Fuel system, brakes, electrical and engine issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2019 Acura TLX is not a low-budget vehicle. Discerning customers purchase this model because it’s supposed to be top of the line. Even the automaker claims that the newest lineup offers “performance at its core,” but current drivers aren’t sure what’s keeping this car going. It suffers from electrical system glitches, engine failure, fuel system malfunctions and defective service brakes.
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In today’s modern vehicle, the electrical system is responsible for running just about everything. When something fails, as it is with this Acura model, customers get frustrated and give up on the brand.
That’s what this Cars.com review discusses. “Car is comfortable and rides nice-BUT technology/electronics totally unreliable! Rearview camera stays on in drive. Nav system constantly states ‘device is not supported.’ Fuel low indicator light stays on after putting gas in tank. Phone does not turn on when you hit answer- have to say hello twice. Nav buttons not responsive- home buttons and speak buttons often do not work. Dealer cannot find anything or reproduce???!!! A lot of B.S — son has same car and same problems. Have owned a total of 8-10 Acuras- this is the worst.”
It looks like this loyal customer is about to choose a different brand to trust. Acura is fully aware that there are issues and even released Service Bulletin #BBMV191201 that talks about clients’ concerns with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay that won’t answer incoming calls. Since this is considered to be a basic function in many cars these days, it’s unheard of that a luxury model would suffer from such problems without a resolution. Maybe the tagline should be “lackluster performance at its core.”
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Engine | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Electrical System | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| Power Train | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Structure:body |
The engine is probably the most important component, alongside the transmission. Yet, Acura didn’t even get this part right when producing the TLX.
Just look at this NHTSA review. “I live in Colorado and use paddle down shift to gear down for slowing on declines. When I do that, the car accelerates for a few seconds before slowing down. This is a very dangerous situation because you believe you are slowing to avoid running into the car in front and instead you are increasing speed toward the back of the car in front. Acura Customer Service says that this is the way the car is designed, but does not defend the logic of that design. I cannot believe that this has not caused serious situations and accidents.”
While this particular situation isn’t mentioned by the automaker, there is an engine-related recall that could be more dangerous. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V298000 relates to almost 100,000 vehicles and states that the timing belt teeth could separate on their own, causing the engine to stall in the middle of the road. Whether the TLX is stopping or going faster on its own, it’s clear that this vehicle is ready to get into an accident. At the core, it’s possible it’s actually just a lemon.
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The 2019 Acura TLX also seems to be having a lot of trouble with the fuel system. Complaints abound on popular sites.
Here’s one from the NHTSA website. “2019 Acura TLX 2.4L. Purchased brand new less than a month ago with less than 900 miles on the vehicle. Sudden emissions problem and parking brake, Check Engine Light flashing after vehicle has been sitting/parked. This has happened repeatedly and seems to be a known problem to Acura which the dealer does not know how to repair. When dealer checks problem, it shows a problem code indicating emissions leak but after testing, nothing can be found.”
It doesn’t take long to figure out where the fuel system problems are stemming from. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V0600000 discusses a recall affecting more than 400,000 vehicles. It seems that the 3.5L V6 engines allow the fuel particulates to adhere to the fuel pump components, leading to a reduction in performance and causing an engine stalling situation. Again, this defect leaves the TLX vulnerable to an accident, especially if it stalls in the middle of the highway. Is there any part of this vehicle that wants to go? It would appear that it would be happier to sit still and look pretty.
Rounding out the list, a look at the service brakes on the TLX shows just as many concerns as the other major systems.
Read one more NHTSA complaint. “I was driving on a residential street approximately 10 mph and turned into a driveway. There was another vehicle parked ahead. I stopped hard on my brakes but my car didn’t stop and hit the parked car. As it happened so quickly, I must have turned the steering wheel, continued to press on the brakes but ended up also hitting a building.”
If this was one instance, it could be blown off as driver error, but that’s not the case. In fact, numerous complaints across the web point to a major braking defect on this Acura model, yet the automaker hasn’t taken any steps to address it. Instead, the vehicle is left to continue running into objects when it won’t stop as intended. There aren’t even any service bulletins discussing possible brake failure. Is Acura trying to hide the issues or simply worried about its high-performance reputation? At this point, it’s clear that this model can only be described one way – rotten to the core.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Acura pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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