Vehicle Data Hub

2021 Acura TLX problems

The 2021 Acura TLX has 107 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (26%) concerns drivetrain & axles. After that come brakes (10%) and forward collision avoidance (10%).

At a glance

Complaints
107 filed with NHTSA
Most reported
Drivetrain & axles 26% of complaints
Crashes and fires
7 and 0
Injuries and deaths
4 and 0
Typical mileage
32,000 miles 11 complaints with mileage

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

Where the complaints are

Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.

  • Drivetrain & axles 26%
  • Brakes 10%
  • Forward collision avoidance 10%
  • Electrical system 9%
  • Air bags 7%
  • Fuel system 6%
  • Suspension 6%
  • Engine 5%
  • Lane departure 3%
  • Steering 3%

When problems show up

Complaints by mileage, 2021 Acura TLX Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 32,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 4 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 4 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 0 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 0 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 3 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 0 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 0 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 0 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 0 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 32,000 miles
Based on 11 complaints that include mileage. 73% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles4
20k to 40k miles4
40k to 60k miles0
60k to 80k miles0
80k to 100k miles3
100k to 120k miles0
120k to 140k miles0
140k to 160k miles0
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles0
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Among the 11 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 32,000 miles.

Safety-related details: 7 complaints mention a crash; 4 injuries reported.

Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2021 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Acura TLX with enough data (107 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.

What owners wrote

A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.

While traveling on a narrow road and a narrow bridge, the lane departure system caused the car to veer left into another car. The road had no dividing lane marker. The car was totaled and my wife injured

June 2022 CrashInjury

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.

Reported at 20,000 miles, March 2025 CrashInjury

How Acura Lost my Business The fact that no one from Acura will take responsibility for the ongoing issues has reaffirmed that my long-term commitment to owning Acura’s is over. Honda will only communicate via the phone and say "if the dealership can't fix it, neither can Honda." I decided, after months of difficulties with things not working correctly in my car, to trade it in. The last straw was when I looked up the Acura TLX Blue Book value; the car had a safety recall I knew nothing about from Acura.

July 2021 Injury

The contact owns a 2021 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle on one occasion, the vehicle would not start-up. The contact had the vehicle towed to the local dealer to be inspected. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was started and driven back to the residence.

Reported at 270 miles, May 2021

The contact owns a 2021 Acura TLX. The contact stated that whenever the radio was turned on and occasionally randomly, there was a crackling and popping sound heard in the speakers. The contact then stated that while shifted in reverse, the rear-view camera screen intermittently displayed a blank screen or delayed displaying an image. The contact then stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a loose connection in the bus network.

Reported at 33,000 miles, September 2023

Other model years of the TLX

Best and worst years for the Acura TLX