2018 Acura TLX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other TLX years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Acura TLX. That ranks 3rd out of 12 TLX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (31 complaints, 32%), typically at around 39,391 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 96owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Acura TLX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 31 | 32% | 39,391 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 20 | 21% | 21,861 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 15% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 13 | 14% | 13,100 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 13% | 84,833 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 11% | 39,541 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 8% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 7% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 7% | 31,081 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 6% | 31,081 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 4% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 10,600 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 12,640 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 7,137 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Acura TLX recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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 mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Fuel system, other:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine failure (PE25008) — opened Aug 20, 2025, still open.
- No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages (EA25004) — opened Mar 26, 2025, still open.
- Engine failure (RQ24013) — opened Nov 8, 2024, closed Aug 20, 2025.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine started knocking. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the closest dealer was a two-hour drive from the…
I own a 2018 Acura TLX with approximately 41,384 miles. While driving, multiple safety-system warnings suddenly appeared simultaneously, including: Lane Keeping Assist Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem Auto High-Beam Problem Collision Mitigation System Problem Road Departure Mitigation System…
Iâve bought my 2018 Acura TLX used from Holiday Mazda in [XXX] in XXX Now that my nightmare with the Auto Engine Idle is over(the shop that replaced my starter in November 2025 some how got it so it doesnât work anymore. But thatâs not my issue. Iâve had this issues 5-8 times in the last 2…
Driving car and suddenly all the lights on the dash light up and car goes into âlimpâ mode. Upon pulling over turning car off and turning back on lights are all still lit up. Plug car into obd2 scanner and car is showing code p0087 low fuel rail pressure. This is extremely dangerous as the car…
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…
Other Acura TLX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 TLX | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 TLX | 5 | 1 |
| 2023 TLX | 11 | 3 |
| 2022 TLX | 25 | 3 |
| 2021 TLX | 70 | 4 |
| 2020 TLX | 63 | 5 |
| 2019 TLX | 93 | 6 |
| 2018 | 96 | 4 |
| 2017 TLX | 71 | 3 |
| 2016 TLX | 111 | 3 |
| 2015 TLX | 344 | 6 |
| 2012 TLX | 1 | 0 |
See all Acura TLX problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
Similar Acura models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Acura TLX?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 31 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Acura TLX?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Acura TLX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other TLX model years, the 2018 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.