2017 Acura TLX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2017 Acura TLX has 105 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (30% of all complaints), specifically: i have a problem with the transmission not shifting down and up a gear when it should. this happens at speeds 5 mph to 40 mph with gears 1st through 5th. a great example is when i accelerate from rolling at 5 to mph, press on the gas to speed up and it will not down shift from 4th or 5th gear to spe. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 6 crash reports 3 injuries

105

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

32 complaints

30%

• I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING DOWN AND UP A GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD. THIS HAPPENS AT SPEEDS 5 MPH TO 40 MPH WITH GEARS 1ST THROUGH 5TH. A GREAT EXAMPLE IS WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM ROLLING AT 5 TO MPH, PRESS ON THE GAS TO SPEED UP AND IT WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT FROM 4TH OR 5TH GEAR TO SPE
• THE LAST SAFETY RECALL DID NOT FIX A BASIC PROBLEM. THIS IS A BUG IN THE SOFTWARE THAT IS VERY UNLIKELY TO BE FIXED AT THE DEALER WITHOUT A SOFTWARE FIX. ITS NOT MECHANICAL AND WILL NOT HAPPEN DURING A DRIVE TEST. (COMPLETELY RANDOM) PROBLEM: COASTING OR DEACCELERATING AND STEPPING ON THE GAS WILL
• VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN BRAKES WERE EMPLOYED AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP BUT GRINDER FORWARD, HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING DOWN AND UP A GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD. THIS HAPPENS AT SPEEDS 5 MPH TO 40 MPH WITH GEARS 1ST THROUGH 5TH. A GREAT EXAMPLE IS WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM ROLLING AT 5 TO MPH, PRESS ON THE GAS TO SPEED UP AND IT WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT FROM 4TH OR 5TH GEAR TO SPE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

18 complaints

17%

• I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN IOWA ON A 4-LANE (NON-INTERSTATE) WHEN MULTIPLE FAULT LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE VEHICLE DASH, AND THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER ABRUPTLY SLOWED THE VEHICLE'S SPEED TO 40 MPH OR LESS. REPEAT, ABRUPTLY. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ON AN INTERSTATE AMID A PACK OF 18-WHEELERS RUN
• THIS CAR LUNGES/JERKS WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS CHANGING/SHIFTING GEARS WHEN IN SLOWER SPEEDS, IT ALSO FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN LUNGES FORWARD WHILE IT HAS ALREADY COME TO A STOP
• THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS. FEELS LIKE YOU BEEN REAR ENDED. ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS OR TRAFFIC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN IOWA ON A 4-LANE (NON-INTERSTATE) WHEN MULTIPLE FAULT LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE VEHICLE DASH, AND THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER ABRUPTLY SLOWED THE VEHICLE'S SPEED TO 40 MPH OR LESS. REPEAT, ABRUPTLY. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ON AN INTERSTATE AMID A PACK OF 18-WHEELERS RUN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

12 complaints

11%

• SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING.
• I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN IOWA ON A 4-LANE (NON-INTERSTATE) WHEN MULTIPLE FAULT LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE VEHICLE DASH, AND THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER ABRUPTLY SLOWED THE VEHICLE'S SPEED TO 40 MPH OR LESS. REPEAT, ABRUPTLY. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ON AN INTERSTATE AMID A PACK OF 18-WHEELERS RUN
• I'M CONSISTENTLY GETTING LANE DEPARTURE WARNINGS ON MY CAR. THIS ERROR CAN HAPPEN RANDOMLY...IT MAY BE AFTER START OR I MAY BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE DEALER'S RESOLUTION IS TO SIMPLY STOP AND START THE ENGINE...WHICH IN MOST CASES FIXES THE ISSUE. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY SYS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

9 complaints

• VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN BRAKES WERE EMPLOYED AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP BUT GRINDER FORWARD, HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT.
• WITH THE VEHICLE AUTO STOP FUNCTION ENGAGED (WHICH IS ALWAYS ENGAGED WHEN STARTING YOUR DRIVE, CAN'T BE DISABLED AUTOMATICALLY) AND YOU COME TO A STOP, THE ENGINE WILL AUTO STOP. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY YOU NEED TO RESUME DRIVING, THE SYSTEM WILL GENERATE A 61-12 ERROR, FLASH WARNINGS
• STARTED MY CAR AFTER WORK TO ALMOST ALL MY DASH LIGHTS ON LIKE PARK, EMISSIONS CONTROL, STABILITY CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE WITH AN EXCLAMATION MARK BESIDE IT, ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE PROBLEM, HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM BRAKE HOLD SYSTEM PROBLEM VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST PERTINENT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN BRAKES WERE EMPLOYED AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP BUT GRINDER FORWARD, HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

9 complaints

• GAS STARTED LEAKING FROM MY FUEL PUMP WHILE I WAS PUMPING AND I ONLY PUMPED ABOUT 8 DOLLARS AND A CUSTOMER SAID FOR ME TO STOP PUMPING AND GET HOME AND PARK MY CAR AND TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP. THE OTHER ISSUE IS IT JUMPS OUT OF GEAR AND WHILE DRIVING IT JUST GO INTO HESITATE MODE AND STOP MOD
• I BOUGHT MY ACURA ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO BUT SAW THEY HAD SOME RECALLS ON OVER 400K OF THESE VEHICLES WITH FUEL ISSUES! IS THIS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ME LATER WITH THIS VEHICLE? RIGHT NOW MY VEHICLE IS FINE THOUGH, JUST WANTED IT TO BE KNOWN.
• Acura TLX TECH showing "Check Engine", "Break" and Warning sign on the dashboard. Vehicle was taken to Acura Dealer at East Brunswick on 08/29/2022. They inspected the car and advised that the issue with "Pipe Kit, Fuel Filler Part #06160-TZ3-A11". The part was ordered by the dealer up on my request

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“GAS STARTED LEAKING FROM MY FUEL PUMP WHILE I WAS PUMPING AND I ONLY PUMPED ABOUT 8 DOLLARS AND A CUSTOMER SAID FOR ME TO STOP PUMPING AND GET HOME AND PARK MY CAR AND TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP. THE OTHER ISSUE IS IT JUMPS OUT OF GEAR AND WHILE DRIVING IT JUST GO INTO HESITATE MODE AND STOP MOD”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 105 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING DOWN AND UP A GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD. THIS HAPPENS AT SPEEDS 5 MPH TO 40 MPH WITH GEARS 1ST THROUGH 5TH. A GREAT EXAMPLE IS WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM ROLLING AT 5 TO MPH, PRESS ON THE GAS TO SPEED UP AND IT WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT FROM 4TH OR 5TH GEAR TO SPE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN IOWA ON A 4-LANE (NON-INTERSTATE) WHEN MULTIPLE FAULT LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE VEHICLE DASH, AND THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER ABRUPTLY SLOWED THE VEHICLE'S SPEED TO 40 MPH OR LESS. REPEAT, ABRUPTLY. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ON AN INTERSTATE AMID A PACK OF 18-WHEELERS RUN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN BRAKES WERE EMPLOYED AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP BUT GRINDER FORWARD, HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)