2018 Acura ILX Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2018 Acura ILX has a complaint index of 33, ranking 7th out of 10 model years, with a Good verdict. It has 23 complaints and 4 recalls, mostly tied to a faulty fuel gauge that can misread fuel level.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 33/100
- #7 of 10 ILX years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 23
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 2
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Fuel System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 29
- 25 city / 35 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2018 Acura ILX problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Fuel System19 (83%)
- Brakes2 (9%)
- Electrical System2 (9%)
- Engine2 (9%)
- Seat Belts1 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Fuel gauge falsely reads full tank even when the vehicle is nearly empty, sometimes leading to unexpected stalling.
- Vehicle stalls without warning after running out of fuel despite the gauge showing a full tank.
- Brakes reportedly failed to respond fully when the pedal was depressed at moderate speed, tied to a recall for contaminated brake fluid.
- Fuel gauge issues were confirmed by dealers as a known problem on 2018 ILX models but parts for repair were sometimes unavailable.
- Engine required replacement in one case, followed by a later breakdown and multiple dashboard warning lights.
- Seat belt system was involved in one low-speed crash where the front bumper detached, though no injuries occurred.
2018 Acura ILX recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V859000Dec 11, 2025Brakes70,658 vehicles
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
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.
Risk: Reduced brake function can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
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. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 17, 2025. The information in your report suggests that Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) may have been aware of this issue more than five business days before filing a report with NHTSA. Please be reminded that under Federal law, this agency is to be notified of all safety defect and/or noncompliance decisions within five business days. 49 CFR 573.6 Significant civil penalties can be assessed for this violation.
- NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles
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 Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
- NHTSA 19V424000Jun 6, 2019Transmission & Powertrain49,898 vehicles
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
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.
Risk: A separated driveshaft can cause the vehicle to have a loss of drive or allow the vehicle to move even while in Park, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
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. Acura's number for this recall is G54.
2018 Acura ILX fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 25 MPG
- Highway
- 35 MPG
- Combined
- 29 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,750
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2018 compared with other ILX years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Acura ILX reliable?
- Compared to other ILX model years, the 2018 has a complaint index of 33 and ranks 7th of 10 years tracked, earning a Good verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls.
- What is the most common problem with the 2018 Acura ILX?
- Fuel System issues account for 83% of complaints (19 of 23), mostly involving a fuel gauge that reads full when the tank is low, with a median failure mileage of 315 miles.
- Does the 2018 Acura ILX have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 ILX covering brakes, fuel system (two separate campaigns), and transmission/powertrain, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2018 ILX compare to other years?
- The 2018 model (complaint index 33) is safer than the worst years like 2016 (100) and 2013 (89), but not as low-risk as 2020 (11) or 2015 (22).
- What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Acura ILX?
- The EPA rates the 2018 ILX at 29 mpg combined (25 city / 35 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,750.