2008 Acura TL Problems, Recalls & Reliability
181 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Acura TL, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 28/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 100,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2008 sits among all TL years
What owners report
“In september 2018, seemingly overnight, 2 large cracks developed in my dashboard, on the passenger side, directly over the airbag. I'm concerned that this is a safety issue, because the damage is directly over the airbags.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 TL
“Power steering leak into catalytic converter and system malfunction. Smoke from the engine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 TL
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 128 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 88,600 miles. Half of those reports fall between 62,000 and 130,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda…
Fix: Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may contact Dorman…
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…
Fix: 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…
AFFINIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS, NAPA PART NO. 2601662, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MISTAKENLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 - 2008 ACURA TL VEHICLES DUE TO A MISTAKE IN A NAPA AND NAPA DEALERS' PARTS APPLICATION…
Fix: AFFINIA IS WORKING WITH NAPA TO IDENTIFY ANY OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PART MISTAKENLY INSTALLED ON TO AN ACURA TL VEHICLE, AND WILL REPLACE THE PART FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY…
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.
Fix: 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…
Technical service bulletins
33 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2008 Acura TL. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Acura TL reliable?
The 2008 Acura TL drew 181 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 28/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2008 Acura TL problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Acura TL are airbags (34 complaints), steering (26), and body & structure (20).
At what mileage do 2008 Acura TL problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Acura TL problems around 88,600 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 62,000 and 130,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Acura TL have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Acura TL. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.