AI Damage2008 Acura TSX: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Acura TSX filed 34 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 34
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 50% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 21% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 9% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 7 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 8 Electronic stability control 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 17 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 7 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (12% of all).
- Structure: 3 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 3 complaints (9% 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-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 34 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
If you hit a pothole there is a distinct slipping feeling in the brakes. I have to slow down ahead of time or gently pump the brakes to stop the car. I have taken the car to acura and to my mechanic who is a certified honda mechanic. They all said the brakes were fine.
On saturday, april 26, 2008 I test drove a brand new 2009 model acura tsx at sunnyside acura in nashua nh. It was around noon time and the weather was clear and sunny.
The rack and pinion steering rack is leaking power steering hydraulic fluid. The power assist is not working and the vehicle is undrivable. Putting in new fluid does not help as it just drains out from he pinion within half a day. 2.
After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the power steering fluid was abnormally low. Upon refilling the power steering fluid reservoir, the contact observed a leak in the power steering hose. No warning lights were illuminated.
Car then lost power steering. Replaced pump. Can began having loss of power while using cruise control and steering would stiffen. Yet, only during inclement weather while driving. The Engine light with emmisions control warning would display and the clear on its on usually over night.
While driving I noticed my car completely lost all of its power steering in one shot without warning. This leads to very stiff driving experience and when I brought it too the mechanic he said it would be a substantial amount of money to fix, because of this I googled and noticed many other acura tsx's have this…
Takata inflator, have the warning light on and we drive scared and we pay some money for fixing but no results.
My car has been stalling during various speeds which almost caused an accident on several occasion. After stalling, I am able to start the car without any issues but will constantly stall on the go. There is currently a recall (nhtsa # 13v-093) on the vehicle's ecu for the eastern u.s. Due to corrosion.
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 6,426 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TSX has 61 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 34, below average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Acura TSX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 34. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (35%), knocking, grinding or other noise (12%), warning lights, check engine (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 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.