Acura TL Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year TL should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 2004 Acura TL has the most documented problems with a problem score of 603 — driven primarily by 6 recalls, 551 complaints, and issues with STRUCTURE.

Q: What is the best year TL to buy?

The 2014 Acura TL is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 26, meaning 3 recalls and 17 complaints on record.

Q: Which TL has the fewest problems?

The 2014, 2011, 2009 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Acura TL model year (2000–2014) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, injuries, and deaths. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Acura TL Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2004

6 recalls · 551 complaints

17 reported injuries

Top issue: STRUCTURE

Problem score: 603

#2 WORST

2003

5 recalls · 397 complaints

24 reported injuries

1 reported death

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 465

#3 WORST

2005

7 recalls · 385 complaints

6 reported injuries

Top issue: STRUCTURE

Problem score: 418

Best Acura TL Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2014

3 recalls · 17 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 26

#2 BEST

2011

3 recalls · 20 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 31

#3 BEST

2009

3 recalls · 42 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 57

Found the right year? Verify that specific TL with a free VIN report.

Acura TL — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Problem Score	Verdict
2014	3	17	26	Excellent
2013	3	61	74	Good
2012	3	130	154	Good
2011	3	20	31	Excellent
2010	3	64	75	Good
2009	3	42	57	Excellent
2008	4	123	141	Good
2007	4	124	146	Good
2006	6	246	274	Caution
2005	7	385	418	Avoid
2004	6	551	603	Avoid
2003	5	397	465	Avoid
2002	7	352	410	Avoid
2001	3	162	181	Good
2000	6	251	295	Caution

Higher scores indicate more reported safety issues across recalls, complaints, and injury data.

Acura TL Shopping Guide by Era

2013–2017

Best: 2014

Mid-decade TL units are entering high-mileage territory. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and verify recall completion status. The 2014 shows the lowest problem count for this era.

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older TL models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report. Confirm all historical recalls have been completed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year TL should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2004 Acura TL if possible. It has 6 recalls, 551 owner complaints, and the most common complaint category is STRUCTURE. The overall problem score is 603 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year TL to buy?+

The 2014 Acura TL is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 26. It has only 3 recalls and 17 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which TL has the fewest problems?+

The 2014, 2011, 2009 model years have the fewest documented problems across recall and complaint databases. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Acura TL Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Acura TL.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Acura TL.

Check a Specific Acura TL VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →