Power Train Problems of Acura TLX - part 2

Car shuts down randomly when accelerating from a stop or red light . All the mechanical lights come up on the dash.

See all problems of the 2020 Acura TLX 🔎.

Blown transfer case.

See all problems of the 2022 Acura TLX 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2021 Acura TLX 🔎.

The component that failed or malfunctioned was the transmission and transfer case on my 2022 Acura Tlx type s at 45k miles. I was driving the car on the street and the car was shaking and stuttering violently and at certain points it would not move requiring a tow. The problem was confirmed by the dealership to be the transmission. And inspected by the manufacturer (Acura) there were no warning, lights, messages or other symptoms prior to failure. They started appearing around 45,000 miles.

The contact owns a 2020 Acura Tlx. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light, the emission system failure, and electronic parking assist messages were displayed. Additionally, the awd feature had become inoperable, making the vehicle difficult to steer. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. After disconnecting and reconnecting the negative battery terminal, the system was reset and the failure was corrected, but eventually reoccurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was unknown.

Hi, I have had a couple instances where the engine revved up between gears. Both times, I remember it happening rather soon after starting off from a stop sign. I didn't pay it much mind, but noted it. Just today, I asked my wife ([xxx]) whether she had noticed anything with the car. I purposely didn't ask any leading questions. She said a few times it would jump instead of smoothly going to the next gear. In seaside, or, I started to pull out onto [xxx], planning to take a right and head south bound. There was a southbound car approaching from the north, but I had plenty of time to pull out and get up to speed. Immediately after starting out, the car popped into neutral and the rpms raced. I already had some momentum and was on the highway, so I couldn't brake, and because it went into neutral, I hadn't finalized my turn so I was still pointing se. As the car quickly approached, all I could do was use what little momentum I had and continue into the northbound lane so the oncoming car could pass. Because of the slight slope to the northbound shoulder, I was able to slowly come to a stop. I put the car in park, turned it off, then back on, and everything came back to normal. I cannot begin to express how scared I was. I have lost brakes before in a car, but I know to use the emergency brake. I was completely dumbfounded as to how to react. Had there been oncoming traffic, it would have been an awful accident. Why is there no recall on this? I researched on google and found a recall on 2015 Acura Tlx 6-cylinder transmission due to a bad wiring harness on their 9-speed transmission. I know mine is an 8-speed, but would it not use the same wiring harness with slight modifications? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2015 Acura TLX 🔎.

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.

Transfer case documented as leaking on 3-22-2025/ 35,846 miles while doing regular oil change in my driveway. Brought to the dealership and they confirmed the transfer case needed to be replaced. If the transfer case went during operation, it could have lead to a dangerous situation with loss of power and control to the rear wheels. Problem was confirmed after dealership performed visual inspection. Component was not inspected by police, insurance, or others. No warning lamps, just accumulating liquid on the under-body panels and seeping from the gasket. The transfer case was replaced on 11apr2025 with the same part number: 29000-5yk-060. I asked if this would happen again since there was no revision to the part number, the dealership was unable to reply.

See all problems of the 2023 Acura TLX 🔎.

Awd system is no longer working. Every time I accelerate the front wheels are slipping and there are no warning lights or system failure messages. I believe this is a transfer case issue as there are now videos on youtube about Tlx type s's having this issue.

-transmission and transfer case failed, specifically the splines on the input shaft connecting the two, rendering the vehicle fwd instead of awd. Parts are not available to inspect as they were returned to dealer. -while the vehicle could still function in front wheel drive, the lack of awd could be a safety risk in poor weather or road conditions, especially given that the vehicle does not send an error code for this issue. -problem was reproduced by the dealer, who replaced both parts after a 2-month wait for parts. -there is zero indication that these components failed, no error codes or anything. The car also displays how much power is going to each wheel on the gauge cluster, and displays just as it did when everything worked. The problem can only be noticed when using awd, so many drivers may not know they have this issue. I experienced the traction control light blinking on hard acceleration due to front tire slip and understeer during turns, but beyond that there was no indication anything was wrong. -the dealer informed me this would be a $12,000 repair out of warranty, which I find unacceptable given that the car doesn't give any error codes. Many many people may not know their car is effected.

• transfer case failure, leading to transmission damage. • vehicle gives no indication of transfer case failure, in turn, giving the driver the impression that the vehicle is awd. Potential risk to safety as the failure happened under normal driving conditions, vehicle suddenly jolts, with loss of power. • problem addressed by dealership service dept. But not able to recreate, as this is a drivetrain fault. • vehicle and components inspected by dealership service dept. Only. • no indications or warning lights for tc failure. Awd system on dashboard indicates power is going to all four wheels when this is not the case.

Transfer case failure. Spline is stripped after 40k. Awd is disabled. Requires new transfer case and transmission.

While driving normal, I heard a pop sound coming from the bottom of the car which resulted in my awd not working. On acceleration the car would spin the front wheels and the traction light would light up. Took to dealer and they confirmed the transfer case and transmission failed and had to be replaced. The splines between both components had stripped.

The contact owns a 2015 Acura Tlx. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The message to stop driving and have the vehicle serviced immediately was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the automatic transmission fluid (atf) warmer had failed. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with other undisclosed failures due to the atf warmer failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failures and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

I was driving on the freeway for about 5 minutes and literally out of no where my car began to make a strange noise and then my engine light came on. Following that my car shut off and I immediately lost power I pulled over as best I can and turn my hazard on eventually the car died because I couldn’t get a tow out fast enough and I’ve had it sitting at a shop ever since this incident. . Tell.

The vehicles awd system has prematurely failed as confirmed by the car dealership Acura of pembroke pines that I have taken it to. The lack of traction to the rear wheels causes excessive torque steering and constant engaging of the vsa system if the road is even remotely wet and the vehicle is under anything more than mid level acceleration. There are several Acura Tlx type-s trim vehicles that are being reported to have this common issue and Acura / Honda is keeping this quiet and replacing the prematurely failing transmission and transfer cases with what I fear are the same faulty parts instead of properly developing a revised updated part that will properly correct the issue. An awd system is meant to give the driver confidence on the road and premature failure under slippery road conditions be it rain or snow is putting peoples lives in jeopardy.

Went to accelerate and heard loud bang. Transfer case shaft snapped internally into transmission. Transfer case and transmission assembly both replaced under warranty. Will happen again in another 40-50k miles.

Transfer case failure with no warnings or symptoms of problem prior to failure. This is a safety issue as my car was only operating in front wheel drive due to the transfer case failure. This is a common issue that needs to be investigated.

The all-wheel-drive stops working and the car becomes front wheel drive only. There are no warning lights on. The only way you could tell is to jack the car up with all four wheels off the ground and put it in drive to see if all four wheels are spinning. Also the driveshaft should be turning out of the transfer case. The the roads are wet or with snow the front wheels brake free very easy and the traction light comes on, which is also sign. I took it to the dealer and they verified the issue. They said it needs a new transmission and transfer case because the splines on the output shift of the transmission strip out and also damage the splines on input shaft of the transfer case.

The transfer case splines between the transfer case are stripping causing the car to lose power in the rear wheels forever. This is a safety hazard as now the wheels lose traction and massive oversteer. This is dangerous in many conditions especially rain as turns are much more prone to sliding and losing traction. It was confirmed at the dealer and is a known issue in the Acura car community. The only way to diagnose the problem is putting it on the left and putting the car in drive to see if the all wheel drive system is working (all 4 wheels spinning). This is a scary problem for owners as no codes are generated since there is no sensor to catch this . The cars other system were also designed with the intention of the car being all wheel drive so this could lead other systems to fail causing a likely accident or collision.

Transmission harsh and delayed gear engagement, sometimes it won’t shift unless it’s done manually, few times it didn’t shift even though I shifted manually, I had to increase engine speed to about 5000 rpm so it shifts, transmission goes into neutral when trying to to accelerate while it’s in drive and intermittent vibration caused by hydraulic circuit pressure issues, I’ve had the vehicle since it had 7900 miles and all these issues been present in the car since then, the car now have 29000 miles and it’s only getting worse. These issues have been reported by a lot of Honda/Acura vehicles owner with the 9 speed transmission.

2 1/2 years before the current connecting rod bearing recall, my engine failed due to the connecting rod bearing at 53,000 miles. After fighting with Acura for almost a year, they agreed to replace the motor. However, when I picked it up, they had only rebuilt the motor. Now that motor's rod has failed at 68,000 miles and they refuse to replace the motor. They say it doesn't have anything to do with the connecting rod bearing but it is knocking with a thrown rod.

Transfer case failed, awd system inoperable. Only front wheel drive when it is suppose to be awd. Vehicle is at the Acura dealership getting repaired.

All wheel drive system began to fail. Experienced a loud bang followed by a leak from the transfer case that was observed when I arrived home. No check engine lights of any kind just car is stuck in front wheel drive. Dealer confirmed awd system is not working. No safety risk and no insurance notifications or police because item is covered under warranty.

Power take off unit on the Tlx type-s’s are stripping at the splines where the drive shaft and ptu meet. This disables the cars awd system without triggering any codes, giving drivers false confidence to drive in low traction environments which may lead to accidents. The car retains fwd function but struggles to gain grip on the road at all speeds because it is an awd designed platform. The dealership of spreen Acura diagnosed my car and confirmed that the ptu fluid was previously leaking and had metal shavings. They also confirmed that the car was now fwd and struggled with getting traction with acceleration. This is a problem as it does not show any indication during failure, there could be many people with failed ptu’s who are unaware and driving daily. With rainy season coming up, this could pose a big risk as drivers with these cars will think their type-s is awd and my end up getting into accidents when driving unaware.

Transfer case and drivetrain failure from spline stripping. No hard driving performed yet parts still failed. Car went from awd to fwd without codes. Car failed to gain traction when going up hill and nearly rolled back into another car.

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 engine failed and lost all power to the car. It is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk because if I was going on a freeway and freeway speeds I probably would have crash and potentially crash into other people, causing a huge safety issue. The problem has been confirmed by dealer. They said it is very possible the engine rod bearing could have caused this. This is being inspected by Acura. Prior to failed there were no warning lamps or indicators. They all turned on once the car died.

I understand Honda isn't doing soo well so I hope this is added to the list of the feds research we just bought this Tlx aspec don't understand how these cars need to be 4000lbs but anyway the gas mileage advertised is not what you get I've seen on multiple forms people are saying they experience 13 mpg and on a cylinder engine that is just not acceptable 2 hear grinding noises in our drive train that the dealership doesn't hear unless it shows up in a scan tool 3 the engine has very loud valve tapping sound the tail tips have alot of black soot on them also evident of too lean gas mixture 200 dollars in gas in 8 days of owning this new car the transmission also has a mind of its own in sport mode reving the motor to 2 and 3k rpm all by itself and staying there till I tap on the gas pedal a few times and no the rug is not interference with the pedal it's all these companies going to electrical sensors instead of a cable that goes from the pedal to the throttle body like it should have always stayed. Getting rid of this thing as soon as possible soo the fed should also look at the newer ones . . . .

See all problems of the 2024 Acura TLX 🔎.

2021 Acura Tlx type s. Car has 53k miles on it. No modifications, bone stock. When accelerating from a stop at ~50% throttle, there was a sudden loud pop from the front of the car, followed by immediate loss of power to the back wheels (awd car) . The vehicle was about to shift from first to second gear, so thankfully I was still only going about 10-15 mph at the time. Had I been traveling faster, turning, or if the roads were wet/slick, it could have caused an accident due to my loss of control of the car. There were no warning lights or indication prior to this occurring, and no warning lights or indication after the incident occurred either. In fact, the torque distribution screen on the console showed power to the back wheels, despite that not being true. All recommended maintenance and oil changes were performed on the car at appropriate times. The problem ended up being a completely stripped transfer case housing / damaged splined shaft on the transmission (picture of transfer case attached). This was finally diagnosed after 2-3 weeks once the dealer lifted the vehicle and checked for power in all 4 wheels (of which only the front two tires would spin). Dealer replaced the parts under warranty after it was shown that the back wheels had no power. However, I believe the same part number was used in the replacement, indicating a potential likelihood of another failure in the future if this part is defective. I'm not sure if this has been reported by others, but I was only able to identify the problem by finding a post on an owners forum that showed identical problems to mine. Conversations in other owners groups suggests this is a wide spread problem with the early renditions of the new Acura Tlx type s line (~2021-2023). A poll in a Tlx type s owner facebook group I am in, indicated that 16% of folks have had similar failures (out of 170 members polled).

At 36,823 miles and October 11,2024 I was taking off from a stop. About 10 seconds into my take off I heard a loud bang and hard jerk. Dash cam caught it happening. As soon as it happened I was still moving forward but just coasting. As soon as I accelerated a tiny bit it sounded like metal being beaten around inside something. No warning light or cel came on. Nothing. After I parked it the sound disappeared and it seemed to drive fine but a little different. I noticed then that I would lose traction easily and my front wheels would spin out like a fwd civic. I called the dealership immediately and told them what happened. They put a note in my file. They said they couldn’t do anything unless it happened again. I had to go to the dealership 3 separate times to try to get them to look at it. At the third trip and me being a little pissy that they took me seriously and found out that in fact my rear wheels wouldn’t spin and my driveshaft wasn’t spinning either. In December of 2024 my transfer case and transmission were replaced under warranty. The splines in the transmission were totally stripped.

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.

Transmission jerks at low speeds, car jerks when it is downshifting. The car only has 14,000 miles. Dealership refusing to do any work due to car not having any codes. The car feels like it is having a misfire.

The contact owns a 2018 Acura Tlx. The contact stated that while slowly coasting and turning the steering wheel towards the right into a parking space when the vehicle suddenly accelerated crashing into a pillar in front of the parking space. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle's front end was damaged, and the contact noticed a significant amount of fluid on the ground underneath the front end as well. The pillar that was in front was damaged as well. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The contact had received injuries to their neck and upper back areas. Medical attention was needed. A police report had been filed. The contact had not received any diagnosis from the collision center. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer however the dealer was contacted and informed the contact was informed that the failure was not associated with the recall attached to the vehicle with NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Acura TLX 🔎.