AI Damage2005 Acura TL: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Acura TL filed 388 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 388
- involving a crash
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 40% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 37% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 5% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 3% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 2% of all complaints
- Structure: 156 complaints (40% of all).
- Air bags: 144 complaints (37% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 36 complaints (9% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 28 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 25 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.2 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 5 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 388 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 156 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 144 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 36 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
In the middle of oncoming & ongoing HWY traffic, I turned the car off, back on & the car acted as if it was in limp mode. The VSA light & Triangle appeared. I had to pay get a towing service to get me & my car.
Without provocation or shock of any kind my left front wheel separated from the car while driving in the left lane of I-64 w near nitro wv. The aluminum wheel assembly broke at all five spokes with the center still firmly bolted to the drivetrain. Updated 09/08/15 updated 10/27/2017
My airbags did not deploy, despite the fact that it was a frontal collision with extensive damage to the front. This accident, thankfully, was not fatal, however could easily have been. This happened on a very busy freeway with cars traveling at least 65 mph.
It "jerks' forward when going at low speeds. It happens regularly/daily. I brought this to the attention of my acura dealer on two occasions when I brought my car in for service. They told me there was nothing wrong. After the accident above, I told them to check out the problem and they told me nothing is wrong.
The vehicle has been gradually leaking power steering fluid over time. I have been monitoring the fluid level and have noticed a recurring burning smell while operating the vehicle.
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…
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.
Soon after the alarm went off, her daughter noticed that both white and black colored smoke began to emit from the vehicle. Her children exited the vehicle as the front end of the vehicle caught fire. Pedestrians called for the authorities and both the police and fire departments arrived at the scene.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,009 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TL has 156 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 388, above average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
- TL 199626 sources
- TL 199723 sources
- TL 199820 sources
- TL 1999157 sources
- TL 2000249 sources
- TL 2001149 sources
- TL 2002333 sources
- TL 2003391 sources
- TL 2004551 sources
- TL 2006247 sources
- TL 2007124 sources
- TL 2008124 sources
- TL 200942 sources
- TL 201064 sources
- TL 201120 sources
- TL 2012130 sources
- TL 201362 sources
- TL 201417 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Acura TL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, air bags, powertrain. Total complaints: 388. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (11%), warning lights, check engine (9%), steering or power steering problems (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Acura TL?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2005 Acura TL from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2005 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.