YearToAvoid

2012 Acura TL Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 5 TL years

The 2012 Acura TL has 130 complaints, 3 recalls, and a Complaint Index of 100, ranking it worst (1st) among 5 model years of the TL with data. Airbags account for 33% of complaints, and the year carries an 'Avoid' verdict relative to other TL years.

Complaints
130
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
3 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 26 hwy

Top 2012 Acura TL problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags43 (33%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain27 (21%)
  3. Steering25 (19%)
  4. Engine24 (18%)
  5. Electrical System12 (9%)
  6. Other7 (5%)
  7. Brakes6 (5%)
  8. Structure & Body6 (5%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (4%)
  10. Fuel System2 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during rear-end and frontal collisions, sometimes leading to injuries.
  • Passenger airbag warning light comes on intermittently even when a passenger is seated, despite repeated dealer visits.
  • Electric power steering warning light appears and steering assist is lost, making the car very stiff or hard to steer at low speed.
  • Vehicle experiences intermittent loss of acceleration when the accelerator pedal is depressed at highway speeds.
  • A vibration is felt through the gas pedal and floor when accelerating between 65 and 80 mph.
  • The front passenger seat is loose and rocks side to side, raising concern about seat stability in a crash.
2012 Acura TL complaints: complaints filed per quarter112012 Q22013 Q42015 Q32017 Q12018 Q32020 Q12022 Q12025 Q3
160 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q2 to 2026 Q1; peak 2016 Q3 (11).

2012 Acura TL recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V500000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,558 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.

  2. NHTSA 19V182000Mar 6, 2019Airbags1,101,534 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

  3. NHTSA 16V061000Feb 3, 2016Airbags2,232,187 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.

2012 Acura TL fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other TL years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132014
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid7564320
2011Good2520320
2012Avoid100130321
2013Caution5062321
2014Best017321

All Acura TL years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Acura TL reliable?
Compared to other Acura TL model years, the 2012 has the highest Complaint Index (100) and ranks worst (1st of 5 years with data), earning an 'Avoid' verdict relative to other TL years.
What problems does the 2012 Acura TL have?
NHTSA complaints for the 2012 TL are led by Airbags (43 complaints, 33% share), followed by Transmission & Powertrain (27 complaints, 21%), Steering (25 complaints, 19%), and Engine (24 complaints, 18%).
Does the 2012 Acura TL have a recall?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Acura TL, all related to airbags, including two Takata inflator recalls (campaigns 19V500000 and 19V182000) and an earlier inflator recall (16V061000).
How does the 2012 TL compare to other Acura TL years?
The 2012 TL's Complaint Index of 100 is higher than 2010 (75), 2013 (50), 2011 (25), and 2014 (0), making 2012 the worst-ranked TL year among those with data.
What is the median mileage for airbag complaints on the 2012 TL?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 52,500 miles at the time airbag-related complaints were reported for the 2012 Acura TL.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.