AI Damage2021 Acura TLX: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Acura TLX filed 72 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. The maker issued 112 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 72
- involving a crash
- 4
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 112
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 39% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 5 Forward collision avoidance 11% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 7% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 28 complaints (39% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Service brakes: 11 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 27.
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 24.
- Air bags: 8 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Forward collision avoidance: 8 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 10-speed
Drive: AWD, FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 72 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 28 | 0 | 4 |
| Service brakes | 11 | 1 | 27 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 1 | 24 |
| Air bags | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 12 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Without warning, the vehicle's dashboard suddenly illuminated with a cascade of severe system malfunctions, beginning with a critical "Brake System Problem" warning, immediately followed by a "Power Steering System Problem," which caused the steering wheel to become dangerously heavy and difficult to maneuver.
The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, she was struck by another vehicle driving at 55 MPH on the front passenger side.
I'm not 100% sure but I think this is related to the adaptive cruise control. We had not used cruise control that day because traffic on rt 95 South was extremely heavy. We had finally turned off on Rt 20 and traffic wasn't as heavy so we felt we could safely use the cruise control.
While traveling on a narrow road and a narrow bridge, the lane departure system caused the car to veer left into another car. The road had no dividing lane marker. The car was totaled and my wife injured
I also experienced an unusual grinding noise on September 21, 2026, which lasted approximately five minutes before stopping. I was subsequently told the noise was caused by worn spindles. The noise has not returned, and I am not claiming that issue was related to the drivetrain failure.
My 2021 Acura TLX has a fuel leak. This is a known issue and manufacture design flaw. [dealer] dealership has quoted my $4200 - $4500 to replace the fuel tank. I've contacted Honda and they've only offer $300 "goodwill" credit towards the repair.
When I was accelerating I was losing traction and it seem like I lost power while I was moving as well. It seems like I'm driving front wheel drive. I let me foot of the gas and it seems like it's back to normal SH-AWD. I hope this gets looked into and fixed soon.
The car shuddered, followed by a drivetrain noise for a few seconds. No warning lights or messages appeared when the incident occurred. The issue occurred at approximately 26,574 miles on the odometer.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 722 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TLX has 55 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 72, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Over The Air Update - Vehicles equipped with the System Updates application are capable of downloading and…
Over The Air Update - Vehicles equipped with the System Updates application are capable of downloading and installing Over the Air System Updates. System Updates contain upgrades that fix a variety of operational…
- Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant…
Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover.
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2022- 2024 MDXs & 2021-2025 TLXs with a client complaint of a loose or detached rearview mirror bracket. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect…
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2021-2023 TLX ADV’s and 2021-2025 TLX Type S’s with a client complaint of the “Adaptive Damper System Problem” (ADS) error message on the MID (Multi Information Display). To better…
- Service Bulletin - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications
An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poor communication in the media-oriented system (MOST) bus network which can potentially affect the audio sound quality.
- Owner Notification Letter - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications
An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poor communication in the media-oriented system (MOST) bus network which can potentially affect the audio sound quality.
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2022-2025 MDX Type S's & 2021-2025 TLX ADV's or Type S's with a client complaint of the “Adaptive Damper System Problem” (ADS) error message on the MID (Multi Information Display). To…
- Service Bulletin - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications
An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poor communication in the media-oriented system transport (MOST) bus network which can potentially affect the audio sound quality.
- Dealer Message - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications
An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poor communication in the Media Oriented System Transport (MOST) bus network which can potentially affect the audio sound quality.
- Service Bulletin - During engine start in cold conditions, a miscalculation in the PCM causes the air-fuel…
Service Bulletin - During engine start in cold conditions, a miscalculation in the PCM causes the air-fuel ratio to exceed DTC rich criteria.
- Service Bulletin - The MIL is flashing with a loss of power
This is most common in hot, humid regions, or after a period of rainfall. Humid air within the intake passage may condense and accumulate moisture during steady driving which enters the engine and may cause a misfire…
- Service Bulletin - The vehicle's brakes may exhibit a groan, squeal, or squeak noise, most commonly after…
Service Bulletin - The vehicle's brakes may exhibit a groan, squeal, or squeak noise, most commonly after the vehicle sits for a prolonged period and the brakes are cold. This noise will typically disappear after the…
NHTSA lists 112 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Acura TLX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 72. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (18%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (10%), infotainment or screen glitches (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Acura TLX?
NHTSA lists 112 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2021 Acura TLX from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2021 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.