2002 Acura TL Transmission & Power Train Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026

37Power Train complaints

11.1%Of all 332 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION175 · 52.7%

POWER TRAIN37 · 11.1%

AIR BAGS31 · 9.3%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL14 · 4.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10 · 3%

Share of the 332 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Acura TL overview page.

What owners report

“MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE. WHEN IT FAILED THE FIRST TIME IN JANUARY OF 2003, I WAS EXITING THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CHILD IN THE…”NHTSA complaint 10070432 — filed 01/15/2004

“THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO 4000 RPM AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT INTO HIGHER GEAR AS IT…”NHTSA complaint 10010028 — filed 03/06/2003

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Acura TL have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Acura TL: 37 of 332 complaints on file (11.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Acura TL have in total?

332 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 24 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.