IllustrationCRACKS ARE APPEARING AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DASH COVERING, I FEAR THIS WILL SEND DANGEROUS SHARDS EVERYWHERE IN CASE OF DEPLOYMENT IN ADDITION TO THE ONES POSSIBLY SENT BY THE AIRBAG ITSELF.
2008 Acura Tl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
140–25K
725–50K
2450–75K
1175–100K
26100–150K
9150K+
91 reports with mileage · 33 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports7 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
124 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED A STRANGE ODOR WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. ANOTHER DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDEN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED A STRANGE ODOR WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. ANOTHER DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO MCGRATH ACURA OF DOWNTOWN CHICAGO WHO OFFERED TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE, BUT THE CONTACT DID NOT BRING IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V222000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
NHTSA 12V-222. ACURA SAYS THERE ISN'T ANY RECALL ON THIS MATTER. MEANWHILE, THE SMOKE THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM MAKES IT UNBEARABLE FOR US TO TURN ON THE HEAT OR A/C BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY MANUFACTURE PROBLEM.
POWER STEERING LEAK INTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE.
DRIVERS SIDE CURTAIN AND TORSO AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND SEAT BELT TENSIONER OPERATED WHEN PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HIT A POTHOLE ON THE OFF RAMP OF A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY. CAR WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH.
WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR SPEED, CAR SUDDENLY LOSS ACCELERATION POWER. HOWEVER, THE CAR RADIO WAS STILL ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. SAT THERE ABOUT 2 MINUTES. TURNED CAR BACK ON, AND WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AND CAR STARTED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING AT …
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WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR SPEED, CAR SUDDENLY LOSS ACCELERATION POWER. HOWEVER, THE CAR RADIO WAS STILL ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. SAT THERE ABOUT 2 MINUTES. TURNED CAR BACK ON, AND WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AND CAR STARTED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED AND SUDDENLY LOOSE ACCELERATION POWER. THANK GOD IT WAS A SUNDAY MORNING WITHOUT MUCH TRAFFIC AND I WAS ALREADY IN THE FAR LEFT LANE. OTHERWISE, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, WITH ANOTHER CAR STRIKING ME BECAUSE I SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND STOPPED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SUCH PROBLEMS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.
THERE ARE THREE LONG CRACK ON MY DASHBOARD, I'M AFRAID THAT IT WILL AFFECT MY FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG.
CRACK DEVELOPED ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LOCATION. THIS PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL TO FIX THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD BE FATAL. ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW THAT OWNS THIS THIRD GENERATION ACURA TL HAS THIS CRACK PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THIS IS UNAC…
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CRACK DEVELOPED ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LOCATION. THIS PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL TO FIX THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD BE FATAL. ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW THAT OWNS THIS THIRD GENERATION ACURA TL HAS THIS CRACK PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS HAD TO BE MANUALLY OPENED USING THE KEY FOB. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
HANDSFREELINK SYSTEM LOCKED INTO "BOOTING UP" MODE. HANDS-FREE CELL USE NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. AFTERWARD, BATTERY WAS DEAD NEXT TIME THE CAR WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE STARTED.
Official recalls
212V222000 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections
May 17, 2012
Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL and model year 2003-2007 Accord V6 vehicles. In May 2012, Honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL vehicles. In September 2012, Honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 573,147 vehicles including certain model year 2003 through 2007 Accord V6 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 625,762. Prolonged under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely, resulting in cracks and power steering fluid leakage.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose, free of charge. The original recall began in June 2012, and owners of those vehicles may obtain the free remedy. Sufficient parts are not yet available for owners of the vehicles covered by the September 2012 expansion, but are expected to be available in early 2013. Honda will notify owners of these vehicles beginning on October 26, 2012, and will notify these owners again when parts are available so those vehicles can be brought to dealers for applications of the free remedy. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
08V091000 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections
Feb 27, 2008
HONDA IS RECALLING 273,000 MY 2004-2008 ACURA TL VEHICLES. PROLONGED HIGH UNDER-HOOD TEMPERATURES MAY CAUSE THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO DETERIORATE PREMATURELY CAUSING THE HOSE TO CRACK AND LEAK POWER STEERING FLUID.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO A HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL GENERATE SMOKE AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEAT RESISTANT POWER STEERING HOSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ACURA AT 800-382-2238. THIS IS AN EXPANSION OF A PREVIOUS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 07V551).
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.