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Acura TLModel year report

2013 Acura TL Problems

Compared with other Acura TL years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

20/100 0.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
62filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
69,503miles, 35 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns 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
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 20 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Acura TL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints about this model year center on the electric power steering: owners describe the wheel suddenly becoming very hard to turn, often with a "check power steering system" warning, and several had the steering control unit replaced. A second, much larger group of complaints relates to the driver's airbag inflator recall, mostly about waiting for parts. Remaining reports are scattered across paint, hood struts, transmission shudder, oil use and rear suspension noise.

  1. Steering

    Electric power steering assist cuts out

    • 28 complaints (45%)
    • median 75,000 mi at 7.6 yrs old (23 state mileage)
    • filed 2017–2026

    Owners describe the wheel becoming very heavy or feeling locked while driving, turning from a stop, or backing out, often with a "check power steering system" message and a warning chime. Some say restarting the car restored assist temporarily, then it failed again for good; others had no warning before the loss of assist. Several had the electric power steering control unit replaced at a dealer, and some dealers could not reproduce the problem on the first visit. Reported from roughly 30,000 to over 150,000 miles, with many clustered between 60,000 and 75,000 miles.

    8 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the electric power steering control unit has been replaced or covered under the extended warranty for this part, and have a scan for stored steering codes done. During a test drive, note any steering warning light and whether assist feels normal at low speed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Received diagnostic message to check power steering system. Loss control of the vehicle because I could not turn the wheel on the vehicle which almost caused an accident. My mechanic indicated that this was a computer issue and recommended that I take it to the Acura dealership for service.”

    NHTSA complaint #11351107, filed 2020-08, 92,820 miles

    “Could had an accident I was on the freeway and all of a sudden the light on my car came on saying that the power steering had gone out at that time I realize that I could not control the car it was hard I had to get a feel for it to turn it so I could pull off to the side and then that's when I called aaa to come and tow the car because I could not steer it. My car has 75,000 miles only. That's a major part that was a very frightening experience”

    NHTSA complaint #11365262, filed 2020-10, 75,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Airbag inflator recall parts not available

    • 15 complaints (24%)
    • typically at 3.5 yrs old
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2022

    Many owners report receiving recall notices for the driver's airbag inflator but being told the replacement part was not yet available, with waits stretching months. Some describe repeated calls to schedule the repair and being placed on a long list; a few also report an airbag warning light that stays on. Owners generally had not experienced a failure, complaining mainly about the delay. Mostly reported in 2016 through 2018, soon after the recall notices were mailed.

    Recall 16V061000Recall 19V182000Recall 19V5000007 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the vehicle's recall status with a dealer by VIN and confirm the driver's airbag inflator has been replaced; keep the paperwork. If the airbag warning light is on, ask for the stored codes to be read before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall-my vehicle has been in Acura (macchurchill) since february 23, 2016. They said it could take as long as until september before my vehicle is repaired. In addition, I recently discovered that my airbags had been previously deployed on this vehicle. I was never notified of this, nor did I sign an airbag disclosure statement form. The dealership states they are not required to have me sign this form.”

    NHTSA complaint #10862838, filed 2016-05

    “Have been waiting for a year & a half for the Acura dealer to get me in to replace my airbags and every time I call I am told I am still on a very long list. Sure hope we don't get in a wreck & god forbid have shrapnel kill us.”

    NHTSA complaint #11010916, filed 2017-07

Buying note. Have the electric power steering system checked and ask about the control unit warranty extension, and confirm the driver's airbag inflator recall has been completed before buying. A test drive at both low speed and steady highway speed will surface steering, transmission shudder and rear suspension noise.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 54 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 62 consumer complaints for the 2013 Acura TL. 35 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 69,503 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 107 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 Acura TL model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 20 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

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: Fuel system (1), Lane departure (1), Other or unknown (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Steering: “My car power steering became hard to turn had a light to turn on to check steering system took to the shop they said is a electric situation than the dealers has extended 15 year guarantee want to know details for reverse me what need to send”

NHTSA complaint #11323068, filed 2020-05, 80 miles

Air bags: “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 Acura TL. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000(front driver air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Dg”

NHTSA complaint #10915458, filed 2016-10

Electrical system: “Power steering eps failure right around 60,000 miles my Acura TL's power steering eps failed. The car was driving ~45mph on a straight 2-lane highway when the indicator lights went off and the power steering failed. After pulling over to the side of the road and letting the car sit for several hours, it started up with no issues. The next day, upon starting the vehicle, the power steering went out and never returned. …”

NHTSA complaint #11240952, filed 2019-07, 66,328 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I have experienced tach hunting when you're driving and the vehicle shifts into the highest gear and the rpms should be steady, you're going at a steady speed down a city street and the tachometer starts jumping around it will not stay steady. It first started happening when the car had around 36,000 miles on it we brought it in and the dealer reprogrammed/ flushed the transmission that fixed it for roughly 36,000 miles . …”

NHTSA complaint #11388220, filed 2021-01, 36,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 35 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 36,000 and 100,000 miles.

11%0–106%10–2511%25–5031%50–7511%75–10020%100–1509%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (35 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 69,503 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.

20142017201914202120232026
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 2013 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 4WD★★★★☆4 / 3455 · 9.3% risk
TL · sedan FWD★★★★☆4 / 3455 · 9.3% risk

Neighbouring years: 2012: 3–4 stars overall; 2014: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

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

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2013 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 2WD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic202923$3,550
TL 4WD3.7L 6-cyl6-speed automatic182621$3,900
TL 4WD3.7L 6-cyl6-speed manual182420$4,100

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 2013 Acura TL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

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. 107 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 107 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 2013 Acura TL?

Complaints about this model year center on the electric power steering: owners describe the wheel suddenly becoming very hard to turn, often with a "check power steering system" warning, and several had the steering control unit replaced. The issues reported most often: Electric power steering assist cuts out; Airbag inflator recall parts not available.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Acura TL have?

NHTSA recorded 62 consumer complaints for the 2013 Acura TL as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Acura TL is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 28 complaints (45% of the total), followed by air bags with 19.

Has the 2013 Acura TL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2013 Acura TL do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2013 Acura TL 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Acura TL get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Acura TL (TL 2WD, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Acura TL reported?

Among the 35 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 69,503 miles and the middle half falls between 36,000 and 100,000 miles; 29% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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.