Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 Acura TL. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- 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.
Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
- 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.
Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
- 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.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (130)
130 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 130 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 43 | 33.1% |
| Power train | 27 | 20.8% |
| Steering | 25 | 19.2% |
| Engine | 18 | 13.8% |
| Electrical system | 11 | 8.5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 4.6% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 3.1% |
| Structure | 4 | 3.1% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 3.1% |
| Wheels | 4 | 3.1% |
How 2012 compares with other TL years
Best and worst TL years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 388 | 5 |
| 2006 | 247 | 4 |
| 2007 | 124 | 2 |
| 2008 | 124 | 2 |
| 2009 | 42 | 3 |
| 2010 | 64 | 3 |
| 2011 | 20 | 3 |
| 2012 | 130 | 3 |
| 2013 | 62 | 3 |
| 2014 | 17 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2012 Acura TL 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 23 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,550
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 386 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 23 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 29 / 23 | $3,550 | 386 |
| 3.7 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 26 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 3.7 L 6-cyl · 6-speed manual | All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 24 / 20 | $4,100 | 444 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2012 TL for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2012 Acura TL FAQ
How many recalls does the 2012 Acura TL have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 19V500000 (air bag), 19V182000 (air bag), 16V061000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2012 Acura TL problems?
Owners filed 130 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (43), Power train (27), Steering (25) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2012 Acura TL get?
EPA rates the 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 20 city, 29 highway and 23 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2012 Acura TL get?
NHTSA rated the 2012 Acura TL 4 dr fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 4 stars side and 5 stars rollover (9.3% rollover risk).
How does the 2012 TL compare with other years?
Among the 2005–2014 Acura TL model years at least five years old, the 2014 drew the fewest complaints (17) and the 2005 the most (388). The 2012 drew 130. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.