i took my car to acura carland in duluth georgia and i went initially for a check up on my recall i was notified for regarding my rod bearing and was told that there’s nothing they can do about it and offered to do a wheel alignment on my vehicle and that should help with the knocking noise i had coming from my engine and that i would have to wait till january for anything else regarding my…
2018 Acura TLX powertrain problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 10 powertrain complaints filed for the 2018 Acura TLX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Rod bearing failures are destroying 2018 TLX engines and dealers cannot fix them promptly—some owners waited months for diagnosis while the engine seized. Worn shifter buttons create a genuine hazard where passengers can't tell Park from Drive, dealers acknowledge the problem but refuse to fix it, and Acura won't help.
The 2018 TLX has a serious rod bearing defect that causes complete engine failure. Owners detected a loud, worsening knock and took their cars to Acura dealers after being notified of a recall. Dealers inspected and confirmed rod bearing damage, then told owners there was no fix available and to keep driving and do regular oil changes. Within weeks, the engines seized on the highway. Metal shavings from the failing bearing circulated through the engine block, destroying cylinders and requiring full engine replacement (one owner cited $25,500 for a new block and heads). Some owners waited months for even a diagnosis while stranded without a vehicle; Acura denied assistance despite the recall campaign existing.
A second major defect: the gear selector buttons wear smooth, making them impossible to distinguish. Acura dealers know about this and confirmed it's not worth fixing. Passengers have rolled cars they thought were parked because they couldn't find the actual Park button.
Transmission issues include harsh banging into second gear on cold start (transmission service didn't fix it) and rough shifting between 30–45 mph. One owner also reported sudden acceleration immediately after refueling at 48,000 miles that caused a crash; both the dealer and manufacturer refused to investigate.
One owner called to schedule the rod bearing recall and was told the waiting list is 15 months out.
Same Acura TLX powertrain reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Rod bearing failure / engine seizure
Defective rod bearings produce metal shavings that circulate through the engine, causing catastrophic internal damage. The bearing fails, engine loses power, stalls, and seizes completely. This is the subject of an active recall (campaign issued November 2023 or earlier). Two owners reported complete engine failure requiring full replacement after dealer inspections confirmed rod bearing damage.
When: 1 month to several months after initial recall notification; both failures occurred on the road during normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: loud knocking noise from engine; knocking worsens over time; loss of engine power while driving; check engine light flashing; vehicle stalling repeatedly; engine will not crank after failure; engine completely seized
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (flashing)
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required; one owner cited $25,500 for new engine block and two cylinder heads
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall campaign exists (dealers notified as of November 2023); no permanent fix available at time of initial inspection; owners told to wait until January for remedy; manufacturer denied assistance on warranty claim despite recall
Shifter button wear / park position ambiguity
The gear selector buttons on the steering column become worn and degraded from normal use, making it difficult or impossible to distinguish which button corresponds to Park. Worn markings or tactile differences vanish, so drivers cannot reliably confirm shift position. In at least two incidents, passengers believed they had selected Park but the vehicle remained in Drive.
When: Wear visible within first year of ownership; both reported incidents occurred when secondary drivers attempted to use worn shifter
Symptoms owners cite: D and P buttons worn smooth / indistinct; markings faded or illegible; no tactile difference between buttons; driver uncertainty about actual gear position; vehicle rolling or moving when driver believed it was parked
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers aware of issue but refused to replace shifter assembly, stating no repair needed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Acura acknowledged awareness of button wear; refused to address as defect or safety concern
Transmission rough shifting / banging into gear
Transmission shifts abruptly or harshly into second gear when first driving the vehicle each day. One owner reported this occurs consistently at startup. Dealer performed transmission service and software update without resolution. No diagnostic trouble codes generated to enable further troubleshooting.
When: Occurs at initial acceleration each morning; vehicle has 39,000 miles at time of complaint
Symptoms owners cite: hard bang or jolt when shifting into second gear; occurs at vehicle startup/first drive of the day; recurring daily
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission service and software/code update performed with no success; dealer stated unable to proceed without stored fault code
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented; known issue per owner but unresolved
Transmission vibration and rough shifting in mid-range speeds
Transmission exhibits noticeable vibration and shifts roughly when vehicle is traveling between 30 and 45 mph. Single brief complaint with no detail on frequency, duration, or owner action taken.
When: At speeds between 30–45 mph
Symptoms owners cite: vibration from transmission; rough or harsh shifting
Sudden acceleration after refueling
Vehicle experienced sudden, unintended acceleration immediately after refueling and while attempting to park. No safety features activated (airbags did not deploy). Driver crashed into a concrete pillar; significant fluid pooled under front end. Dealer and manufacturer both declined to diagnose or investigate, attributing it to unrelated engine campaign.
When: Occurred at 48,000 miles; incident happened immediately after refueling
Symptoms owners cite: sudden acceleration with no driver input; no throttle control response; crash impact; significant fluid leak from front end; airbags failed to deploy
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to collision center; no diagnostic testing completed or repair performed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated failure not related to Campaign 23V751000 (Engine/Cooling); no investigation conducted
Warning lights and accelerator hesitation
Multiple unknown warning lights illuminate on the instrument cluster during normal driving at various speeds. Vehicle hesitates when accelerator is pressed, delaying engine response. Complaint filed at 120,000 miles; issue is recurring. Local mechanic unable to diagnose; dealer contact made but no diagnosis or repair performed.
When: At 120,000 miles; occurs at various speeds including 35 mph
Symptoms owners cite: multiple unknown warning lights illuminated; accelerator hesitation / delayed throttle response; recurring failure
Recall remedy delay / long service queue
Owner called to schedule the rod bearing recall inspection and remedy, but was informed of a 15-month waiting list. No inspection could be scheduled until September 2025, leaving the vehicle unserviced during the defect window.
When: Waiting period: 15 months from time of call
Symptoms owners cite: inability to schedule recall service; extreme backlog at dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: 15-month waiting list for recall inspection and remedy
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
The transmission have notice of vibration and rough shifting between 30 to 45 MPH.
Date of incident : August 31,2025 Around 9pm on August 31, I was fixing to accelerate at a green light. I pressed the gas pedal, my car went up to 40 mph and then the engine failed. This is due to a recall on the bearing rods for 2015-2020 Acura TLX. The incident occurred a month after financing the car. I don't have a warranty, so I opened up a case with the manufacturer to get help with the…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2018 Acura TLX?
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 powertrain problem on the 2018 Acura TLX?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 61,333 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2018/Acura/TLX.
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.