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2013 Acura TL airbags problems
severe
Owners of the 2013 Acura TL have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See airbags across all vehicles →
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.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.
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.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
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.
Service BulletinB18-020Feb 2026
Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Driver's Airbag Inflator for 2013-14 ILX Hybrid and Other Listed Years and Models.
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant issue in this cluster is NHTSA Campaign 16V061000—the Takata airbag recall for front driver and passenger airbags. Of 19 complaints, at least 12 are tied directly to this recall, all reporting the same core problem: replacement parts were not available. Owners received recall notices but couldn't get appointments because dealers had no inventory. Several waited months—one owner reports a year and a half on a dealer list. One buyer got a September 2016 estimate after waiting since late February. Dealers refused loaner vehicles, and some owners never received written notice of when parts might arrive.
Three complaints describe an airbag warning light that intermittently illuminates with a message stating the airbag may not deploy when needed. Restarting the vehicle sometimes clears it temporarily.
One owner discovered the airbags had already been deployed at some point before purchase—no disclosure was made, and the dealer refused to provide an airbag disclosure statement form.
One complaint stands out: a driver-side airbag deployed at 15 mph during normal driving with no accident, causing the vehicle to hit a mailbox. The owner sustained chest and arm injuries. The dealer couldn't diagnose or repair it. This case is unverified and lacks mileage information, making root cause impossible to determine from the narrative.
Same Acura TL airbags reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Takata Airbag Recall - Parts Unavailability
Campaign 16V061000 issued for front driver and passenger airbags; replacement parts repeatedly unavailable, causing indefinite delays in recall completion. Multiple owners report waiting months to over a year for repairs, with dealers unable to schedule service.
When: Recall notification issued March 2016 onward; delays reported through September 2016 and beyond
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received but parts not in stock; Dealer unable to schedule repair appointment; Extended wait times (up to 1.5 years reported); Lack of communication on parts availability dates
Repairs/costs cited: Campaign 16V061000 requires replacement of front driver and passenger airbags; parts were not available from manufacturer/distributor during recall period
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V061000 (Takata airbag recall); no loaner vehicles offered by dealers; no timely parts distribution
Airbag Warning Indicator Active
Airbag warning light illuminates intermittently; message indicates airbag may not deploy when needed. Owners instructed to turn vehicle off and restart; if light reappears, dealership inspection recommended.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning indicator light appears; Message states airbag may not deploy when needed; Warning may disappear after restart but reappears
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership inspection required; no repair outcome reported in narratives
Erroneous Airbag Deployment
Driver-side airbag deployed at low speed (15 mph) during normal driving with no accident or impact. Vehicle crashed into mailbox; owner sustained chest and arm injuries requiring medical attention. Dealer was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle.
When: Mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployed without impact or accident; Deployment occurred at approximately 15 mph; Owner sustained injuries to chest and arms
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to dealer; no diagnosis or repair performed
Previously Deployed Airbag - No Disclosure
Owner discovered airbags had been previously deployed on vehicle but was never notified and did not sign airbag disclosure statement form. Vehicle had been at dealer since February 23, 2016, waiting for Takata recall repair (estimated completion up to September 2016).
When: Prior to discovery in 2016
Symptoms owners cite: Previously deployed airbags not disclosed to owner; Airbag disclosure statement form not signed by owner; Dealer claimed not required to provide disclosure form
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle at Mac Churchill Acura for recall repair since February 23, 2016
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
3 most recent
airbags
· filed 12/23/2021
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.
airbags
· filed 12/10/2016
Takata recall
airbags
· filed 10/12/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 Acura tl. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000(front driver air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Dg
Had airbags trouble with your 2013 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 airbags problem on the 2013 Acura TL?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 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?
Based on the 19 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 66,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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?
Yes — 3 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
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/2013/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.