2012 ACURA TL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ACCELERATION ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A HESITATION OR LAG WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AT LOW SPEEDS AND THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGED FORWARD IN A VIOLENT MANNER. THE CONSUMER STATED IT OCCURRED MORE OFTEN AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 8 TO 17 MPH. *JB
2012 acura TL powertrain problems
moderate 27 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
27
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
2012 ACURA TL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ACCELERATION AND STALLING PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND LOST POWER AND IT ALMOST SEEMED TO STALL OUT.
THIS VEHICLES 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY DOWNSHIFTS AND SLIPS ON 3RD AND 4TH GEARS ON BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAYS. IT MAKES THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE CAUSE YOU COULD GET REAR ENDED CAUSE RANDOM DOWNSHIFT WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN FROM 65MPH TO 15MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS
THERE HAS TO BE A RECALL ON 4TH GENERATION ACURA TL'S WITH THE 6 SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION (MINE IS A 2012 SH-AWD TECH PACKAGE). MY CAR PRODUCES THE TACHOMETER JUMPING APPROXIMATELY 300-500 RPM WHEN CRUISING IN 5TH GEAR AROUND 35-45 MPH. THE TACH JUMP IS SO LARGE I ACTUALLY HAVE LOOKED AT IT WHILE DRIVING, IT'S DISTRACTING AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED, I AM WILLING TO BET IT'S THE TORQUE CONVERTER. CAR …
THE TACHOMETER WILL HUNT UP AND DOWN A FEW HUNDRED RPM UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO SHIFT HARSHLY AND ALSO SHIFTS UP AND DOWN DURING ACCELERATION AT TIMES
THERE IS SOME JERKINESS WHEN CAR SWITCHES GEARS. READ IT COULD BE THE TORQUE CONVERTER OR BE FIXED WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE. I HAD THE SOFTWARE UPDATE ALREADY.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2012 acura TL?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 27 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. 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.
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