2012 Acura TL Steering Problems

While driving in heavy traffic and making a right turn,the power steering screen began to blink and immediately the power steering locked up. I had to manually turn the wheel and was able to over to the side and stop. After several minutes, the wheel finally unlocked and I pulled into a parking lot where it occurred again. I turned the key on and the unlocked wheel began to work again After making it home, I checked the drivers manual and found nothing. I checked complaints and found 95 instances but no recalls. It was very frightening for this situation and dangerous. This happened on July 14,2021.

NHTSA ID

11425488

Incident

Jul 14, 2021

I PURCHASED A NEW 2012 ACURA WITH 20 MILES ON IT IN SEPT 2012. MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT IN APR 2015. I COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE GOING DOWN A WINDING ROAD. IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT JUST TO STEER IT SLIGHTLY. ACURA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK AND CONTROL UNIT UNDER WARRANTY. ON 3/29/2019 I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THANKFULLY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON A FEW MINUTES LATER. THE POWER STEERING ERROR CODE WENT OFF HOWEVER WHEN I STEERED THE VEHICLE WHICH IN PARK THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT THE WHEEL TURNING. I THEN TURNED IT OFF FOR A WHILE AND TRIED AGAIN AND IT SEEMS TO WORK. HOWEVER, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN WHILE DRIVING. I CALLED THE RECALL LINE FOR HONDA AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE FIX THEY DID IN 2015 IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

11192595

Incident

Mar 29, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DAVID MCDAVID ACURA PLANO (LOCATED AT 4051 W PLANO PKWY, PLANO, TX 75093, (214) 516-7503), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 09459640. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

NHTSA ID

11192515

Incident

Mar 29, 2019

Mileage

62,000 mi

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 ID

11161235

Incident

Dec 12, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

I OWN ACURA TL 2012. LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS DRIVING I SUDDENLY SAW THE STEERING WONT TURN ALL OF A SUDDEN. IT BECAME SO HARD TO TURN THE STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. I LATER GOT THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ACURA DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE EPS UNIT (ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING) FAILED. I LATER DID RESEARCH ON NHTSA'S WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT LOT OF ACURA TL AND TSX CUSTOMERS OF 2012 ALSO HAVE REPORTED THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND MIGHT RESULT IN SEROUS ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A MANUFACTURER RECALL WITH SO MANY ACURA TL 2012 CUSTOMERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM? THE ACURA DEALER WHERE I GOT THE PROBLEM FIXED CHARGED ME ABOUT 1000 BUCKS TO FIX THE ISSUE WHILE IT TRULY SHOULD BE A PROBLEM THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL AND FIX.

NHTSA ID

11129686

Incident

Sep 9, 2018

Mileage

72,000 mi

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE. I HAD JUST DRIVEN MY ACURA FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES AND STOPPED TO GET A BOTTLE OF WATER. WHEN I CAME BACK OUT AND RESTARTED THE CAR, THE EPS FAILURE WARNING APPEARED IN THE INFO CENTER AN A CODE 32 SHOWED UP IN THE MESSAGE CENTER.. I HAD TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE FOR OVER 700 MILES UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO MY LOCAL ACURA DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND ORDERED A NEW EPS MODULE. TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR EXCEEDED $1100. I CONTACTED ACURA TO REQUEST A GOODWILL DISCOUNT SINCE I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A CATROPHIC STEERING FAILURE IN ANY VEHICLE. THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE CAR IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY, HOWEVER IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS THAT A CRITICAL COMPONENT PART THAT FAILS WITHIN THE FIRST 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILE IN A NEW VEHICLE IS UNCOMPREHENSIBLE TO ME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAIL COMPLETELY. I ASKED FOR HOW MANY FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AND THE WOULD NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WITH A ENGINE SURGE, QUESTIONING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AS A CULPRIT THEY GAVE ME THE SAME BLANKET ANSWER THAT THEY HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE. I FOUND THE SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE ON AN ACURA FORUM.

NHTSA ID

11129120

Incident

Aug 16, 2018

Mileage

92,000 mi

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I ALMOST CRASHED WHEN TRYING TO MOVE THE CAR TO A SAFE PLACE. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH STRENGTH TO STEER THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING BUT A SMALLER WEAKER PERSON COULD HAVE CRASHED HURTING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. NO WARNING OR INDICATION IT WAS WEARING OUT. THE CAR HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILES AND ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE ON TIME. ACURA (HONDA) IS AWARE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEY ARE EVEN WILLING TO COVER THE COSTS OF SOME OF THE REPAIRS. THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11123159

Incident

Aug 27, 2018

Mileage

87,000 mi

ON STARTUP, POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK. VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. ERROR CODE 32-09 CAME UP WHEN TAKEN TO ACURA DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUE AFTER CAR WAS TOWED THERE. ISSUE REOCCURED AFTER 8 SHORT TRIPS. LOW MILEAGE ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11122449

Incident

Aug 23, 2018

Mileage

44,800 mi

ON TUESDAY, JULY 3RD, 2018, AT AROUND 8:30 AM WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A POWER STEERING FAILURE MESSAGE POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD, AND THE WHEEL BECAME RIGID, AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND CALLED THE DEALER SERVICE AT LEHIGH VALLEY ACURA. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT LOOK AT THE VEHICLE UNTIL FRIDAY, JULY 6TH AT THE EARLIEST, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN OFF THE CAR, LET IT SIT FOR THREE MINUTES, AND RESTART BECAUSE THE COMPUTER PROBABLY JUST NEED TO BE REBOOTED. THAT CLEARED THE ISSUE. I THEN DROVE THE CAR HOME, AND KEPT THE DRIVING TO SHORT TRIPS (1-10 MILES). I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A DATE ABOUT TWO WEEKS OUT JUST TO HAVE IT DOUBLE CHECKED, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST DAY THEY HAD A LOANER VEHICLE, AND I THOUGHT FOLLOWING THE SERVICE CENTER REPRESENTATIVES ADVICE HAD FIXED AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, ON SUNDAY, JULY 8TH THE SAME INDICATOR CAME ON, AN WOULD NOT CLEAR, EVEN FOLLOWING THE EARLIER ADVICE FROM THE SERVICE CENTER. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER ON MONDAY. THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED ON TUESDAY. IT NEEDED A NEW STEERING COMPONENT WHICH COST ME $1120. I ASKED WHY THIS WASN'T TREATED AS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, OR A SAFETY RECALL, SINCE I HAD SEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES DESCRIBING THE SAME ISSUE IN A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE IT THAT WAY. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE WAS TREATED SO NONCHALANTLY, AND THAT THE COMPANY PASSED THE COST THE CORRECT THE ISSUE TO THE ME (THE CUSTOMER). ALSO, I SHOULD MENTION, THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED AT THAT SERVICE CENTER (LEHIGH VALLEY ACURA), AND HAD BEEN THERE FOR THE YEARLY INSPECTION A MONTH OR TWO BEFORE THIS ISSUE. I CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICE BILL IF REQUESTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

11113035

Incident

Jul 3, 2018

Mileage

119,000 mi

THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEN THE STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY WIFE WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE BATTERY AND TWO DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE EPS MODULE. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11104197

Incident

Jun 21, 2018

Mileage

107,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING BECAME TIGHT AND COULDN'T MOVE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE

NHTSA ID

11093624

Incident

May 12, 2018

Mileage

69,000 mi

STEERING WHEELS SEEMS TO CATCH ON TURNS, BRAKES RAISES SOME CONCERN AT TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11090803

Incident

Jun 12, 2017

WHILE SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT THE EPS (ELEC POWER STEERING) LIGHT CAME ON AND NO POWER STEERING WAS AVAILABLE. DROVE TO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED CAR OFF/ON WITH NO EFFECTS ON THE ERROR CODE. WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER CAR TO THE DEALER AND AWAITING A EPS MODULE TO BE REPLACED. THE APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL ACURA BASED ON OTHER REPORTS.

NHTSA ID

11082426

Incident

Mar 30, 2018

Mileage

93,400 mi

WAS DRIVING AT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN ELECTRONIC POWER SYSTEM FAILED ON CAR MAKING IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO STEER.

NHTSA ID

11063234

Incident

Jan 14, 2018

Mileage

121,000 mi

ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING INTERNAL FAILURE *BF *TR

NHTSA ID

11046112

Incident

Nov 11, 2017

Mileage

58,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY, THE "CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON. I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS ERRATIC AND FELT I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL ANY LONGER. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED ASIDE AND TRIED TO SEARCH FOR THE WARNING. I TOOK IT TO MY ACURA DEALER AND WAS QUOTED $1200 TO FIX THE EPS MODULE. I WAS SHOCKED BY THE COST AND HOW QUICKLY THE SYSTEM FAILED. MY CAR IS 2012 ACURA TL WITH ABOUT 95K MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ANY OF MY OTHER CARS. I HAVE OWNED TWO ACURA IN THE PAST. WITH THIS ISSUE, I HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY HONDA/ACURA. DISAPPOINTED TO HAVE TO BEAR THIS COST...BUT RATHER BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

NHTSA ID

11042057

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40MPH AND ALL OF SUDDEN THE "ELETRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM" LIGHT WENT ON. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER AT ALL. I HAD TO USE ALL MY ENERGY ALONG WITH BODY WEIGHT TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT SO THAT I COULD PARK ALONG THE CURB. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS TRYING TO CHANGE LANE. I TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOOK ME THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE 32-09 (POWER STEERING MODULE FAILURE). THEY QUOTED ME $900. VERY EXPENSIVE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH HONDA AND ACURA. IT CAN BE LIFE THREATEN ISSUE TO SOME PEOPLE.

NHTSA ID

11032736

Incident

Oct 5, 2017

Mileage

103 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10939717

Incident

Jan 3, 2017

Mileage

95,000 mi

CAR IS 4.5 YEARS OLD, TROUBLE FREE. DROVE CAR AT NOON, NO PROBLEM. LEFT WORK AT NIGHT WITH TEMP 8C AND CAR STARTED. COMPUTER SHOWED POWER STEERING FAILURE, AND POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. STOPPED CAR AND RESTARTED IT. PS THEN WORKED. STOPPED/RESTARTED 4-5 TIMES, NO PROBLEM. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND THERE WAS NO APPARENT PROBLEM, NO FLUID SPRAYED AROUND ETC.

NHTSA ID

10926042

Incident

Nov 14, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THE EPS WARNING LIGHT FLASHED, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF EXITING A ROADWAY AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,900.

NHTSA ID

10924613

Incident

Nov 6, 2016

Mileage

34,900 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

NHTSA ID

10668050

Incident

Dec 18, 2014

Mileage

46,000 mi

I AM SUBMITTING MY COMPLAINT HERE BECAUSE, ALL NORTH AMERICAN ACURAS ARE BUILT SAME AND HAS SAME SAFETY/PROBLEMS. PLEASE EXCUSE MY INFO ON ADDRESS SINCE THERE WAS NO ENTRY FOR ONTARIO, CANADA. ===========ENCOUNTER WITH THE PROBLEM CLICK OR POP SOUND COMES OUT OF STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WHEN STEERING IS ON CENTER AND WHEN I START TO STEER A LITTLE BIT TO LEFT OR RIGHT. PLEASE SEE THE VIDEO - HTTP://YOUTU.BE/EVPAHLXXV5Y OR FOR DETAILED FOLLOW UPS PLEASE SEE - HTTP://TL.ACURAZINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=881249================2ND - I COMPLAINED TO ACURA CANADA THEY SAID ELEVATING THE PROBLEM TO HIGHER LEVEL WILL START BY REPORTING TO DEALERSHIP. =================3RD - DEALER VISIT ABOVE PROBLEM WAS PRESENTED TECHNICIAN WHO WENT ON THE TEST DRIVE WITH ME TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM STATED ALTHOUGH, HE SEES WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, IT IS NORMAL AND THE PROBLEM IS EFFECTING ALL ACURAS SO, HE REFUSE TO DO ANY WORK ON IT BECAUSE IT IS NORMAL ============================4TH FAILED ATTEMPT, I HAVE CALLED ACURA CANADA AGAIN THE PERSON (CLIENT SERVICES) SAID - HE SUGGESTED VISITING OTHER DEALERSHIP IN VICINITY TO GET SECOND OPINION AND SEE IF THEY WILL AUTHORIZE THE REPLACEMENT (I DO NOT WISH TO TRAVEL AROUND WHOLE CITY TO BEG FOR WARRANTY) - THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO TO AUTHORIZE THE REPLACEMENT SINCE DEALERSHIP (HANDS AND LEGS OF ACURA CANADA) THINKS IT IS NORMAL AND REPLACING THEM WOULD NOT RELIEVE THE ISSUE - HE WOULD PASS THE INFO ALONG SO, IT WILL BE KNOWN TO FUTURE DEV. OF ACURAS BOTTOM LINE - WHO AM I RELYING ON HERE FOR WARRANTY? WHERE SHOULD I BE CONTACTING NOW? OR SHOULD I JUST SHUT UP AND LIVE WITH IT LIKE THE DEALERSHIP AND ACURA CANADA SAID? *TR

NHTSA ID

10536614

Incident

Feb 23, 2013

Mileage

3,000 mi

PURCHASED CAR ON 01/21/2013. WAS BACK AT DEALER ON 01/26/2012 DUE TO A WEIRD VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEEDS (50-80 MPH). LONG STORY SHORT THEY HAVE BALANCED THE TIRES LIKE 3 TIMES AND PUT NEW TIRES BUT IT IS STILL VIBRATING NOT AS MUCH BUT STILL. GOING BACK TO DEALER TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496536

Incident

Jan 26, 2013

Mileage

299 mi

GOT ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) WARNING LIGHT AND LOST THE POWER ASSIST. COULD NOT RESET AND HAD TO DRIVE CAR TO DEALER WITH NO POWER ASSIST. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT LOW SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10490025

Incident

Dec 22, 2012

Mileage

6,650 mi

12/19/2012 9AM, I WAS DRIVING CALIFORNIA FREEWAY (110) ABOUT 30 MILES/HR. WEATHER WAS CLEAR, ROAD WAS DRY AND NO POT HOLES. I GOT "POWER STEERING WARNING" LIGHTS/BEEPS AND I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. IT WAS VERY STIFF TO STEER AND I BARELY PULLED OVER TO THE CURVE.(ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING). AND I STOPPED THE ENGINE AND TURNED BACK ON THEN THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. BUT IT WAS THE SCARY EXPERIENCE ON THE FREEWAY. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER, SANTA MONICA ACURA AND LEFT OVERNIGHT FOR TROUBLESHOOT. NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE ADVISER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, RAN ALL THE TESTS AND CONTACTED "TECH SERVICE" BUT NOTHING ABNORMAL FOUND. THEY SAID IT IS OK TO DRIVE. MY CONCERN IS WHAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN ON THE CURVY ROAD AT HIGH SPEED AND I LOSE THE CONTROL OF STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10489381

Incident

Dec 19, 2012

Mileage

120,000 mi