The 2004 Acura TSX has 5 recalls, the most serious being a power steering hose that can crack and leak oil onto a hot exhaust pipe, creating smoke and a potential engine compartment fire.
The engine control unit carries its own risk: in regions where road salt is used, salt-laden slush tracked in on shoes can soak through the carpet and reach the base of the engine computer, corroding it over time. That corrosion can cause the engine to stall unexpectedly, raising the risk of a crash. Recalls 2 and 3 both address this same salt-corrosion stall issue, with one filing applying specifically to vehicles sold or registered in northeastern, midwestern, and mid-Atlantic states where de-icing chemicals are commonly used on roads.
On the lighting side, the wiring harness routed through the trunk hinge area is not adequately protected against the repeated flexing that happens every time the trunk is opened and closed. Over time, that movement can wear through the wiring insulation, blow a fuse, or break the circuit entirely, knocking out the license plate light, backup light, and tail lights on the trunk lid. Losing the tail lights reduces visibility to drivers behind the vehicle at night, and a non-functional backup light leaves the area behind the car dark when reversing.
