Acura TL Common Failures: Solutions, Reliability And Breakdowns!
If you’re looking for a good luxury sedan at a price that won’t break your budget, consider getting the Acura TL. It has a roomy interior, fuel-efficient engine options, and decent handling on the highway. However, it does not hurt to know about the common faults of the Acura TL, in case your car presents any of these faults.
The latest models have advanced features, while the older TLs have a plethora of high-tech equipment. Best of all, Acura TLs have medium depreciation rates.
How good is the Acura TL?
The Acura TL is considered very reliable. Consumers give it a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 0.5, placing it sixth out of 31 luxury cars in its segment. In addition, the TL has excellent cost of ownership . The frequency with which it develops problems is considered medium, and the severity of the repairs is low. The TL rarely develops major problems.
Acura TLs can hit 100,000 miles or more and still drive like they came straight from the Honda factory. If you want to prolong the life of your TL, just follow the maintenance schedule and immediately replace old or damaged parts.
Acura TL Common Faults
Produced from 1996 to 2014, the Acura TL was one of the best-selling models from Honda’s luxury brand. While the TLX has replaced it in Acura’s lineup, the TL remains a viable vehicle for new and seasoned drivers alike, especially its 2008 model year.
Even a vehicle as reliable as the Acura TL can develop various problems over the years and miles . A consumer comparison found that the 2006 model year attracted the most complaints, while the 2010 TL is considered the worst model year.
Here are common Acura TL failures that may appear on your sedan:
1- Engine problems
Owners of the 2010 Acura TL praise the vehicle’s engine for performing like its race car equivalents. However, many of them have also noticed that the engine consumes oil quite quickly. They were forced to change the engine oil and keep the oil pan topped up frequently. When they inspected the engines, they found no signs of leaks or blowouts.
If drivers did not top up the oil on time, engine parts wore out more quickly due to insufficient lubrication. These damaged parts can cause various engine problems that can destroy your engine. In at least one case, the driver did not realize the engine was low on oil due to a faulty oil sensor.
2- Electrical problems
The Acura TL has many features that make driving more comfortable. One of these devices is the odometer that keeps track of how many kilometers the luxury sedan has accumulated.
Unfortunately, the odometer on some 2000 TLs can die quite early. This problem did not put the vehicle out of service, but the faulty readings could confuse potential buyers. Drivers who wanted to sell the TL had to include a warning on the bill of sale that the odometer did not show the actual kilometers.
Although the worst electrical problem (odometer failure) was for the 2000 Acura TL, it’s the 2006 model year that drew the most complaints. Many drivers of the 2006 TL have complained of battery drain issues that left the battery dead and the car unable to start.
In some cases, the problem was caused by an electronic device that was consuming power even when turned off. Disconnecting this faulty part usually fixes the problem.
Some 2007 TL drivers reported a similar problem. The battery died overnight, preventing the engine from starting. In addition to devices constantly drawing power from the battery, a faulty relay could also cause this problem.
3- Problems with interior accessories
Like any self-respecting luxury vehicle, the 2006 Acura TL features high-quality interior accessories like a dashboard that accentuates the sedan’s sleek lines. Unfortunately, the control panel can develop unsightly cracks that ruin the panel’s appearance.
In many cases, the first cracks appear around the passenger side airbag. Depending on their severity, they can disable the security device. More fractures may appear on the rest of the control panel.
This problem is not limited to the 2006 model year. Cracks can also form in the control panels of some 2004 and 2005 Acura TL sedans. These cracks also tend to appear around the passenger side airbag.
4- Transmission problems
There are many things to commend about the first-generation Acura TL. They are comfortable, have a stylish look and good acceleration. However, many of the vehicles built from 1999 to 2003 apparently have a faulty automatic transmission.
The 2003 Acura TL is considered the worst when it comes to transmission reliability . Known issues include downshifting, slipping between gears, and stalling when the driver changes gear. In the worst case, the transmission can fail completely and trigger failsafe mode. The car can also jerk all over the road.
In most cases, it is necessary to replace the entire transmission. This repair job can cost thousands of dollars at a dealership. There is also no guarantee that the repaired transmission will not develop the same problem again.
In summary
Despite its age and end of production, you can’t go wrong with this luxury sedan. Read up on the common failures of the Acura TL for the model year you own or plan to get a better idea of its cost of ownership. Knowing what problems your TL can develop will also help you prevent costly repairs.
