Service Bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on the Piston Rings and Pistons for 2009-11 TSX L4 to 8 years from the original date of purchase or 125,000 miles, whichever comes first. The warranty extension does not apply to any vehicle that has ever been declared a total loss or sold for salvage by a financial institution or insurer, or has a branded, or similar tittle under any state's law.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Acura TSX engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2011 Acura TSX have filed 3 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 TSX | 19 |
| 2010 TSX | 3 |
| 2011 TSX (this page) | 3 |
| 2012 TSX | 3 |
When does it fail?
Of the 3 engine complaints filed for the 2011 Acura TSX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
"Service bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on the Piston Rings and Pistons for 2009-11 TSX L4 to 8 years from the original date of purchase or 125,000 miles, whichever comes first. The warranty extension does not apply to any vehicle that has ever been declared a total loss or sold for salvage by a financial institution or insurer, or has a branded, or similar tittle under any stateâÂÂs law."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on the Piston Rings and Pistons for 2009-11 TSX L4 to 8 years from the original date of purchase or 125,000 miles, whichever comes first. Under certain specific circumstances the engine may create deposits on the oil control rings, which may lead to increased oil consumption.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗"SERVICE BULLETIN - THE OIL CONSUMPTION IS MORE THAN THE CLIENT EXPECTS; THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL IS LOW ON THE DIPSTICK SOONER THAN EXPECTED BASED ON OVERALL VEHICLE USAGE, CONDITION, AND MAINTENANCE HISTORY. IN SOME CASES, THE OIL WARNING LIGHT MAY COME ON."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SERVICE BULLETIN - AMERICAN HONDA IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE PISTON RINGS AND PISTONS FOR 2009-11 TSX L4 TO 8 YEARS FROM THE ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE OR 125,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES THE ENGINE MAY CREATE DEPOSITS ON THE OIL CONTROL RINGS, WHICH MAY LEAD TO INCREASED OIL CONSUMPTION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
At only 40,000 miles, my 2011 Acura tsx has vtec actuator failure. It started to show signs of this over the last 5,000 - 10,000 miles or so and has become increasingly worse. I hear a grinding noise whenever I start my vehicle first thing in the morning. My local Acura dealer has done a diagnostic and has confirmed the actuator failure. Honda who also owns Acura, has been aware of this issue…
Vehicle is experiencing a high oil consumption issue. Every 1000 miles it's required one quart of oil to be added to the oil filler. Acura has a warranty extension for this know issue to 8 years or 125,000 miles from the original date of service, whichever comes first. My vehicle was noticed to have this problem at 83,000 miles and just under 9 years of service. Acura customer relations was…
Had engine trouble with your 2011 Acura TSX?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2011 Acura TSX?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 3 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 3 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 75,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Acura/TSX.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.