BestCarRank
Acura

2021 Acura TLX TYPE S

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2021 Acura TLX TYPE S has 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (81% of all complaints), specifically: transfer case splines sheared, causing the awd system to fail. this eliminates power output to the rear wheels and could cause a loss of control while driving in sub par road conditions. this appears to be a very common issue among the type-s trim..

36

Total Complaints

0

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

29 complaints
81%
  • • Transfer case splines sheared, causing the awd system to fail. This eliminates power output to the rear wheels and could cause a loss of control while driving in sub par road conditions. This appears to be a very common issue among the Type-S trim.
  • • My car is now a front wheel drive car instead of all wheel drive car … no check engine no light nothing except the car is bringing no more power from the back wheels
  • • The All Wheel Drive system stopped working due to a transfer case/transmission failure. The repair was warrantied by the dealership however everything that i have read states this is a common issue and acura has not provided a permanent fix to prevent this from happening in the future
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“Transfer case splines sheared, causing the awd system to fail. This eliminates power output to the rear wheels and could cause a loss of control while driving in sub par road conditions. This appears to be a very common issue among the Type-S trim.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

4 complaints
11%
  • • I am reporting a critical safety issue with my 2021 Acura TLX (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to the transmission and transfer case. The problem is centered around the transmission’s spline splitting into the transfer case, which causes severe jerking while driving. The car moves forward erratic
  • • I would like to report a serious safety issue with the 2021 Acura TLX Type s. Recently in April 2024, while driving, I heard a loud pop from the vehicle, and it turned out that the transfer case had burst into the transmission. This failure has rendered the rear-wheel drive non-functional, resulting
  • • While driving my 2021 Acura TLX Type S, I began losing traction frequently during normal daily driving, especially when turning corners or accelerating from a stop sign or stop light. At first, I believed the issue was related to my tires, so I replaced them, but the same problem continued. After re
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I am reporting a critical safety issue with my 2021 Acura TLX (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to the transmission and transfer case. The problem is centered around the transmission’s spline splitting into the transfer case, which causes severe jerking while driving. The car moves forward erratic”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

2 complaints
6%
  • • I am reporting a critical safety issue with my 2021 Acura TLX (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to the transmission and transfer case. The problem is centered around the transmission’s spline splitting into the transfer case, which causes severe jerking while driving. The car moves forward erratic
  • • I would like to report a serious safety issue with the 2021 Acura TLX Type s. Recently in April 2024, while driving, I heard a loud pop from the vehicle, and it turned out that the transfer case had burst into the transmission. This failure has rendered the rear-wheel drive non-functional, resulting
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I am reporting a critical safety issue with my 2021 Acura TLX (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to the transmission and transfer case. The problem is centered around the transmission’s spline splitting into the transfer case, which causes severe jerking while driving. The car moves forward erratic”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

1 complaints
3%
  • • I would like to report a serious safety issue with the 2021 Acura TLX Type s. Recently in April 2024, while driving, I heard a loud pop from the vehicle, and it turned out that the transfer case had burst into the transmission. This failure has rendered the rear-wheel drive non-functional, resulting
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I would like to report a serious safety issue with the 2021 Acura TLX Type s. Recently in April 2024, while driving, I heard a loud pop from the vehicle, and it turned out that the transfer case had burst into the transmission. This failure has rendered the rear-wheel drive non-functional, resulting”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)
$500
ENGINE(~50K mi)
$500
ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)
$500
SUSPENSION(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 36 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • ☐
    TRANSMISSION: Transfer case splines sheared, causing the awd system to fail. This eliminates power output to the rear wheels and could cause a loss of control while driving in sub par road conditions. This appears to be a very common issue among the Type-S trim.

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    ENGINE: I am reporting a critical safety issue with my 2021 Acura TLX (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to the transmission and transfer case. The problem is centered around the transmission’s spline splitting into the transfer case, which causes severe jerking while driving. The car moves forward erratic

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    ELECTRICAL: I am reporting a critical safety issue with my 2021 Acura TLX (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to the transmission and transfer case. The problem is centered around the transmission’s spline splitting into the transfer case, which causes severe jerking while driving. The car moves forward erratic

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    SUSPENSION: I would like to report a serious safety issue with the 2021 Acura TLX Type s. Recently in April 2024, while driving, I heard a loud pop from the vehicle, and it turned out that the transfer case had burst into the transmission. This failure has rendered the rear-wheel drive non-functional, resulting

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

Acura TLX TYPE S — Year Comparison

How does 2021 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.

2023
8Excellent Reliability
2022
10Excellent Reliability
2021
36Above Average
Full years-to-avoid analysis →

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
36
Recalls
0
Fire reports
0
Crash reports
0
Injury reports
0
Segment avg
80

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2021 Acura TLX TYPE S

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