Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2005 Acura TSX airbags problems
severe 16 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
5crashes
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 16 airbags complaints filed for the 2005 Acura TSX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Airbags accounts for 31% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
Among the 6 model years of Acura TSX in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-023, Safety Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator Can Be Over-Pressurized, 14-029, Recall: Front Driver?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity Recall, and 14-030, Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity have been posted to ISIS. However, due to the large number of affected units, Acura is still in the process of populating the VIN status inquiry function on iN
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report four distinct airbag issues in the 2005 Acura TSX. First, spontaneous deployment happens while the vehicle is parked with AC running or during low-speed driving without impact—both driver and passenger bags fire, causing facial burns, ear injuries to children, and choking from airbag powder inhalation. Second, the SRS warning light comes on intermittently or stays lit after startup, disabling the airbag system when illuminated, and the light behavior escalates over time. One owner needed a $400 seatbelt buckle replacement to clear a diagnostic code (81-1) that disabled the system; Acura denied warranty coverage, claiming electrical failure rather than mechanical defect. Third, in actual crashes—head-on collisions at 45 mph and rollovers at 60 mph—airbags fail to deploy or deploy only partially, leaving occupants unprotected with severe injuries resulting. Fourth, the passenger airbag deploys during a minor 12-15 mph fender-bender with no rear passenger, which mechanics say is not standard practice for that impact level.
Owners contacted Acura and dealers; responses ranged from run-arounds lasting weeks to outright refusal to diagnose the parked-car deployment. No recall has been issued. Owners note the 2005 TSX is absent from Honda/Acura recall lists despite Takata airbag recalls affecting other model years.
Failure modes owners describe
Spontaneous airbag deployment while parked or at low speed
Both driver and passenger airbags deploy without collision or impact. Occurs with vehicle parked with AC running, or during low-speed driving with no object contact. Passengers suffer injury from deployment force and airbag smoke inhalation.
When: While parked; during low-speed driving (12-15 mph, 50 mph); upon engine startup
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deploy without impact; No warning lights prior to deployment; Airbag smoke inhalation; Facial swelling and burns from deployment; Injuries to children from airbag deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report no diagnosis provided by dealers; one dealer refused to inspect the vehicle.
Intermittent or persistent airbag warning light malfunction
SRS/airbag light illuminates intermittently or stays on continuously after engine start. When lit, the airbag system becomes disabled, preventing airbag function in a real crash. Light behavior is erratic—cycles on and off or remains on until ignition is turned off.
When: Upon engine startup; throughout driving; escalates over time (reported from 230,000 to 236,000 miles in one case)
Symptoms owners cite: SRS light illuminates intermittently on dashboard; Light stays on while driving; Light remains on until ignition is turned off; Airbag system disabled when light is on; Vehicle fails state safety inspection
Codes mentioned: 81-1 (car seat buckle failure)
Repairs/costs cited: One owner cited replacement of driver's side car seat buckle at nearly $400 (part 04816SECA12ZD); dealers state repair is not covered under lifetime seatbelt warranty; repair costs described as expensive to diagnose due to intermittent nature
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers advised owners that Acura has not issued a recall to address the issue; Acura claims electrical failure, not mechanical; generic response about improving customer experience
Airbags fail to deploy in actual crashes
During moderate-to-severe collisions, airbags do not deploy or deploy only partially. Occurs in head-on, multi-directional, and rollover crashes where deployment is critical for passenger protection.
When: During crashes at 45 mph (head-on into guard rail), 60 mph (rollover), and at 210,000 miles (crash specifics not detailed)
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment in frontal collision; Partial airbag deployment in rollover; Driver airbag deploys but passenger does not (or vice versa); Severe injuries to occupants (head, neck, back, ribs); Vehicles destroyed; total loss declared
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were destroyed and towed; no repairs performed or diagnoses completed
Passenger airbag deploys at low impact with no rear occupant
Passenger-side airbag deploys during very minor fender-bender (12-15 mph impact with minor bumper indentation) when no passenger is seated. Mechanics consulted indicate deployment is not standard practice for such low-speed, low-damage impact.
When: During 12-15 mph fender-bender
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag deploys at low impact; No structural damage beyond minor bumper indentation; Passenger seat unoccupied
Repairs/costs cited: Owner states Acura customer relations gave run-around for 4 weeks and directed claim to insurance; insurance pursued claim against Acura
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Acura customer relations directed owner to insurance company; no acceptance of manufacturer defect
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
I was driving about 50mph when the passenger airbag deployed. Then 10-15 seconds later the driver airbag deployed. I did not have any tire blowouts or hit any objects in the street. There were no pot holes or man holes in the street where my airbags deployed. My two year old nephew was in a child safety seat in the back seat and inhaled a substantial amount of the airbag smoke and was choking…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Acura tsx. The contact was involved in a crash and the air bags partially deployed. The contact mentioned that the air bags failed to inflate and the specifics of the crash were not available. A police report was filed and no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was…
On november 4 2014 I file a complaint with this car because the air bags deployed when the car was parking my husband and my little boy where on the car . ( iwas on the dentist office ) my husband decide to go into the car and give him some snack then after about 20 min that my husband turn on the car to use the ac the air bags passenger and driver side deployed ,the passenger side bag hurt my…
Acura tsx 2005 the vehicle was parking on 10/22/14 on alta arden sacramento ca. The airbags spontaneously deployed for no reason. The car was parking with a/c running. I buy this car on february 2013 I'm the second owner the carfax show an accident on 10/2009 from the first owner this make the car a salvage car but with no bigger damage so I can't believe the air bags just come out putting…
Intermittently the air bag light goes on when starting the car and stays on while driving. Since there hasn't been a recall on this yet, it would be very expensive to check this out and since it happens sometimes and not others, I was told it would be even more expensive to determine the reason and fix it. If this is a safety issue, Acura should address it before it causes accidents and injuries.…
While driving at low speed, both driver and passenger side airbags deployed. There was no impact between my vehicle and any other vehicle or object. The root cause for the deployment is unknown at this time (insurance inspector has not provided an update at this time).
Had airbags trouble with your 2005 Acura TSX?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2005 Acura TSX?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 14 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 93,000 and 156,892 miles, with the median around 140,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 93,000; a quarter make it past 156,892. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Acura/TSX.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.