There are 12 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2003 Acura TLin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
BY ACCIDENT, I AM ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WITH THE TRANSMISSION STILL IN GEAR. CAMPAIGN #10V364000 COVERS HONDA VERSION OF MY CAR, #12V573000 COVERS ACURA MDX ONLY, NOTHING FOR MY ACURA VERSION OF THE HONDA SEDANS.
INTERLOCK OPERATION OF IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY ALLOWING IGNITION KEY TO BE TURNED OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED WITHOUT SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO "PARK." THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. 05V025000, ALTHOUGH THAT CAMPAIGN WAS FOR ACURA TL MODEL YEARS 1999-2000, AND DID NOT INCLUDE MODEL YEAR 2003. I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHERE THE CAR ROLLED BACK AFTER I EXITED THE VEHICLE REQUIRING THAT I OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR, JUMP INTO THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION AND DEPRESS THE BRAKE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR DEFECTS THAT HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES AND DEATHS. I REPORTED THIS TO ACURA TODAY (CASE NO. 05011338) BUT WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRIOR RECALL AND NO REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED BY ACURA.
MY BROTHER WAS DRIVING MY CAR ONE THEN IT ALL THE SUDDEN CAR JUST STOPPED WHEN WAS GOING AND BAD PART WAS IT STOPPED IN TRAFFIC HE ALMOST GOT HIT IT WAS SCARY. I GOT LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR PLEASE HELP!
MY DAUGHTER DIED IN A ACCIDENT ON NOVEMBER 7, 2013 IN THE ACURA TL 2003. SHE HAD BEEN TELLING ME THAT IT FELT LIKE THE IGNITION WAS STICKING AND WOULD SPEED UP. I WOULD CHECK WITH MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME ACURAS ARE KNOWN TO IDLE HIGH. I BELIEVE THAT HER CAR PROBLEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE POLICE COULD NOT GIVE ME A REASON FOR THE ACCIDENT. SHE WAS 19 AND A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS A GOOD CHILD. *TR
CAN REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN D (DRIVE). *TR
A ROUTINE SERVICE DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED HIGH RESISTANCE POINTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE SOLDER JOINTS IN THE SWITCH. THE HIGHER CURRENT DRAW IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR WHETHER THERE WAS A RECALL IN EFFECT FOR THE SWITCH, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOT AT THE PRESENT TIME. REPLACEMENT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER, IT DID NOT DISPENSE ANY AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT WIRING HARNESS BURNED WHICH CAUSED THE BLOWER TO FAIL. THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE BLOWER WERE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 158,000.
2003 ACURA 3.2 TL ON DECEMBER 5, 2008 A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH ON OUR 2003 ACURA 3.2 TL ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED IN ANY GEAR, RESULTING IN A ROLLAWAY ACCIDENT CAUSING HEAD, FOOT AND HIP INJURIES TO OUR DAUGHTER AFTER SHE PARKED THE CAR IN OUR SLIGHTLY INCLINED DRIVEWAY. DEALER AGREED IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFINITELY FAULTY. KEY SHOULD NEVER COME OUT IN ANY GEAR BUT PARK. OUR MILEAGE ON THE DATE OF ACCIDENT WAS 82,430 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, IT STARTED HAVING INTERMITTENT NO START/NO CRANK PROBLEMS, AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD START 5 OR 10 MINUTES LATER. EACH TIME THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND ASSURED US THEY CHECKED EVERYTHING AND COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR WOULD BE FINE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED UP UNTIL JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN TO DEALER MANY TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM . THEY PROBABLY NEVER INSPECTED THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAUSE OUR YEAR CAR WAS NEVER INCLUDED IN PREVIOUS RECALLS OF IGNITION SWITCHES, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. A FAULTY TRANSMISSION ON THIS SAME CAR WENT OUT ON OUR DAUGHTER ONCE ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING. IT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION RECALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA TL. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND WALKING APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WHEN IT CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN EITHER VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SUSTAINED SCRATCHES TO THE REAR BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION INTERLOCK WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,088. UPDATED 12/12/08 *CN UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB
IGNITION LOCK FAILED ALLOWING KEY TO BE REMOVED IN ANY POSITION AND NOT SECURING THE AUTO IN A PARKED CONDITION. HENCE THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK INTO ANOTHER CAR. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS ONLY 87243 MILES ON IT AND THIS PART SHOULD NOT FAIL, ESPECIALLY AS IT DID TO ALLOW THE CAR TO MOVE WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY TURNED OFF, AND IN PARK. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES AS WELL AND WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. *JB
I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE STEERING FAILED. I WRESTLED THE CAR -- BRUISING MY HAND -- INTO THE TURN AND ENDED UP ON THE CURB. THE ENGINE APPARENTLY HAD STALLED, CAUSING THE STEERING FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND GO ON MY WAY, AFTER BACKING OFF THE CURB.
VEHICLE TYPE: ACURA 3.2TL MODEL YEAR: 2003. VEHICLE PERIODICALLY FAILED TO START. VEHICLE PERIODICALLY STALLS IN TRAFFIC. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026