2005 Acura TL recalls and problems

The 2005 Acura TL has 5 recalls and 388 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is structure.

How the 2005 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 15 TL model years — 3rd most.

5recalls

388complaints

7crashes

3fires

7injuries

91,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

5 recalls

Air Bags

Mar 6, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V182000 · 1,101,534 vehicles

Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & notes

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Visibility

Feb 27, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V092000 · 129,600 vehicles

Problem: Honda is recalling 129,600 my 2004-2005 Acura tl vehicles. If water enters the windshield wiper motor breather port, which is designed to allow the motor to vent warm air during normal operation, it can result in corrosion inside the motor housing. This could cause a failure of the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor housing.

Original NHTSA wording

HONDA IS RECALLING 129,600 MY 2004-2005 ACURA TL VEHICLES. IF WATER ENTERS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR BREATHER PORT, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE MOTOR TO VENT WARM AIR DURING NORMAL OPERATION, IT CAN RESULT IN CORROSION INSIDE THE MOTOR HOUSING. THIS COULD CAUSE A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BREAKER INSIDE THE MOTOR HOUSING.

Risk: If the circuit breaker fails, it will cause the windshield wiper motor to become inoperative, which can increase the likelihood of a crash in certain conditions.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILS, IT WILL CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, WHICH CAN INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF A CRASH IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the windshield wiper motor for signs of corrosion. If no signs of corrosion are present, a snorkel tube will be added to the wiper motor breather port to prevent water from entering the wiper motor housing and foam tape will be installed on the cowl above the wiper motor to direct water away from the wiper motor. If signs of corrosion damage are observed on the wiper motor, the motor will be replaced, and the breather tube and foam tape will also be installed to prevent water intrusion on the new wiper motor. The recall began on April 28, 2008. Owners May contact Acura at 1-800-382-2238.

Acura recall no. Q72.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Steering

Feb 27, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V091000 · 273,000 vehicles

Problem: Honda is recalling 273,000 my 2004-2008 Acura tl vehicles. Prolonged high under-hood temperatures May cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid.

Original NHTSA wording

HONDA IS RECALLING 273,000 MY 2004-2008 ACURA TL VEHICLES. PROLONGED HIGH UNDER-HOOD TEMPERATURES MAY CAUSE THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO DETERIORATE PREMATURELY CAUSING THE HOSE TO CRACK AND LEAK POWER STEERING FLUID.

Risk: Power steering fluid leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire.

Original NHTSA wording

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO A HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL GENERATE SMOKE AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge. The recall began on April 28, 2008. Owners May contact Acura at 800-382-2238. This is an expansion of a previous recall (please see 07V551).

Acura recall no. Q73.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Fuel System

Mar 14, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V097000 · 166,561 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles, a coil wire inside the fuel pump relay May break, causing the fuel pump to lose power. If the fuel pump becomes inoperative, the engine May not start.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, A COIL WIRE INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY MAY BREAK, CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO LOSE POWER. IF THE FUEL PUMP BECOMES INOPERATIVE, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START.

Risk: If the fuel pump loses power while driving, the engine could stall without warning, and a crash could occur.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE FUEL PUMP LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING, AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump relay free of charge. The recall began on April 2, 2007. Owners May contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Honda recall no. Q37 and Q38.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Apr 5, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V132000 · 1,923 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, a loose terminal in the main fuse box May cause the fuel pump to lose power. If the fuel pump becomes inoperative, the engine May not start.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A LOOSE TERMINAL IN THE MAIN FUSE BOX MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LOSE POWER. IF THE FUEL PUMP BECOMES INOPERATIVE, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START.

Risk: If the fuel pump loses power while driving the engine could stall without warning which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE FUEL PUMP LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the entire fuse box free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2005. Owners May contact Honda at 800-999-1009 or Acura at 1-800-382-2238.

Honda recall nos. P73, P74.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Structure156

Air Bags144

Unknown or other64

Power Train36

Electrical System28

Steering25

Tires20

Engine12

Suspension11

Service Brakes9

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE

PE07060 · opened Nov 29, 2007 · closed Mar 5, 2008 · led to recall 08V092000

Summary

THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA BY LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 26, 2008, THAT A SAFETY RELATED RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 ACURA TL VEHICLES.THE RECALL AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 129,600 SUBJECT VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 2003 AND MAY 2005.THE DEFECT INVOLVES WATER INTRUSION INTO THE WIPER MOTOR HOUSING THAT MAY RESULT IN CORROSION AND FAILURE OF A CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT WILL DISABLE THE WIPER MOTOR.CORRECTIVE ACTION CONSISTS OF INSTALLING A NEW WIPER MOTOR WHERE CORROSION IS FOUND AS WELL AS A BREATHER TUBE ON BOTH NEW AND EXISTING WIPER MOTORS TO PREVENT WATER INTRUSION INTO THE HOUSING.NHTSA HAS ASSIGNED NUMBER 08V-092 TO THIS RECALL ACTION.

2005 vs. other Acura TL years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Acura TL have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Acura TL, the latest from Mar 6, 2019 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Acura TL?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention structure (156), air bags (144), unknown or other (64). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.