2016 Acura ILX Problems & Complaints

Use caution1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the ILX at the same age

Owners have filed 52 complaints about the 2016 Acura ILX with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 1.6× as many as a typical ILX model year at the same age — above average, so look closely at the problem areas below before you buy. The most reported problem area is the brakes (17 complaints, typically around 25,000 miles). 6 recalls cover this model year.

52complaints
6recalls
4crashes
0fires
5injuries
0deaths

Most common 2016 Acura ILX problems

  • Brakes~25,000 miles
    1733%
  • Air bags~50,000 miles
    1733%
  • Other / not specified~25,000 miles
    1019%
  • Transmission & drivetrain~75,000 miles
    917%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~95,000 miles
    713%
  • Electrical system~50,000 miles
    48%
  • Speed control & acceleration~25,000 miles
    48%
  • Body & structure~75,000 miles
    48%
  • Steering~75,000 miles
    36%
  • Engine & cooling~100,000 miles
    12%
  • Suspension
    12%
  • Stability & traction control
    12%
  • Driver assistance
    12%
  • Wheels & tires
    12%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof
    12%

Share of the 52 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Acura ILX complaints by model year

201320142015201620172018201920202021662919522023361011
Owner complaints per model year, Acura ILX. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best ILX years: 2020, 2015, 2017. Years to avoid: 2013, 2016, 2019. Compare all years →

2016 Acura ILX recalls (6)

Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder

NHTSA recall 25V-859 · Dec 11, 2025 · 70,658 vehicles

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2020 Acura ILX vehicles. Contaminated brake fluid may cause a seal inside the brake master cylinder to deform, which can cause an internal brake fluid leak and reduce brake function.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 4, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is RN5.

Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump

NHTSA recall 23V-858 · Dec 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 vehicles

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…

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD.

Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft

NHTSA recall 19V-424 · Jun 6, 2019 · 49,898 vehicles

Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. Excessive grease may prevent the set-ring on the half shaft from fully engaging, allowing the driveshaft to separate from the half shaft.

Remedy: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, as necessary, replace the driveshaft and half shaft, free of charge. The recall began August 1, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 19V-182 · Mar 6, 2019 · 1,101,534 vehicles

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011…

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly

NHTSA recall 19V-052 · Jan 24, 2019 · 4,455 vehicles

Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. The vehicles may have a deformed fuel tank, raising the height of the fuel pump and allowing the fuel level float to stick, possibly causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate fuel level.

Remedy: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 16V-061 · Feb 3, 2016 · 2,232,187 vehicles

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

What 2016 Acura ILX owners say

Brakes

The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the braking system became inoperable and failed to function properly while attempting to stop the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were unavailable and needed to be ordered. After a follow-up inquiry, the dealer stated that the parts were still not available and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed by a dealer. …

88,000 miles · Apr 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on back order. Another local dealer, Jeff Wyler Acura of Dayton (60 Loop Rd, Dayton, OH 45459); was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

160,000 miles · Apr 2026

Air bags

The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle. The contact stated that the airbags did not deploy during the crash. The contact did not sustain injuries at the scene and no medical attention was provided immediately following the crash. However, the contact later experienced lower back and neck injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not towed after the crash. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while refueling the vehicle, approximately half of the fuel would disappear after the vehicle was started, with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was later taken to a dealer for bodywork repairs related to the rear-end damage. …

95,000 miles · May 2026 · crash · 1 injury

I own a 2016 Acura ILX and recently discovered multiple federally mandated safety recalls affecting my vehicle, including a brake master cylinder recall, fuel pump recall, driveshaft separation recall, and Takata airbag recall. I have owned this vehicle for over seven years and was never notified by mail or otherwise at my correct address that these safety recalls existed. One recall is currently active, but the dealership advised they cannot perform the repair due to parts unavailability until March, leaving me to operate a vehicle with a known brake-related safety defect. The remaining recalls are listed as not active, yet were never completed, and the dealer refused to perform them. I am concerned that required safety defects were not properly communicated or remedied, placing me and others at risk.

Feb 2026

Transmission & drivetrain

I own a 2016 Acura ILX and recently discovered multiple federally mandated safety recalls affecting my vehicle, including a brake master cylinder recall, fuel pump recall, driveshaft separation recall, and Takata airbag recall. I have owned this vehicle for over seven years and was never notified by mail or otherwise at my correct address that these safety recalls existed. One recall is currently active, but the dealership advised they cannot perform the repair due to parts unavailability until March, leaving me to operate a vehicle with a known brake-related safety defect. The remaining recalls are listed as not active, yet were never completed, and the dealer refused to perform them. I am concerned that required safety defects were not properly communicated or remedied, placing me and others at risk.

Feb 2026

Noticed loss of power, car would randomly go into limp mode while driving, I'd have to pull off to the side and restart the vehicle. Sometimes would hesitate or jerk.(this happened on the free way since I'm frequently on them) driveshaft feels likes it's not performing 100%

Sep 2022

2016 Acura ILX engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.4L 4-cyl8-speed dual-clutchFWD25 / 35 / 29

EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Acura ILX a good car?

Based on 52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 ILX rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the ILX at the same age. It is one of the ILX years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Acura ILX?

The brakes — 17 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (17) and transmission & drivetrain (9).

How many recalls does the 2016 Acura ILX have?

There are 6 recalls for the 2016 Acura ILX, the most recent from December 11, 2025 (master cylinder). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Acura ILX?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2015 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2016 and 2019. See the full Acura ILX years comparison.

At what mileage do 2016 Acura ILX problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 25,000 miles; 63% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.