2018 Acura TLX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
93 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 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. 2018 specifically: a year the record favours — 93 complaints, score 74/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Acura MDX, RDX and TLX: the years to avoid, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 93 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 11.62
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Driving car and suddenly all the lights on the dash light up and car goes into “limp” mode. Upon pulling over turning car off and turning back on lights are all still lit up. Plug car into obd2 scanner and car is showing code p0087 low fuel rail pressure. This is extremely dangerous as the car will randomly do this and will go into limp mode which can easily cause me to get into an accident. No active recalls on this…
I was rolling up to a stop light at approximately 20 mph when the frontal crash mitigation feature suddenly slammed the brakes on fully to a complete stop. I searched the web and found that there are other owners of this model that have had similar occurrences. I could easily have been rear-ended if someone had been following. I was lucky that didn’t happen. Since that day, I have been afraid to drive the car until I…
The engine has been making rattling noises when you start the vehicle from a long rest, mostly over night, since it has about 24k miles on it, when I purchased it used. I noticed it some time after I purchased it. Took it to Honda dealer in Hickory, NC, but they couldn't hear it. Later also took it to Acura dealer in Charlotte, NC. They couldn't hear it either. I recorded the sound and played it back to them.
Recalls: 4 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 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… |
| 26V332000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic… |
| 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 24 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,150
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.
- Engine30 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System19 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System14 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other13 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine And Engine Cooling11 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
- Power Train11 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Acura TLX years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Acura TLX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (30 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Acura TLX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 74/100, computed from 93 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Acura TLX's most common problem?
30 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Acura TLX sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 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 2018 Acura TLX cost to run per year?
About $5,160 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,802 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 2018 Acura TLX have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Acura TLX, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 13/11/2023. 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 2018 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.
Moderate evidence — 93 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 93 NHTSA complaints on record (11.6/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (10.3/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems