2016 Acura TLX

On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.NHTSA has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaign. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

PAWS system component failure causing the steering angle to misalign, throttle response to decrease, and drivability to decrease severely

NHTSA ID

11751261

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact stated that the rear-view camera image was cloudy and was not functioning because there was water inside the camera. While reversing, the driver was unable to see an image behind the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V423000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

NHTSA ID

11749995

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

Mileage

61,000 mi

This vehicle was sold to me on July 18, 2025 with Campaign CH7 open and unperformed. The dealer's disclosure form falsely stated that I had been informed of all recalls with the vehicle. No specific mention of Campaign CH7 was ever made. Separately, Acura manufacturer records (eVRM/Techline) confirm that this vehicle's original engine was previously replaced under warranty following a seizure (Defect Code: SEIZED) — directly related to the defect type covered by the CH7 recall. The replacement engine subsequently seized approximately eight months after I purchased the vehicle. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether the open Campaign CH7 recall contributed to the engine failure, and whether FSL Motors' practice of selling vehicles with open recalls while falsely certifying recall disclosure warrants further review.

NHTSA ID

11745218

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

The alarm on my car would intermittently and randomly go off at any time while car was parked and locked. After much research I deduced that it is the Smart Power Control Unit located behind the glove box. The epoxy clear covering on the circuit board is not fully covering the entire board allowing for dendritic growth and random surges. These surges can cause the alarm to go on and off, the head lights to turn on and off, and instrument panels to go haywire. I haven't experienced this issue while driving but it could certainly happen, which would obviously be very dangerous. I did not take it in to a mechanic or dealer to reproduce the problem, however I have confirmed with others with various honda models having the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11741149

Incident

May 30, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase the mileage was 86,000. At the time of the registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 259,000.

NHTSA ID

11731304

Incident

Apr 11, 2026

Mileage

259,000 mi

I have a 2016 Acura TLX 3.5L j35Y6 AWD that initially Had the safety recall XG1 and the engine was replaced at roughly 140k miles, 40k miles later the replacement engine suffered the same problem, and I am aware that I am not the only person this has happened to as there is currently a NHTSA investigation PE25008 that is related to these replacement engines failing. I have pushed the dealership for full replacement as this is not right and they have not budged as to the replacement. there were no warning lamps as to before the failure. the engine just threw me into limp mode.

NHTSA ID

11726785

Incident

Feb 21, 2026

Warning lights for Electric Parking Brake Problem and Emissions System Problem simultaneously occurring with no definitive solution. Codes can be cleared by disconnecting battery and reconnecting but warning lights eventually come back on sometimes in a matter or days, weeks or month. There are no other issues that coincide with these warning lights coming on.

NHTSA ID

11716957

Incident

Oct 6, 2025

While braking and attempting a left turn at an intersection, my vehicle completely shut down with no braking or steering control. Fortunately there were no damages and the vehicle started up again and I was able to clear the intersection. I took the vehicle to an authorized dealer for repair. They indicated that this was a known issue and they were familiar with it. They installed a battery sensor and did brake work as they said there was air in the system. I paid for the repair and approximately a month later, while slowing down for a red signal, the same thing occurred, only this time my vehicle impacted another vehicle, causing damage to both vehicles. I had my vehicle towed to the shop that did the initial repair, but they said they could not find any codes that would indicate that their repairs were faulty.

NHTSA ID

11707054

Incident

Dec 16, 2025

Dealer Message - Acura is also implementing an additional (1) twenty-four (24) month period for 2015 model year Acura TLX vehicles, commencing at the expiration of the 10-year warranty extension period for each vehicle, and (2) eighteen (18) month period for 2016 model year Acura TLX/MDX vehicles, commencing at the expiration of the 10-year warranty extension period for each vehicle, for valve adjustment and starter replacement related to this condition under warranty.

Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the client can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button.

Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on with one or more AWD DTCs having been set due to water intrusion into the electric oil pump motor connector area corrodes the terminals.

Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into the rear differential pump motor connector area that corrodes the terminals.

Service Bulletin - Drivers may experience a chirping sound coming from the engine area with the engine warmed up due to the high pressure fuel pump is making a chirp.

Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart. Acura is providing a product update with new PGM-FI software update to fix this issue.