2002 Acura TL

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

• NHTSA recall #19V499000June 27, 20193,947 vehicles affected

  air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.

• NHTSA recall #19V182000March 6, 20191,101,534 vehicles affected

  air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module

  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.

  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

  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.

• NHTSA recall #15V320000May 28, 20156,281,043 vehicles affected

  air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already received an inflator of a different design, and therefore are not included in this recall and do not require additional servicing. Note: This recall fully supersedes recalls 08V-593, 09V-259, 10V-041, 11V-260, 14V-351 and 15V-153. Honda's numbers for this recall are JQ9, JR0, JR1, JR2, JR3, JR4, JR5, JR6, JR7, and JR8.

• NHTSA recall #04V176000April 15, 20041,099,796 vehicles affected

  power train: automatic transmission

  On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions Can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.

  Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.

  Remedy

  On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or Acura at 1-800-382-2238.

• NHTSA recall #01V166002August 14, 20018,168 vehicles affected

  seat belts: front: buckle assembly

  Vehicle description: the following vehicles were repaired with incorrect parts: 2002 Acura 3.2TL sedans with replacement buckles installed per recall 01V-166001; certain 2000 Acura 3.2TL vehicles with replacement buckles installed as product update repairs; and certain 2000-2002 Acura 3.2TL vehicles with replacement buckles installed as warranty or collision repairs. Repairs were made from march 9 through july 27, 2001. Some of the noncompliant buckles were mislabeled and redistributed to Acura dealers to be used as recall repair parts. Honda also determined that incorrect front seat belt buckle replacement parts were used for some product update repairs of 2000 Acura 3.2TL vehicles, and warranty or collision repairs of 2000-2002 3.2TL vehicles. These seat belt buckles may not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."

  In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.

  Remedy

  Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the front seat belt buckles. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Acura at 1-800-999-1009.

• NHTSA recall #01V166001May 24, 20019,034 vehicles affected

  seat belts: front: buckle assembly

  Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." certain driver and passenger seat belt buckles were improperly manufactured.

  In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.

  Remedy

  Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the front seat belt buckles. Owner notification began may 9, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Acura at 1-800-999-1009.

• NHTSA recall #01V161000May 3, 200110,575 vehicles affected

  visibility: power window devices and controls

  Vehicle description: sedans equipped with an "auto-up" power window feature on the driver's door. The driver's side power window control unit Can fail, and depending on the failure mode, the window could become inoperative, open or close independent of switch activation, or the auto-reverse system may not operate.

  The auto-reverse system failure could result in occupant injury.

  Remedy

  Dealers will replace the power window control unit. Owner notification began may 21, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Acura at 1-800-999-1009.

Other model years

• 1996 26
• 1999 157
• 2000 249
• 2001 149
• 2002
• 2003 391
• 2004 551
• 2005 388
• 2006 247
• 2007 124
• 2008 124
• 2009 42
• 2010 64
• 2012 130
• 2013 62