repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2012 Acura TSXProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 133 owner complaints about the 2012 Acura TSX, most often about the steering. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-502 the manufacturer reports only 36% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 1, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Acura TSX has problems
133 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
100Steering1 crash/fire/injury
16Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
9Service brakes
6Air bags
6Engine
5Power train
4Structure
2Electronic stability control (ESC)
1Wheels
55 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 100 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 9 | 1 |
| Air bags | 6 | 2 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 |
| Power train | 5 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 1 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 2 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 |
| 5 other systems | 5 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2012 Acura TSX 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.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2020 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2019 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. In the event of a crash, an incorrectly installed passenger frontal air bag inflator may deploy the air bag improperly, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 steering problems start?
74kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 85 steering complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.
4under 30k miles71under 100k miles14100k 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.
Steering
19 owners mentioned a cost$1,400median
Middle half: $1,200 – $1,900
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
2012 vs. every other TSX 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 TSX median. How we score
'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Acura TSX safety ratings
2012 Acura TSX 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 5 stars (9.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Acura TSX, and the recalls they led to.
- Electrical overstressLed to recall 20V-024
In owners' words
What TSX owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Steering system failed-safety was a risk because wheel was very hard to turn-calling the dealer on Monday. Warning light came on right before the steering failed.
On two occasions my college aged daughter was driving this vehicle when the steering wheel became inoperative. There was an error message on the dash about checking the power steering system. There was also an icon displaying with a steering wheel. Luckily she was only in a parking lot when this…
2012 Acura TSX Sportwagon: Brought car to independent mechanic who diagnosed power steering failure as requiring replacement of "Power Steering Control Module". Acura has a "TSB" or "Technical Service Bulletin" #19-021 regarding this issue. The car is very difficult to steer and is dangerous to…
Own a 2012 TSX?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.