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The 2013 Acura TL has 3 critical safety recalls on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 62 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.
The 2013 Acura TL has 62 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is steering at 28 complaints (~$700 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 TL | 64 | 3 |
| 2011 TL | 20 | 3 |
| 2012 TL | 130 | 3 |
| 2013 TL (this page) | 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: 2013 Acura TL 4 DR 4WD. 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: 6.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — 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.
I was driving my 2013 Acura Tl on my way to work and suddenly I got an electronic power steering error that resulted in my steering wheel stiff and I had to use all my strength to pull over to the emergency lane. The vehicle's steering became very heavy and was very hard to…
The airbag warning indicator keeps appearing. When message is pressed it says that airbag may not deploy when needed. States to turn car off and restart to see if indicator disappears- if reappear take to dealership to inspect.
2013 Acura tl steering got locked after check power steering system, this is very risky if I was on highway and would have happen during driving. Such problems needs to be addressed by co asap as this is life threatening to driver including passengers in vehicle during problem.…
The car lost power steering completely while highway driving. Steering almost impossible to manage and a weaker/smaller/frail individual could not. Turning from a stop even more difficult. No warnings were given and the car was maintained religiously. The vehicle did have…
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 6.2 out of 10 based on 62 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 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 2013 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 6.2/10 — 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 steering first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 28 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $700 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 6.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 62 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is steering. 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 steering, with 28 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 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 62 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, 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.