repaired · 2026 Q3
Occupant classification: front passenger
NewRisk. Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
2018 Acura TLXProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 99 owner complaints about the 2018 Acura TLX, most often about the engine. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-858 the manufacturer reports only 75% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Acura TLX has problems
99 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
32Engine
20Electrical system
14Fuel/propulsion system
14Engine and engine cooling
11Power train1 crash/fire/injury
8Forward collision avoidance
7Service brakes
7Lane departure
6Steering
2014 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 32 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 20 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 14 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 14 | 0 |
| Power train | 11 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 8 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 7 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 20 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2018 Acura TLX recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2026 Q3
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
Risk. A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Acura.
Best & worst years
2018 vs. every other TLX year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the TLX median. How we score
'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2018 Acura TLX safety ratings
2018 Acura TLX 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 5 stars (9.8% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Standard
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Acura TLX, and the recalls they led to.
- No Restart After Auto Start/Stop EngagesOpen
- Engine failureOpen
- Engine failureNo recall
In owners' words
What TLX owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. Upon inspection, the contact became aware of an oil leak underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The…
Driving car and suddenly all the lights on the dash light up and car goes into “limp” 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 will…
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…
Own a 2018 TLX?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.