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Acura ILXModel year report

2013 Acura ILX Problems

Compared with other Acura ILX years

Typical for this model

50/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
66filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
46,000miles, 29 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
27 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 34 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Acura ILX (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2013 Acura ILX most often write about the driver airbag inflator recall — mainly frustration that replacement parts were unavailable and some owners reporting the airbag warning light staying on. A second group involves hybrid-related electrical and power complaints, where the car loses power, warning lights come on, and dealers say the VIN is not covered. Complaints are spread across the model year and show up from low mileage upward.

  1. Air bags

    Driver airbag inflator recall / airbag warning light

    • 21 complaints (32%)
    • median 51,750 mi at 4.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2026

    Many owners describe being told their car was included in the driver airbag inflator recall but that remedy parts were not available, with waits stretching for months. Some report the airbag warning light coming on intermittently even after an inflator was replaced, and a few describe airbags not deploying in a collision. Dealers typically confirmed that the part was on back order and asked owners to wait for a second notice. Mostly reported in 2016–2019 at mileages from under 30,000 to about 100,000.

    Recall 19V500000Recall 19V182000Recall 16V0610006 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the driver airbag inflator recall was completed and keep the paperwork. Confirm the recall is closed for the specific VIN, and have the airbag warning light checked if it stays on.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I believe my VIN # should be included in the recall for drivers air bag. I have had the drivers air bag fixed jan 2019 and now will have to have it fixed in a couple weeks as the air bag lights are going on again for the drivers air bags. I see there are recalls for 2013 Acura ILX but for some reason my VIN # is not coming up. Please investigate further.”

    NHTSA complaint #11246647, filed 2019-08, 54,500 miles

    “Takata recall. Acura called me mid april stating that parts had been ordered to fix the recalled airbags of my car. I called in july to determine when the parts would be in and they said they didn't know. That was over 90 days ago. I'm starting to wonder if Acura really has the parts available.”

    NHTSA complaint #10892316, filed 2016-08, 49,000 miles
  2. Electrical system

    Hybrid system fault: loss of power, warning lights (IMA/IIU)

    • 13 complaints (20%)
    • median 82,274 mi at 7.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2019–2026

    Owners of the hybrid describe the car jerking, lighting up several dash warnings (check IMA, charging, brake, check engine), losing acceleration and sometimes failing to restart. Several mention error codes tied to the inverter unit and that the dealer said this VIN was not covered by the related recall campaign. Complaints also describe brake assist feeling weaker once the hybrid system drops out. Reported from about 70,000 miles upward, often grouped in later years of ownership.

    What to check: Have a pre-purchase scan done for stored hybrid and inverter codes, test that the auto-stop and charging systems work, and ask whether any inverter or IMA-related repair has already been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Power train issue the vehicle loses power while driving on the roads and highway. (i have a 1-year-old daughter) It has not been confirmed by a dealer/professional when i bought it in they can't diagnose without warning lights. the warning light were not on when I first brought it in a couple year ago, but the car still loses power frequently and now all the brakes system lights are on.”

    NHTSA complaint #11611367, filed 2024-08

    “Issue had not been persistent, on Sunday, May the 12th, 2024, while driving home, I was on a slight downward slope coming to a halt at a red light, when the car jolted slightly and the warning lights came. The auto-shutoff feature on the vehicle stopped working immediately. I was able to drive the car home, but after parking - the vehicle wouldn’t start again. Electronic screen on the radio came on and I could see error codes P1437 & P15A5. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11591884, filed 2024-06
  3. Electrical system

    Door locks and handles acting up

    • 5 complaints (8%)
    • median 27,229 mi at 5.1 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2015–2023

    Complaints describe doors that lock and unlock on their own, a driver door that fails to open, and automatic locking that stops working. In some cases the dealer replaced a door lock actuator and said the VIN was not part of a recall. One complaint ties the behavior to the door handle cable recall on this model. Reported from about 27,000 to 75,000 miles, at various ages.

    Recall 12V338000

    What to check: Cycle every door lock and handle several times, including the interior front handles, and ask whether the door latch recall was performed for this VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “For over one year I have been reporting to Acura that my 2013 ILX computer system is being tampered with. Acura's response had been to deny of knowing any issues with the electrical/computer system. Two weeks ago while washing my car in the driveway,I witnessed the doors lock/unlocked and alarm system set, this cycle repeated for a least an entire minute. I notified Acura and was told to take to dealership, they recommended I have the key fobs reset, charged $74.00 just to hook up car to computer. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10725437, filed 2015-06, 20,000 miles

    “Hi - My driver's side door keeps unlocking and registering as if I am opening it as I am driving. I've attempted to have this fixed (stopped unlocking for about a year) but it has started back up within the last month. It's now come to my attention that upon searching for safety recalls on my car, that there was a recall back in 2012 (12V338000) on my car for what sounds exactly like the issue I've been having. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11551668, filed 2023-10
  4. Suspension

    Noises and rattles from suspension and underbody

    • 6 complaints (9%)
    • median 30,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2020

    Owners describe banging or rattling from the front or middle underside, a harsh ride over small bumps, and in a couple of cases a broken axle. Several say the dealer tried multiple times without resolving the noise, and one was told the manufacturer was aware of the issue. Reported from delivery mileage up to about 80,000 miles.

    Recall 20V770000

    What to check: Drive over rough pavement and listen for clunks or rattles, and check whether the driveshaft corrosion recall has been completed for this VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Since one week after I purchased the Acura ILX (car was new), I have heard a rattling, bumping sound coming from either the front or middle of the underneath area of the car. I have taken it to the Acura dealership where I purchased the vehicle and they tried 4 times to fix it, and although the dealership was very accommodating, they were unable to fix the vehicle and the sound remained unchanged. One of the times the vehicle was with them for over a month. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10597516, filed 2014-06, 45 miles

    “I went over a minor bump on a freeway, a route that I often take by myself, but this time I had 2 passengers with me. There was no hole on the freeway, just a very small incline. After driving over it, we literally shot up on our seats, the top of our heads hitting the roof. There was zero dampening effects. This was a scary event. I typically drive by myself going to work and could feel a very rough ride over minor road bumps. With passengers in tow, the ride over these bumps become unbearable.”

    NHTSA complaint #10626062, filed 2014-08, 14,000 miles
  5. Brakes

    Brake pedal response and stopping distance

    • 9 complaints (14%)
    • median 83,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2026

    Some owners report the car not stopping as expected, needing very hard pedal pressure, or the vehicle creeping forward from a stop and contacting another car. In a few accounts this came alongside hybrid or charging warnings. Complaints are typically handled by a dealer visit but the cause is not always reproduced. Mostly reported between roughly 48,000 and 83,000 miles.

    What to check: Test braking from a stop and at low speed on a test drive, watch for a brake warning light, and ask about recent brake service or fluid work.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “There were two different times my Acura 2013 ILX was involved in two different accidents and the airbags didn’t deploy. 1. Back on 4/2018 brakes didn’t respond properly, then ceased to another vehicle and airbags didn’t deployed. No major injuries, but high bills. 2. January 2019, my husband was rear ended by an Audi, was sent to the opposite side of the street, car was total loss, airbags never deployed. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11511701, filed 2023-03

    “The brake fail stopping the car while driving off the highway via exiting ramp, ramp traffic was bumper to bumper slow at the moment and my car just accelerate from a stop, the car slide ahead and hit the front car.”

    NHTSA complaint #11258800, filed 2019-09, 48,700 miles

Buying note. Check that open recalls for this model year — airbag inflator, door latch and driveshaft — have been completed on the specific VIN, and get a scan for hybrid and inverter codes before buying. A pre-purchase inspection covering brakes and front suspension is worthwhile on higher-mileage cars.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 58 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2013 Acura ILX. 29 of the complaints include a mileage, and 62% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 46,000 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 64 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Acura ILX model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seats (1), Body and structure (1), Tires (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I went in for a airbag recall back in 2016 I got in a car accident on 7/30/19 which totaled my car but my air bags never deployed which caused a injury to the left side of my head from me hitting the steering wheel . Police said the airbags should of deployed from how bad the accident was .”

NHTSA complaint #11240836, filed 2019-07, 102,000 miles

Electrical system: “My car was in motion I was driving on a main street and then my car suddenly broke down. I had no prior lights on. The vehicle began shaking, my check engine light began flashing and the rest of the lights on the dashboard began flashing with the code p0202, and could not accelerate past 3 MPH. I was in the middle of the street and it took me over 20 minutes to pull into a gas station that would normally take 5 minutes, I don't know how I even made it to the station without pushing the car myself. I had to tow it directly to the Acura dealership. …”

NHTSA complaint #11383823, filed 2020-12, 89,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I had a very scary experience that made me feel like the car was in control of me. While accelerating onto the highway, I used the paddle shifters to upshift while I depressed the accelerator. The engine began to rev high and accelerate even with my foot off of the pedal. The display showing which gear it was in appeared to move up and down as the car jerked and lunged. The car would not slow down as expected with the brake pressed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10845687, filed 2016-03, 35,000 miles

Other or unknown: “2013 Acura ILX vehicles. If the manual or power door lock is activated while an interior front door handle is being operated by an occupant, the cable connecting the interior door handle to the door latch mechanism may become loose and move out of position. There is a possibility that the cable can move far enough out of position to prevent the door from properly latching.”

NHTSA complaint #11048356, filed 2017-11, 75,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

62% of the 29 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 13,000 and 77,000 miles.

21%0–1014%10–2528%25–507%50–7528%75–1003%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (29 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 46,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’14’1617’18’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 Acura ILX. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
ILX · sedan FWD★★★★★5 / 4544 · 10.7% risk

Neighbouring years: 2014: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2013 Acura ILX version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
ILX FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed automatic243427$3,050
ILX FWD2.4L 4-cyl6-speed manual223125$3,300

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2013 Acura ILX → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 64 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 64 bulletins →

Other model years of the Acura ILX

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2021115,8000528—Not enough data
2020101,2402528—Not enough data
20193639,000552818 · FewerRising
2018233754529—Rising
20172018,3004529—Rising
20165225,000652975 · MoreStable
20151917,0004528—Rising
20142944,500552750 · TypicalStable
20136646,000652750 · TypicalStable

All Acura ILX model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Acura ILX?

Owners of the 2013 Acura ILX most often write about the driver airbag inflator recall — mainly frustration that replacement parts were unavailable and some owners reporting the airbag warning light staying on. The issues reported most often: Driver airbag inflator recall / airbag warning light; Hybrid system fault: loss of power, warning lights (IMA/IIU); Door locks and handles acting up.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Acura ILX have?

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2013 Acura ILX as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Acura ILX is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 25 complaints (38% of the total), followed by electrical system with 14.

Has the 2013 Acura ILX been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2013 Acura ILX do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2013 Acura ILX 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Acura ILX get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Acura ILX (ILX, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 24 city and 34 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Acura ILX reported?

Among the 29 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 46,000 miles and the middle half falls between 13,000 and 77,000 miles; 62% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.