2012 Acura TL Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the electric power steering cutting out, transmission shudder and harsh shifting, and excessive oil consumption, with the largest single block of complaints being about the Takata driver airbag inflator recalls and delayed repairs. Steering and airbag complaints tend to arrive at lower miles, while oil consumption reports cluster at higher mileage; transmission shudder is often described as gradual and worsening.

1. 1
   Steering

   Power steering assist cuts out (EPS warning)

   • 19 complaints (15%)
   • median 70,500 mi at 6.7 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2019

   Owners describe a power steering or EPS warning appearing on the dash and the wheel suddenly becoming very heavy, sometimes while driving at highway speed and sometimes right after a cold start or while stationary. Several say turning the car off and restarting restored assist, at least for a while, and that dealers replaced the EPS control unit or module after diagnosis; some report the dealer could not duplicate the fault or that a battery replacement was tried first. Reported from as little as a few thousand miles up to roughly 120,000, often on colder mornings or shortly after startup.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the EPS control unit has been replaced or covered under the extended warranty, and note any steering warning light on a test drive and a restart. Try turning the wheel at a standstill with the engine running.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving my car at 60 MPH the power steering failure notification was displayed on the console. Immediately I lost all power steering and was forced to drive without it. This was very dangerous and difficult to drive. The mechanic repeated the problem and requires the power steering motor to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10939717, filed 2017-01, 95,000 miles

   “Came off work last night got into my car start it up and got a check power steering warning on my dashboard. Vehicle steering wheel is almost impossible to turn. Vehicle is not drivable. Problem occur while vehicle was stationary in a parking lot. Turn vehicle off after a few minutes and restart vehicle and problem went away. Same exact thing happened again this morning while vehicle was stationary.”

   NHTSA complaint #11161235, filed 2018-12, 112,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, harsh shifts and hesitation

   • 18 complaints (14%)
   • median 40,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • filed 2012–2020

   Owners describe a shudder or surging felt under light acceleration, with the tachometer hunting up and down a few hundred RPM, along with harsh or abrupt shifts and occasional hesitation between gears. Several say a dealer software update helped only temporarily or that the dealer said nothing further could be done; others report torque converter or transmission replacement. Commonly reported between about 30,000 and 100,000 miles, usually under light throttle at low speeds and during gentle acceleration.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at steady light throttle between about 20 and 60 mph and watch the tachometer for a rhythmic hunt or shudder. Ask whether the torque converter lock-up software update or transmission fluid service was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have been complaining to Acura about the transmission tach hunting and car vibrations since the car was between 1-2 years old. No one could figure out the problem. They did find and repair a leak on the drive shaft that they said might have been the cause of my complaints. That did not fix it and I was told that honda/Acura transmissions were abrupt in their changes, and tended to favor lower gears, as a method of increasing fuel economy. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10873171, filed 2016-06, 49,416 miles

   “There has to be a recall on 4th generation Acura TL's with the 6 speed auto transmission (mine is a 2012 sh-awd tech package). My car produces the tachometer jumping approximately 300-500 RPM when cruising in 5th gear around 35-45 MPH. The tach jump is so large I actually have looked at it while driving, it's distracting and needs to be fixed, I am willing to bet it's the torque converter. Car is going to Acura dealer on 12/3/2015 for diagnostic testing: . …”

   NHTSA complaint #10807770, filed 2015-12, 40,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recall and warning light after repair

   • 40 complaints (31%)
   • median 50,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2025

   Many complaints concern the driver frontal airbag inflator recall: owners describe waiting months for parts, being turned away or rescheduled at the dealer, and difficulty selling the car with an open recall. Others report the airbag warning light coming on or staying on after the recall repair was completed, with dealers resetting it or saying further repair was not covered. Mostly reported between roughly 5,000 and 80,000 miles, often in the years after recall notices were mailed.

   Recall 16V061000Recall 19V182000Recall 19V5000005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the VIN against open recalls and confirm the driver inflator was replaced, asking for paperwork. After a test drive, verify the airbag indicator goes out normally after the bulb check.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had the recall done on the takata steering wheel airbag, then in jan 2019 I got a airbag warning 31-1 airbag system. Acura reset the warning , but 3 month later it happen again and now I need to replace the driverside airbag curtain. This is not covered anymore, but I would think Acura would help there long term customers.”

   NHTSA complaint #11192833, filed 2019-04, 75,000 miles

   “Takata recall in march 2016, I received an official recall notice regarding takata airbag on my 2012 Acura TL from Acura international. The letter stated that the fix would be available summer 2016. Summer has come and gone with no notification that part was in stock at dealership (mike harvey, burlingame ca). In the meantime, I have bought a new car and am trying to sell my TL. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10905161, filed 2016-09, 55,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Excessive oil consumption and engine noise

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 79,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2015–2020

   Owners report needing to add oil between changes with no visible leak, sometimes a couple of quarts before the next service, along with engine knocking or ticking and reduced power. Some describe repeated oil consumption tests, engine replacement, or being told they did not qualify for the warranty extension because leaks were found. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 126,000 miles, often noticed gradually over months of driving.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or burnt smell, and ask for records of oil consumption tests or the powertrain warranty extension repair, which involved pistons and rings on the 3.7L V6.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Oil consumption, engine knocking and car felt out of power specially in low in speed. Few trips to Acura but was told they couldn't find any problem. I end up getting rid of the car and after few months I bought other TL same year and miles and unfortunately have a same problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11144446, filed 2018-10, 75,000 miles

   “Car has been excessively using oil since I bought it. Have it documented by the dealer when taking it for oil changes about the oil consumption. Campaign is released for oil consumption and I am told don't qualify b/c now I supposed have three oil leaks. I have never saw oil in my driveway. Called Acura client services, useless. Didn't help me at all. Feel they just released it to show they are doing something when, they aren't helping the owners. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11323783, filed 2020-05, 126,000 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Accelerator pedal hesitation or delayed response

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 29,850 mi at 2.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2019

   Owners describe pressing the accelerator and getting little or no response, then a sudden surge, or a brief loss of power while accelerating from a stop or merging. Several say the dealer could not reproduce the fault and no repair was made. Reported from very low mileage up to about 70,000, and usually intermittent rather than constant.

   What to check: During a test drive, try several gentle accelerations from a stop and at low speed, and ask whether the throttle body or pedal sensor has been cleaned or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After owning my 2012 Acura TL for roughly 2yrs, I've become concerned with the engine workmanship. Acceleration seems to be at a loss between 30-45mph in between gear changes. It's almost as though the transmission doesn't know what to do. You have to either let up on the acceleration or increase your speed to avoid that annoying hesitation. The second problem is what I would describe as lifter/valve noise. The noise occurs when accelerating, intermittently though. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10643218, filed 2014-10, 30,000 miles

   “When I was stopped at a stop sign awaiting a break to enter into heavy traffic I saw a gap and pressed the gas pedal but the engine did not respond. I gently pressed until it was about 1/4 down and still nothing happened. I then gently pressed it a little more and the car bolted forward at a dangerous speed directly into traffic which could have almost killed me. This was just one situation, there are many others. This problem doesn't happen on a predictable basis and cannot be duplicated when desired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11208409, filed 2019-05, 46,740 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection check the power steering and airbag recall status first, then drive the car at light throttle to look for transmission shudder and at highway speed to check for vibration. Ask for oil change records and confirm the oil level, since oil consumption is a common owner complaint on this model year.

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.