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Acura TLModel year report

2004 Acura TL Problems

Complaints
551filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
90,000miles, 400 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 3.2L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Acura TL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 Acura TL most often report a cracking dashboard, especially along the passenger airbag seam, and a transmission that slips, hesitates or stops engaging. Both show up across the mileage range in the sampled complaints, and many dash reports describe cracks appearing gradually rather than after any impact.

  1. Body and structure

    Cracked dashboard around the airbag seams

    • 288 complaints (52%)
    • median 90,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (232 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,700 (median of 16 quotes)
    • filed 2009–2022

    Complaints describe long cracks in the dashboard starting near the passenger airbag outline and sometimes running to the glovebox, with smaller cracks over the instrument panel and steering wheel. Owners often report no accident or impact beforehand, and some say the cracks appeared or widened after the car sat in the sun or when the air conditioning was turned on. Several mention concern about how the airbag would deploy through a split cover; owners say dealers described it as wear and tear, declined coverage, or offered to pay only part of the replacement cost. Reported from roughly 48,000 to 170,000 miles, with many appearing between 60,000 and 115,000 miles.

    What to check: Look closely at the dash on both sides of the passenger airbag and above the gauge cluster for hairline or open cracks, and ask whether the dash has ever been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Two weeks ago, I notice a crack on the dashboard about 1 inch long. Today the crack is about 5 inches long (1/5/2010). I have extended warranty for the vehicle, but the they would not cover it because they said it is a wear and tear part. It is truly a defect, the vehicle only has 66,000 miles and nothing happened to the vehicle that would cause the dash board to crack.”

    NHTSA complaint #10298329, filed 2010-01, 66,000 miles

    “My 2004 Acura TL dashboard on the passenger side is cracked on both sides of the airbag.I am concerned for my safety and the safety of the passenger because of the position of the cracks could possibly deploy the airbag and cause injury.”

    NHTSA complaint #11309788, filed 2020-02, 120,000 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission slips or drops out of gear

    • 27 complaints (5%)
    • median 123,000 mi at 9.3 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2004–2021

    Complaints describe the automatic transmission hesitating between gears, revving without moving, and then failing to engage at all, sometimes leaving the car stranded after a stop. Owners report fluid and filter changes giving only brief improvement, and some mention coolant mixing with transmission fluid. Several say a shop told them the transmission needed replacement or rebuild, and some reference an earlier automatic transmission recall. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 160,000 miles.

    Recall 04V1760005 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive through several upshifts and downshifts, check transmission fluid colour and level, and ask for service records showing fluid changes or any rebuild.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “At six years and 60k miles, the automatic transmission on my 2004 TL had to be rebuilt at a cost of $3,200. The car was out of warranty and Acura would not extend the warranty. I am very disappointed. I expected greater longevity from this transmission.”

    NHTSA complaint #10349893, filed 2010-08, 60,000 miles

    “The transmission seems to be falling out of gear. Its an automatic and when I put it into drive sometimes it doesn't go although the RPM still goes up and gas is still being pushed so im pretty sure the car thinks its going when its not. When I was driving on a busy road my Acura decided to fall out of shift as I was turning. So, everythings great and then all of a sudden my car wont go instead its just rolling even though I give it gas and the RPM goes up.”

    NHTSA complaint #10637417, filed 2014-09, 123,000 miles
  3. Steering

    Power steering leaks, noise and loss of assist

    Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners report power steering fluid leaks, whining or grinding noise on start-up in cool weather, and steering that becomes heavy or briefly locks up while turning. Some complaints note that a hose was replaced under the earlier power steering hose recall but the leak or noise returned, and others say the dealer found their VIN was not included in that campaign. In one case leaking fluid contacted the catalytic converter and produced smoke and a burning smell. Generally reported above 100,000 miles, often in cooler weather.

    Recall 08V091000

    What to check: Check for fluid residue on the power steering hoses and pump, listen for whine when starting cold, and confirm whether the hose recall was performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After having my car in the shop for 2 weeks trying to figure out why the power steering won't stop freaking exploding when there is nothing wrong with any of the parts except the hoses going bad. I once again was left in the middle of a busy street with no power steering trying to muscle my way back to the shop. This is ridiculousssssss. Why are they not telling us their cars have issues!!!!!”

    NHTSA complaint #11383370, filed 2020-12, 150,000 miles

    “My 2004 Acura TL had a recall on power steering fluid leak in spring of 2008 and in december of 2008 I had to get my car repaired for that reason and the Acura dealer never reimbursed me for that expense eventhough it was a recall.”

    NHTSA complaint #10274402, filed 2009-06, 56,744 miles
  4. Air bags

    Airbag warning light and airbag system faults

    • 138 complaints (25%)
    • median 96,402 mi at 9.5 yrs old (104 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 7 quotes)
    • filed 2006–2023

    Some owners report the SRS or airbag warning light staying on or lighting intermittently with no crash history, and one describes a side airbag deploying while driving normally. A complaint also notes a driver airbag that did not deploy in a frontal collision. Owners say dealers inspected the system but quoted diagnostic fees before work, and some reference the Takata inflator recalls and ask whether their car is covered. Reported from about 33,000 to 210,000 miles.

    Recall 19V1820003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check that the airbag warning light comes on and goes out at start-up, and confirm by VIN with a dealer whether any open airbag inflator recall applies.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We purchased this car new in 2004! This car has never had a airbag recall. I'm very concerned this year, make and model was overlooked concerning the airbag recall. Every single model and year around this 2004 Acura TL was recalled for the airbag replacement. We constantly check for updates to assure we do not miss a notice. Is there anything that can be done to assure our 2004 TL airbag is safe?”

    NHTSA complaint #11377499, filed 2020-12, 53,000 miles

    “There appears to be a defect with the air bag system. The warning light was intermittently illuminated, and it now remains lit nearly every time the vehicle is driven. I brought the car into the dealership (Acura of stevens creek in california). They see the air bag system issue, but will not take a look at the car for less than $180. I unfortunately don't have $180 for just a look (this amount does not include the cost to fix the problem). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10631268, filed 2014-09, 91,000 miles

Buying note. Inspect the dashboard carefully for cracks near the airbag covers, verify any open airbag and power steering recalls by VIN, and have the automatic transmission checked on a road test. Service records for transmission fluid, power steering hoses and alignment are worth asking for.

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 551 consumer complaints for the 2004 Acura TL. 400 of the complaints include a mileage, and 19% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 90,000 miles. Of all complaints, 13 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 17 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 90 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: Exterior lighting (10), Electronic stability control (9), Seats (9), Engine (6), Equipment (6), Engine cooling (5), Fuel system (5), Vehicle speed control (5), Wheels (4), Seat belts (3).

Example complaints

Body and structure: “Large crack appeared on my dashboard today. I googled and found out there are thousands of Acura tls having the same issue. But the manufacturer has not done a recall. I called Acura client relations as well as dealer. They are not doing anything. The crack dashboard is a safety concern as the srs airbag sits behind that and can explode.”

NHTSA complaint #10875792, filed 2016-06, 107,500 miles

Air bags: “I have not been contacted about the airbag recall, the potential problem with the accelerator pedal and the driver side lower ball joint recall. Several years ago I exited a highway, came to a stop sign and when I made a right turn the drivers side ball joint broke. I had the repair done and luckily I didn't hurt ao or myself. Thank you stay safe. I think it was in 2015.”

NHTSA complaint #11365409, filed 2020-10, 5 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “The transmission is lacking at any moment that happens to me in the middle of the street. No safe another car almost hit me. No safe .... My dash is horrible completely cracke and this definitely is going to affect the airbags in my Acura 2004 TL. Sorry is the wors of worst .yes I was driving going in to the gas station and car just lack I couldn't do anything after about 20 minutes. The car gets on gear again and I get in gas station”

NHTSA complaint #11286618, filed 2019-12, 119,000 miles

Tires: “I own a 2004 Acura TL with original equipment bridgestone el-42 tires. While the tire preformed acceptably during the summer the preformance on wet roads and particulary in snow and ice was absolutly terrible. My family and I took a 500 mile trip in michigan over the christmas holidays and I almost had to park the car and get a rental to get home. I replaced the tires 2 days after getting home. The tires had only 12k miles on therm.”

NHTSA complaint #10110113, filed 2005-02, 12,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

19% of the 400 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 58,500 and 115,000 miles.

6%0–104%10–259%25–5019%50–7523%75–10028%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (400 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 90,000 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.

’06’0973’12’15’18’21’24
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 2004 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 rated5 / 5———

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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 Acura TL version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
TL FWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed manual182821$3,900
TL FWD3.2L 6-cyl5-speed automatic182621$3,900

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2004 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. 90 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 90 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 2004 Acura TL?

Owners of the 2004 Acura TL most often report a cracking dashboard, especially along the passenger airbag seam, and a transmission that slips, hesitates or stops engaging. The issues reported most often: Cracked dashboard around the airbag seams; Transmission slips or drops out of gear; Power steering leaks, noise and loss of assist.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Acura TL have?

NHTSA recorded 551 consumer complaints for the 2004 Acura TL as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Acura TL is reported most often?

Body and structure is named most often, in 232 complaints (42% of the total), followed by air bags with 199.

Has the 2004 Acura TL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Acura TL get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Acura TL (TL, 3.2L 6-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Acura TL reported?

Among the 400 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 90,000 miles and the middle half falls between 58,500 and 115,000 miles; 19% 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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.