Problems · by component

2005 Acura TL structure problems

156 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Acura TL cite structure, 40% of all 388 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
156
40% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2005 Acura TL. The contact stated that the entire dashboard was cracked. Additionally, air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 13, 2022Air bags, StructureODI 11460690
“The dash has developed a crack on the passenger side right over the area where the front passenger side airbag is located. This could possibly create a problem in the proper deployment of that air bag. Apparently, this is a common problem with this generation (3rd- '04 to '08) Acura TL. There are many similar complaints by owners posted online going back many years now about this very problem, yet Acura/Honda has apparently never addressed it. They apparently seem content to consider it a cosmetic problem only as several posters/owners have mentioned, rather than addressing the potential safety issue regarding proper airbag deployment. From the numerous reports of other owners found online, it would seem logical to presume that this is a result from a manufacturers defect or design flaw that Acura seems to want to ignore.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2021StructureODI 11422459
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR THAT THE AIR BAGS MAY INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR A DEALER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 206,786.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2020StructureODI 11365514
“DATE: 08/27/2020 MY 2005 ACURA TL HAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE PASSENGER DASH HAS CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES OF WHERE THE AIRBAG IS LOCATED. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED SLOWLY OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT A YEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. AS OF A WEEK AGO, THE RED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT GOES ON AND STAYS ON (BY THE SPEEDOMETER) WHEN A PASSENGER SITS IN THE FRONT SEAT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF ACURA TL OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CRACKING AND MANY HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE NHTSA AND HAVE CONTACTED ACURA. EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE OTHER ACURA TL MODEL YEARS THROUGH 2014 WERE PART OF THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL, FOR SOME REASON THE 3RD GENERATION ACURA TL MODEL YEARS 2004 - 2008 HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THE TAKATA AIRBAG ISSUE. I HAVE READ THAT IT MAY BE DUE TO ACURA NEEDING TO REMOVE THE DASH IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS, AND THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO INCUR THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE DASH. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL ACURA TL OWNERS, REPLACING THE DASH COSTS BETWEEN $1,000 - $2,000 (FOR THE OWNER) AND DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING HAVING THE PASSENGER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2020Air bags, Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11351709
“MY BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD IF I DIDN'T DRIVE MY CAR EVERY DAY. THEN I FOUND OUT THERE IS A PARASITIC DRAIN ON THE BATTERY FROM A FAULTY HANDS-FREE BLUETOOTH MODULE. I WATCHED A VIDEO THEN DISCONNECTED MINE MYSELF, PROBLEM SOLVED. I'VE USED A HEADLIGHT RESTORATION KIT BECAUSE THE LIGHTS ARE YELLOW AND THEY HAVE SPIDER-CRACKS ALL IN THEM, IT REALLY AFFECTS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT ITSELF. THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED BEYOND REPAIR AND I'M TERRIFIED OF GETTING INTO A WRECK IN MY CAR, THE DASH WOULD BECOME SHRAPNEL!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2020Electrical system, Air bags, StructureODI 11340032
“2005 ACURA TL, VERY WELL MAINTAINED. JUN 2019, A CRACK APPEARED IN DASHBOARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT CAME ON 3 MONTHS LATER AND STAYS ON. DEALER SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE, BUT NOW I KNOW THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. LOVE THE CAR, BUT FEEL ACURA NEEDS TO RESOLVE THIS DEFECT. THE RISK OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS SERIOUS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2019Air bags, StructureODI 11258227

Showing 6 of 156 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.