A free NHTSA vPIC decode tells you which Acura TSX you are looking at. Then check its model year against 12 NHTSA recall campaigns and what owners have reported.
Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.
Acura sold the TSX in the US for model years 2004–2014, across two generations. The CL9 came first (2004–2008), and the CU2 took over for 2009–2014. Across those years NHTSA lists 12 vehicle recall campaigns and 685 owner complaints. Complaints pile up on the CU2. Its 2012 and 2009 model years alone account for 236 of them, with owners bringing up steering most often and the air bags after that. EPA rates the CL9 at 22–23 mpg combined, while the CU2 gets 21–25 mpg. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.
Two generations since the 2004 model year. The CU2 (2009–2014) has both the most owner complaints and the most recall campaigns (7).
Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Mentions in 299 NHTSA complaints.
JH4CL968?4C······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2004 Acura TSX, built in Sayama, SaitamaMentions in 386 NHTSA complaints.
JH4CU266?9C······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2009 Acura TSX, built in Sayama, SaitamaNHTSA has 12 campaigns on file for TSX model years 2004–2014, and the 2010 and 2011 show up in the most (7 each). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.
Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.
Transport Canada recalls for these model years were checked against this list; each one matches an NHTSA campaign shown here. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.
Between them, the 2012 and 2004 hold 287 of the 685 complaints, or 42%. Tap any bar or generation.
Mentions in 386 complaints, 2009–2014.
Steering owns this generation. Its 157 mentions are more than twice the next area, air bags (70). Complaints peak with the 2012 (145 of 386).
Mentions in 299 complaints, 2004–2008.
The 2004 stands out. On its own it has 142 of the CL9’s 299 complaints (47%). By area, nothing stands out. Steering leads with 77, with the air bags (52) and the electrical system (49) close behind. Fires come up in 4 CL9 complaints, or 1.3% against 0.7% for all TSX model years, which is the highest rate of any generation.
The 2012 draws the most complaints, and most NHTSA owners of that year describe the electric power steering suddenly failing with a warning light, leaving the wheel very heavy until a restart. CarComplaints lists excessive oil consumption, power steering failure and early brake wear for 2009, oil consumption and worn rear brakes for 2010, and power steering, transmission and engine computer failure for 2012. Acura ended the TSX after 2014. Recalls cover passenger air bag inflators on 2009–2014 models. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.
Owner summary updated September 25, 2026.
Every TSX version is counted together. Tap a year to see its top systems.
Crashes 9 · fires 2 · injuries 7
Crashes 5 · fires 1 · injuries 3
Crashes 4 · fires 0 · injuries 1
Crashes 1 · fires 0 · injuries 1
Crashes 3 · fires 1 · injuries 2
Crashes 7 · fires 0 · injuries 7 · complaints reporting a death 1
Crashes 7 · fires 0 · injuries 6
Crashes 3 · fires 1 · injuries 1
Crashes 4 · fires 0 · injuries 1 · complaints reporting a death 1
Crashes 2 · fires 0 · injuries 2
Crashes 0 · fires 0 · injuries 0
Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.
EPA lists 31 TSX versions for model years 2004–2014. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 349 g/mi (2014). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.
22–23 mpg · CO₂ 386–404 g/mi
21–25 mpg · CO₂ 349–423 g/mi
Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.
Take 2009–2014. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the TSX, against 26 for the BMW 3 Series and 15 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Pick a range to compare.
Model years 2004–2008
Model years 2004–2008
Model years 2004–2008
Model years 2009–2014
Model years 2009–2014
Model years 2009–2014
NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.
Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.
Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped
Illustration: VinNumber.net
Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net
The TSX was discontinued after 2014, making current used examples over ten years old. The VIN sits on a plate at the base of the driver's side windshield, with a door jamb sticker and trunk lid label as secondary locations. Some late-generation TSX Sport Wagon variants carry a cargo area label in addition to the standard locations. The CU2 generation starts with the 2009 model year; the VIN’s 10th character (9 for 2009) shows which side of that line a car falls on.
The 2012 leads with 145, ahead of the 2004 (142) and 2009 (91). Those first two alone make up 42% of the 685 TSX complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.
NHTSA’s recall records show 12 vehicle campaigns for model years 2004–2014, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns. By generation, CU2 leads with 7. Then come the CL9 (5), and a campaign can span two generations.
16V-346 and 17V-030 cover air bag inflators that can rupture. 17V-545, 18V-042, 19V-378, 19V-502 and 18V-661 cover air bag inflator modules and how they deploy. NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 10V-174. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.
By US model year, the CL9 is 2004–2008 and the CU2 2009–2014. Read the year off the VIN’s 10th character (9 is 2009).
It varies. EPA rates the 2009–2014 CU2 at 21–25 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive, up from 22–23 mpg for the 2004–2008 CL9 (fueleconomy.gov).
For 2009–2014 models the TSX has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns. The BMW 3 Series has 26, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 15. Complaints run 386, 2,526 and 3,092 in that order, with no sales adjustment.