2018 ACURA TLX Engine Problems

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.

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.

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

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. Please furnish me with a recall letter so I can have this engine fixed before it dies or burns out on the highway causing injury or death

Vehicle starting making ticking noise, I called Dave White Acura. It very quickly turned into a very loud knocking noise. I called back and they told me to have it towed in which I did. I also took a video of the car knocking. Dave white Acura called me first thing the next day and said, we started your car and it is knocking so loud we immediately shut it off. But no updates were made to my service papers other than my initial phone call. I was advised by Dave White Acura I needed a new engine. I of course asked why, their response was, it’ll be cheaper for you to just put in a new (rebuilt) engine in than for us to tear it apart to find out exactly what it is but you definitely need a new engine. Again, Dave White failed to provide the necessary updates through the process and now Honda is refusing my reimbursement. I paid over $8016 to have a rebuilt engine but into my 2018 TLX.

There was a rattling noise in the engine. The acura dealership service center diagnosed it as a connecting rod bearing failure. In the next few miles of driving, the vehicle stopped running and wouldn’t start. Acura service center later diagnosed this as a motor seizure. This problem is similar to NHTSA ID Number: 11545720 and honda recalls XG1 and GG0

Acura has a safety recall on my vehicle for the rod bearing causing engine to seize and my engine seized I purchased the car in 2022. I was not aware that the engine was replaced in the vehicle before. The engine serial number does not match the vin but Acura is saying they won't replace it because the engine serial number doesn't match the and want me to pay 8k-10k to have it replaced. Being as though this is a known problem with this engine for years it's possible the previous owner could've replaced the engine for the very exact same reason there's a national recall for it now.

My name is [XXX] On [XXX] while driving to lunch from work. I heard a faint knocking noise from my car. Came back to work and schedule an appointment with my mechanic dealer in Atlanta and there i notice a recall regarding the rod bearing. On the way back to where I was staying in Savannah Ga, the noise gotten a little louder when i pulled up in the driveway. I didn’t want to drive it so i call a local Acura dealership in Savannah. The tow truck that came to pick up the car ask if the car was drive-able to load on truck. When i crank it…he said that the rod. From the car was towed to Southern Motors Acura in Savannah. My dealership mechanic is Nalley Acura in Atlanta Ga. Since Nov 30th, i been in a rental out of pocket since Feb 25, 2024. Each time i speak with American Honda they tell me the parts are not available as of yet. This has been an expensive and frustrating process dealing with them and nothing seems to be heading in the positive direction. At this point i want a new engine. Reason being, the car has been sitting idle for months and the existing parts that’s not being in operation may no longer be of good use with any new parts. I work in Manufacturing as a manufacturing engineer. This happens in Aerospace all the time. Trying to install new part along with existing parts that haven’t been in use, may have corrosion, will eventually go bad due to shelf life and seasonal weather changes. Please assist me in this matter. My number is [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My car broke down on me in August of 2023 with a rod that connects to the engine being the issue. Now here we are 7 months later and I still am paying for a car that does not run. They won't inspect it to figure out if it's covered under the recall because there is no remedy for the recall. At this point, I have had to buy other cars while still paying on this one with no timeline of when to expect a fix.

there has been a recall out for my vehicle since november 9th or so and i took my car in around the 19th of november because my car started making a loud knocking noise and i initially knew that it was from the recall and so i took it in on the 20th to have it inspected and so when i took it to get inspected and diagnosed to see what was going on.. acura carland told me it from my rod bearing but there was no fix available at the time and so the noise was terrible and i asked if it’s ok to drive on and the service manager hector hernandez told me it was fine just keep up with the old change and see what happens in january which i didn’t agree with and so a month goes by and im heading home from work my car keep making the knocking noise and it getting worse than ever and my vehicle is stalling on the road and i was just praying that it doesn’t blow on me or catch fire and so as soon as i am turning off the exit to pull over and get home my engine completely seized and left my car in neutral and start rolling with no engine response. my engine completely blew and wouldn’t crank and it finally stopped rolling. i had gotten it towed home and reached out to the manufacturer and dealer to see what happens now and so i was told to have it towed to the dealer to get a engine diagnosis done so my case could get started and once i got that done. i was referred that my engine needs to be replaced due to the rod bearing creating metal shavings to enter my engine and damaging it. once i sent over the documentation and photos to the manufacturer i was still told there’s nothing to be done till january forcing me to be without a vehicle for 2 1/2 months with no loaner or anything. i been fighting for a resolution and nobody has done anything but point fingers at the dealer and manufacturer when i just needed a resolution for the time being to get me through till there is a permanent solution and has me left stressed and forced to rely on public transportation in various condition

Car is red tagged on national recall site and Acura link having engine and fuel problems car shuts off I really need my car fixed asap

Start up in the morning started to drive and the engine started to make a knocking noise

i took my car to acura carland in duluth georgia and i went initially for a check up on my recall i was notified for regarding my rod bearing and was told that there’s nothing they can do about it and offered to do a wheel alignment on my vehicle and that should help with the knocking noise i had coming from my engine and that i would have to wait till january for anything else regarding my recall. i asked what could i do until then and i was told to keep up with my oil change and that its until january. i even asked for a loaner and was denied stating that they don’t offer that which was hard to believe. a month after my recall on december 7th at 9:03 est pm my vehicle made more knocking noise way worse than before i had took it to acura carland and i was traveling home from work and suddenly my car start losing power and my check engine was flashing and car was stalling a bunch which eventually lead to my entire engine giving out and i was left stranded in the middle of the night with my car not operating nor cranking. i reached out to the manufacturer again and she provided me a case number but i really wish something could be done sooner but now my car is completely broken and won’t crank anymore due to my engine being worn down by this recall which could of been avoided by proper customer care and no i don’t have a car anymore with no help from no one. please help

I've had multiple failures on this vehicle. First, the engine had a rod knock and Acura gave me a very hard time approving the repair and eventually replacement of the engine. Second, the ADAS system is not working and is a huge safety concern. I keep getting error messages that my road mitigation and lane keeping assist systems do not work. Third, the ABS module system cannot communicate with my ECU and is not working properly. Another safety concern as this controls a lot of the wheel speed sensors, brakes, etc on this vehicle. A quick Google search for acura tlx ABS module repair will bring up pages and pages of people complaining about this very same problem yet Acura is not doing anything about it. This problem also affected other models such as the TSX, TL, RL, and the Oddysey. I've taken my vehicle to several mechanics and they all state that this is a very common problem in Honda/Acura. I'm not sure how Honda/Acura can risk the lives of their customers in this way but it is not safe as this vehicle is my daily commuter that I use for my family.

Spun rod bearings at 88000 miles

I am one of many owners of an Acura/Honda J35 V6 engine that has had a connecting rod bearing failure at low mileage to no fault of the owner. In this case that is me. I bought this vehicle 5,000 miles ago from a dealer and it ran great. No issues. Ran trouble codes. None. Out of no where it started ticking. I stopped. Many other people who don’t know cars wouldn’t. If you keep driving the vehicle with this engine failure it eventually seizes the motor and you lose power steering. Connecting rods can snap and be projected through the engine as well. This is an uncommon failure in engines unless neglected or there is a defect. Honda even had to recall vehicle many years ago for the same exact issue which is now occurring again. I am encouraging other owners to file a complaint that are in our Acura forum online. Will be able to submit documentation when car is fixed. At dealer now.

Car goes into limp mode at highway speeds due to an issue with the engine. Engine needs replacing at low miles. Safety hazard that is not expected to happen when proper maintenance is performed promptly and car is driven appropriately.

While on the interstate, the Vehicles check engine light began blinking and the car lost power. Trying to accelerate the vehicle wouldn’t speed up and began sputtering. I had to maneuver to the shoulder without causing an accident. The car was making a knock/rattle while trying to accelerate. Acura dealership service department quoted me $20k repair for the engine.

The car failed to turn back on after the auto stop fuction turned the engine off. This left me stranded at a green light. After a few seconds the car put itself in neutral and I slowly coasted to the side of the road as I was on a hill. It would not start for around 30 seconds, remained in accessory mode with the engine off. Finally it started and I cautiously drove home. The oil and coolant levels are still perfect and I got the battery tested. Not sure why it would not start back up.

The Idle stop feature will NOT automatically restart and causes me to stall for an unsafe amount of time. There is a recall call for my Acura 2018 TLX but my VIN does not fall under the qualifying vehicles. I am very upset and this is a safety matter that needs to be addressed ASAP.

Engine fails to start after idle stop, when the idle-stop off button is not engaged, and the battery doesn't have enough power to re-start the vehicle. Essentially, the engine tries to start up at a traffic light/intersection but fails, causing the car to turn off and shift to Neutral without warning. I then have to realize what is happening, shift the car from Neutral to Park, and hit the start button to be able to re-start the car. There is no warning from the car that the battery is going to be unable to keep the car running, so the stall is 100% unexpected. This is unsafe, as the re-start procedure is not intuitive, takes time, and causes cars behind you to start honking. It could very easily cause a crash. Either Acura needs to fix this issue with a battery warning, or provide the option of turning the auto-idle stop off button on permanently (which some members of our government wouldn't like, but would fix the problem and keep someone from being seriously injured). This is also a known issue by Honda/Acura, as many other owners are reporting it: https://www.tlxforums.com/threads/engine-failing-to-start-after-idle-stop.31809/

The contact owns a 2018 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled approximately ten times. The vehicle inadvertently shifted into neutral. The vehicle was restarted after five minutes. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 47,700. Consumer stated there was a known software bug in the auto idle feature, that needed updating. Consumer took the car to the dealer and had the software updated.

Mileage: 47,700

WHEN DRIVING AS GEAR CHANGES WHILE HITTING THE GAS ,MY CAR JULTS AS IF GAS I RAN OUT OF GAS AND HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IM GETTING WIPLASH AND DOSE IT AROUND 25MPH AND 55-60 MPH AND RPM WIL JUMP AND GO BACK TO NORMAL

Mileage: 71,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 ACURA TLX. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WHILE MAKING EITHER A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT FELT STIFF AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EMISSION, TRANSMISSION, STABILITY CONTROL, ALL WHEEL ASSIST, BLIND SPOT, CRUISE CONTROL, AND LANE ASSIST INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ACURA OF MEMPHIS (2611 RIDGEWAY RD, MEMPHIS, TN 38119) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE AUTOMATIC START MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 08586429. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,081. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 31,081

FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS I SEE THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR POP UP ALONG WITH TWO ERRORS. "ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE PROBLEM" AND "EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM" THIS HAPPEND AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY I TURNED THE CAR ON AND SAW THE ERRORS. NOT SURE WHAT CPULD BE THE CAUSE OF THIS. I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS UNIT. HAD IT SINCE JULY 2017 WITH ONLY 3228MILES. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU.

Mileage: 3,150