2015 Acura TLX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
342 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2015 TLX, the nameplate's first year, which scores 38 on 341 complaints with Power Train at 160 and Engine at 82. Buy a 2016 or 2017, which score 78 and 84 on 110 and 70 complaints, or a 2022 to 2025, which score 85, 84, 89 and 87 on 25, 10, 5 and 4 complaints, evidence low. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 342 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Acura MDX, RDX and TLX: the years to avoid, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 342 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 31.09
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
As I’m driving my car will shift in neutral which I know this isn’t normal on highway, bridges even low grounds. Don’t see a recall on my car, but after researching I seen In September 2019 tlx was having some of the same problems different year. And this situation happen 3x so far til I afraid to drive it. Just driving smoothly then goes into different gear which can put me, my kids and anyone else in danger.
The contact owns a 2015 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle had suddenly began to shake and rattle and eventually stalled. The contact able to restart the vehicle and continued to drive. Over time the failure continued to occur more frequently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was later repair by a local…
The emergency brake system continues to come on and read all the type of stuff on the screen, as well as the LKAS keeps coming on the screen showing problems and when it does, the transmission or engines stalls a little and slows up and speed down on its on
Recalls: 6 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V613000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura TLX AWD vehicles manufactured August 26, 2014, to September 20, 2014. |
| 16V640000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura TLX 2WD and 4WD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the transmission wire harness connections may have insufficient crimps, and, as a result, the transmission may unexpectedly shift to neutral. |
| 14V779000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura TLX V6 2WD vehicles manufactured July 14, 2014, to November 12, 2014, and certain 2015 TLX V6 SH-AWD vehicles manufactured August 26, 2014, to November 10, 2014. |
| 23V751000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical | 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. |
| 23V858000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX… |
| 19V060000 | Fuel System, Other:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,850
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train160 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine82 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System64 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other42 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Service Brakes24 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Vehicle Speed Control23 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Acura TLX years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Acura TLX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (160 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Acura TLX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 38/100, computed from 342 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Acura TLX's most common problem?
160 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Acura TLX sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Acura TLX cost to run per year?
About $5,650 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,252 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Acura TLX have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Acura TLX, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/10/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Acura TLX really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 342 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 342 NHTSA complaints on record (31.1/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (10.3/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems