Most common 2020 Acura TLX problems
Share of the 63 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Acura TLX complaints by model year
Best TLX years: 2017, 2024, 2016. Years to avoid: 2015. Compare all years →
2020 Acura TLX recalls (5)
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…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
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…
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.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2020 Acura TLX:
Engine failure
On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V-751. In November 2023, Honda recalled 248,999 various Model Year (MY)2016-2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine.
Engine failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline. The subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a Recall Query (RQ24013).
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
On June 3, 2022, the O ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several eld reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a tra c light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged.
What 2020 Acura TLX owners say
Engine & cooling all 26 →
The contact owns a 2020 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that previously the vehicle had an electrical failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an electrical failure and the electrical system was replaced. However, the electrical system failure had reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine oil warning light illuminated stating 8,000 miles overdue. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed engine due to old engine oil. …
The contact owns a 2020 Acura TLX. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the vehicle shut off in the middle lane of a major highway. The contact's wife received assistance from a nearby truck driver. The contact stated that because of the assistance from the truck driver, the contact's wife was able to avoid additional dangers. The vehicle started and the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure had not been determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that previously the failure had occurred, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times. The contact stated that several unknown repairs were performed, and unknown recall repairs were completed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. …
Fuel & propulsion system
The contact owns a 2020 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact released the accelerator pedal for several seconds, and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The contact attempted to repair the issue by adding fuel cleaner and other products to the engine, but the failure persisted. Upon investigation, the contact discovered and linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while accelerating at various speeds. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle also failed to start intermittently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and it was determined that the repair would not be expedited because the check engine warning light was not illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 48,700. Parts distribution disconnect.
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2020 Acura TLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) and an unknown recall for the tires, and another for the trim around the doors. The contact stated that the recall repairs were completed. The contact's son picked up the vehicle from the dealer and noticed that the front windshield was cracked. Additionally, while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle vibrated abnormally, and the driver was unable to control the vehicle. The contact stated that the front passenger's side tire detached from the vehicle. The driver was able to regain control of the vehicle and pulled over to the side of the road. …
The vehicle's dash states the following are malfunctioning: Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto High Beam, Collision Mitigation System, and Lane Keeping Assist. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. A few days prior to this message appearing on the dash, the car flashed and beeped that I needed to BRAKE when there wasn't anything in front of me while driving. The car automatically braked without me doing anything. There weren't any vehicles behind me in that specific moment. With how sudden the car braked, this could have caused a collision. This vehicle has been repaired by the dealership where it was purchased, for this exact issue. The first sign of sensors malfunctioning was in January 2022 (I purchased the vehicle in June 2021). …
2020 Acura TLX engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 8-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 9-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 31 / 24 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 9-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Acura TLX a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 TLX rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the TLX at the same age. 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 2020 Acura TLX?
The engine & cooling — 26 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › emission control. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (17) and electrical system (10).
How many recalls does the 2020 Acura TLX have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2020 Acura TLX, the most recent from May 21, 2026 (front passenger). 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 TLX?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2024 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015. See the full Acura TLX years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Acura TLX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 71,000 miles; 36% 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.