2012 Acura TSX Reliability
The 2012 Acura TSX has 133 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Compared with nearby TSX model years (2010–2014), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the TSX's typical year, while the 2013 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
133
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
4
Complaints citing a crash
0
Complaints citing a fire
2012 Acura TSX complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 model year, filed between 2013 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 100 | 75% |
| Electrical system | 16 | 12% |
| Service brakes | 9 | 7% |
| Air bags | 6 | 5% |
| Engine | 6 | 5% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 5 | 4% |
| Body structure | 4 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 3% |
2012 Acura TSX recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2012 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17V030000 | Jan 10, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura TSX, 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Acura ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour and Honda Insight, 2009-2012 Honda Fit, 2009-2012 Pilot, 2007-2011 Honda CR-V,… |
| 17V545000 | Aug 31, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2008-2012 Accord, 2010-2012 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2012 Fit and Pilot, 2010-2012 Insight, and 2009-2012 Acura TSX vehicles that received replacement passenger frontal air… |
| 18V042000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles… |
| 18V661000 | Sep 27, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,… |
| 19V378000 | May 16, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V,… |
| 19V502000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011… |
How the 2012 compares with nearby TSX years
Verdicts compare these TSX model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63 | 7 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2011 | 45 | 7 | Steering | Solid |
| 2012 (this page) | 133 | 6 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2013 | 33 | 4 | Steering | Solid |
| 2014 | 7 | 3 | Service brakes | Too few reports |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2012 Acura TSX
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2012 Acura TSX can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2012 Acura TSX reliability FAQ
Is the 2012 Acura TSX reliable?
The 2012 Acura TSX has 133 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Compared with nearby TSX model years (2010–2014), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the TSX's typical year, while the 2013 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2012 Acura TSX problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Acura TSX are steering (100), electrical system (16), service brakes (9), air bags (6). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2012 Acura TSX have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2012 Acura TSX, including 17V030000 (air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module) and 17V545000 (air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2012 Acura TSX compare with the 2011 and 2013 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2011 has 45 complaints and 7 recalls (solid); the 2013 has 33 complaints and 4 recalls (solid). The 2012 has 133 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2012 Acura TSX?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Acura TSX research
Other Acura TSX model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2012 TSX, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.