AI Damage2008 Acura TL: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Acura TL filed 124 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 124
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 27% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 21% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 16% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 8% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 34 complaints (27% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 26 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 20 complaints (16% of all).
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (12% of all).
- Engine: 10 complaints (8% 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
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 124 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 34 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Only freakin airbag to go off was the passenger window airbag. Whole car was [xxx] because of manufactor issues! Sounds like acura should replace my freaking car. Oh wait.. I did.
Hit ice on road and slid off embankment and hit another car. Air bags did not deploy.
Tl contact owns a 2008 acura tl type-s. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the rear of his vehicle while he was stopped. The dealer stated that a switch underneath the dashboard was broken which made the brake lights inoperable. As of december 26, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle.
The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate, and the vehicle lost automotive power and shifted into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and drove as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated.
No warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. It was unknown whether the vehicle was previously diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
The contact stated that the power steering fluid reservoir needed to be refilled more often than expected, making it difficult to steer the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally lost power steering functionality.
The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing battery drainage failure. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after sitting for long periods without being driven. The contact stated that the battery was replaced six times however, the failure recurred. No warning light was illuminated.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN and that the vehicle was out of warranty.
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 3,056 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TL has 156 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 124, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- 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 2005388 sources
- TL 2006247 sources
- TL 2007124 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 2008 Acura TL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, steering, structure. Total complaints: 124. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (16%), smoke, burning smell, fire (12%), warning lights, check engine (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 2008 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.