2003 Acura Tl reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2003 Acura Tl — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 466
- 14 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- 175 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 3
- see below
- Reported harm
- 36 reported crashes · 26 injuries · 4 deaths · 5 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,119
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Acura median
+252
median 215 across 48 Acura records
Vs 2001-2005
+214
median 252 complaints in 794 records
Top component share
52%
Power Train: 244 complaints
What owners report fails — 2003 Acura Tl
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 175
- POWER TRAIN 69
- AIR BAGS 41
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 14
3 recalls on record for the 2003 Acura Tl
- NHTSA 19V499000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious in
- NHTSA 19V182000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the dr
- NHTSA 15V320000 · 2015 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2003 Acura Tl
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2003 Acura Tl units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Acura Tl reliable?
NHTSA has 466 consumer complaints on record for the 2003 Acura Tl and 3 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train:automatic transmission (175 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2003 Acura Tl units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Acura Tl?
Owners most often report problems with: power train:automatic transmission (175), power train (69), air bags (41), unknown or other (18). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2003 Acura Tl?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.