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Acura · NHTSA safety record

2010 Acura TL

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 64 safety complaints about the 2010 Acura TL with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the air bags.

The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 34 complaints, 53% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 62,830 miles, the median across the 29 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers April 2010 to July 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

64 complaints on file

64

Complaints

4

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
AIR BAGS 34 · 53%
POWER TRAIN 10 · 16%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 · 6%
WHEELS 4 · 6%
STRUCTURE 3 · 5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 3%
ENGINE 2 · 3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 · 3%
SEAT BELTS 2 · 3%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 3%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 2%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 64.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2016 at 19.

20 15 10 5
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2010 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2010 Acura TL, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4-DR. w/SAB
Overall Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash Not rated
Side barrier Not rated
Side pole Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 9.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

NHTSA made its frontal crash test harder for the 2011 model year, and says ratings from before that change should not be compared with ratings after it. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

19V500000 · June 27, 2019

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 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.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The 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 S5B and W59.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 1,558 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

19V182000 · March 6, 2019

The defect
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.
The risk
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.
The 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.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 1,101,534 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

16V061000 · February 3, 2016

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
The risk
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.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,232,187 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 28,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT SWERVED INTO THE MEDIAN TO AVOID A DOG IN THE ROAD. THE AIR BAG INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THREE FRACTURED RIBS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION LOT AND THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

NHTSA complaint 11034377. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed · 65,000 miles

AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING WRECK GOING 35 MPH IN RAIN.. HIT BREAKS AND CAR SLID. DAMAGE WAS TO LEFT FRONT BUMPER ON DRIVERS SIDE.... INSURANCE COMPANY DIDN'T TOTAL CAR IN FIRST CLAIM AND CAME BACK ADDING ANOTHER 1000 TO CLAIM WHICH WOULD HAVE TOTALED CAR ALL TOGETHER.. NOW I CAN'T TRADE AND VEHICLE ISN'T WORTH BUT HALF OF WHAT WAS PAID BC OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.

NHTSA complaint 11061110. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed · 80,000 miles

TAKATA RECALL. CAR WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY IN PASSENGER SIDE HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE BOTH DOORS NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND CAUSED ENOUGH FRAME DAMAGE THAT CAUSED THE FRAME TO BE PULLED AND RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL TO BE REPLACED FROM THE ROCKER PANEL UNDER THE RIGHT REAR DOOR TO HALFWAY DOWN THE ROOF HOWEVER THE TAKATA PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING 14MPH AND HIT BY A CAR GOING APPROX 15-20MPH AND ACCELERATING.

NHTSA complaint 11063134. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE LUNGED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE FRONT END BODY DAMAGES AND WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 10598442. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

60,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 Acura TL. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a blank image. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the camera and the radio needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA complaint 11675328. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
The passenger side seatbelt does not latch

NHTSA complaint 11521777. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM

NHTSA complaint 11389354. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

170,000 miles

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON AT ALL

NHTSA complaint 11387397. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

110,000 miles

WHEN PARKING MY VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE AND PLACING MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION INTO FIRST AND TURNING OFF THE CAR, WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE CAR WOULD SLOWLY JERK BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL.

NHTSA complaint 11308387. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
THE VSA SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON THE DASHBOARD I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THE COMPUTER IS SIGNALING IS LETTING US KNOW THAT IN A CASE OF A ACCIDENT I WOULDN'T BE SAFE ALSO THE AIRBAGS ARE SHOWING AN MALFUNCTION IT WOULD NOT PROTECT ME BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT DEPLOY ALSO DUE TO AN ACCIDENT

NHTSA complaint 11302874. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Acura TL

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2014 17 3 —
2013 62 3 —
2012 130 3 1
2011 20 3 —

Other 2010 Acura models

TSX 63 MDX 45 RDX 22 RL 9 ZDX 9

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Acura on this site — 73 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst