NEAR CRASH DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM
2001 Acura Tl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 Acura Tl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 124.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tl years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
84 reports with mileage · 65 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
149 reportsVEHICLE FAILED TO MAINTAIN SPEED. CONSUMER HAS BEEN IN CLOSE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE VEHICLE HESITATED UPON ACCELERATION. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V176000: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SECOND GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT PERFORM REPAIRS BECAUSE THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR WITHIN THEIR TWO MINUTE DRIVE INSPECTION. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE …
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VEHICLE FAILED TO MAINTAIN SPEED. CONSUMER HAS BEEN IN CLOSE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE VEHICLE HESITATED UPON ACCELERATION. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V176000: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SECOND GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT PERFORM REPAIRS BECAUSE THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR WITHIN THEIR TWO MINUTE DRIVE INSPECTION. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY KEPT REFERRING HER BACK TO THE SAME DEALER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE PERFORMING ERRATICALLY OFF DEALERSHIP PREMISES. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. GEAR SLIPPAGE, SLUGGISH ON ACCELERATION, NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION REPAIRS THROUGH DEALER, VEHICLE RECALLED - STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY.*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILS INTO MODE OF DOWN HIFTING AND UPSHIFTING INAPPROPRIATELY. THIS CAUSES THE AUTOMOBILE TO CHANGE SPEED SUDDENLY AND IRRATICALLY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING. NOTE: THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED TO THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED 2ND GEAR PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT AND WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS ON. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB HEAT BUILDUP TRANSMISSION SEC…
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THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT AND WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS ON. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB HEAT BUILDUP TRANSMISSION SECOND GEAR. TRANSMISSION LOCKUP. RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V176000 *TC
I OWN A 2001 ACURA TL. AS I WRITE THIS IT IS IN THE SHOP FOR IT'S THIRD TRANSMISSION. I WAS ALMOST IN THREE REAR END CRASHES AS THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN I STEPED ON THE GAS.
WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. GOT REPLACED, BUT I SEE THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT SHALL WORK FINE IN FUTURE AND IT IS REALLY SCARY AS IT COULD FAIL IN SPEED AND COULD EXPECT PROBLEM.
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. THEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL FOR A LITTLE WHILE. AFTER A MILE OR TWO, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST POWER AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT A NEW TRA…
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WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. THEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL FOR A LITTLE WHILE. AFTER A MILE OR TWO, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST POWER AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. *SC THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED. *JB
I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN MY CAR TWICE IN A 2 YEAR PERIOD. EACH TIME IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING, AND AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I FEEL THIS A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE.*AK
Official recalls
320V027000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Jan 17, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.
04V176000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Apr 15, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
01V166002 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Aug 14, 2001
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."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE02081 · Automatic Transmission Sudden Downshift
Opened Oct 28, 2002 · Closed Mar 5, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
Illustration