2018 Acura TLX Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 2018 model year most often describe engine knocking, seizure or rod bearing failure tied to a connecting rod recall, along with sudden stalling, loss of power or limp mode. Driver-assist warning lights, recall repair delays and unexpected automatic braking also come up often, and the complaint trend in the data is rising. Engine failure reports in the sample were filed from 2023 onward and, where mileage is given, range from about 40,000 to 110,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine knocking, seizure or rod bearing failure

   • 34 complaints (35%)
   • median 80,665 mi at 6.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe engine knocking, ticking or rattling, followed by stalling, loss of power, or the engine locking up or seizing. Some complaints tie these symptoms to the connecting rod bearing recall, and some describe oil leaking after a recall repair. Dealers reportedly diagnosed a connecting rod bearing failure and replaced the engine or engine block, and some owners say they had to push for warranty coverage or were told the engine was not part of a recall. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 40,000 to 110,000 miles, and all of these complaints were filed from 2023 onward.

   Recall 23V751000

   What to check: Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm whether the connecting rod bearing campaign 23V751000 has been completed. Listen for knocking or ticking during a cold start and a test drive, and ask for engine service records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle experienced vibration symptoms and stalled on the road. The day before it stalled, there were rattling noises which prompted me to take the car to the dealership the next day. I had just received the letter about the recall so I knew it was likely related. The car was towed to the Acura dealership but the dealership denied recall coverage, stating the engine number did not match the recall list. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11710731, filed 2026-01

   “My engine makes sounds and possibly there's some shifting noise when I'm not changing gears while driving on the highway. the dealer routinely checks my fluids,so the transmission fluid is fine. I even had a transmission flush after reading an article about this engine. The engine ticks like the rows are sticking. These are all characteristics of the published letter last year recalling Hondas and my car year make and model. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11587230, filed 2024-05
2. 2
   Engine

   Sudden stalling, power loss or limp mode

   • 26 complaints (27%)
   • median 105,416 mi at 6.2 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the engine stalling while driving, sometimes without warning, and in some cases the accelerator giving little or no response before the car loses power. Some complaints describe limp mode with warning lights, and some say the car could not be restarted and had to be towed. Dealers in some complaints could not reproduce the problem, while others reportedly updated software or replaced the engine. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 47,000 to 120,000 miles, and most were filed in 2024 or later.

   Recall 19V060000Recall 23V8580001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask the seller about any stalling, limp mode or warning light history, and have a scanner check for stored fuel system and engine codes. Ask whether the fuel pump recall and any idle stop software update have been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving down the road out of town about 3 hours away from home when I heard a beep and car started to stop, later finding out it was going into “limp mode”. It was then towed to a car shop which was not any help, they stated that they didn’t know what was wrong with it and that I needed to take it to Honda down the road 2.5 miles that it just needed a system update; very mistreated and rude not offering towing service suggestions or anything told me I can still crank and drive it just not fast. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11639949, filed 2025-01, 103,832 miles

   “While driving, my vehicle has randomly shut off mid-drive on multiple occasions without warning. This has happened both at low speeds and on city roads, creating a serious safety risk as the engine cuts out without any dashboard lights, alerts, or codes. I lose power steering and acceleration, which could easily cause an accident if it happens at higher speeds or in traffic. The issue is intermittent and unpredictable, making it difficult to reproduce. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11676034, filed 2025-07
3. 3
   Forward collision avoidance

   Driver-assist warning lights and sensor faults

   • 11 complaints (11%)
   • median 32,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe dashboard warnings for collision mitigation, adaptive cruise, lane keeping and road departure systems, often with the brake system light. Some lights appeared right after service such as an alignment or oil change, and dealers reportedly pointed to the front camera, a sensor, or calibration. Some complaints also describe the car not going past 50 mph, or the steering wheel no longer sitting straight after the warnings appeared. Most do not list mileage, the entry that does lists about 54,000 miles, and most were filed in 2023 or later.

   What to check: Have a technician scan for stored driver-assist and steering codes and confirm the sensors were recalibrated after any alignment or windshield work. Ask the seller whether the front camera or bumper sensor has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My CMBS, ACC, LKAS and Road Departure Mitigation System all light up on my dashboard as well brake system light. I had a alignment done on my car about 2 weeks ago and the next day they came on. I went back to the shop where I had the alignment done to ask why they came on. They check the alignment again and said something about calibrating the sensors and checked that again. But the lights didn't go off.”

   NHTSA complaint #11612459, filed 2024-09

   “There are so many lights flashing, my vehicle will not go over 50MPH, My steering wheel is no longer straight its actually to the left. I brought it to Acura and they are stating its a REAR TOE ACTUATOR issue and refuse to cover the 5,100.00 fee to fix this issue that has had a SAFETY BULLETIN posted for a 2015 TLX. There has been a bulletin about this according to Carvana so ACURA is aware of this issue but refuse to recall this issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11457542, filed 2022-03
4. 4
   Other or unknown

   Recall repair delays, missing parts or coverage disputes

   • 20 complaints (21%)
   • median 65,332 mi at 6.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe being told that repair parts for open recalls, including engine and fuel pump campaigns, were not yet available or had a long waiting list. Some say a dealer denied recall coverage because the engine number or VIN did not match the recall list, and others found an open recall after being told a new car had been repaired. Some owners report being asked to pay for work they believed was covered by a recall. Most were filed in 2024 or later, and where mileage is given it ranges from 22 miles to 50,000 miles.

   Recall 23V751000Recall 23V858000

   What to check: Before buying, check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup and ask the dealer to confirm in writing that every open recall is completed. If a recall is still open, ask for the parts order status or a repair date.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought a brand new 2018 Acura TLX, the dealership stated the current recall on the vehicle was fixed before the sale. After searching the VIN I found out that the recall was not repaired. I got the service department to make an appointment to fix the recall but should the dealership face any punishments/ fines etc. For selling a new vehicle with an open recall after stating it was fixed?”

   NHTSA complaint #11216915, filed 2019-05, 22 miles

   “I bought my 2018 Acura TLX a-spec V6 in Nov. 2021, certified pre-owned from an Acura dealer. It had warranty through 100k miles. At just under 70k miles, around mid-2023 I believe, the engine seized and would not start. Warranty covered engine replacement. This was just around the time of the 3.6L V6 engine recall. I waited on the recall because the engine was brand new at that point. A year or so later, deal did inspect the engine for recall, but determined it was not part of the recall. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11740489, filed 2026-05
5. 5
   Brakes

   Sudden automatic braking, often with no car ahead

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the car braking hard on its own, sometimes to a full stop, even with no vehicle ahead, and in some cases the throttle does not respond while the braking is active. Some describe the braking at low speed near a light or intersection, and some say a following vehicle nearly hit them. According to complaints, dealers sometimes found nothing wrong, and some owners have turned the feature off because they know of no fix. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 10,000 to 42,000 miles, and filing dates run from 2019 to 2026.

   What to check: On a test drive, ask the seller whether the collision mitigation braking has ever been serviced, and have a scanner check for stored codes. Ask the dealer whether any software update or service bulletin applies to unexpected braking.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On the morning of 1/7/2020, my cars' brake sensing system malfunctioned bringing my car to a grinding halt launching myself forward toward the steering wheel and the items in my passenger seat forward into the floorboard. This was on a city street approaching the intersection of a major highway. There was no car in front of me at the time this happened and thankfully, there were no cars within a close distance behind me. There had been a truck that was ~100+ yards in front of me that turned right into a gas station. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11298137, filed 2020-01, 42,000 miles

   “This will be the 12th time where my car comes to a sudden and violent stop for no apparent reason - due to the collision mitigation breaking system activating with no cars in front of me. The last time this happened, a few weeks ago, there was someone behind me and it was a very close call. There was also a passenger who didn't know what hit him. I have brought the car in for service only to be told everything was fine. I attempted to bring it in for service again and I was given the run around that they had no availability for weeks. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11245835, filed 2019-08, 20,000 miles

Buying note. Before buying, check the VIN against NHTSA recall records, especially connecting rod bearing campaign 23V751000, and ask for proof that any open engine or fuel pump recall work was completed. On a test drive, listen for knocking and watch for stalling or driver-assist warning lights, and have a scanner check for stored codes.

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.