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 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
27
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 27 powertrain complaints filed for the 2012 Acura TL, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Owners have filed 27 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 8 model years of Acura TL in our records for powertrain problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
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.
Had powertrain trouble with your 2012 Acura TL?
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 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?
Across the 17 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 30,000 and 65,000 miles, with the median around 49,416. A quarter of owners report trouble before 30,000; a quarter make it past 65,000. 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 $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.
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/2012/Acura/TL.
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.