no report yet
Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Risk. If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
2008 Acura TLProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 124 owner complaints about the 2008 Acura TL, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Acura TL has problems
124 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
34Air bags1 crash/fire/injury
26Steering6 crash/fire/injury
20Structure
15Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
10Engine
9Vehicle speed control
8Power train
7Suspension
6Seats
3314 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 34 | 1 |
| Steering | 26 | 6 |
| Structure | 20 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 1 |
| Engine | 10 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 1 |
| Power train | 8 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 1 |
| Seats | 6 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 33 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2008 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.
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 air bags problems start?
100kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 27 air bags complaints. 48% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2under 30k miles13under 100k miles14100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2008 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
2008 Acura TL safety ratings
2008 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
In owners' words
What TL owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I noticed a vertical straight line/crack in the dashboard of my 2008 Acura TL located on the passenger side, which is directly in the area of the air bag system. Oddly enough it seemed to appear literally overnight. I’ve noticed the crack seems to expand when in cooler temperatures, however the…
THERE IS A LONG GASH IN THE DASHBOARD BY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BASED ON INTERNET SEARCHES AND ACURA HAS NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL FOR THE SAME EVEN THOUGH IT POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK. I REACHED OUT TO ACURA CORPORATE AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE…
I AM THE ONLY OWNER WITH 39,000 MILES ON IT. I MOVED TO SOUTH FLORIDA 5 YEARS AGO. THE DASHBOARD HAS MAJOR CRACKS OVER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. I SAW THIS "LETTER SENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT TO REMIND FLORIDA OWNERS OF THE TAKATA RECALL AND TO…
Own a 2008 TL?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.