiting for a call back hopefully today 4-21-26
This vehicle was taken in for a recall for a corrosive ECM. 1 hour prior to taking this vehicle in my assigned service writer gave me a call, your vehicle is ready for pick up. I was advised due to their visual inspection of the ECM( Electronic control module)(electrical computer) not having corrosion, they will not change the unit but they have decided to replace the cover on the unit. I've filed a concerning complaint to Acura headquarters due to my knowledge of cars to have it on file what was told to me before receiving the vehicle. Due to my knowledge a faulty ECM can trigger numerous faults within the vehicles performance.Prior to bringing the vehicle to the dealership, I've been experiencing heavy misfires, poor radio connection, no interior lights and triggered headlights. …
Center stack HVAC lights have stopped working. I've read countless threads & forums that state this is a known issue.it does pose a safety issue, I'm not sure why this has not been recalled yet. The warranty was extended, however, no one was notified & I purchased this car after the warranty period expired for the center console lights. They stopped working at 106K miles. In the daytime or dark you cannot read the climate control or radio control or clock display. You constantly fidget in the dark trying to see if you're pressing the proper button to defrost windows or turn the heat or air on. Taking your eyes off the road to fidget with your broken radio is the same thing as taking your eyes off the road for a cell phone. Why is this not a recall yet? Only option is to pay out of pocket $1200 for a known fault in their design. Part to replace yourself has been discontinued. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Acura TSX. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and the instrument panel illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the electronic control unit and power train control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V093000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling). The failure mileage was 108,000.
On 11/14/2019 took my car into bradshaw Acura dealer ship for the ECM/ PCM corrosin recall #13-014 and they refuse to due the recall even tho my ECU has corrosin on it and explained to the service advisor cory that I was driving the car and it stalled out. Took the car to my mechanic and everting is in good and working condition but when he looked at the ECU and saw all the corrosion. On it he said this has to be the problem and I told the service advisor this and they refuse to do the recall and replace the PCM
Fire under the hood while driving around 40 MPH about 5 miles from home. Heard a squeaky sound around the stearing wheel minutes earlier. I do not know what componenet failed but had a recall sometime ago that was repaired. Had oil change exactly a week earlier. No body injured.
The problem: when it is hot the car start losing power, and vsa light comes up. Then the gauge cluster start doing intermittent shutdowns of the RPM and speedometer gauges. Additional to that, the A/C shut down and blow hot air. Acura diagnostic: john Eagle Acura had the car to check the problem. During the test in hot temperature, they found there is a problem of ECU communication in the f-can. There are 3 main things that communicate with ECU though the f-can: one is the gauge cluster which I replaced, the second was the vsa modulator which was disconnected to test, and the third one was the radio system that was also disconnected, and the results were the same (damaged). According to Acura engineers, after proceeding with all these steps the solution is replacing electronic control unit (ECU). …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Acura TSX. While driving approximately 10 MPH in a parking lot, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the instrument panel. The contact parked the vehicle and proceeded to lock the power doors before exiting; however, the door locking mechanism would not work. She could not lock the doors from inside the vehicle and had to manually lock them from the outside. In addition, the trunk locking mechanism was inoperative and could only be activated with the trunk release. The passenger side tail light failed to operate and the driver's side door chime was inoperative. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the failure was related to the trunk wiring harness. The technician discovered NHTSA campaign id number 04V429000 (exterior lighting:tail lights ). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. …
Related recalls
Electrical system
Honda is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Acura TSX vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia,…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and Acura dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any damaged ECU, free of charge. All vehicles will have a waterproof cover installed onto the ECU, free of charge.
Electrical complaints in other TSX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2004 Acura TSX?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the electrical system of the 2004 Acura TSX, 20% of the model year's 142 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Acura TSX electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 13V-093 (electrical system, Mar 15, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Acura TSX electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.