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Acura TLModel year report

2003 Acura TL Problems

Complaints
391filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
75,900miles, 305 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Acura TL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year report transmission problems far more than anything else: complaints describe harsh or delayed shifting, slipping out of gear, sudden downshifts, and in some cases loss of drive altogether. Many say dealer responses were limited to a recall-era repair or a transmission replacement at owner expense, and several mention the vehicle was outside the covered VIN range. Other recurring reports cover airbag inflator recalls, unexpected high idle or stuck throttle links, and frame or paint condition.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Automatic transmission slipping, harsh shifting, lost drive

    • 238 complaints (61%)
    • median 76,667 mi at 6.5 yrs old (212 state mileage)
    • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $3,700 (median of 30 quotes)
    • filed 2002–2023

    Complaints describe the five-speed automatic slipping out of gear into neutral, jerking on downshifts from highway speed, revving without acceleration, or refusing to shift above a certain gear. Some report the car bucking or coming to a near stop in traffic, and others say it would not move until it sat for a while. Owners report dealers quoted full transmission replacement, sometimes thousands of dollars, and several say their VIN was not covered by the earlier recall or extended warranty. Reported from under 5,000 miles up to about 230,000 miles, with many complaints in the 60,000-140,000 mile range.

    Recall 04V1760002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the transmission recall work or any later replacement was done, and check the fluid color and smell. Test drive at highway speed and watch for delayed or harsh shifts and for the tachometer rising without acceleration.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “With 17,014 miles on my garage kept 2003 Acura 3.2tl type s the transmission failed leaving me stranded on the side of the road at night. The dealer replaced it but I a still having trouble with it shifting improperly I cannot trust my car on a long trip or at night. The dealer will not extend my warranty.”

    NHTSA complaint #10155975, filed 2006-04, 17,014 miles

    “Acura 2003 TL transmission defect. First failure transmission locked up at speed of 70 MPH happened 6 times . Transmission replaced.second failure transmission locked up going 55 car following behind me crashed into me . Signifigant injurie's resulted from this crash that involved 3 vehicles. I have reported this info to this site 3 times and go back to find my submission and it mysteriously dissapears! …”

    NHTSA complaint #10086207, filed 2004-08, 20,000 miles
  2. Vehicle speed control

    Engine revs high at idle or throttle sticks

    • 12 complaints (3%)
    • median 85,266 mi at 7.3 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2003–2016

    Owners describe the engine racing to high rpm at a stop or while driving, with the car creeping or accelerating despite brake pressure until the ignition is shut off. Several trace it to a sticking cruise control cable or lever at the throttle body and disconnect the cable as a workaround; others report the accelerator pedal sticking and being replaced or reinstalled by a dealer. Reported at low mileage as well as past 100,000 miles, in warm-weather driving and at stoplights.

    What to check: With the engine idling in park, listen for an unusually high idle and look at the cruise control cable and throttle linkage for free movement. Ask whether the idle air control valve or pedal assembly has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Summer of 2014 I can to a stop light at a complete stop. My TL type s kept idle at 3500 - 3700 RPM. Drove the car about quarter of a mile before having to shut of the engine. That fix the problem for the time being. This would happen 2-5 times a week for three weeks until I figured out the cause. Come to find out it was the cruise control lever at the throttle that was getting stuck. Eventually just unhooked the cable for the cruise control. Hasn't been fix since.”

    NHTSA complaint #10916266, filed 2016-10, 90,000 miles

    “!!!warning this is a safety issue and needs to be addressed!!! Cruise control control box defect! 2003 TL type s automatic 4 door without cruise control on car engine began to rev out of control while driving, tried to apply brakes but engine is too strong, once vehicle hit 80 MPH from this on highway I calmly turned ignition off one click so steering wheel would not lock and coasted to safety. I had to detach module as well as speed control wire going to the idle control of engine. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10826034, filed 2016-02, 135,000 miles
  3. Body and structure

    Frame and underside rust, thin peeling paint

    • 17 complaints (4%)
    • median 112,000 mi at 13.4 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2004–2022

    Complaints describe rust-through on the front crossmember and subframe, in one case found after an air conditioning hose was reported to drip onto the frame, and another owner says the service department called the frame beyond repair. Others report paint peeling from the trunk lid despite careful washing and waxing. Frame rust reported from about 40,000 miles upward; paint complaints appear early, under 10,000 miles.

    What to check: Get underneath the car or have it inspected on a lift and probe the front crossmember and subframe for soft metal or holes, especially on cars kept in humid or road-salt regions. Check the lower body and trunk lid for paint blistering or peeling.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The paint on all 2003 Acura TL the paint fails badly. The transmission also went out on me soon as my car hit 100,000 miles which sad for an Acura. I owned a 96 TL and never had any of these issues.”

    NHTSA complaint #11323382, filed 2020-05, 100,000 miles

    “Paint on rear trunk lid extremely thin and peeling when car is washed. Despite having 5 coats of wax on the car, washing the car (by hand with maguiar's soft car soap and soft terry toweling) peeled sections of the paint off the trunk lid. Car had sat for two weeks (standard wash interval for the car due to my work schedule) outside (car is covered when first cleaned). No reason for the paint to have come off. No response to my letters from manufacturer. Dealer referred me to Acura customer care so no help there.”

    NHTSA complaint #10054439, filed 2004-01, 7,000 miles
  4. Suspension

    Worn suspension mounts and uneven front tire wear

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners report collapsed front engine mounts found during unrelated inspections, and excessive wear on the driver's side front tire that a dealer attributed to the traction control system allowing slip in right turns. In one case the suggestion was simply more frequent tire rotation. Found between roughly 25,000 and 100,000 miles, often during routine service rather than after a specific failure.

    What to check: Look for uneven wear across the front tires and ask about mount or bushing replacement history. A pre-purchase inspection on a lift can show cracked or collapsed engine mounts.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Upon a normal recall invitation for the air bag inflator ( per manufacturer requirement) a separate normal inspection was done to vehicle. The mechanic found the front and right front motor mounts have collapsed. I know several other owners of honda and Acura of the same year and SUV models with the same failure.”

    NHTSA complaint #10412828, filed 2011-07, 73,000 miles

    “Frame and undercarriage of this auto condemned by service dept. Due to premature rusting of frame. Auto always garaged. Frame rust appeared at 40,000 miles.”

    NHTSA complaint #11140014, filed 2018-10, 42,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission, the frame underside, and the airbag recall status is worth the cost on this model year. Ask for service records showing recall completion and any transmission replacement; many cars are now well past the mileage where these problems showed up.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 391 consumer complaints for the 2003 Acura TL. 305 of the complaints include a mileage, and 30% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,900 miles. Of all complaints, 24 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 20 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 102 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Brakes (9), Engine (8), Equipment (8), Steering (5), Fuel system (4), Seat belts (4), Wheels (3), Seats (2), Electronic stability control (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “On september 26 . 2018 my Acura TL 2003 is tcs on. Cel on. D5 blinking. After that I have obd ii scanner (actron cp9680) they have 5 code. I search the google this code means my transmisson is dead. This car now little sharking. But repair cost is more than $2.000. I also search for Acura & honda forums. Many same cases. But now 2018 . But my is 2003 who got the transmission recall.”

NHTSA complaint #11132318, filed 2018-09, 50 miles

Air bags: “2003 Acura t.l was in motion when the vehicle started slipping on 2nd gear. Then when vehicle was stationary it would not move in reverse gear. As I was on highway the car started jerking out of control, I could not accelerate, vehicle barely wanted to move so I put it in #2 gear so it work catch and I was able to drive to safety without anyone getting hurt. Very frightening and dangerous. Problem must be addressed immediately.”

NHTSA complaint #11311313, filed 2020-02, 167,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “I was pulling off the interstate and came to a red light on a hill right before haywood road. I had to stop because the light was red and when the light turned green I pulled onto haywood road and the car went through 1st gear, 2nd gear and right before it went into 3rd it slipped out of gear and just revved to around 4000 RPM. When the car went into 3rd and started sipping I had a pile of cars that bunched on my behind. I had two guys in a truck scream and yell obscene gestures.”

NHTSA complaint #10585022, filed 2014-04, 130,000 miles

Other or unknown: “In 2006 I purchased this vehicle 2003 Acura TL types vehicle...the vehicle only had 53,000 miles on it at the time of purchase....I replaced the transmission in 2008 it only had 103,000 miles then...now 2015 I need.another transmission with only 165,000 miles on it now...I see where there is a recall on the transmission in 2004 I didn't have the vehicle at that time. I need to know what I need to do about this.”

NHTSA complaint #10744750, filed 2015-07, 103,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

30% of the 305 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 38,000 and 111,000 miles.

9%0–108%10–2513%25–5019%50–7518%75–10023%100–15010%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (305 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 75,900 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’03’06’0944’12’15’18’22’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Acura TL. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
TL · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2003 Acura TL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 102 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 102 bulletins →

Other model years of the Acura TL

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20141736,0003423—Falling
20136269,503342320 · FewerFalling
201213055,00033–42381 · MoreFalling
20112089,5003—21—Falling
20106462,8303—2150 · TypicalFalling
20094260,0383—2150 · TypicalRising
200812476,5892—2161 · TypicalFalling
200712479,0002—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200624788,0004—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200538891,0005—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200455190,0004—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200339175,9005——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200233364,5007——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200114981,9363——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2000249110,4006——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1999157112,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19982077,5002———Stable
19972386,2602———Stable
19962668,1002——Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Acura TL model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Acura TL?

Owners of this model year report transmission problems far more than anything else: complaints describe harsh or delayed shifting, slipping out of gear, sudden downshifts, and in some cases loss of drive altogether. The issues reported most often: Automatic transmission slipping, harsh shifting, lost drive; Engine revs high at idle or throttle sticks; Frame and underside rust, thin peeling paint.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Acura TL have?

NHTSA recorded 391 consumer complaints for the 2003 Acura TL as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Acura TL is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 246 complaints (63% of the total), followed by air bags with 50.

Has the 2003 Acura TL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Acura TL reported?

Among the 305 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,900 miles and the middle half falls between 38,000 and 111,000 miles; 30% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.