The Lemon Index2018 Acura TLX. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 4,247 and 27,000 miles. Median 16,000, from 14 complaints with a mileage.
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical | 32% |
| Engine | 16% |
| Brakes | 16% |
| Fuel system | 16% |
| Seat belts | 11% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 4
26V332000 May 2026 Air Bags / Sensor / Occupant Classification / Front Passenger
Defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Risk. Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involve
23V858000 Dec 2023 Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump
Defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
23V751000 Nov 2023 Engine And Engine Cooling / Engine / Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
Defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Risk. A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Remedy. Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed
19V060000 Jan 2019 Fuel System, Other / Delivery / Fuel Pump
Defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.
Risk. Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (FI-ECU) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's recall number for this recall is P3W. Honda's recall number for this recall is N3X.
NHTSA investigations
| Status | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | No restart after auto start/stop engages | 2025 | – |
| Open | Engine failure | 2025 | – |
| Closed | Engine failure | 2024 | 2025 |
Manufacturer communications 92
Acura filed 92 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- The high pressure fuel pump area chirps after the engine is warm
- Tech line summary article - Have a vehicle in your shop with low mileage (less than 1,500 miles)
- Servicenews Article - Have a vehicle in your shop with low mileage (less than 1,500 miles)
Crash ratings by version
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura TLX 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Acura TLX 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Standard | Standard |
Engines and drivetrains 3
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Auto (AM-S8) | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 | Premium | $2,850 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Auto (S9) | FWD | 20 / 32 / 24 | Premium | $3,200 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Auto (S9) | AWD | 21 / 30 / 24 | Premium | $3,200 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
YouTube repair topics
199 videos about the 2015–2020 Acura TLX, 18.0M views.
| Topic | Videos | Views |
|---|---|---|
| Gauges, lights & wiring | 4 | 234K |
| Oil changes & service | 4 | 187K |
| Infotainment, battery & electrical | 1 | 93K |
| No-start: theft light, key & ignition | 3 | 75K |
| Transmission & shifter | 1 | 55K |
| Death wobble & steering | 1 | 17K |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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