2018 ACURA TLX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

I was rolling up to a stop light at approximately 20 mph when the frontal crash mitigation feature suddenly slammed the brakes on fully to a complete stop. I searched the web and found that there are other owners of this model that have had similar occurrences. I could easily have been rear-ended if someone had been following. I was lucky that didn’t happen. Since that day, I have been afraid to drive the car until I have disabled the feature.So every time I start my car I have to disable this mode. There is no known fix. No technical service bulletins etc. regarding this problem. Honda Acura needs to find a solution to this. I should not have to disable a safety feature that is actually making my car unsafe!

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. During the discovery process, it was later discovered that the engine had been swapped by the dealership in 2018 — a fact that was not disclosed to me at the time of my purchase. The installed engine still falls within the recall defect interval of 2015-2020 but they are resistant to repair. Upon initial inspection of the vehicle, the dealership found metal shavings in the oil indicating internal engine damage. The manufacture requested my oil change records suggesting that this was my fault. I presented the oil change receipts but they still refused recall coverage and the dealership requested approximately $5,000 for diagnostics, if determined my fault. If it is determined that the defect damaged the engine, they will cover the 5k. After several weeks of inspection and going through the manufacture recall process, the dealership determined the recall issue applies my car. However, due to the engine number not on the “list” they are denying my recall coverage. They are seeking $25k for service repairs. After almost 2 months of back and forth, I have been misled and misinformed. I am struggling to get my car repaired under recall.

While performing routine maintenance on my 2018 Acura TLX, I discovered a critical structural failure in the front right (passenger side) lower control arm. The factory weld connecting the stamped steel control arm to the compliance bushing housing has failed and separated. Visual inspection reveals a clear manufacturing defect: there is a significant crater and void in the weld bead, indicative of incomplete fusion or a "start/stop" error during the manufacturing process. This is a latent structural defect, not a stress fracture from mileage or impact. The weld has begun to separate from the housing, leaving a visible gap. Safety Risk: This failure compromises the suspension geometry and structural integrity of the vehicle. If the weld completes its separation while driving, it would result in the control arm detaching from the subframe, leading to immediate loss of steering control, wheel collapse, and a high probability of a collision. Status: No warning lights were illuminated prior to discovery. The vehicle has not been involved in any collisions that would affect this component. The defective part is currently on the vehicle but is available for inspection by NHTSA or manufacturer representatives upon request.

The engine has been making rattling noises when you start the vehicle from a long rest, mostly over night, since it has about 24k miles on it, when I purchased it used. I noticed it some time after I purchased it. Took it to Honda dealer in Hickory, NC, but they couldn't hear it. Later also took it to Acura dealer in Charlotte, NC. They couldn't hear it either. I recorded the sound and played it back to them.

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds and while the vehicle was idling, there was a valve tap coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that a rod had pushed through the wall of the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred three years later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was purchased on September 10th, 2025, as a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 76,410. At the time of registration, when the title was received, it was discovered that the mileage was 176,410. The title read, "Not Actual Mileage, Mileage Tampering," which indicated odometer fraud had been detected. After ordering the Carfax Report, the report indicated that the mileage 176,000 miles at the time of purchase. The contact had not reported the odometer fraud to any other parties.

I got 5 lights on my dash stating that I have an auto high beam problem, road departure mitigation system problem, collision mitigation system problem, lane keeping assist problem, and adaptive cruise control problem. I got these lights on my dash at the exact same time and this happened 1 week after my car alarm started going off randomly. I will now have to change my windshield camera sensor. Seems like this is an issue with many Acura owners.

Date of incident : August 31,2025 Around 9pm on August 31, I was fixing to accelerate at a green light. I pressed the gas pedal, my car went up to 40 mph and then the engine failed. This is due to a recall on the bearing rods for 2015-2020 Acura TLX. The incident occurred a month after financing the car. I don't have a warranty, so I opened up a case with the manufacturer to get help with the repair cost (which is 25,500 for a new engine block and 2 new cylinder heads). Unfortunately, Acura denied assistance. The car only has 68880 miles on it. The rod snapped and put a hole through my engine block. Shame on the manufacturer for denying assistance. I'm now stuck making payments on a car I cannot drive. Yes I have insurance, but it was not involved in an accident so I'm helpless there.

While I was driving in the fwy I tried changed lanes and needed to speed so that incoming car wouldn’t hit me but my car was stalling. It has happened 3 times!!! I took it to the dealership and they said it’s the camera and that they don’t have the part on stock. I asked for a rental car meanwhile we wait for the part and they said they can’t do that. I stated to them that the car is dangerous not only for me but for the public if I keep driving it like that. They said there’s nothing they can do!

I am from Philadelphia PA and I was driving my car on a highway in rural WV and the engine stalled while driving. I was lucky enough that no other cars were around and I was able to veer the car off the road into a parking lot. The car would not re-start. I had to tow my vehicle to a local mechanic shop who could not help. I was stranded out of state on a holiday weekend with no acura in a 2 hour radius. I ended up renting a u-haul and towing the car 8 hours from WV back to a local Acura in Philadelphia. Acura replaced the engine due to the known re-call but refused to cover the cost of the tow or U-haul.

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), for a possible failure with the connecting rod, and the vehicle was repaired. Approximately 2-3 years after the recall repair, while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power while accelerating. The contact coasted to the side of the road and became aware of oil leaking from the vehicle. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with 4 blown pistons, causing the engine to fail. The contact stated that the previous recall stated that the engine would be replaced as needed. The dealer informed the contact that the engine was no longer covered because the vehicle exceeded the mileage and time limitations. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

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. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership multiple times, but they have been unable to replicate the issue or find a cause through diagnostics. Honda has advised me to tow the vehicle the next time it happens, which is unreasonable given the uncertainty and safety risk of being stranded. At the time of each incident, there were no warning lights, error messages, or unusual noises. The vehicle has restarted after turning it off and on again, but the underlying cause remains unknown. I have opened a case with American Honda, but no resolution has been offered beyond repeating the same inspections that have already failed to diagnose the issue. To date, neither the manufacturer nor the dealership has confirmed the issue or replaced any parts. I am deeply concerned about the potential for this to happen in a more dangerous situation. I am reporting this to NHTSA in hopes that this issue is investigated and resolved before it leads to an accident or injury. Cause of issue: UNKNOWN. Vehicle available for inspection.

I am getting a U129D-00 code, my vehicle isn't passing 50mph. Says lane keep assist problem, vehicle stability problem, precision steering problem, i am experiencing all the characteristics of specific service bulletin 15-050. What are my options

The contact owned a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while parked in the driveway. The origin of the fire was unknown. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. The location of the fire was between and underneath the shifter and the cup holder. The fire was extinguished by itself. A fire department report was not filed. A police department report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Fire

I had the same Issue as [XXX] . I do see there are many others effected by this and some have overpaid due to inaccurate diagnostics by dealerships. We would really appreciate if NHTSA looks into this issue and help us. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument cluster. Additionally, the contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was hesitated before responding as needed. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local mechanic who was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The contact called a local dealer but had not taken the vehicle to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Acura Watch warning light illuminated. The Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), and Collision Mitigation warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the Acura Watch bumper sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 54,000.

I have had several incidents where I have been unable to start the vehicle. The vehicle does not recognize the keyless remote even though it is present and has a good battery. We have been stranded several times because the car would not start. I have taken it to the dealer and submitted a complaint with Acura which they have done nothing to solve the problem since they cannot replicate it. I have pictures and videos but your system is not letting me upload the file type. These have also been provided to the dealer

Car experiences intermittent hesitation and jerking during acceleration. When car is driven in "economy" mode the jerking begins at 20 mph. When the car is driven in "normal" mode the When accelerating and merging onto highway car was almost rear-ended twice due to sluggish acceleration and jerking. Car also demonstrates engine surging while sitting idle. Spark plugs were changed, fuel treatment was done, and throttle body was inspected. No codes appear when car is scanned. Car has not displayed and illuminated check engine light or any other warning lights. Car was taken into local Acura dealership where problem was unable to be replicated and diagnosis was inconclusive.

My car shakes really bad when driving at 75 mph on smooth highway. Others have experienced the same problem online and most users pointed the problem to the cv axle

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. I got into my car and drove it to Honda which would not go over 15mph trying to get there before closing on a Friday afternoon. After their diagnosis, I was told it was a fuel pump issue but my VIN was not included upfront but prompted me to file a claim report with Acura to see if I could get a reimbursement later on, which was denied due to no recall listed on my VIN which led me to file this claim to get my VIN reanalyzed as I believe it should be included since it is directly related to the known recalls on Acura and don’t agree that is enough to exclude or disprove my VIN. Unfortunately Honda did not have any courtesy vehicles to offer at the time so I had to have someone come pick me up 3 hours from home. The low pressure fuel pump was initially replaced but then stated there was still issue with my car and it was also the high pressure fuel pump as well, both of which are recalls listed on other various year and models of Acura. About a month prior to this situation, a few lights came on related to ABS, the code read mass airflow, still driving as usual. I made an appointment at mechanic to have it worked on and had to wait a few days, the day of the lights weren’t on and when arrived they stated did not see anything wrong with it but may return if happens again.

I was driving home from work and I started hearing a knocking noise and I was trying to get off the highway on the next exit but I didn’t make it the engine locked up and jolted. The car went into neutral luckily I was able to coast to the side of the highway.After getting it towed to the dealership they said it was a rod bearing failure and they needed to change the engine block. I had to fight for it to be covered under warranty but finally they covered it and they changed out the engine block.

Hi, I’m having issues with my fuel pump / engine and I seen online there was a previous recall for this issues regarding my year make and model but when I search my vin it’s not included? Not sure why when I’m having issues related to that exact recall. I believe it can be related. I took it to Acura and they want to charge me 5,000 dollars for repair. I have a 2018 Acura tlx 3.5 v6 which is stated in this photo attached. Can I get some more clarification please? I’m having all issues notated on the photo. Regarding car idle, fuel issues, stalling and more. My car slid into Neutral while I was driving twice! Super scary. When I took it to Acura they diagnosed everything that was in the recall? Not sure why my vehicle isn’t included when it’s very obviously related

Nothing has happened. I just can’t get the Acura dealership in my area which is Jackson Mississippi Jackson Acura. They do not return calls at all and I would like to get my recall on my 2018 TLX repaired. I contacting them about 3 to 4 months ago. Just recently contacted them again for two weeks straight and no one is responding at all. I’m not sure what is going on with this dealership or the management but again I’ve left several messages for Chelsea,her supervisor and the manager of that store. The address: Acura of Jackson 800 Adcock St., Ridgeland, MS 39157 service phone number (844)362-6839

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

In September 2023 went in for an oil change. Next day all My CMBS, ACC, LKAS and Road Departure Mitigation System all light up on my dashboard as well brake system light. I called and took the car in they said that it had something to do with the camera sensor. I left a complaint and the manager called after I explained to him he said he would call me back. 1.5 years later he never called back. In October 2024 my car alarm started going off for no reason. I took it in and $1000 to fix. Seems like a lot of electric issues with this car

Faulty high pressure fuel pump. Technician told me he sees a lot of these. If so, why isn't there a recall?

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact heard a loud clucking sound and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the son's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

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.