There are 9 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2012 Acura TLin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Immobilizer unit (recognizes/reads chip in key fob) failure led to the car shutting off the fuel pump leading to the car shutting down. The car could not be started again leaving the driver stranded by the side of the road. Vehicle had to be towed to an Acura dealer since the electronic immobilizer unit cannot be replaced/programmed by non Acura dealers. Car has been sitting at Acura since the end of December 2024 waiting on parts.
The vehicle has a faulty Hands free link module which runs the battery down when the vehicle is not in use. Acura has been aware of this problem since 2005. The government of this sorry ass country has done nothing about this issue except sit on their hands and accept payoffs from Acura. Acura dealers refuse to call back when this issue is mentioned. This results in money being paid for unnecessary repairs for batteries, alternators, and testing Just think if you were a handicap person who had to rely on your vehicle for medical services on a weekly basis and every time you went to your vehicle it would not start because of this issue that has been unresolved by Acura since 2005.What a national disgrace.
On 4/28/2023 per Balcones Heights Police officer Ford and Officer [XXX] there is an issue with the license plate light. The light has been replaced twice, to avoid traffic stops. Police continue to cite the issue of No License plate light. There are not any warning lights on the dash board only cited by law enforcement. On 12/19/2020 Officer [XXX] with Guadelupe Sheriffs Officer issued a warning. The warning cited No License Plate Light. I took photos of the license plate light and took had the vehicle inspected by the Acura dealership. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILS AND THE CAR IS NEAR TO IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER WHEN DRIVING DUE TO THE SYSTEM FAILING. DIFFICULT RESISTANCE IS EXPERIENCED IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAYS AND BEING STATIONARY.
THE RADIO GETS STRUCK ON A CHANNEL. IT WILL NOT TURN OFF OR SWITCH TO SATELLITE RADIO. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY WHEN DRIVING BUT CONTINUES EVEN WHEN CAR IS STOPPED. IT WILL JUST RANDOMLY START FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. NO PATTERN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 02/21/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED DURING ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND JERK. LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES IN ACCESSORY MODE, THE BATTERY WOULD DIE. UPDATED 02/23/17.*JB
I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 ACURA TL AND THE CAR JUST STALLED ON ME ALL OF A SUDDEN. THE CAR WOULDN'T START SINCE THEN. ALL THE LIGHT WERE COMING ON BUT THERE WAS NO CRANK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME ITS THE PCM. I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGN, THE CAR WAS DRIVING GOOD BEFORE THAT HAPPENED. ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CAR THAT I NOTICED WAS, WHEN THE CAR SHIFT TO THE SECONF GEAR, IT JERKS WHICH IS NOT NORMAL TO ME. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OTHER PROBLEM YET, BECAUSE I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,600.
KEYLESS START (PUSH BUTTON) AND PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN NO WARNING THAT KEY FOB WAS NOT IN VICINITY OF CAR AFTER CAR WAS STARTED AND DRIVEN 2 HOURS AWAY. MY DAUGHTER HANDED ME HER KEYS TO THE ACURA TL (INCL KEY FOB) THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN STARTED SO I COULD GET SOME ITEMS OUT OF OUR OTHER CAR BEFORE SHE LEFT TO RETURN TO HER HOME 5 HOURS AWAY. I RETRIEVED HER ITEMS BUT FORGOT TO GIVE HER THE KEY FOB BACK AS THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND NO WARNING INDICATORS WERE GIVEN (AUDIO OR VISUAL) THAT THE KEY FOB WAS NOT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CAR. SHE HEADED OFF AND STOPPED 2 HOURS LATER FOR GAS ONLY TO FIND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART - DUE TO THE MISSING KEY FOB. AFTER EXPERIMENTATION AND READING THE OWNERS MANUAL I FOUND THAT ONLY WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND THE FOB IS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE WILL A NOTICE AND ALARM BE GIVEN. IF PASSED THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW (AS WE DID) NO WARNING OF ANY KIND IS GIVEN AND THE DRIVER CAN DRIVE OFF AS IF EVERYTHING IS FINE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT FLAW IN THE REMOTE FOB SYSTEM AND CAUSED MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF STRESS AND TIME TO DRIVE TO HER LOCATION TO DELIVER THE FOB NEEDED TO RESTART THE CAR. ACURA CLAIMS NO PROBLEMS FROM THEIR SIDE BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH THE SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IT MAY BE MORE THAN JUST ACURAS THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
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