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 368 — driven by 5 recalls, 337 complaints.

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 10, meaning 0 recalls and 10 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 (1999–2014) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Years Tracked

Total Recalls

1874

Total Complaints

Reported Injuries

Reported Deaths

Acura TL Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2004

5 recalls · 337 complaints

8 reported injuries

Top issue: STRUCTURE

Problem score: 368

#2 WORST

2003

3 recalls · 234 complaints

13 reported injuries

4 reported deaths

Top issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Problem score: 289

#3 WORST

2005

5 recalls · 259 complaints

6 reported injuries

Top issue: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 286

Best Acura TL Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2014

0 recalls · 10 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 10

#2 BEST

2011

0 recalls · 14 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 14

#3 BEST

2009

0 recalls · 19 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 25

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

Acura TL — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Injuries	Deaths	Problem Score	Verdict
2014	0	10	—	—	10	Excellent
2013	0	41	—	—	41	Good
2012	0	67	2	1	76	Good
2011	0	14	—	—	14	Excellent
2010	0	38	—	—	38	Good
2009	0	19	3	—	25	Excellent
2008	4	92	—	—	104	Good
2007	4	96	6	—	120	Good
2006	3	157	3	—	172	Caution
2005	5	259	6	—	286	Avoid
2004	5	337	8	—	368	Avoid
2003	3	234	13	4	289	Avoid
2002	6	191	10	1	234	Caution
2001	2	79	2	—	89	Good
2000	4	160	3	—	178	Caution
1999	3	80	8	1	110	Good

All 16 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year TL should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2004 Acura TL if possible. It has 5 recalls, 337 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 368 — 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 10. It has only 0 recalls and 10 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which TL has the fewest problems?+

The 2014, 2011, 2009 model years have the fewest documented problems. 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 →