2013 Acura TL Problems, Recalls & Reliability

74 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Acura TL, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 10/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports, typically around 78,572 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2013 Acura TL has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

74Complaints
10/100Trouble index
3Recalls
69,503Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2013 sits among all TL years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Steering 28 complaints (38%) · typically ~78,572 miles
“The power steering on the car failed without warning. It appears the eps system has failed without warning. This is very dangerous and will cause a death or accident on the road.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 TL
Airbags 19 complaints (26%)
Electrical 7 complaints (9%)
Transmission & drivetrain 4 complaints (5%)
Other 4 complaints (5%)
Body & structure 3 complaints (4%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 37 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 69,503 miles. Half of those reports fall between 59,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (3)

AIR BAGS 19V500000 2019

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…

Fix: 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…

AIR BAGS 19V182000 2019

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,…

Fix: 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…

AIR BAGS 16V061000 2016

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…

Fix: 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…

Federal defect investigations

Electrical overstress EA19001 opened 2019, closed 2024

Led to recall campaign 20V024.

Technical service bulletins

107 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on airbags and engine — are on file for the 2013 Acura TL. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2013 TL TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2013peak 17 in 20202026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2013 Acura TL reliable?

The 2013 Acura TL drew 74 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 10/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).

What are the most common 2013 Acura TL problems?

The top reported problems for the 2013 Acura TL are steering (28 complaints), airbags (19), and electrical (7).

At what mileage do 2013 Acura TL problems show up?

Owners most often report 2013 Acura TL problems around 69,503 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 59,000 and 100,000 miles.

Does the 2013 Acura TL have recalls?

3 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Acura TL. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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.