repaired · 2020 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
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…
2005 Acura TLProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 388 owner complaints about the 2005 Acura TL, most often about the structure. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-182 the manufacturer reports only 49% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Acura TL has problems
388 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
156Structure
144Air bags2 crash/fire/injury
36Power train3 crash/fire/injury
28Electrical system
25Steering
20Tires
11Suspension
8Vehicle speed control
7Service brakes, hydraulic
5317 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 156 | 0 |
| Air bags | 144 | 2 |
| Power train | 36 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 2 |
| Steering | 25 | 3 |
| Tires | 20 | 2 |
| Suspension | 11 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 7 | 0 |
| 17 other systems | 53 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2005 Acura TL recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Risk. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO A HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL GENERATE SMOKE AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE.
no report yet
Windshield wiper/washer: motor
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…
no report yet
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. IF THE FUEL PUMP LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING, AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
Risk. IF THE FUEL PUMP LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Acura.
Mileage at failure
When do structure problems start?
94kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 122 structure complaints. 58% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2under 30k miles71under 100k miles51100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Structure
11 owners mentioned a cost$1,800median
Middle half: $1,700 – $1,925
Air bags
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $1,000 – $2,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other TL year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the TL median. How we score
'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Acura TL safety ratings
2005 Acura TL 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 Acura TL, and the recalls they led to.
- WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURELed to recall 08V-092
In owners' words
What TL owners report
Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2005 Acura TL. The contact stated that the entire dashboard was cracked. Additionally, air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure…
The dash has developed a crack on the passenger side right over the area where the front passenger side airbag is located. This could possibly create a problem in the proper deployment of that air bag. Apparently, this is a common problem with this generation (3rd- '04 to '08) Acura TL. There are…
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND AIR BAG WAS DEFECTED AND I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. MY DASHBOARD CRACKED CND MY DASH LIGHT S DON'T WORK THEY SOMETIME COME ON AND GO OFF
Own a 2005 TL?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.