YearToAvoid

2015 Acura TLX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 12 TLX years

The 2015 Acura TLX has 342 complaints, 6 recalls, and a complaint index of 100, ranking it worst of 12 model years. Transmission & Powertrain problems dominate at 47% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 8,150.

Complaints
342
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
12 / 0
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
21 city / 34 hwy

Top 2015 Acura TLX problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain160 (47%)
  2. Engine113 (33%)
  3. Electrical System66 (19%)
  4. Other43 (13%)
  5. Brakes34 (10%)
  6. Fuel System21 (6%)
  7. Steering15 (4%)
  8. Structure & Body15 (4%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers12 (4%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras10 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report brake pedal application that fails to stop the car, sometimes leading to rear-end collisions or striking poles at low speeds.
  • The electronic gear shifter (E-shift) reportedly fails to engage into park or drive, allowing the car to roll unexpectedly.
  • Some owners describe the vehicle rolling backward after being parked and exited, with the emergency brake not holding.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal or side-impact crashes, resulting in injuries.
  • One owner reported the engine seizing while driving at 35 mph before being able to restart it.
2015 Acura TLX complaints: complaints filed per quarter412014 Q32016 Q22018 Q12019 Q42021 Q32023 Q22025 Q1
519 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q1 (41).

2015 Acura TLX recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 23V751000Nov 13, 2023Engine248,999 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.

    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. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.

  3. NHTSA 19V060000Jan 29, 2019Fuel System437,032 vehicles

    Fuel system, other:delivery:fuel pump

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.

    Risk: Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (FI-ECU) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's recall number for this recall is P3W. Honda's recall number for this recall is N3X.

See all 6 recalls for the 2015 Acura TLX →

2015 Acura TLX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
34 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,200
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.

2015 compared with other TLX years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100201220152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012No verdict010—
2015Avoid100342625
2016Caution73110325
2017Good4571325

All Acura TLX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Acura TLX reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2015 TLX has 342 complaints and a complaint index of 100, the highest among all 12 TLX model years, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other TLX years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2015 Acura TLX?
Transmission & Powertrain issues account for 47% of complaints (160 of 342), with a median failure mileage of 8,150.
Does the 2015 Acura TLX have transmission recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists two transmission-related recalls for the 2015 TLX, covering insufficient wire harness crimps and a broader transmission inspection/replacement campaign.
How does the 2015 TLX compare to other years?
With a complaint index of 100, the 2015 TLX ranks worst of 12 model years tracked, compared to the 2024 TLX at 9, which is rated Best.
Are there brake problems reported on the 2015 Acura TLX?
Yes. Brakes account for 34 complaints and 7 crashes, with a median failure mileage of 15,000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.