Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2003 Acura TL
NHTSA data on file today
The 2003 Acura TL has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 391 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #19V499000 Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V182000 Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V320000 Driver's Frontal Air Bag May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V176000 HONDA/AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #02V226000 HONDA/TIMING BELT/WATER PUMP NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 246 complaints
- Air Bags 50 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 20 complaints
- Unknown or Other 18 complaints
- Electrical System 15 complaints
- Structure 15 complaints
Of the 391 complaints on file, 24 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 391 complaints, owners report 20 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$7,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2003 Acura TL is plagued by frequent power train issues and several airbag recalls, making reliability concerns notable. The automatic transmission often suffers from gear-related problems, and timing belt misalignment poses engine risks.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| automatic transmission | 70,000–100,000 miles | $1,700–$2,500 | very common |
| timing belt | 60,000–90,000 miles | $500–$900 | common |
| driver airbag inflator | any mileage | No reliable estimate | common |
| engine cooling system | 90,000–110,000 miles | $300–$700 | occasional |
| vehicle speed control | 80,000–120,000 miles | $200–$500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil change every 5,000 miles
- Replace air filter every 15,000 miles
- Transmission fluid every 30,000 miles
- Brake pad replacement as needed
- Coolant flush every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Harsh transmission shifts
- Unusual engine noises
- Airbag warning lights
- Overheating engine
- Speed control malfunctions
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2003 Acura TL at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.