2005 Acura TL: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2005 Acura TL
On the 2005 Acura TL, the failure owners report most often is other body or interior problem, and the reports cluster around 85,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other wheel or tire problem, reported by a median of 20,000 miles. Overall it scores 63 out of 100, high risk for a 2005.
High risk for a 2005 — 253rd riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. 555 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2005 Acura TL
Owners have reported 49 named failure modes on the 2005 Acura TL, and the three most-reported carry 36% of everything filed.
Other body or interior problem leads with 132 reports, about 2.0 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 65k to 120,000 miles.
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault follows with 42 reports, usually reported between 91k to 150,000 miles.
Other powertrain problem follows with 24 reports, usually reported between 30k to 85,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into body (133), airbag (68) and transmission (32).
When these failures get reported
391 of the reports on the 2005 Acura TL came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 96,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 17% by 50,000 miles, 54% by 100,000 miles and 84% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 8 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 90,000 and 100,000 miles, which alone holds 9% of the dated reports.
10% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other wheel or tire problem around 18k, other powertrain problem around 69k, other body or interior problem around 85k and audio or connectivity failure around 89k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 49. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 8 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 9 mention a crash, 6 a fire and 8 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.18, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000, airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault at $300–$1,600, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500 and audio or connectivity failure at $150–$900. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
11% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other body or interior problem | body | 132 | 102 | 65k | 85k | 120k | 2.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 42 | 22 | 91k | 110k | 152k | 0.6 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 24 | 21 | 30k | 69k | 86k | 0.4 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 21 | 15 | 64k | 89k | 141k | 0.3 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 20 | 12 | 7k | 18k | 74k | 0.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 17 | 9 | 80k | 130k | 148k | 0.3 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 16 | 13 | 122k | 160k | 167k | 0.2 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 15 | 7 | — | 48k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 7 | 6 | — | 91k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 6 | 6 | — | 78k | — | 0.1 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Power steering pump or fluid leak | steering | 6 | 3 | — | 132k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 6 | 6 | — | 133k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 6 | 5 | — | 33k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 5 | 5 | — | 120k | — | 0.1 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 5 | 5 | — | 67k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 5 | 2 | — | 105k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 5 | 4 | — | 50k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 5 | 5 | — | 81k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 4 | 2 | — | 118k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 4 | 4 | — | 155k | — | 0.1 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 4 | 4 | — | 98k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 4 | 4 | — | 110k | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 117k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 3 | 1 | — | 62k | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Fuel injector failure | fuel | 3 | 3 | — | 37k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 117k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 3 | 2 | — | 130k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 3 | 2 | — | 127k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Oil leak | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 170k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 168k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 2 | 1 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 93k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 2 | 2 | — | 116k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 115k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 96k | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 59k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 188k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Heater core failure | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 34k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,400 | Moderate |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 22k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag deployed without a crash | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 139k | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$8,000 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 72k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Alignment fault and uneven tire wear | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Paint peeling or clear coat failure | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$6,000 | Low |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 33k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 148 | 96 | 74k | 99k | 126k | 2.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2005 Acura TL draws about 8.6 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 85th percentile of complaint rates among 2005 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 64,800 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2005 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other body or interior problem
Incidents started occurring immediately after purchase of car. Trunk lid springs do not have sufficient tension, such that when we open the trunk on even a slight hill the trunk lid may stay up for a few seconds, but slams shut either immediately, after something of weight is put in the trunk, or if a breeze comes up. This has occurred several times to my wife and me, resulting in the trunk lid hitting our head or spine with sufficient force to cause significant pain and a wound. If this happened to a young child, it could result in serious injury. Acura replaced one spring with a stronger one, but that has done almost nothing to help. The service manager at the dealer also checked other '05 acura tl models and they did the same thing. He acknowledged it is a safety issue and said he would report it to acura. The dealer was unable to make any further adjustments to the springs. I complained to acura customer service and they acknowledged they have had similar reports. However, they said they did not have a sufficient number to justify a recall or to even come up with a solution. Thus I am contacting you. This is definitely a…
Purchased new 11/2004, 2005 acura tl. Dashboard has cracked specifically around the passenger airbag. Acura will not replace as the 4yr/50k warranty has expired. Was advised further cracking may effect airbag function. Estimate on repair , $1800.00. *tr
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault
I contacted acura's corporate office regarding 3 large cracks that appeared on my acura tl 2005 dashboard. I spoke with two representatives, who denied any knowledge of this problem occurring with other acura owners. During our conversation, I told the representatives that I had done some research regarding this problem and discovered that several thousand complaints have been forwarded to the office of defect investigation along with a facebook page with other dissatisfied customers. The representatives seemed unaware of the 'split dash' product defect, which I found unbelievable. Acura dealerships in my area were aware of the problem and I'm sure that the corporate office was notified by them when all of these complaints came in. The fact that the representatives would deny any knowledge of this issue was a blatant lie. I was told to bring my vehicle to the nearest acura dealership, where they would take pictures of the dashboard (see enclosed pictures). While driving to the dealership, I noticed that my airbag light was now lit. The dealership took pictures of the 3 large cracks and lit airbag light and told me he would get…
I contacted acura's corporate office regarding 3 large cracks that appeared on my acura tl 2005 dashboard. I spoke with two representatives, who denied any knowledge of this problem occurring with other acura owners. During our conversation, I told the representatives that I had done some research regarding this problem and discovered that several thousand complaints have been forwarded to the office of defect investigation along with a facebook page with other dissatisfied customers. The representatives seemed unaware of the 'split dash' product defect, which I found unbelievable. Acura dealerships in my area were aware of the problem and I'm sure that the corporate office was notified by them when all of these complaints came in. The fact that the representatives would deny any knowledge of this issue was a blatant lie. I was told to bring my vehicle to the nearest acura dealership, where they would take pictures of the dashboard (see enclosed pictures). While driving to the dealership, I noticed that my airbag light was now lit. The dealership took pictures of the 3 large cracks and lit airbag light and told me he would get…
Other powertrain problem
6 speed manual transmission is synchronized poorly making it difficult to shift into 3rd gear smoothly and sometimes will pop out of 3rd when you think you have clutched sufficiently. Nj dealer said acura has complaints about this and may change transmission in future years but will not do anything for existing vehicles. *nm
I wish to report the catastrophic failure of the clutch of a 6-shift standard 2005 acura tl [xxx]. The car has less than 6,000 miles and less than one year of moderate use. While going up a hill in a three lane expressway, I lost the torque to the wheels and the car ended on neutral, forcing me to make a dangerous maneuver to park the car on the shoulder of the expressway. Upon opening the hood, it was evident that the clutch had burned out. I understand that failure in material or workmanship was the cause of the catastrophic failure. Sudden loss of power at expressway speeds is dangerous and could result in an accident. I report this to you so that you can keep a record of this defect of the 2005 acura tl (6-shift standard). *jb updated 07/16/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
Recalls on the 2005 model year
NHTSA has issued 7 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Acura TL, affecting an estimated 159,771 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal, air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module, suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint and visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
3,744 vehicles 2019-10-10- Defect
- Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda Element, 2005-2008 Honda Pilot and 2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 124, "Accelerator Control Systems."
- Consequence
- If the accelerator pedal binds, the engine may not quickly return to idle after the pedal is no longer pressed, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492, using option 5. Dorman's number for this recall is AS1019XXXX.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,101,534 vehicles 2019-03-06- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver…
- Consequence
- An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
150 vehicles 2011-06-22- Defect
- Affinia is recalling certain aftermarket front suspension lower ball joints, napa part no. 2601662, that may have been mistakenly installed in certain model year 2004 - 2008 acura tl vehicles due to a mistake in a napa and napa dealers' parts application catalogue.
- Consequence
- Misapplication of this part could lead to separation of the ball joint from the lower control arm and collapse of the front suspension, which could potentially cause a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Affinia is working with napa to identify any owners that have had this part mistakenly installed on to an acura tl vehicle, and will replace the part free of charge. The safety recall began on july 20, 2011. Owners may contact affinia group's warranty administrator at 1-815-759-7757.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
129,600 vehicles 2008-02-27- Defect
- Honda is recalling 129,600 my 2004-2005 acura tl vehicles. If water enters the windshield wiper motor breather port, which is designed to allow the motor to vent warm air during normal operation, it can result in corrosion inside the motor housing. This could cause a failure of the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor housing.
- Consequence
- If the circuit breaker fails, it will cause the windshield wiper motor to become inoperative, which can increase the likelihood of a crash in certain conditions.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the windshield wiper motor for signs of corrosion. If no signs of corrosion are present, a snorkel tube will be added to the wiper motor breather port to prevent water from entering the wiper motor housing and foam tape will be installed on the cowl above the wiper motor to direct water away from the wiper motor. If signs of corrosion damage are observed on the wiper motor, the motor will be replaced, and the breather tube and foam tape will also be installed to prevent water intrusion on the new wiper motor. The recall began on april 28, 2008. Owners…
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
273,000 vehicles 2008-02-27- Defect
- Honda is recalling 273,000 my 2004-2008 acura tl vehicles. Prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid.
- Consequence
- Power steering fluid leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge. The recall began on april 28, 2008. Owners may contact acura at 800-382-2238. This is an expansion of a previous recall (please see 07v551).
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
166,561 vehicles 2007-03-14- Defect
- On certain vehicles, a coil wire inside the fuel pump relay may break, causing the fuel pump to lose power. If the fuel pump becomes inoperative, the engine may not start.
- Consequence
- If the fuel pump loses power while driving, the engine could stall without warning, and a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump relay free of charge. The recall began on april 2, 2007. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
1,923 vehicles 2005-04-05- Defect
- On certain passenger vehicles, a loose terminal in the main fuse box may cause the fuel pump to lose power. If the fuel pump becomes inoperative, the engine may not start.
- Consequence
- If the fuel pump loses power while driving the engine could stall without warning which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the entire fuse box free of charge. The recall began on april 13, 2005. Owners may contact honda at 800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2005 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2005 — 253rd riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 19 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1998 comes out best at 59 and 2012 worst at 72, with 2005 itself at 63.
If the model year is negotiable, 1998 and 2007 score lower than 2005 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2004–2011 generation specifically, 2007 is the strongest year at 59 and 2009 the weakest at 69.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2004-2011 generation, 2007 Acura TL scores best at 59 and 2009 Acura TL worst at 69.
Where to spend the inspection money
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other wheel or tire problem from about 7k, other powertrain problem from about 30k, audio or connectivity failure from about 64k and other body or interior problem from about 65k.
On a 2005 Acura TL with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other wheel or tire problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
555 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 555 reports, 391 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 70% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Acura TL?
The most-reported failures are other body or interior problem (132 reports, median 85,000 miles), airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault (42 reports, median 110,000 miles) and other powertrain problem (24 reports, median 70,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2005 Acura TL problems start?
Other wheel or tire problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 20,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 5,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 96,000 miles.
Is the 2005 Acura TL reliable?
It scores 63 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 253rd riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2005 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Acura TL is best?
Within the 2004–2011 generation, 2007 scores best at 59 out of 100 and 2009 worst at 69. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed