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Engine & cooling

2016 Acura TLX Engine problems

Owners have filed 41 complaints about the 2016 Acura TLX's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 37% of all its complaints, most recently on June 19, 2026. They describe 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Complaints
41
Recalls
1
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Deaths
0

Engine recalls for the 2016 Acura TLX

Engine and engine cooling: hard parts internal / mechanical

23V751000248,999 vehicles affected

The problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
The risk
A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
The fix
Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.

Engine complaints

Engine & cooling

This vehicle was sold to me on July 18, 2025 with Campaign CH7 open and unperformed. The dealer's disclosure form falsely stated that I had been informed of all recalls with the vehicle. No specific mention of Campaign CH7 was ever made. Separately, Acura manufacturer records (eVRM/Techline) confirm that this vehicle's original engine was previously replaced under warranty following a seizure (Defect Code: SEIZED) - directly related to the defect type covered by the CH7 recall. The replacement engine subsequently...

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seized approximately eight months after I purchased the vehicle. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether the open Campaign CH7 recall contributed to the engine failure, and whether FSL Motors' practice of selling vehicles with open recalls while falsely certifying recall disclosure warrants further review.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11745218
Engine & cooling

I have a 2016 Acura TLX 3.5L j35Y6 AWD that initially Had the safety recall XG1 and the engine was replaced at roughly 140k miles, 40k miles later the replacement engine suffered the same problem, and I am aware that I am not the only person this has happened to as there is currently a NHTSA investigation PE25008 that is related to these replacement engines failing. I have pushed the dealership for full replacement as this is not right and they have not budged as to the replacement. there were no warning lamps as to before the failure. the engine just threw me into limp mode.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11726785
BrakesEngine & coolingCrash1 injury

While braking and attempting a left turn at an intersection, my vehicle completely shut down with no braking or steering control. Fortunately there were no damages and the vehicle started up again and I was able to clear the intersection. I took the vehicle to an authorized dealer for repair. They indicated that this was a known issue and they were familiar with it. They installed a battery sensor and did brake work as they said there was air in the system. I paid for the repair and approximately a month later,...

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while slowing down for a red signal, the same thing occurred, only this time my vehicle impacted another vehicle, causing damage to both vehicles. I had my vehicle towed to the shop that did the initial repair, but they said they could not find any codes that would indicate that their repairs were faulty.

Filed Incident Service brakes · EngineNHTSA 11707054
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was unsure if the vehicle was inspected. The contact stated that the dealer had not provided a status update regarding the vehicle or the repair. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had been at the dealer for several days. The contact stated that it was expensive paying out of pocket for a loaner vehicle while waiting for the vehicle to be repaired due to the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11695310
Engine & cooling

This is in regard to Honda recall 23V-751 on my 2016 Acura TLX. Honda keeps sending letters to me in the mail yet when I have contacted the dealership in the past, they report parts are not available to address the recall. This situation has been going on for more than a year. The latest letter received from Honda was 10/2/2025. I called Honda's recall hotline. The person I spoke to wanted to pass the responsibility to the dealership. After insisting, the person I spoke to did create a Honda case number...

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(15887835). I also contacted the NHTSA hotline and received case number (11690977). This complaint is to document the issue in case there are any problems with my car due to the lack of Honda's response to the recall.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11690986
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Since the release of the recall, the contact made several attempts to have the recall repair performed and each time the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the...

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issue and the contact was informed that the manufacturer was allocating parts to dealers and the contact was provided a case number. The contact stated that there appeared to be a parts distribution disconnect as the NHTSA website indicated that parts for the recall repair were available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11690977
Engine & cooling

I was driving on the interstate and went to pass someone and gassed it. When I did that, my car wouldnt go. It was still on but when pressing the gas it wouldnt go. I am so lucky no one read ended me and I was able go coast off the side of the road.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11683964
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11670695
Engine & cooling

In June 2023 My 2016 Acura TLX was diagnosed as an issue with the lower rod bearing by my mechanic and confirmed by Fisher Acura to have a lower engine bearing problem. January 2024 the recall was issued for my TLX rod bearing, after I had replaced the engine. I have filed a claim with Honda for the reimbursement cost of replacing my engine but Honda is denying my claim for the reason I did not have the bottom of the engine disassembled by Honda service dept. to identify the problem. This would have been at my...

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own expense, because the recall had not been issued yet. I followed Fisher Acura's recommendation and worked with my mechanic instead. I followed my mechanic's recommendation and decided to spend money to replace the engine rather than spend money rebuilding the engine which would have been much more expensive. I followed all the right steps before Honda issued a protocol to follow. I had to fix my car, before they even knew what the fix was. I am writing to you today asking for your help, please. Honda corp. is not helping me at all and I believe they owe me money for the cost of the engine I had to replace. Honda has not helped and in fact been very unhelpful and difficult to work with. I paid $4500 for a used engine and install, $400 for Fisher Acura to diagnose and a couple of tow charges totaling $150. $5050 is what I am hoping to recuperate due to this recall. Logan from Honda Corp. is my case manager (Case #[[redacted]]). After multiple discussions with him presenting my case, he seems to be looking for any reason possible to deny my claim and has not reimbursed me for the repairs I incurred due to this recall they are not taking responsibility for. Let me know if you need anything else. Thank you. You are my last hope INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11657353
Engine & coolingFuel system

I was driving on a main road stopped at an intersection and my car suddenly stopped it shifted my car to neutral I had to restart the car and drove home . I went online and started reading about that problem comes out to be it's a fuel pump recall . I then look up my vin number and it says that there is no recall for it but I find it hard to believe because it's having the same exact symptoms . Thank you have a blessed day

Filed Incident Unknown or other · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11655815
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11630620
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact stated while starting at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle...

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was towed to the dealer, where the long block and the torque converter were replaced. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact made the manufacturer aware of the failure and filed a claim for reimbursement; however, the claim was denied because the recall was related to engine Damage from Connecting Rod Bearing Wear. The approximate failure mileage was 136,141.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11627514
Engine & cooling

The car would go in ACC mode while parked and running and warning lights would appear on the dash (pictured below). While parked and running, the car also accelerates up & down. I can visibly see the acceleration meter moving before the car goes into ACC. Also, while in the drive the car would go in neutral mode. I've called several dealerships and I have been put on a "waiting list" and have not heard back. At this point I'm scared for the safety of my children and 1. I have a 4 year old & currently 8 months pregnant. I'm not sure how to rectify this situation. It happens randomly but has been occurring more frequently.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11625119
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The check engine warning light was Illuminated. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with catalytic convertor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11621983
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the dealer advised the contact that the vehicle could not be scheduled until July 2026. The contact stated that the dealer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11620516
Engine & cooling

The following complaint is in relation to NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-751 and the Acura Corporation's unwillingness to recompense the registered owner for catastrophic damages that occurred to the engine. The vehicle in question is a 2016 Acura TLX, and the recall applied to the Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Honda Odyssey and Honda Ridgeline. The manufacturing defect, which potentially involved 248,999 vehicles, was the connecting rod bearing of the crankshaft prematurely wearing and seizing. This is precisely what occurred...

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to this TLX. The chronological events of this incident are quite revealing. On Jan 2023, midwinter, while driving on [[redacted]] near the Canadian border, the engine completely lost power, leaving the registered owner, [redacted] stranded on the interstate alone for 30 minutes. There were no warning lights, only a knocking sound originating from the engine. The vehicle was eventually towed to a nearby auto shop. The vehicle was not towed to an Acura or Honda dealership due to the extended distance, as [redacted] was employed at the US Port of Entry on the US/Canadian border, a remote location. The mechanics at the auto shop determined the entire engine needed to be replaced and repairs were completed on [[redacted]] and [redacted] paid $6,360.30 out of pocket. An effort to be compensated by Acura was denied. As of Nov 2023, Honda has 1450 claims. According 23V-751, Honda received its 1st complaint regarding this matter on Feb 2020 and investigated through Sept of 2023. Only until [[redacted]] did Honda decide to conduct a safety recall, well after the catastrophic failure of the aforementioned TLX which occurred on Jan 2023. And it was only until Jan 2024 that notification (24-002)of this defect was initiated. Again, Acura refuses to accept any responsibility or accountability for this incident, nor did it care to investigate the matter in its entirety, simply stating if the vehicle was not inspected by an Acura dealership (typical response), they are absolved of any wrongdoing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11617364
Engine & coolingFuel system

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V060000 (Fuel System, Other) and 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Incident Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, otherNHTSA 11616858
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the dealer informed the contact that she would be placed on a waiting list. The waiting list indicated that the vehicle would not be checked until mid-2025. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11616557
Acceleration & cruise controlEngine & coolingDriver assistance

Transmission fails mid drive on freeway. Multiple vehicles had to avoid the possibility of horrific collision. Vehicle has lost engine power and will not exceed 60mph. I have. Check in with a Facebook Acura group and more the. 2,000 members had the same issue. All Acuras from 2016 to 2023 had failed transmissions at 10k miles to 45k miles.

Filed Incident Vehicle speed control · Engine · Forward collision avoidanceNHTSA 11611498
Engine & cooling

Recall related to crankshaft and engine wear/malfunction is not addressed in a timely manner from recall date. My local dealership has a waitlist of 500+ cars to address and they don't even have enough parts to do so. I do not feel confident that technicians will inspect thoroughly and that leaves my family and I at risk while driving this car with a considerable issue.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11603276
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode. The contact parked and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The...

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vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was safe to drive. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where the vehicle was left there for a month. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed to wait to receive the recall notification. The contact was contacted and requested to remove the vehicle from the dealer's lot. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed to wait for the recall notification. The contact stated that after four visits to the dealer, the dealer declined to acknowledge that the vehicle was ever there or diagnosed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11584468
Engine & cooling

My rod bearing seized, and I had to replace the entire engine. Per the remedy, I should be reimbursed the costs for the replacement due to the engine rod being blown. I have submitted to Acura, and they keep telling me to bring the vehicle in for inspection, but the engine has already been replaced. I have attached the recall notification along with the original deposit for the repair and then the final cost. I submitted it to Acura on 01/16 and was told that the issue has not been resolved since the parts are not available. We have replaced the engine and are seeking reimbursement, not the parts being replaced.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11575396
Engine & cooling

After stop light turned from red to green, I began to accelerate through the intersection, when I felt a strong resistance to me trying to accelerate. Second, all the lights on the dashboard lit up and I proceeded to pull off onto the side of the road. I turned the car off, then on again to see if something just needed to be reset or for a rest. Same thing happened and I was unable to continue to drive my car to work. I had my car towed to a nearby automotive shop and they told me the transmission valve needed to...

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be replaced and possibly the entire transmission. They recommended I have it towed to Acura dealership - which I did. Elk Grove Acura's diagnostic was the same. They said that a new valve may not be the fix and I may need the entire transmission to be replaced. They quoted me at $3900 for valve and $9k for entire transmission. I still owe $9k on the vehicle. I am now in a very sticky situation. I don't believe the transmission should have gone out after 104,000 miles. My boyfriend's parents told me they had the same issue with their Acura. I'm wondering if it's a common issue with Acuras.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11574916
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine and several unknown warning lights started flashing on the instrument panel. The RPM was fluctuating abnormally. While driving approximately...

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75- 80 MPH, the failure recurred with a loud grinding sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle received a system reset by the dealer after the first failure. When the vehicle was returned to the dealer, the dealer determined that one cylinder had been damaged, along with the bearing seal and crankshaft, causing the engine to seize. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11566960
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35-45 MPH, an abnormal banging sound was detected. The RPM increased, and the sound became louder. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that an engine rod was thrown, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that a reimbursement claim might be submitted when the remedy was available. The...

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contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 64,134. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11564929

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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