2017 Acura TLX Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2017 TLX most often describe stalling and starting trouble, including cars that shut off at stops with the idle-stop feature engaged and then fail to restart, plus rough or jerky transmission behavior at low speeds. Many of these reports arrive at low mileage, and a large share of complaints are follow-ups on the engine connecting-rod bearing recall (23V751000), mostly about parts not being available or a repeat noise after the repair.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine noise or failure tied to connecting rod bearing

   • 14 complaints (20%)
   • median 110,650 mi at 7.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2024–2026

   Complaints describe a knocking or clanking from the engine, loss of power and oil loss, and in some cases engine replacement. Many of these reports are about NHTSA campaign 23V751000: owners say the parts were unavailable for months, that the repair could not be scheduled, or that a knock or vibration returned after the recall work. A few mention a fuel odor or injector ring problem found after the repair. Reported across a wide mileage range, from around 35,000 up to over 200,000 miles.

   Recall 23V751000

   What to check: Confirm by VIN whether recall 23V751000 was completed; listen for a lower-engine knock at idle and check the oil level and condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car broke down on 04/05/2026 on the highway at a light with on coming traffic.I took it to express oil change 04/06/2026 they told me my car need a crankshaft so I proceeded to get more information and come to find out it was a recall on the crankshafts on my car. This is the second recall I have had done to my car the first recall was for the motor. This second one is for the crankshaft recall number- CH7. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11741304, filed 2026-06

   “I was driving on the freeway and I heard something explode followed by a clanking noise. The oil light and battery light came on simultaneously and I could not accelerate. I immediately pulled over and noticed that all the oil drained out of the car. When I got a chance look under the vehicle there was a hole in the oil pan. A mechanic said that it had happened from the inside. Possibly something from the motor broke off and shot out of my oil pan.”

   NHTSA complaint #11657388, filed 2025-04
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Multiple dashboard warnings and electronic faults

   • 15 complaints (21%)
   • median 22,343 mi at 3.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe clusters of warnings appearing at once, covering lane departure, forward collision, stability control, electric parking brake and emissions, sometimes with limp mode or the car refusing to take a gear. Some owners report random alarm triggering, blinking lights and ADAS going offline, and one describes repeated failed emissions-test readiness. Owners say dealers sometimes reset the system or diagnosed sensors and actuators without a lasting fix. Reported from under 10,000 miles up to around 100,000 miles, with several cases appearing after rain or humid weather.

   What to check: Start the car and watch for lingering warning lights, test the alarm and keyless entry, and ask whether any diagnostic codes or module replacements have been recorded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I'm consistently getting lane departure warnings on my car. This error can happen randomly...it may be after start or I may be driving down the road. The dealer's resolution is to simply stop and start the engine...which in most cases fixes the issue. The only problem is that this is a safety system and this should not be happening.”

   NHTSA complaint #11098740, filed 2018-05, 7,609 miles

   “Started my car after work to almost all my dash lights on like park, emissions control, stability control, lane departure with an exclamation mark beside it, electric parking brake problem, hill start assist problem brake hold system problem vehicle stability assist pertinent and check engine light on!”

   NHTSA complaint #11361942, filed 2020-09, 22,343 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalls at stops and won't restart (idle stop)

   • 14 complaints (20%)
   • median 27,000 mi at 2.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off at a traffic light or stop sign, sometimes with the idle-stop feature engaged, and then not restarting on the first attempt; drivers report cycling the start button or shifting to Park to get going again. Several say the dash lights up with multiple warnings when it happens, and some were told the battery or alternator needed replacement without the stalling going away. Others describe stalls while rolling away from a stop under normal acceleration. Mostly reported between roughly 10,000 and 60,000 miles, often at low-speed stops in traffic.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the PGM-FI software update and starter warranty extension were applied, and test the car through several stop-and-go cycles with idle stop active to see whether it restarts cleanly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have been stopped by traffic or stop light when I put my foot on the gas to start up, the car stalls. The whole dashboard is lights up and I have to try several times to get engine started. This is very scary.... I took the car to dealership. After 4 hours at the dealership and $155, my car is stalling again. I am scared I could get hurt in this car!”

   NHTSA complaint #11438740, filed 2021-10

   “Electronic parking brake and check emissions system lights going on simultaneously. Car stalled on freeway and check transmission light also went on simultaneously. Very dangerous. Multiple reports submitted for similar issue by many people. Please look into this. Acura needs a recall on these TLX models”

   NHTSA complaint #11636578, filed 2025-01
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Jerky, hesitant or clunky transmission at low speed

   • 17 complaints (24%)
   • median 21,000 mi at 2.5 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2017–2024

   Owners describe a lurch or jerk when pulling away from a stop or during slow stop-and-go driving, sometimes comparing it to being bumped from behind. Some report delayed or missing downshifts when accelerating from low speed, and a few say the car dropped into neutral on its own and would not take a gear until it was shut off and restarted. Complaints note the dealer described it as a software characteristic or replaced the transmission in some cases. Reported from very low mileage, many under 20,000 miles, typically in low-speed city driving.

   What to check: Drive the car slowly in stop-and-go conditions and from a rolling start, feeling for hard engagement between the low gears; ask whether any transmission software update or replacement has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Jerking from transmission. When a stop and go motion it feels like getting rear ended. My transmission is automatic and when doing a quick stop and go the jerk and acceleration feel like I was driving manual transmission vehicle”

   NHTSA complaint #11351388, filed 2020-08, 45,833 miles

   “Gas started leaking from my fuel pump while I was pumping and I only pumped about 8 dollars and a customer said for me to stop pumping and get home and park my car and take it to the dealership asap. The other issue is it jumps out of gear and while driving it just go into hesitate mode and stop mode ar times while on the interstate an driving on the streets causing me to be in a bad accident. This started happening several months after purchasing the car. Between july through now, still does it off and on.”

   NHTSA complaint #11193397, filed 2019-04, 6,500 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel pump and fuel filler neck problems

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 14,259 mi at 2.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe the car losing power or stalling with low fuel rail pressure, and some were told a fuel pump needed replacement. Others report a fuel smell or a capless filler neck flap that stuck closed and blocked refueling. Complaints note that some vehicles were outside the fuel pump recall campaigns even though owners expected them to be included. Reported from low mileage upward, with several mentions of refueling trouble and fuel odors in day-to-day use.

   Recall 23V858000Recall 19V0600003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check whether fuel pump recalls 23V858000 and 19V060000 were performed, and try a full refuel to confirm the filler neck flap opens and seals normally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought my Acura about 3 months ago but saw they had some recalls on over 400k of these vehicles with fuel issues! Is this going to be an issue for me later with this vehicle? Right now my vehicle is fine though, just wanted it to be known.”

   NHTSA complaint #11355504, filed 2020-09, 22,019 miles

   “My car’s lights were on. I went to Acura to get a diagnostic and they said to replace the fuel pump. I replaced it, and the lights came back on. I got another diagnostic and I was told the fuel pump has a leak. I have an 2017 Acura TLX that was not apart of the recent recall which I believe it should have been because my car is slow to steer which may cause an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #11575772, filed 2024-03

Buying note. Ask for the recall history by VIN, particularly the connecting rod bearing and fuel pump campaigns, and note that a 2017 TLX may still have open recall work. A slow test drive in traffic is worthwhile to check for stalling with idle stop and for low-speed transmission harshness.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.