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The 2011 Acura TL has 3 critical safety recalls on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 20 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.
The 2011 Acura TL has 20 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 13 complaints (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 TL | 124 | 4 |
| 2009 TL | 42 | 3 |
| 2010 TL | 64 | 3 |
| 2011 TL (this page) | 20 | 3 |
| 2012 TL | 130 | 3 |
| 2013 TL | 62 | 3 |
| 2014 TL | 17 | 3 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2011 Acura TL 4 DR AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: airbags is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Acura tl. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…
My wife was driving,I was in the front passenger seat and we smelled rubber burning next we noticed smoke from the hood area. We pulled over turned on the flashers and opened the hood and smoke came out heavy and I saw a fire at the bottom of engine area.we called 911 and a fire…
I purchased a 2011 Acura TL with a salvaged title. The steering wheel airbag appeared to have been repaired with certain glue or epoxy after appearing to have been deployed by previous owner. However the airbag is fully intact. The Acura dealership refused to conduct the recall…
I was driving my vehicle on the highway to work and my electronic power steering went out I almost hit a tractor trailer and it caused me to have a panic attack because it all happened so fast I did not know what to do besides slam on the brakes. This issue could of potentially…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Acura TL has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2011 Acura TL is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 13 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 20 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 13 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 20 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.