2011 Acura TSX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Acura TSX has 52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: the steering went out in my car when i was driving on the interstate. my car is 6 years old with 100,000 miles and i had to replace the steering module for $1300. this seems odd to me for this to happen in a newer car.. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 2 crash reports 1 injury

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

18 complaints

35%

• THE STEERING WENT OUT IN MY CAR WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 100,000 MILES AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING MODULE FOR $1300. THIS SEEMS ODD TO ME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN A NEWER CAR.
• MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND AND INDICATOR CAME ON STATING "CHECK POWER STEERING." THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WENT ON MY WAY, HOPING IT WAS A TEMPORARY PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY THE
• STEERING WHEEL CLICKS WHEN I TURN AND WHEN I START MY CAR UP AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, IT MAKES A RATTLE SOUND IN THE ENGINE. THE RATTLE SOUND IS THE SOUND A ENGINE MAKE WHEN THE OIL IS LOW OR NOT GETTING TO THE PISTONS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“THE STEERING WENT OUT IN MY CAR WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 100,000 MILES AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING MODULE FOR $1300. THIS SEEMS ODD TO ME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN A NEWER CAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

11 complaints

21%

• TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V346000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TH
• TAKATA RECALL - CALLED SEVERAL DEALERS, NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO ORDER, NO TIME LINE GIVEN, NO RENTAL CAR PROVIDED, WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO DRIVE WITH PASSENGERS. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V346000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 1

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V346000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

7 complaints

13%

• ON THREE OCCASIONS 2011 ACURA TSX BREAKS HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BREAK IN ORDER TO AVOID ACCIDENT. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN WHILE GOING OFF THE HIGHWAY EXIT AND PUSHED ON BREAKS ONLY TO FIND THE BREAK PEDAL WAS EXTREMELY STIFF AND WOULD NOT MOVE NO MATTER H
• IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES, MY CAR HAS AN EXTREMELY HARD BRAKE PETAL (IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NO POWER ASSIST)AND WILL NOT STOP THE CAR. AS SOON AS CAR WARMS UP THE BRAKE PETAL FEEL COMES BACK AND BRAKING RETURNS TO NORMAL. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN 3 TIMES DURING THE DEAD FREEZING COLD TEMPERATURES AND
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA TSX. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ON THREE OCCASIONS 2011 ACURA TSX BREAKS HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BREAK IN ORDER TO AVOID ACCIDENT. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN WHILE GOING OFF THE HIGHWAY EXIT AND PUSHED ON BREAKS ONLY TO FIND THE BREAK PEDAL WAS EXTREMELY STIFF AND WOULD NOT MOVE NO MATTER H”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

4 complaints

• AT ONLY 40,000 MILES, MY 2011 ACURA TSX HAS VTEC ACTUATOR FAILURE. IT STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF THIS OVER THE LAST 5,000 - 10,000 MILES OR SO AND HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY WORSE. I HEAR A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER I START MY VEHICLE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. MY LOCAL ACURA DEALER HAS DONE A DIAGNOST
• STEERING WHEEL CLICKS WHEN I TURN AND WHEN I START MY CAR UP AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, IT MAKES A RATTLE SOUND IN THE ENGINE. THE RATTLE SOUND IS THE SOUND A ENGINE MAKE WHEN THE OIL IS LOW OR NOT GETTING TO THE PISTONS.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA TSX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED ACURA OF HONOLULU AT 808-829-3073 (3251 N NIMITZ HWY, HONOLULU, HI 96819), BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE OR RETURN CALL FROM THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“AT ONLY 40,000 MILES, MY 2011 ACURA TSX HAS VTEC ACTUATOR FAILURE. IT STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF THIS OVER THE LAST 5,000 - 10,000 MILES OR SO AND HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY WORSE. I HEAR A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER I START MY VEHICLE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. MY LOCAL ACURA DEALER HAS DONE A DIAGNOST”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

3 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING AND ALMOST ENDING UP IN A ACCIDENT TO WHERE I COULD INJURY MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SAID CHECK POWER STEERING AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS WELL THEN THE DEALERSHIP CHARGERS 1500.00 JUST NOT SAFE AND OVER PRICED REPAIR TO SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU KNOW WARNING.
• ON 11/19/19 MY CAR WAS PARKED AT A GROCERY STORE. WHEN I GOT IN TO START IT I GOT A FLASHING MESSAGE REGARDING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING: 51. I COULDN'T REALLY MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THANKFULLY I WAS NOT DRIVING. I HAD TO HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. UPON LOOKING INTO THIS I CAN SEE THIS HAS HAPP
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT HIS RESIDENCE, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD AS THE CONTACT WENT TO INVESTIGATE HE FOUND THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRIC PROBLEM. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“WHILE DRIVING AND ALMOST ENDING UP IN A ACCIDENT TO WHERE I COULD INJURY MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SAID CHECK POWER STEERING AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS WELL THEN THE DEALERSHIP CHARGERS 1500.00 JUST NOT SAFE AND OVER PRICED REPAIR TO SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU KNOW WARNING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 52 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: THE STEERING WENT OUT IN MY CAR WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 100,000 MILES AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING MODULE FOR $1300. THIS SEEMS ODD TO ME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN A NEWER CAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA TSX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V346000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: ON THREE OCCASIONS 2011 ACURA TSX BREAKS HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BREAK IN ORDER TO AVOID ACCIDENT. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN WHILE GOING OFF THE HIGHWAY EXIT AND PUSHED ON BREAKS ONLY TO FIND THE BREAK PEDAL WAS EXTREMELY STIFF AND WOULD NOT MOVE NO MATTER H
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: AT ONLY 40,000 MILES, MY 2011 ACURA TSX HAS VTEC ACTUATOR FAILURE. IT STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF THIS OVER THE LAST 5,000 - 10,000 MILES OR SO AND HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY WORSE. I HEAR A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER I START MY VEHICLE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. MY LOCAL ACURA DEALER HAS DONE A DIAGNOST
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)