2002 Acura TL Recalls, Complaints & Specs
7 safety recalls list the 2002 Acura TL, and owners have filed 333 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
7 safety recalls for the 2002 Acura TL
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver…
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…
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Inflator module (air bags)
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,…
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.…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact…
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Automatic transmission (power train)
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.
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,…
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Buckle assembly (seat belts)
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…
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…
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Buckle assembly (seat belts)
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." certain driver and passenger seat belt buckles were improperly manufactured.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the front seat belt buckles. Owner notification began may 9, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
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Power window devices and controls (visibility)
Vehicle description: sedans equipped with an "auto-up" power window feature on the driver's door. The driver's side power window control unit can fail, and depending on the failure mode, the window could become inoperative, open or close independent of switch activation, or the auto-reverse system may not operate.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power window control unit. Owner notification began may 21, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within…
333 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Acura TL have filed 333 complaints with NHTSA; 25 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 17 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 74,110 miles. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 56 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2002 Acura TL. The contact stated that while driving under 10 MPH, the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. During the crash the front driver’s and front passenger’s si”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 21, 2026 · Air bags
“The high pressure power steering hose on my car is leaking. Issues with Air bags”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 12, 2025 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2002 Acura TL (3.2TL). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17 / 27 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S5) |
Compare Acura TL model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Acura TL model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 Acura TL | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 Acura TL | 2 | 26 |
| 1997 Acura TL | 2 | 23 |
| 1998 Acura TL | 2 | 20 |
| 1999 Acura TL | 4 | 157 |
| 2000 Acura TL | 6 | 249 |
| 2001 Acura TL | 3 | 149 |
| 2002 Acura TL | 7 | 333 |
| 2003 Acura TL | 5 | 391 |
| 2004 Acura TL | 4 | 551 |
| 2005 Acura TL | 5 | 388 |
| 2006 Acura TL | 4 | 247 |
| 2007 Acura TL | 2 | 124 |
| 2008 Acura TL | 2 | 124 |
| 2009 Acura TL | 3 | 42 |
| 2010 Acura TL | 3 | 64 |
| 2011 Acura TL | 3 | 20 |
| 2012 Acura TL | 3 | 130 |
| 2013 Acura TL | 3 | 62 |
| 2014 Acura TL | 3 | 17 |
Checking a specific 2002 Acura TL
How do I know if my 2002 Acura TL has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 2002 Acura TL; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Acura dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 01V161000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Acura models
- MDX3,296 complaints
- RDX2,164 complaints
- TLX891 complaints
- TSX671 complaints
- Integra657 complaints
- Cl586 complaints
- RL423 complaints
- Legend382 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.