2005 Acura TL Research & Reviews

Overview & Reviews

Average Score

4.67/5 Average
449 Total Reviews
This Year's Model Updates:

The front seatbelt buckles are now mounted to the seat frame, and sensors in the front-passenger seat alert the driver when an occupant is out of a safe position for the side airbag.

Pros:
  • Luxurious interior, long list of standard equipment, powerful V6 engine, slick-shifting six-speed manual, pleasant blend of ride comfort and fun, superb sound system.
Cons:

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 449.00
  • VSA nearly killed me - 2005 Acura TL
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    Was driving 60mph on the highway using the stick shift feature on the automatic transmission. Out of nowhere the VSA decided to turn on while i was on 3rd speed simply cruising on 60mph. When the VSA light turned on the tires screeched and immediately i lost control of the car and it banged into the divider of the highway. The airbags went off (there were no passengers) and the front left wheel just popped off completely. Thank god there was a gas station 500 feet near me. I Been having a problem with the VSA turning on abruptly for no apparent reason ive taken it to a mechanic before and even they have no clue wtf is wrong with it. Ive read forums which people have had the same issue...

  • Great Car but Some Flaws - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    I bought my 2005 Acura TL with about 90K miles on it. For the most part the car is fantastic, feels very high quality and rides excellent. At 80 MPH - typical cruising speed in Los Angeles when not stuck in traffic - the car feels as if it is on rails, and is very quite. Some people on internet forums have complained about squeeks and rattles from the windows in the doors when driving. I have found that this is true, but not to the point where it is a problem. The 6-speed transmission model which I have is probably not the best. The shifter is clunky, and the engine not suited to a manual since it has very little low-end torque.

  • Very nice car - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    I bought my 05 TL with a little over 54,000 miles. It now has 105,000 miles. The 3rd generation TLs are very good cars. Comfortable, quiet, roomy, refined and I like the FWD because we do get snow here in KY. I just did the timing belt replacement (almost $1000 at dealer) so guess I will be keeping it for awhile. I really like the TL as in my opinion gets great gas mileage for a car that performs this well. I average 22-24mpg combined and anywhere from 28-33mpg highway. The only complaints I have are the brakes. They perform well but rotors tend to warp easily and the calipers went bad around 95,000 miles. Other than this the TL is probably the best car I have owned.

  • 2005 Acura TL - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    I bought this car brand new back in 2005. Mechanically its worked great. Ive only had to do basic maintenance on the car such as batteries, belts, fluids, etc. I did have a power steering hose to begin leaking that I had repaired. 6 months later I get a recall notice from Acura and they reimburse me for the cost of the repairs and install a new power steering hose. This car now has 162,000 miles on it and its doing great. I just wish the newer TLs looked as good because I would buy another. The only down side has been tire wear. This car does like to go through some tires about every 25 to 30K miles. The tire wear is based upon normal driving.

  • 7 year total repairs low - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    My wife purchased the TL new with the 7 year/100,000 extended warranty. The warranty just expired. Total regular maintenance for 7 years are $3600--all done at Acura dealership. Total repairs on my 2005 Infinity purchased the same day with same warranty are $9300. I love my Infinity, but regular maintenance is expensive. Acura repair bills very low over 7 years.

  • Best Car I ever owned - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    Ive had this car since 2005 and have had zero issues with reliability. I still receive alot of positive accolades for the navigation and bluetooth phone considering this was back in 2005. If you take care of the car with regular intervals of maintenance there will be no issues. The best part is there are millions of local Honda/Acura repairs shops that are highly competitive which makes repair costs a fraction of what you pay at the Dealership

  • Great looks, poor quality - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    I ordered my 2005 Acura TL Navi 6MT back in November of 2004 and took it home right off the truck when it arrived. Initially I had no problems with the car, it looked great inside and out and was a huge upgrade over my 2004 Maxima which I sold a few month earlier. The performance was great and the manual transmission was a blast to drive. However no less than 3 months into my owner ship I started having problems first I had to have an axle replaced, and things started going downhill from there. 7 years and nearly 60k miles later, there were way too many problems, including two door actuators, rattles everywhere, poor leather seat quality, and things literary falling apart on the inside

  • Abyss Blue Pearl 6 Speed Manual TL - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    I purchased my 05 TL used in 2007 w/just over 24K miles. The car looked sharp, had a nice ride and was loaded w/everything (Navi, Hands Free Phone, Voice activation, moonroof etc.) The transmission operated smoothly and the car had great performance and handling esp. considering its a front wheel drive vehicle. One thing I did notice after a few months was that under brisk acceleration (not jack rabbit starts mind you) the car seemed to hesitate as if traction control had been activated. I ended up ditching the Michelin Pilot MXMV... and getting Bridgestone RE 960AS (stayed w/ 17") and the car has handled like a dream ever since.

  • TL Junkie - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    This is the second TL we have owned and I think once you own a TL you are hooked. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this car. It is such a pleasure to drive and so comfortable. A very reliable car. In the winter my husband puts snow tires on the car and I have absolutely no problems getting around the hills of Pennsylvania. We love the TL so much that we are thinking about trading it in for a 2012. This car has been so reliable that we dont even look at other makes of cars because we know we will be disappointed in the quality.

  • Not Worth It! Too many issues... - 2005 Acura TL
    By -

    The 2005 Acura TL is a sharp looking car but has way too many issues. Every time we dont use the car for 2-3 days it dies. Terrible reliability. I do not reccomend this car.

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