Acura TLX — the 11 years we've written up
2015–2024, side by side: what goes wrong on each, what the fix costs, and what they typically ask. 10 of the 11 carry a high-severity issue.
What this page is
These are the 11 Acura TLX model years Kestrel has done the homework on — not every year Acura built one. A year that isn't listed here isn't a year we're warning you off; it's one we haven't written up yet. Ranking a whole model run would mean telling you about years we've never looked at.
Acura TLX by year
How many owner complaints NHTSA holds. A big number usually means a lot were sold; the shape matters more than the total.
Year by year
Looking for a particular engine or trim?
Brake pedal pivot pin not secured — the pedal can shift out of position (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Fuel tank and filler neck may be badly welded and leak fuel (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Transfer-case splines shear on SH-AWD cars — a leak at the seam, then front-wheel drive only, with no warning light — $0 under the powertrain warranty; $4,000–$8,000 for a transfer case and transmission outside it
Transfer-case splines strip on SH-AWD cars — the car silently becomes front-wheel drive, then leaks — $0 under the powertrain warranty; $4,000–$8,000 for a transfer case and transmission outside it
Rod-bearing recall on the V6 — a highway knock, a dead engine, and a car that came back from the repair hesitating — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Connecting-rod bearing recall — stalls at 55 mph with the steering gone heavy, one engine dead at 95,000 miles — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Connecting-rod bearing recall on the V6 — stalls at 10 mph, knocks at start, parts on backorder — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Connecting-rod bearing recall on the V6 — parts backlog, and one repair that left a fuel smell — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
V6 connecting-rod bearing can wear and seize the engine (recall — owners call it campaign CH7) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
9-speed ZF transmission harsh shifts and rollaway risk — $0 software to $4,000 mechanical
9-speed automatic shift quality (V6) — $0-$300 (software)
1 of these 11 have no high-severity issue in our write-up. That means we didn't find an expensive recurring fault — not that one cannot exist on the specific vehicle you're looking at.
Looking at one in particular?
This page covers the Acura TLX in general. The Kestrel report covers the one you're looking at — the asking price against the market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for that year.
Known issues are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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