RoadVitals

2002 Acura TL Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
41
Latest Oct 12, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 332 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
10
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Acura TL submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 41 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

The 25 most recent of 41, in the owner's own words

AirbagsSteering
Filed Oct 12, 2025

The high pressure power steering hose on my car is leaking. Issues with Air bags

NHTSA ID
11692935
Incident
Oct 1, 2025
Airbags
Filed Jun 30, 2025

The "SRS" dashboard red light illuminated and stays on. On May 19, 2029 Acura "Replaced Driver S/B." Acura Dealer and Manufacturer are both telling me that my "Inflator" and "Airbag Module" is not covered again since there has been no recall by Acura or NHTSA. Please advise me as to warranty a second time at no cost to me?

NHTSA ID
11670348
Incident
Dec 1, 2024
Airbags
Filed Jul 14, 2020

VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY WITH KIDS IN THE CAR, DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID
11339245
Incident
Jun 13, 2020
Mileage
150,000 mi
AirbagsEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 1, 2019

AUTOMATIC/MANUALLY SHIFTS, MANUAL GEARS D4 SHIFT STUCK IN GEAR AND CAUSING ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURED.

NHTSA ID
11252707
Incident
Mar 19, 2015
Mileage
210,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 9, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V499000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED CROWN ACURA (LOCATED AT 18911 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL 33764, (888) 642-5567) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID
11230548
Incident
Jul 7, 2019
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 14, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V182000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. GARRY FORCE ACURA (1634 WESTGATE CIR, BRENTWOOD, TN 37027 (615) 377-0500) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT WERE NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. (PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT).

NHTSA ID
11207550
Incident
Apr 13, 2019
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes
Filed Apr 17, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

WE GOT AN APRIL 2019 LETTER FOR AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL WHICH CAME TOO LATE! MY CAR WAS TOTALED IN A ACCIDENT IN WHICH BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IT DID CAUSE HURTFUL PRESSURE ON MY GRANDSON'S CHEST WITH AN EMERGENCY BILL OVER $500 AND 2 DAYS OF LOSSES WAGES. OK FOR WHICH WE HAD NO COMPENSATION. CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY STREET IN WHICH THE OTHER PARTY WAS TICKETED ON AN ILLEGAL U TURN.

NHTSA ID
11197014
Incident
Dec 17, 2018
Mileage
154,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 15, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR KEPT ILLUMINATING. FLOW ACURA (425 SILAS CREEK PKWY, WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27127, (336) 723-3524) INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRES WERE MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER A TEST WAS PERFORMED, THE INDICATOR REMAINED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. WHEN THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HER TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ANOTHER ACURA DEALER (CROWN ACURA, 3908 W WENDOVER AVE, GREENSBORO, NC 27407) CHANGED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE SECOND DEALER HAD TO ORDER ANOTHER PART AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AGAIN, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED SRS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. DEALERSHIP FILE HAS A LOG/ HISTRY OF THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE PLUS MULTI REPAIRS WORK DONE ON THE SRS LIGHT BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*JB

NHTSA ID
11196194
Incident
Apr 1, 2017
Mileage
65,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 9, 2018

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID
11150239
Incident
Nov 8, 2018
Mileage
88,675 mi
AirbagsBrakesElectrical
Filed Jan 20, 2018

CAR WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION PROPERLY/ POOR DRIVING.

NHTSA ID
11063877
Incident
Jun 2, 2015
Airbags
Filed Jan 15, 2018

MY VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTED AIRBAG. IT HAS YET TO DEPLOY, HOWEVER I WAS INFORMED BY THE TK HOLDINGS INC. THAT THE AIRBAG ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IS DEFECTED.

NHTSA ID
11062828
Incident
Aug 8, 2017
Mileage
198,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 15, 2017

MY VEHICLE CONTAINS ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE TAKATA AIRBAGS, EVEN THOUGH I REALIZE IT IS NOT CURRENTLY UNDER A RECALL.

NHTSA ID
11054954
Incident
Nov 16, 2016
Airbags
Filed Dec 7, 2017

AIR BAGS WAS NOT WORKING

NHTSA ID
11052961
Incident
Apr 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed Dec 2, 2017

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID
11051894
Incident
Dec 12, 2016
Mileage
107 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Nov 2, 2017
Crash reported1 injury reported

TAKATA RECALL I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN JUNE OF 2014. I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN. AS I WAS DRIVING A SUBURBAN (BELIEVE) TURNED IN FRONT OF ME. TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BUT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT. I HIT THE SIDE OR BACK OF HIS VEHICLE . I FELT LIKE I HIT A BRICK WALL WITH MY FACE. THAT WAS MY FACE HITTING THE AIR BAG.I WAS ON THE SERVICE ROAD LEAVING THE MALL. I DON'T THINK THE DATE I WROTE IN ON THIS FORM IS CORRECT. I'M NOT SURE OF THE DAY.

NHTSA ID
11042798
Incident
Jun 1, 2014
Mileage
73,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 1, 2017

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON & OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING & IN IDLE .

NHTSA ID
11042011
Incident
May 2, 2017
Airbags
Filed May 4, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V351000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID
10714434
Incident
May 2, 2015
Mileage
135,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 8, 2015

2002 ACURA 3.2 TL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL AND REPAIRS. *SMD

NHTSA ID
10683317
Incident
Feb 1, 2012
AirbagsElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Nov 7, 2014

FIRST OFF MY DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW HAS NEVER WORKED. I CHANGED MY WINDOW MOTOR WITH THE REGULATOR TWICE. THAT DID NOT FIX MY WINDOW. I CHANGED MY DRIVERS MASTER WINDOW MODULE TWICE. I CHECKED ALL OF THE FUSES AND THE POWER WINDOW FUSES WERE GOOD. MY POWER WINDOW STILL DOESN'T WORK AFTER $400 IN PARTS AND $400 IN LABOR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY CAR HAD A FEW RECALLS. THE PERSON HELPING ME AT THE DEALERSHIP WAS REAL RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL. HE TOLD ME THE ONLY RECALL I HAD WAS FOR MY SRS AIRBAG. HE HAD TO ORDER THE PART. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO LET ME KNOW THE PART WAS IN. TWO WEEKS LATER I GO IN AND CHECK IF THE PART WAS I N. THE SAME PERSON THAT HELPED ME CAME UP TO ME AND HAD AN ATTITUDE AND WAS DISRESPECTFUL AGAIN. HE TOLD ME THE PART WAS IN BUT THEY CAN'T SERVICE IT THAT DAY. THEY NEVER COMMUNICATED WITH ME. HORRIBLE SERVICE AT [XXX] ACURA. I TOLD THE SERVICE GUY THAT MY CAR DOES NOT WANT TO COME OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY TRANSMISSION. HE WAS REAL RUDE AND TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO PAY $6000. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND MY 02 ACURA TL TYPE S WITH MY VIN NUMBER HAS MANY RECALLS. 1 FOR MY AIR BAGS. 2. FOR MY TRANSMISSION 2ND GEAR. 3 FOR MY DRIVERS POWER WINDOW. I TOLD THIS ACURA SERVICE GUY THAT I HAD RECALLS FOR ALL 3 THINGS AND HE LAUGHED AT ME. MY CLUSTER FUSE KEEPS BLOWING AND THE CODE THAT COMES UP IS FOR MY TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR. 70+ PEOPLE WITH AN 02 ACURA TLS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES AS ME. I JUST CONTACTED ACURA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. NO RECALL HAS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR. I NEED HELP PLEASE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10653244
Incident
Oct 1, 2014
Mileage
170,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 23, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V351000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10638380
Incident
Sep 19, 2014
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Apr 1, 2013
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V260000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10505288
Incident
Apr 1, 2013
Mileage
65,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 2, 2012
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE WAITING AT A TOLL BOOTH HER FOOT SLIPPED OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH MINIMAL FORCE. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS APPROXIMATELY 229,000.

NHTSA ID
10453775
Incident
Apr 1, 2012
Mileage
229,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 7, 2012
Crash reported

VEHICLE TOTALED AFTER COLLIDING WITH GUARDRAIL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10450600
Incident
Mar 2, 2012
Airbags
Filed Mar 6, 2012

2002 ACURA TL-S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS RECALL DISSATISFACTION *TGW THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL. HOWEVER, AFTER WAITING FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, HE WAS INFORMED THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED.

NHTSA ID
10450908
Incident
Mar 1, 2012
AirbagsElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 26, 2012
Crash reported

ALLEGE THAT VEHICLE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE UNABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE AND/OR INCLUDING POSSIBLE ACCELERATION LEADING TO A COLLISION AND/OR SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM. RECEIVED TWO RECALL NOTICES AND/OR POSSIBLE MORE THAN TWO. SRS LIGHT APPEARED TO BE ACTIVATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. ( FACTS: POWER INVERTER CONNECTED, OTHER MOBILE ELECTRONICS POWERED BY VEHICLE'S DC POWER SUPPLY, BOTH DRIVER AND AIRBAG WERE DEPLOYED, NEW CAR MOUNT INSTALLATION ON PASSENGER SEAT FRAME BOLTS)

NHTSA ID
10446417
Incident
Sep 2, 2011
Mileage
150,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .