Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 67 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Acura TLX, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 20 | 30% |
| Air bags | 5 | 7% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 4% |
| Power train | 2 | 3% |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 1% |
| Power train | 1 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The transfer case and transmission splines have been stripped causing the car to be FWD only. The issue was confirmed by the dealer, and both the transfer case and transmission were replaced under warranty. The car shudd
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Transmission and transfer case failure. Noticed a very small amount of fluid leaking and took to dealership. Dealer informed me that I was "lucky" to have noticed and that the transfer case spline failure had occurred. N
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I'm losing power than normal all of a sudden. When I step on the gas after light hits green in sport and sport plus mode my car losses traction even when traction control is on, and I hear a loud clunck sound. After the
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I took this vehicle to get serviced in the summer of 2025. I recently joined an Acura Type S (2021+) group on Facebook and learned that the issue is quite prevalent. I had to have the transmission and transfer case repla
NHTSA complaint: Power train
On July 7th 2026 I was driving home, came to a stop light at normal speed, when the light turned green I took off at normal speed and I heard a huge cluck / bang from underneath the car and it bogged and didn’t want to m
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Transmission splines went out and transfer case has also failed which is only sending power to front wheels
NHTSA complaint: Power train
On 07/01/2026, at approximately 8:00 AM, during steady acceleration, flashing of MIL with loss of power presented northbound after merging from 235 west bound to I-135 north bound near Park City, KS. Particularly dangero
NHTSA complaint: Power train
2021 Acura TLX Type S SH-AWD. Total mechanical failure of PTU/transfer case spline interface at 29,800 miles within factory powertrain warranty. Vehicle operated silently in FWD-only with no warning lights, no fault code
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2021 Acura TLX. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 RD
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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-
Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2023 TLX vehicles. The fuel filler neck and fuel tank may have been improperly welded, which can result in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicl
Risk: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2
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
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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. Honda's numbers for th
| Reliability raw | 79 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 70 | good |
| Performance | 62 | average |
| Efficiency | 41 | below average |
| Safety | 100 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 67 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 20 of them (30%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 79/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2021 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 76/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.