AI Damage2005 Acura TSX: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Acura TSX filed 51 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 51
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 31% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 6% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 16 complaints (31% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 7 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (12% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (10% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 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.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 51 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 | 16 | 5 | 0 |
| Steering | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 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.
The air bags did not deploy. The police reported to the scene and a report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto collision shop. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 158,000.
There was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the power steering fluid was leaking from the power steering hose, causing the power steering assist to fail to operate as needed.
The seat belt light on the dash remains lit when the vehicle is started. I contacted the local dealer. I was advised to bring it in to be evaluated and I would be charged a service charge to fix it unless it was covered by the warranty. I was under the impression the seat belt had a lifetime warranty.
Had just picked up my car from being repaired from an accident and was just driving along and I turned the seat heater on and I started seeing smoke coming from under me and was getting hot so I pulled over and found my seat was on fire ,I was 9 months pregnant at the time and feared for me and my soon to be child's…
It is my understanding that the seatbelt on my vehicle is 100% covered under lifetime warranty. However, my airbag light is on and remains on due to a sensor failure in the driver's side seatbelt buckle and the tensioner.
Car begins braking while accelerating and starts sliding when braking on dry pavement. The other model from this year such as the mdx have a recall for the vsa system however the tsx does not. The mdx recall from 05 matched the same issues the 05 tsx has.
The contact stated that at start-up, the power steering failed to operate as designed, without warning. The contact added power steering fluid to the power steering reservoir however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not taken to be inspected or diagnosed.
I was almost involved in a collision while trying to make a left turn because the power steering failed out of no where locks up to the point it's impossible to turn the wheel. I read up online that the acura tsx have rack and pinion issues.
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 5,293 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TSX has 61 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 51, 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.
- 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
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Acura TSX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, steering, powertrain. Total complaints: 51. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (16%), airbag warning light (14%), steering or power steering problems (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Acura TSX?
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 TSX 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 2026-11-06.