RoadVitals

2003 Acura TL Other / unspecified Problems

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

Data refreshed

Other / unspecified 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.
8
Latest Sep 23, 2016
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.
2%
of 391 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Acura TL submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 other

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 23, 2016

RUST THROUGH CONDITION ON RIGHT SUB-FRAME SUPPORTING ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION. AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER DRAIN TUBE DRIPS CONDENSATION/WATER DIRECTLY ONTO THIS AREA OF THE SUB-FRAME CAUSING SEVERE CORROSION AND EVENTUALLY PART FAILURE LEAVING ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION WITHOUT PROPER ALIGNMENT AND SUPPORT THAT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED. ACURA DENOUNCED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. LEFT SIDE OF SAME PART IS NOT EFFECTED AT ALL. INTERNET SEARCH HAS DISCOVERED NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM. TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 1999-2002 HONDA ACCORD CARS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. BUT MANUFACTURE'S SOLUTION WAS TO MOVE THE LOCATION OF THE DRAIN TUBE IN FUTURE MODEL YEARS OF THE CAR. I PAID AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP $2,600 TO REPLACE THE REAR SUB-FRAME SECTION. THE DEALERSHIP WANTED TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT AND REAR SUB-FRAMES BUT THE FRONT SECTION WAS NOT EFFECTED AND DID NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE REPAIR SHOT I TOOK MY CAR TO TO HAVE THE WORK DONE PRAISED THE CAR FOR BEING SPOTLESS UNDERNEATH EXCEPT FOR THE EFFECTED AREA. PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED ON AUGUST 16, 2016.

NHTSA ID
10909323
Incident
Aug 16, 2016
Mileage
66,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Jun 29, 2011

2003 ACURA 3.2TL, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE WHEN IT LOST THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE GREAT LAKES PLAZA. *BF THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, LEFT FRONT ROTOR, LEFT FRONT FENDER AND UNDERCARRIAGE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0344-91)*JB

NHTSA ID
10409958
Incident
May 25, 2011
Other / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed Sep 23, 2010

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL. CAUSED CAR TO LOSE ACCELERATION, NEARLY GOT REAR ENDED WHILE PULLING OFF THE ROAD TO SAFETY. INITIAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 23,000 MILES. THIS IS THE 2ND TRANSMISSION FAILING WITH ONLY 116,000 MILES ON IT. DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10357215
Incident
Sep 18, 2010
Mileage
139,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed Jun 2, 2010

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ACURA 2003 3.2TL COMMON TRANSMISSION FAILURE CODES PO740 AND PO730. SHIFTS ERRATICALLY LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHERS. VIN # IS NOT ON THE LIST. WE HAVE LEARNED THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IN. HONDA CITY IN WISCONSIN - DEALER SCAMMED US. CARFAX DID NOT LIST THE REPAIR!!! DEALER IS TELLING US TO DRIVE IT IN AND RISK OUR LIVES!!! !!! THE DEALER SHOULD DRIVE IT HIMSELF. HONDA CORPORATE IS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION. 1-800-422-2872 AMANDA CASE # [XXX] . WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT NOT TAKING ACTION !!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10334218
Incident
Jun 2, 2010
Mileage
71,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed May 31, 2010

WAS TRAVELING ON I-20 WITH FAMILY AND TRANSMISSION IN 2003 ACURA TYPE S JUST BLEW OUT WITH NO WARNING TRAVELING SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR. COASTED TO SIDE OF INTERSTATE AND HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH CAR FURTHER OUT OF HARMS WAY. HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID CREATED SMOKE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND LEFT US STRANDED SIXTY MILES FROM HOME. NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED IN THIS VEHICLE IN 2007 AT DEALERSHIP WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT AND NOW IT GOES OUT AGAIN WITH ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER WOULD ONLY GIVE TEN PERCENT TOWARDS GOODWILL FIX PAID THIRTY TWO HUNDRED OUT OF POCKET. THIS YEAR AND MODEL WAS INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT IN CALIFORNIA BUT THE VIN NUMBER ON MY CAR AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHERS WAS NOT INCLUDED BUT SHOULD WELL HAVE BEEN. ACURA SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THIS IS A WEAK PRODUCT BUT THAT WAS PUTTING IT MILDLY AFTER GETTING ON THE INTERNET AND READING ALL THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON THIS EXACT MODEL AND YEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE STILL DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACE BY HONDA FOR FREE. CONSUMERS ARE TRADING AND GETTING RID OF THE CARS BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY ARE A SAFETY THREAT TO THEIR FAMILY. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING US TO A GRADUATION WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND IT SCARED HER TO DEATH HAPPENING AT THAT SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS PRODUCT IS WELL DOCUMENTED AS BEING A PIECE OF CRAP BUT CONSUMERS LIKE ME HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT SUFFER THE LOSS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST OUT OF THE NEXT TRANSMISSION. WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TO PUT THREE AND FOUR TRANSMISSIONS IN A CAR WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES ON IT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO STEP IN AND PROTECT THE CONSUMERS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT DIFFERENCE WAS MADE DURING THE VIN NUMBER ON MY CAR AND SAME MODELS BEFORE IT THAT WERE COVERED UNDER THE LAWSUIT. EVIDENTLY THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS STILL EXISTED IN ALL THESE MODELS. JUST READ ALL THE THREADS ON WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/REVIEWS/ACURA/TL/R71264/COMMENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10333964
Incident
May 8, 2010
Mileage
102,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed Apr 10, 2007

I WAS DRIVING FROM OSSINING, NY TO TAKOMA PARK , MD , 260 MILES ON I95 WHEN AT 70 MPH SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE TACHOMETER WENT UP TO 7000 RPMS. I WAS USING CRUISE CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY TOUCHED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO RELEASE THE CRUISE CONTROL. HOWEVER, I HAD NO POWER FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO COAST TO THE RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER FROM THE LEFT MOST LANE OF THE HIGHWAY AND CALL ONSTAR. APPARENTLY THE TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN, AND ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY AND THE SHOULDER WHERE I EVENTUALLY STOPPED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME. HOWEVER, I WAS 160 MILES FROM HOME. THIS WAS THE SECOND NEW TRANSMISSION THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED IN THIS VEHICLE- ONCE AT 77000 MILES AND NOW AT 10700 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10187434
Incident
Apr 2, 2007
Mileage
107,800 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Oct 11, 2006

THE CARELESSNESS OF THE WORKERS COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION ON INTERSTATE 275. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES; DUE TO A SCREW WHICH CAUSED MY TIRE TO BLOW WITH THE FIRST TIRE ON THE INTERSTATE AT 4:45 AM, HAD TO SPEND $266.46 TO REPLACE TIRE. THEN A WEEK AND A HALF LATER WHILE DRIVING ON THE SAME INTERSTATE GOING TO WORK HAD TO REPLACE ANOTHER TIRE DUE TO A NAIL, ANOTHER $200.00. I THINK IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DOT TO MAKE SURE ALL SCREWS AND NAILS ARE CLEARED OFF THE INTERSTATE SINCE PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO TRAVEL IN ORDER TO GET TO WORK EACH DAY. TO HAVE TO PAY OVER $400, IN A WEEK AND HALF; MONEY THAT I DON'T HAVE IT IS TAKING A TOLL ON ME FINANCIALLY. I THINK DOT NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THE LOOSE NAILS AND SCREWS BEING LEFT ON THE INTERSTATE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10170493
Incident
Sep 23, 2006
Other / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed Oct 3, 2004

2003 ACURA TL TYPE-S, 36960 MILES: RECURRING TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR (AUTOMATIC 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION) AND NEARLY CAUSED CAR CRASH WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC THREE TIMES. CURRENTLY DRIVING A RENTAL WAITING TO HAVE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. ("OIL JET KIT" WAS INSTALLED BY DEALER 2 MONTHS AGO IN RESPONSE TO RECENT RECALL BY ACURA.)*AK

NHTSA ID
10093514
Incident
Sep 29, 2004
Mileage
36,960 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 .