Acura · TLX · 2021
3
Recalls
52
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2021 Acura TLX has 3 recalls and 52 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: power train (11 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
9.0% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Remedy Status
Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Remedy Status
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2023 TLX vehicles. The fuel filler neck and fuel tank may have been improperly welded, which can result in a fuel leak.
Remedy Status
Dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is JKX.
Sunroof exploded during drive on highway. No contact was made by any small or large objects
2021 Acura TLX A-Spec SH-AWD and my transmission is leaking from the seal between the transmission and the differential. Acura is not sure if they can cover it under warranty because I am slightly past the powertrain warranty even though they had my car about a week ago when it was just barely past that point and no one said anything about the leak on the transmission until I checked with a certified Acura mechanic somewhere else.This is not just some small problem because with fluid leaking and leaving it will eventually damage the transmission and the differential or even just make them completely give out. This can be gears grinding and overheating. It is not just a problem it is also a SAFETY HAZARD if this starts dripping onto the exhaust pipe or even on the road behind making traction a problem for someone behind. This needs to be under a recall not just warranty with how much I see this happening to these cars this is ridiculous we have to go through this.
My vehicle was performing as expected, but there was a smell of burning oil or rubber. When I took the car into the dealership the found that the transmission was slipping and the transfer box was failing. In the video they sent of the initial inspection there is obvious brown sludge leaking from the transmission. I was told that a complete transmission and transfer case was required.
Driving towards the gas station, still at lows speeds while I was in the neighborhood so speed limit was 15mph. I can hear and feel the car struggle to move forward, about 2 minutes into the drive a hear a big TOON and check engine light is on for about a minute before going away. I filled gas and headed back home and I heard a larger TOON but this time all the warning light came up. These are all errors reported by the car at the same time - Vehicle Stability System - Hill Start Assist Problem - Addictive Cruise Control System Problem - Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem - Road Departure Mitigation System Problem - Emission System Problem - All Wheel Drive System Problem - Brake System Problem These are all errors that appeared on the Acura app - Emission System Problem - Vehicle Stability System - Electric Parking Brake Problem - Electric Power Steering Problem - Adaptive Cruise Control Problem
I am submitting this complaint regarding a sudden and premature transfer case failure on my 2021 Acura TLX Type S equipped with Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. The failure occurred during normal driving conditions and without prior warning indicators. Based on my experience and numerous similar reports from other owners of this vehicle, this appears to be an ongoing and systemic issue that warrants formal investigation and recall consideration. While accelerating under normal road conditions, I heard a loud and distinct “pop” noise from underneath the vehicle. The sound was abrupt and mechanical in nature, as if an internal drivetrain component had failed. Immediately following the noise, the vehicle’s driving characteristics changed noticeably. Although the car continued to move forward and there were no immediate warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, the drivetrain behavior was clearly altered. After the incident, the vehicle began operating as though the majority of drivetrain load was being directed to the front wheels. The vehicle now feels significantly front-heavy during acceleration and general driving. There is a distinct change in weight transfer and torque delivery that was not present prior to the failure. The balance that is characteristic of a rear-biased SH-AWD performance system is no longer present. There were no grinding sounds, fluid leaks, or vibration at the time of failure. There were also no warning messages, check engine lights, AWD system warnings, or drivetrain alerts displayed to notify me of any malfunction. The failure occurred suddenly and without notice.I respectfully request that NHTSA open a formal investigation into premature transfer case failures on 2021–2023 Acura TLX Type S vehicles equipped with SH-AWD. This issue should be evaluated for recall eligibility or mandated corrective action to ensure driver safety. Thank you for reviewing this complaint.
My gas tank is failing from the fuel seal, my safety is in danger since it throws a lot of gasoline, take the car to the dealer but they say it's not a factory problem
Adaptive Damper System error on dashboard. Took the car to the dealer and they confirmed two issues. Codes C1646-14 and C1647-14 indicating the stroke sensor has lower limit abnormality. Dealer recommended replacing both rear shocks due to over extension. Once shocks were replaced, codes returned. During further investigation, corrosion was found in the stroke sensor wiring harness. Harness is the root cause of the issue. Car is available at the dealer for inspection if necessary. From a safety perspective, if I continued to drive the car I could have experienced a malfunction in the braking system which could have led to brake failure, failure of safety features, or a car stall.
Transfer case needs replacing
Problem with all safety feature sensors like Adas, lane assistance. Small car icon which always green turned orange, and none of those features working.
To Whom It May Concern: The purpose of my complaint is to bring to your attention reprehensible policies and misconduct displayed by the automaker, Acura, the premium subsidiary brand of the American Honda Motor Company. On 11/18/2025, I brought in my 2021 Acura TLX Tech w/SH-AWD in for a problem related to the brakes. The front brakes were and continue to make a jarring, very loud, high-pitched squeaking noise at low speeds. After 4 hours at Radley Acura of Falls Church, VA, the technician stated "could not duplicate" the concern. The problem persisted and I again returned on 12/18/2025 for the same issue. My vehicle has been at the dealership awaiting a response from Acura Client Relations on a claim that I submitted on 12/19/2025. Radley Acura diagnosed the issue as a well-known defect of 2021 TLX models, as evidenced by Acura's own service bulletin describing the very issue I continue to experience (and yet were unable to diagnose on 11/18). Radley Acura is stating that although my vehicle is 28,000+ miles UNDER the manufacturer's warranty, that by time, since purchase, it is outside the manufacturer's warranty by approximately 6 months. However, on 1/27/2025 (when my car was within manufacturer warranty and only had 17,215 miles on the odometer), I completed a lease buyout of my car. In addition, I paid to have it Acura Precision Certified. As part of this paid certification, Radley had my car for over a day to allegedly perform a 182-point inspection, and address a recall open for over a year (with a remedy from Acura - but allegedly no available repair parts to fix my car, until I requested to CPO my at the time of lease buyout). During their CPO inspection, the dealership failed to address the open service bulletin on the front brakes--a documented issue Acura has been aware of since before 2/15/2022, as established by their service bulletin. Now the dealership is stating the manufacturer's defect that they failed to address is $500 out of pocket expense.
The awd transfer case failed and require replacement along with the transmission
Transfer Case has gone out. No longer getting power to the rear wheels as it is a AWD car. Problem has not been checked by the dealer yet. There were no warning lights on the dashboard when it went out.
The wipers come on by themselves and do not turn off. The engine may or may not start with the key fob nearby. All the dash warning lights come on with warnings about the brake system, the transmission, the steering, the adaptive cruise control all reporting a problem. The vehicle goes to limp mode and throttle response is severely reduced. There is some sort of water leak which is shorting out or causing the BCM or body control module to act erratically due to water from rain getting into the area because of improper weather sealant placed during manufacturing. There is a service bulletin that was put out in roughly April of 2024 that describes this issue affecting the 2021 TLX models.
The all wheel drive failed do to transfer case splines being sheered off between the transmission and transfer case. No warning lights are on to warn of the rear wheel tires not receiving power to them. I was not aware of this problem and this could have contributed to and accident, as I though the AWD was working, but it wasn't.
The All Wheel Drive (AWD) system of the vehicle became partially inoperable after hearing a loud bang under normal vehicle acceleration some time in early 2025. The vehicle did not trigger or display any warnings stored in the onboard computer or on the dash display that the AWD system had any faults or issues. Had this system failed during an emergency situation involving hazardous or dangerous driving conditions like snow, ice, heavy rain, it could have caused me to not have improved capable vehicle handling. The vehicle's ability to distribute power evenly to all 4 wheels was hindered and operating as front wheel drive only after the loud noise was observed. Additionally, transmission gear oil began leaking underneath the vehicle around the transmission casing. The issue has been reproduced, confirmed, and validated by technicians of a local Acura dealership. The dealership was approved to completely replace the following two components of the AWD system under the manufacturer's 6 year / 60K mileage powertrain warranty: 1. Transmission 2. Transfer case - also known as power transfer unit or PTU
The contact owns a 2021 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving over a bump in the roadway, there was a squeaky metallic sound coming from the front passenger’s side suspension. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure and advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed. The failure mileage was 91,000.
My car has suffered a well known issue in the 21-25 Acura TLX community. At 71,000 miles my transfer case splines stripped also with the transmission splines. Resulting in me having to pay out of pocket to replace both the transmission and transfer case. I’m really hoping Acura does a recall for this issue. I really like this car and don’t want to have to replace them again. Like I mentioned before. I’m in a Facebook tlx group and people are constantly posting about theirs blowing.
Transfer case broken; no longer sending power to the rear wheels. Car loses traction when accelerating from a stop.
The contact owns a 2021 Acura TLX. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the steering wheel started to shake, and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. A dealer was contacted, and the contact was able to schedule an appointment to have the vehicle repaired. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front brake rotors were damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.
The contact owned a 2021 Acura TLX. 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. The vehicle spun around due to the impact and came to a stop facing oncoming traffic. The contact lost consciousness. No air bags were deployed. The contact sought medical care for a brain trauma, whiplash, loss of hearing in the left ear, headaches, blurry vision, loss of hand motor skills in her left arm, and injuries to their neck and spine. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. The vehicle was towed to a local tow lot for further investigation. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2021 Acura TLX has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 52 owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Acura TLX.
The 2021 Acura TLX received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2021 Acura TLX are power train (11 reports), air bags (5 reports), forward collision avoidance (4 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2021 Acura TLX. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.