2021 Acura TLX Type S problems, complaints & recalls

2021 Acura TLX Type S recalls (1)

• Recall 25V031000Jan 23, 2025294,612 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.

  Risk: An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0.

NHTSA defect investigations

• DP26001Opened Mar 6, 2026Closed Aug 4, 2026

  All wheel drive allegation

  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Petition dated January 9, 2026, requesting an investigation into the loss of the optional all-wheel drive capability in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Acura TLX and MY 2022-2023 Acura MDX vehicles. The Petition alleges failures in the interfacing splines between the front wheel drive transaxle and the rear wheel drive power take off unit. Failure of these splines prevents the transfer of drive power to the rear axle, making the vehicle front wheel drive only. The Petition further alleges that this failure reduces vehicle direct…

Recent 2021 Acura TLX Type S complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed May 31, 2026CATransmission & Drivetrain

   While accelerating from a stop, I heard a loud bang from the drivetrain area and initially believed another vehicle had struck the rear of my car. After checking my surroundings, I realized there had been no collision. Immediately after the incident, the vehicle lost power delivery to the rear wheels. The vehicle is designed as an all-wheel-drive performance sedan, and the sudden loss of rear-wheel power significantly changed the way the vehicle handled. The vehicle became…

   NHTSA complaint #11741121 · source
2. Filed Apr 2, 2026WITransmission & Drivetrain

   The All Wheel Drive (AWD) system of the vehicle became partially inoperable after hearing a loud bang under normal vehicle acceleration some time in early 2025. The vehicle did not trigger or display any warnings stored in the onboard computer or on the dash display that the AWD system had any faults or issues. Had this system failed during an emergency situation involving hazardous or dangerous driving conditions like snow, ice, heavy rain, it could have caused me to not…

   NHTSA complaint #11728955 · source
3. Filed Mar 7, 2026NYTransmission & Drivetrain

   The transfer case in my Acura TLX Type S failed due to the internal splines stripping at approximately 57,600 miles. I heard a loud bang while attempting to maneuver out of a parking spot that was covered in snow. When this occurred, the transfer case was no longer able to transfer power to the rear wheels, causing the all-wheel-drive system to stop functioning. As a result, the vehicle effectively operated as front-wheel drive only. The most concerning part of this failure…

   NHTSA complaint #11722731 · source
4. Filed Jan 21, 2026GATransmission & Drivetrain

   This 2021 Acura TLX Type-S has experienced a complete failure of the transfer case after approximately 40,000 miles of use. This unfortunately is a known issue on the online forums for this vehicle in model years 2021-2023. I have a video inspection performed by the local dealership proving this. The only warning is a one-time loud boom when accelerating and a leaking from the transfer case of fluid thereafter. There is no safety issue best I can tell, however the car only…

   NHTSA complaint #11712500 · source
5. Filed Dec 2, 2025FLEngine

   My 2021 TLX Type S front wheels started to spin upon acceleration at 44K miles. I immediately scheduled an appt for the dealership. Was informed I needed a new Transfer Case Unit, as the splines were shredded. With this, I also had to replace the transmission. All replaced and picked up today 12/2/2025

   NHTSA complaint #11702530 · source
6. Filed Oct 31, 2025OHTransmission & Drivetrain

   Was driving the car under normal acceleration when the transfer case failed. No power to the rear wheels. Acura dealer confirmed the problem. Will be fixed under warranty. No warning lamps or messages on the dash.

   NHTSA complaint #11696739 · source
7. Filed Oct 16, 2025FLEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   While driving my 2021 Acura TLX Type S, I began losing traction frequently during normal daily driving, especially when turning corners or accelerating from a stop sign or stop light. At first, I believed the issue was related to my tires, so I replaced them, but the same problem continued. After researching online, I discovered that transfer case failures are a known issue on these vehicles, affecting both new and used models. Currently, my vehicle is at the dealership, but…

   NHTSA complaint #11693788 · source
8. Filed Sep 24, 2025CTTransmission & Drivetrain

   - The transfer case failed causing the AWD system to stop working -It is a safety concern because you may lose control since no power is going to rear wheels, especially in inclement weather that we receive in the northeast. -Yes the problem has been confirmed by dealership by putting car on lift and seeing that no power is being sent to the rear wheels. -There are no warning lights or any signs, you just hear a loud bang while driving and lost of traction while accelerating

   NHTSA complaint #11689393 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology