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2018 Acura RLX

Hybrid Gas

Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 9

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Acura RLX is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RLX Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 9 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Acura RLX — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Acura RLX · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
RLX Hybrid	Hybrid	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 259V Li-Ion	28	29	28	$2,950
RLX	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	29	23	$3,550

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39714, 39713.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
RLX Hybrid	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
RLX	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.5 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower

310 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4x2
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	10

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Sport Hybrid with Advance Package, Technology Package). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	197.6 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	74.8 in
Height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	112.2 in
Track, front	64.2 in
Track, rear	64.2 in
Curb weight	4,354 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	57/43

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door Sedan AWD Hybrid. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

KGC, KGD

2,490,460 vehicles 79% reported repaired

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V858000 reported Dec 18, 2023 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module — Electrical overstress closed

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 ma

Opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · action EA19001 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific RLX

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Acura publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Acura’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Acura RLX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

9complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

39 per 10,000 built · Acura reported 2,337 RLX built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Engine 5

Fuel/Propulsion System 2

Electrical System 2

Power Train 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The first time I heard the engine noise was on . I brought the vehicle to the Schaumburg Muller Acura dealership and dropped it off on May 20. On May 21, the dealership performed an initial inspection and informed me that they needed authorization to further disassemble the engine in order to determine the cause of the problem.

Engine Jun 2, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11741672

The contact owns a 2018 Acura RLX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.

Fuel/Propulsion System Dec 3, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11628568

The contact owns a 2018 Acura RLX. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the headlight failure message was displayed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the A/C compressor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.

Electrical System at 110,785 miles Mar 6, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11722582

****note - add product**** vehicle with 11,800 miles, owned for 9 months. Turned into a parking lot, traveled ~100 feet at 8 MPH. Movement was on battery power, engine off. Experienced sudden acceleration to 18 MPH over a period of 3-4 seconds. Verified with dash camera GPS speed monitoring.

Power Train at 11,800 miles Dec 5, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11156440

The contact owns a 2018 Acura RLX. The contact stated while driving her vehicle at an undisclosed speed, stated that the vehicle would not start up, and noticed every single waring light illuminated up on her dash. The vehicle was taken to a dealer twice, first time it was diagnosed to have a crank sensor failure, it was replaced.

Engine at 51,000 miles May 18, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11738529

No incidents so far. However, it is causing a lot of anxiety knowing that the car could potentially stall or crash since I received the email notice on 12/18/2023. What is a reasonable wait time?

Fuel/Propulsion System Sep 13, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11614492

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Acura itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 86 per 100,000 built. Every RLX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	10%
4 DR AWD	not rated	not rated	★★★★★	★★★★★	10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.

Driver-assist crash reports (1)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01

1report filed

1 severity unknown

Sep 2021 to Sep 2021 · 0 with an air bag deployment · 1 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: not named in the filings

Crash partner: Unknown 1

Filed by: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Incident	System	Struck	Injury alleged	State	Speed	Report
Sep 2021	Level 2	Unknown	unknown	CA	—	62-1354

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

Customer states that she was driving down the street and the vehicle shut off when she accelerated. As a result, another vehicle hit the customer from behind. 2/[redacted]/22 Update - Changed the 'AUTOMATION SYSTEM ENGAGED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT' field from 'ADAS' to 'Unknown, See Narrative'

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) report 62-1354 Sep 2021 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 4 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin ONL6R508212023Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin ONL6R507142023Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin BBOM06092023901Dealer Message - Due to manufacturing errors, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin B23-022Due to manufacturing errors, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-toside turning movements with the steering wheel.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 34

Most recentmanufacturer date 2023-08-21

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 34 service bulletins

Most often about: Electrical System, Engine, Steering, Equipment, Power Train.

ONL6R508212023 Service bulletin
2023-08-21 · Steering
Warranty Extension - Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel. The P-AWS indicator or warning light may also illuminate with certain diagnostic trouble codes.
ONL6R507142023 Service bulletin
2023-07-14 · Electrical System
Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel. The MIL may also illuminate with certain DTC codes.
B23-022 Service bulletin
2023-06-09 · Steering
Service Bulletin - Due to manufacturing errors, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-toside turning movements with the steering wheel. The MIL may also illuminate with DTC C1600-94 (PAWS unexpected behavior) and/or C1611-13/C1621-13 (PAWS actuator disconnection L&R).
BBOM06092023901 Service bulletin
2023-06-09 · Steering
Dealer Message - Due to manufacturing errors, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel. The MIL may also illuminate with DTC C1600-94 (PAWS unexpected behavior) and/or C1611-13/C1621-13 (PAWS actuator disconnection L&R).
ONLA8E20220830 Service bulletin
2022-08-25 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Owner notification - Our records indicate that a Emissions Recall has not been completed on this vehicle. When the powertrain control module (PCM) detects a malfunction in one of the odd number transmission gears, it will set one of four diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). Due to inappropriate calibration of the PCM, the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) system cannot properly clear the transmission permanen
BTI&05102022901 Service bulletin
2022-05-10 · Fuel System, Gasoline
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2016-2020 MDXs, RLXs & TLXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected), P0171 & P0174 (Rear/Front Bank Fuel System Too Lean), or P219A&B (Air-Fuel Ratio Variation of Cylinder) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specif
ONLA8E11022020 Service bulletin
2020-11-02 · Power Train
Owner Notification Letter - When the powertrain control module (PCM) detects a malfunction in one of the odd number transmission gears, it will set one of four diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). Due to inappropriate calibration of the PCM, the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) system cannot properly clear the transmission permanent DTC as required.
B14-025 Service bulletin
2020-09-18 · Engine And Engine Cooling — Engine — Gasoline — Belts And Associated Pulleys
Service Bulletin - The timing belt area chirps after the engine warms up.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0171 P0171 on Acura →	The engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Mass air flow sensor →	1 bulletin
P0174 P0174 on Acura →	The engine is running lean on bank 2.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Mass air flow sensor →	1 bulletin
P219A P219A on Acura →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	1 bulletin

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

RLX by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2020 A 1 3 28 mpg 2019 C 3 0 28 mpg 2018 this page A 1 9 28 mpg 2017 A 0 3 29 mpg 2016 A 0 8 30 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 RLX

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Acura RLX have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Acura RLX. The most serious on file is 23V858000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Acura RLX?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Acura RLX 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (92/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Acura RLX?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Acura RLX, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Acura RLX?

Transport Canada measured it at 197.6 in long, 74.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5 in tall, on a 112.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,354 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Acura RLX?

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Acura RLX, most often about engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Acura RLX?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Acura RLX runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Acura RLX?

The manufacturer has filed 34 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Acura RLX, most often covering electrical system, engine, steering. The most recent is dated 2023-08-21. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	9	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	34	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	2	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	1	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	13 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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