ACURA TL · model year

2001 ACURA TL

163 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001ACURATL carries 163 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 TL is power train:automatic transmission with 87 filings, followed by air bags (15) and power train (14). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2001 TL, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

163
Complaints
8
Crashes
2
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

163 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION87
AIR BAGS15
POWER TRAIN14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE4
TIRES3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT2
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1

Recalls (3)

20V02700017/01/2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement

04V17600015/04/2004

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.

01V16600214/08/2001

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES WERE REPAIRED WITH INCORRECT PARTS: 2002 ACURA 3.2TL SEDANS WITH REPLACEMENT BUCKLES INSTALLED PER RECALL 01V-166001; CERTAIN 2000 ACURA 3.2TL VEHICLES WITH REPLACEMENT BUCKLES INSTALLED AS PRODUCT UPDATE REPAIRS; AND CERTAIN 2000-2002 ACURA 3.2TL VEHICL

Recent Complaints

20260113AIR BAGS

I have reached out to Acura on three separate occasions to try and get them to inspect and possibly replace my recalled airbags. They have failed to contact us back every time and this is our only mode of transportation. I've expressed my concerns to them each time and let them know I'm forced to drive this vehicle until it's fixed.

20210105AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A NHTSA RECALL LETTER NUMBER 20V027000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER FLOW ACURA 4952 NEW CENTRE DR, WILMINGTON, NC 28403 (910) 218-7070. DURING THE RECALL REPAIR THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT PARTS AND SAID THEY WOULD CALL HIM BACK. THE DEALER CALLED BACK AND SAID THAT THE MANUFACTURER REP SAID THEY DID NOT MAKE THAT AIRBAG PART SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO PASS INSPECTION SINCE THE REPAIR SHORTED OUT SEVERAL FUNCTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS UNREPAIRED WITH A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG WHILE THE DEALER LOOKS FOR ANOTHER PART. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

Mileage: 190,000

20200929AIR BAGS

FOR MY ACURA TL 2001 WE HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER 6 MONTHS FOR THE AIR BAG TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP AND HONDA (CALLED HONDA THIS WEEK) WILL NOT EVEN PROVIDE A DATE WHEN THE REPLACEMENT AIR BAGS WILL BE AVAILABLE. VERY POOR AS THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY HAZARD AND WE DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE!

20200918POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN 3 AND 4. DOESN'T DO THIS ALL THE TIME, HOWEVER; MANY, MANY FORUMS ARE FULL OF 2001 ACURA TL'S HAVING TRANSMISSION SOLENOID ISSUES. WE BOUGHT CAR USED (163,000), MANY CARS OUT THERE WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE 2000'S.

Mileage: 163,000

20200911AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED ACURA OF TEMPE (7800 S AUTOPLEX LOOP, TEMPE, AZ 85284; (480) 344-5800) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF

20200831AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER RALLYE ACURA LOCATED AT 1750 NORTHERN BLVD, ROSLYN, NY 11576, AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20200828AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. A DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20200529AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20200428AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF*JB

20200116CrashAIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY AT 25 MPH, A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AND CURTAIN AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NECK, UPPER BODY, LEFT EYE AND NECK VERTEBRAE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED AWAY. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

20191226AIR BAGS

I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 6 YEARS AND REALLY LIKE IT. MY PROBLEM IS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT FREQUENTLY LIGHTS UP? IT HAPPENS IF THE SEAT IS EMPTY, A PURSE IS THERE OR SOMEONE IS SITTING THERET BY THE VIN IT IS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE AFFECTED BY THE RECALL.

Mileage: 160,000

20190408CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I DROVE MY CAR OUT THE GARAGE INTO THE COMMON ALLEY IN REVERSE, ONCE OUT THE GARAGE. WHEN I WAS OUT OF GARAGE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR WITH THE GENIE , AND THE GARAGE DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE . I DROVE THE CAR FURTHER AWAY FROM THE GARAGE/BUILDING IN REVERSE TO DETERMINE , WHETHER THE GENIE WOULD OPERATE FROM ANOTHER POSITION , NEXT THING I KNEW THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING UNCONTROLLABLY, BETWEEN 20 - 25 MILES PER HOUR IN REVERSE NEXT TO OUR BUILDING'S GARAGES . MY CAR ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE I SLAMMED INTO MY NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE , WHICH WAS 4 DOORS DOWN FROM MY OWN GARAGE . MY ACCELERATOR WAS ESSENTIALLY, FROZEN...A RUNAWAY ACCELERATOR. SIMILIAR INSTANCES WHILE I WAS IN THE DRIVE MODE , BUT JUST FOR QUITE , SHORT, TIMES.

Mileage: 217,000

20190302POWER TRAIN

FEW WAYS AGO BUY THIS CAR HAS ONLY 84,300 MILES ....WHILE DRIVING TODAY SUDDENLY MALFUNCTION SIGN COMES AND CAR SLOW DOWN AND MAKING WEARED SOUNDS... GO TO ADVANCE AUTO PART TO SCAN THE MALFUNCTION SIGN AND AFTER SCANNING NO CODES COME BUT SHOWING ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION. SO DON'T KNOW WHERE AND HOW MUCH ITS GOING TO COST TO FIX OR REPLACE TRANSMISSION. IF ANYONE HELP ME WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I LIVE IN MA ( WESTERN MA)

Mileage: 84,300

20170622VISIBILITY/WIPER

INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR (AUTO DIMMING) BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF DUE TO A DEFECT THAT CAUSED A LIQUID TO LEAK AND CLOUD THE MIRROR. HAD TO REPLACE IT IN ORDER TO SEE OUT THE BACK. IT OCCURRED GRADUALLY OVER ABOUT A YEAR. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST THE CORNER AND EVENTUALLY IT COVERED THE WHOLE MIRROR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD.

Mileage: 72,992

20161210AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL.

20160701AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20160314POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 72 MPH WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

20151127ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

20151127POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

20150208POWER TRAIN

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001, THE TRANNY WAS NOT SHIFTING. SCARED MY WIFE SILLY. HAD LESS THAN 50000 MILES AND HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO ACURA FOR THIS ISSUE.THEY INSTALLED SOME KIND OF COOLER DEVICE RELATED TO TRANNY ISSUE. $3000 LATER FOR A TRANNY REPAIR AT A REPUTABLE INDEPENDENT GARAGE AND ACURA REFUSED TO FOOT THE BILL. NO MORE ACURAS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS- IN THE POCKET BOOK! *JS

Mileage: 50,000

Compare 2001ACURATL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 ACURA TL have?
The 2001 ACURA TL has 163 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 ACURA TL?
Yes, the 2001 ACURA TL has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 ACURA TL?
The most-complained component for the 2001 ACURA TL is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 87 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2001 ACURA TL safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.