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NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2021 Acura TLX Type S.
NHTSA has not published 5-star crash-test ratings for the 2021 Acura TLX Type S. New vehicles are often added to the NCAP rating program after initial release; check nhtsa.gov/ratings for the latest status.
Component: 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.
Consequence: 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.
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 is that the vehicle provided no warning whatsoever to the driver. There were no dashboard alerts, drivetrain warnings, AWD system warnings, or check engine lights indicating that the AWD system had failed. The vehicle continued to operate and display information as if everything was functioning normally. This occurred during the winter in New York while driving in snowy conditions, where the AWD system is critical for traction and safety. Because there was no warning that the AWD system had failed, I continued driving the vehicle assuming it still had AWD capability. On multiple occasions the vehicle became stuck in snow due to the loss of rear-wheel power. A critical drivetrain component such as a transfer case should not fail under normal driving conditions at this mileage. Additionally, a vehicle equipped with AWD should provide a clear warning to the driver if the system is no longer functioning. The absence of any warning combined with a sudden loss of AWD capability creates a serious safety concern, particularly in winter climates where drivers rely on AWD for traction and control. Under the wrong circumstances this type of failure could potentially lead to an accident or serious injury.
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The 2021 Acura TLX Type S has 1 NHTSA recall and 29 consumer complaints on file. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
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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 performs in front drive mode once the transfer case quits working. The issue is due to weak splines within the transfer case that shear off and thus damage the 10-speed automatic transmission in the process. Acura has a 6 year 70,000 mile warranty, so a complete replacement is covered, however my concern is for whether the new transfer case part # 29000-5YK-060 which replaces the old 29000-5YK-050 part will do the same. This is a very expensive fix into the 5 figures (over 10,000) and really needs to have a recall as there are dozens and dozens of owners online who have experienced this failure.
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
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.
Transfer case blew. AWD was not working.
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 they were unaware of this recurring transfer case problem and have no information about it. This is concerning because the failure of the transfer case directly affects traction and stability, creating a potential safety risk to myself and others on the road. It appears to be a systemic issue that Honda/Acura has not yet acknowledged.
- 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
While performing a right turn, under normal acceleration a loud "pop/clunk" occurred. I immediately pulled into a parking lot as the vehicle was still able to drive. The vehicle runs as normal, no leaks of any kind present. Nothing visibly broken. Afterwards, I was able to determine with the vehicle suspended off of the ground, I am getting power only to the front wheels. Utilizing google, it's easy to see that this has become a MASSIVE issue on this particular model TLX Type S. The vehicle will be taken to Acura on Monday Aug 18th 2025 for diagnostics, but it's quite obvious that the splines on the transfercase at the transmission mounting location have sheared completely, thus making the vehicle front wheel drive powered only. Given my current situation, my hope is that Acura will honor the power train warranty as it is my understanding that both the transmission and the transfercase are required to be replaced in this instance. Acura also needs to issue an updated transmission/ transfercase combination and a recall because this is happening way to often and it's quite an expensive repair.
Transfer case failure. Spline is stripped after 40k. AWD is disabled. Requires new transfer case and transmission
While driving normal, I heard a pop sound coming from the bottom of the car which resulted in my AWD not working. On acceleration the car would spin the front wheels and the traction light would light up. Took to dealer and they confirmed the transfer case and transmission failed and had to be replaced. The splines between both components had stripped.
-Transmission and transfer case failed, specifically the splines on the input shaft connecting the two, rendering the vehicle FWD instead of AWD. Parts are not available to inspect as they were returned to dealer. -While the vehicle could still function in front wheel drive, the lack of AWD could be a safety risk in poor weather or road conditions, especially given that the vehicle does not send an error code for this issue. -Problem was reproduced by the dealer, who replaced both parts after a 2-month wait for parts. -There is zero indication that these components failed, no error codes or anything. The car also displays how much power is going to each wheel on the gauge cluster, and displays just as it did when everything worked. The problem can only be noticed when using AWD, so many drivers may not know they have this issue. I experienced the traction control light blinking on hard acceleration due to front tire slip and understeer during turns, but beyond that there was no indication anything was wrong. -The dealer informed me this would be a 12,000 repair out of warranty, which I find unacceptable given that the car doesn't give any error codes. Many many people may not know their car is effected.
• Transfer Case failure, leading to transmission damage. • Vehicle gives no indication of Transfer Case failure, in turn, giving the Driver the impression that the vehicle is AWD. Potential risk to safety as the failure happened under normal driving conditions, vehicle suddenly jolts, with loss of power. • Problem addressed by Dealership Service Dept. but not able to recreate, as this is a drivetrain fault. • Vehicle and components inspected by Dealership Service Dept. only. • No indications or warning lights for TC failure. AWD system on dashboard indicates power is going to all four wheels when this is not the case.
At 36,823 miles and October 11,2024 I was taking off from a stop. About 10 seconds into my take off I heard a loud bang and hard jerk. Dash cam caught it happening. As soon as it happened I was still moving forward but just coasting. As soon as I accelerated a tiny bit it sounded like metal being beaten around inside something. No warning light or CEL came on. Nothing. After I parked it the sound disappeared and it seemed to drive fine but a little different. I noticed then that I would lose traction easily and my front wheels would spin out like a fwd Civic. I called the dealership immediately and told them what happened. They put a note in my file. They said they couldn’t do anything unless it happened again. I had to go to the dealership 3 separate times to try to get them to look at it. At the third trip and me being a little pissy that they took me seriously and found out that in fact my rear wheels wouldn’t spin and my driveshaft wasn’t spinning either. In December of 2024 my transfer case and transmission were replaced under warranty. The splines in the transmission were totally stripped.
Transfer case failed, awd system inoperable. Only front wheel drive when it is suppose to be awd. Vehicle is at the acura dealership getting repaired
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