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Acura · Known Issues

2015 Acura ILX Problems: 6 Known Issues

2015 model year · NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports · Updated September 2026

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Issue summary

According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 2015 Acura ILX has 6 documented known issues, with 3 rated critical. The most serious are In-Tank Low-Pressure Fuel Pump Impeller Failure Causing Engine Stall ($0-$0 repair), Driveshaft Coating Failure and Corrosion Fracture (Salt Belt) - Recall 20V770 ($0-$0 repair) and Takata Driver Frontal Airbag Inflator Rupture (Multiple Recall Waves) ($0-$0 repair). Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $500 to $2,000. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.

In This Article

  • ILX Fuel System2
  • ILX Drivetrain1
  • ILX Safety/Recalls1
  • ILX Transmission1
  • ILX Engine1
  • Recalls5
  • FAQ
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In This Article

  • Fuel System2
  • Drivetrain1
  • Safety/Recalls1
  • Transmission1
  • Engine1
  • Recalls5
  • FAQ

All 6 Known Issues

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ALL YEARS2022202120202019201820172016201520142013

On the 2013-2022 Acura ILX, the Denso-supplied in-tank fuel pump module fitted across virtually the entire ILX production run uses an impeller that was molded with insufficient density and inadequately dried. The impeller absorbs fuel, swells, and interferes with the pump body. The pump then fails to deliver pressure - typically presenting first as a long crank or a hard start, then progressing to an engine stall that can happen at road speed with no warning and no restart. The ILX coverage was expanded twice: an initial 2019-2020 campaign (21V215, itself an expansion of ) was later broadened to cover 2013-2023 ILX under 23V858, so this spans every powertrain the car was sold with - 2.0 automatic, 2.4 manual, hybrid, and 2.4 DCT alike.

This issue also affects: Acura MDX, Acura TLX, Honda Accord

Common Symptoms

  • Engine stalls while driving
  • Extended cranking before start
  • No-start condition
  • Whining or absent fuel pump prime noise at key-on
  • Check engine light
  • Loss of power under load

How to Fix

Free recall remedy under NHTSA 23V858 (Honda campaign codes KGC/KGD); earlier cars may instead fall under 21V215. Dealers replace the entire fuel pump module at no charge. Owner notification for the expanded campaign was mailed September 2024. Do not pay for a fuel pump on an ILX without first running the VIN - a private-pay pump module replacement typically runs $700-$1,200.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $0

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Community Reported
Low ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2014-2019 Acura ILX, on a range of ILX built from the 2014 model year onward, the plastic fuel tank was manufactured out of specification and can deform. The deformation changes the geometry the level sender float travels through, so the fuel gauge reads higher than the actual fuel remaining. Drivers run the tank dry while the gauge still shows fuel, producing an unexpected engine stall in traffic. Because the symptom is a gauge reading rather than a warning light, owners commonly misdiagnose it as a bad sending unit and replace the sender - which does not fix a deformed tank.

Common Symptoms

  • Fuel gauge reads higher than actual fuel level
  • Engine stalls with fuel still indicated on the gauge
  • Fill-up takes noticeably less fuel than the gauge suggests
  • Low fuel light does not illuminate before running out
  • Erratic or sticking gauge needle

How to Fix

Free recall remedy under NHTSA 19V052. The dealer inspects the fuel tank and replaces it if deformed, at no charge. If your ILX consistently takes far less fuel than the gauge implies at fill-up, or stalls with a quarter tank indicated, run the VIN before authorizing any paid sending-unit work.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $0

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2013-2015 Acura ILX, on early ILX built through the 2015 model year, the protective paint coating applied to the driveshafts was improperly manufactured. The coating peels and chips near the dynamic damper, exposing bare steel. In Salt Belt states, road de-icing salt attacks the exposed shaft and corrodes it. Under a high-torque condition the corroded driveshaft can fracture outright: the car becomes immobile, and because a broken halfshaft disconnects the transmission's park pawl from the wheels, the vehicle can roll away while the selector is in Park. This is a first-generation-body issue tied to a specific shaft manufacturing process and does NOT apply to the 2016+ refresh, which has its own, different driveshaft recall.

Common Symptoms

  • Clicking or grinding from the front axle
  • Vehicle rolls while in Park
  • Vibration under acceleration
  • Loss of drive - engine revs but car does not move
  • Visible rust and flaking paint on the driveshaft near the damper

How to Fix

Free recall remedy under NHTSA 20V770. The dealer inspects both left and right driveshafts for coating deformity within 50mm of the dynamic damper (the ILX inspection window is 50mm; the Honda Fit/Civic Hybrid siblings use 40mm) and replaces any shaft that fails inspection at no charge. Owners in salt states should insist on the inspection even with no symptoms, since a passing inspection does not require replacement.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $0

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2013-2016 Acura ILX, the ILX was swept into the Takata ammonium-nitrate inflator recalls in several successive waves. The driver frontal airbag inflator propellant degrades with long-term exposure to high heat and humidity cycling, which can cause the inflator housing to over-pressurize and rupture during deployment, spraying metal fragments into the cabin. The ILX is unusual in that some cars were recalled MORE THAN ONCE: cars repaired in the first wave received an interim 'like-for-like' Takata replacement inflator that was itself later recalled (19V182), and a further 2013-only campaign (19V500) followed. Both the gasoline ILX and the 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid are covered. Owners who assume a single dealer visit closed the matter frequently still have an open campaign against their VIN.

Common Symptoms

  • Airbag warning light illuminated
  • Open recall shown on VIN lookup
  • Metal fragments or shrapnel injury on deployment
  • Recall notice letter received more than once

How to Fix

Free recall remedy. Have the VIN checked at nhtsa.gov/recalls or an Acura dealer - check it again even if a Takata repair was already performed, because a first-wave repair may have installed an inflator later recalled under 19V182. The dealer replaces the driver frontal airbag inflator (and in the later campaign, replaces it with an alternate non-Takata-desiccant type) at no charge with no mileage or ownership limit.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $0

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2013-2015 Acura ILX 2.4L K24Z7 I4, the 2013-2015 ILX 2.4L was sold ONLY with a six-speed manual - an unusual configuration for a luxury-badged compact sedan, and it shares its clutch, gearset and transmission with the contemporary Civic Si. Owners report a distinct grinding or growling noise the moment the clutch is released from a complete stop in first gear, absent at all other times. The consensus cause traced on the owner forums is the clutch release/throwout bearing, with the clutch disc springs also implicated. Dealers have historically had no scripted answer for it, and the noise is known to subside for 30,000-40,000 miles and then return, which makes it hard to get documented under warranty. Because this powertrain is manual-only, it is a completely separate story from the 2.0L automatic and the later 8-speed DCT - do not merge them.

Common Symptoms

  • Grinding or growling noise when the clutch is released from a stop in first gear
  • Noise absent while cruising or with the clutch pedal down
  • Noise comes and goes over tens of thousands of miles
  • Chatter or shudder on take-up
  • Clutch pedal feel changes

How to Fix

Replace the clutch release bearing; because the transmission has to come out regardless, the accepted practice is to replace the clutch disc, pressure plate and release bearing as a set at the same time, and to resurface or replace the flywheel. One documented dealer repair did clutch plus release bearing at 98,000 miles. Budget roughly $1,000-$2,000 for a full clutch job. Critically: report the noise to the dealer in writing EARLY so it is on file for warranty or goodwill, since the intermittent nature of the fault is the main reason claims get denied.

Typical repair cost:$1,000 - $2,000

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Community Reported
Low ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2013-2022 Acura ILX, on the 2.4L K24 ILX, the variable timing control (VTC) actuator on the intake camshaft is not fully oil-pressurized at first start. The internal locking pin fails to hold the actuator against the sprocket, so for one to two seconds after a cold start the actuator rattles loudly against its stops - a hard metallic grinding or 'bag of bolts' sound from the front of the engine that disappears once oil pressure builds. It is worst in cold weather, after the car has sat overnight, and with stretched oil-change intervals. This is an all-K24-family pattern documented from roughly 2008 onward across Honda and Acura four-cylinders and it carries into the ILX's 2.4. It does NOT apply to the 2.0L R20 or the 1.5L hybrid, which use a different valvetrain, and merging it into a generic 'ILX engine noise' issue is the classic mistake on this nameplate.

This issue also affects: Acura MDX, Acura TSX, Honda Civic

Common Symptoms

  • Loud metallic rattle for 1-2 seconds on cold start
  • Noise worse in cold weather
  • Rattle disappears once oil pressure builds
  • Noise returns after the car sits overnight
  • Check engine light with cam timing codes in advanced cases

How to Fix

Replace the VTC actuator with the updated revised-design part (Honda addressed the original design with a superseded actuator part number). The job requires removing the valve cover and gaining timing-chain cover access; budget roughly $500-$1,000 at an independent shop. The noise itself is not immediately destructive, but a failing actuator can eventually set cam timing correlation codes. Interim mitigation: use the correct 0W-20 grade, keep oil changes to 5,000 miles, and verify the level - low or degraded oil sharply worsens the rattle.

Typical repair cost:$500 - $1,000

Research This Issue

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Community Reported
Medium ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026
NHTSA Recalls5 recalls

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.

Campaign #23V85800018/12/2023

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.

Campaign #25V85900011/12/2025

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common Acura ILX problems?

According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 2015 Acura ILX has 6 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: In-Tank Low-Pressure Fuel Pump Impeller Failure Causing Engine Stall, Driveshaft Coating Failure and Corrosion Fracture (Salt Belt) - Recall 20V770, Takata Driver Frontal Airbag Inflator Rupture (Multiple Recall Waves). Of these, 3 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.

Is the Acura ILX reliable?

The 2015 Acura ILX has 6 known issues compiled from NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports. 3 issues are rated critical: In-Tank Low-Pressure Fuel Pump Impeller Failure Causing Engine Stall and Driveshaft Coating Failure and Corrosion Fracture (Salt Belt) - Recall 20V770 and Takata Driver Frontal Airbag Inflator Rupture (Multiple Recall Waves). Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.

How much does it cost to fix common Acura ILX problems?

Repair costs for known Acura ILX issues range from $0 to $2,000, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, In-Tank Low-Pressure Fuel Pump Impeller Failure Causing Engine Stall, typically costs $0-$0 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.

What is the 2013-2022 Acura ILX In-Tank Low-Pressure Fuel Pump Impeller Failure Causing Engine Stall?

The Denso-supplied in-tank fuel pump module fitted across virtually the entire ILX production run uses an impeller that was molded with insufficient density and inadequately dried. The impeller absorbs fuel, swells, and interferes with the pump body. The pump then fails to delive… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.

What is the 2013-2015 Acura ILX Driveshaft Coating Failure and Corrosion Fracture (Salt Belt) - Recall 20V770?

On early ILX built through the 2015 model year, the protective paint coating applied to the driveshafts was improperly manufactured. The coating peels and chips near the dynamic damper, exposing bare steel. In Salt Belt states, road de-icing salt attacks the exposed shaft and cor… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.

Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.

Data compiled from NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, automotive forums, and AI-assisted research. No aggregated owner-report counts available for this vehicle yet.

Campaign #21V21500025/03/2021

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. The vehicles may have a deformed fuel tank, raising the height of the fuel pump and allowing the fuel level float to stick, possibly causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate fuel level.

Campaign #19V05200024/01/2019

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.

Campaign #19V42400006/06/2019

Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check recalls specific to your vehicle.

What is the 2013-2016 Acura ILX Takata Driver Frontal Airbag Inflator Rupture (Multiple Recall Waves)?

The ILX was swept into the Takata ammonium-nitrate inflator recalls in several successive waves. The driver frontal airbag inflator propellant degrades with long-term exposure to high heat and humidity cycling, which can cause the inflator housing to over-pressurize and rupture d… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.

What is the 2013-2015 Acura ILX Six-Speed Manual Clutch Release Bearing Growl and Engagement Grind (2013-2015 2.4L)?

The 2013-2015 ILX 2.4L was sold ONLY with a six-speed manual - an unusual configuration for a luxury-badged compact sedan, and it shares its clutch, gearset and transmission with the contemporary Civic Si. Owners report a distinct grinding or growling noise the moment the clutch… Repairs typically run $1,000-$2,000. Severity: medium.

What is the 2014-2019 Acura ILX Deformed Fuel Tank Causing Inaccurate Fuel Gauge and Unexpected Fuel Starvation - Recall 19V052?

On a range of ILX built from the 2014 model year onward, the plastic fuel tank was manufactured out of specification and can deform. The deformation changes the geometry the level sender float travels through, so the fuel gauge reads higher than the actual fuel remaining. Drivers… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: medium.

What is the 2013-2022 Acura ILX VTC Actuator Cold-Start Rattle (2.4L K24 Only)?

On the 2.4L K24 ILX, the variable timing control (VTC) actuator on the intake camshaft is not fully oil-pressurized at first start. The internal locking pin fails to hold the actuator against the sprocket, so for one to two seconds after a cold start the actuator rattles loudly a… Repairs typically run $500-$1,000. Severity: medium.