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2016 Acura TLX

Gas

Compact Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

81 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3

Complaints5 crash · 6 injured reported 111

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Acura TLX is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the TLX 2WD, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 111 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Acura TLX — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Acura TLX · Photo: MercurySable99 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
TLX 2WD	Gas	FWD	2.4L 4-cyl	24	35	28	$2,950
TLX 2WD	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	21	34	25	$3,300
TLX 4WD	Gas	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl	21	31	25	$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36948, 36949, 36950.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
TLX 2WD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
TLX 2WD, TLX 4WD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV	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	4
Displacement	2.4 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

206 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT)
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Lane departure warning

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: ADVANCE V6, Base, SH-AWD ADVANCE V6, SH-AWD TECH V6). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	190.2 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.8 in
Height	57.1 in
Wheelbase	109.4 in
Track, front	63.0 in
Track, rear	63.0 in
Curb weight	3,481–3,748 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	60/40 to 61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan FWD, 4-door Sedan Sh-Awd. 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 (3)

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 →

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

XG1, GG0

248,999 vehicles 78% reported repaired built Feb 5, 2014 – Jul 28, 2020

Problem 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. Fix 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 Apr

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V751000 reported Nov 13, 2023 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Fuel System, Other

N3X, P3W

437,032 vehicles 90% reported repaired built Sep 24, 2015 – Jul 15, 2016

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V060000 reported Jan 29, 2019 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

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages open

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

Opened Mar 26, 2025 · action EA25004 · 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 TLX

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 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 2016 Acura TLX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

111complaints filed

5 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 6 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 11 · 2017: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 12 · 2020: 11 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2024: 21 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 8

Most-cited components

Engine 41

Electrical System 24

Power Train 16

Unspecified 15

Fuel/Propulsion System 13

Vehicle Speed Control 11

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 contact owns a 2016 Acura Tlx. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly stalled and various unknown indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 86,000

Fuel/Propulsion System at 86,000 miles Aug 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11242131

This vehicle has had repeated battery failures. I had to have a battery replaced in this car less than a year ago and yesterday, the new battery died again. I was at the gas station getting gas and when I tried to start the vehicle, all of the lights started flickering with a loud repetitive clicking sound and the vehicle would not…

Electrical System at 46,202 miles Aug 2, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11241252

2016 Acura Tlx 39,462 miles on odometer. The engine lost power. The warning light displayed parking brake system malfunction, emission system malfunction. After 3 times shutting off and turning on the power button, the condition went back to normal

Service Brakes at 39,000 miles Aug 2, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11241361

The contact owns a 2016 Acura Tlx. The contact stated that the transmission warning indicator illuminated and there was a loss of power. The vehicle shifted independently into neutral while on an incline and rolled in reverse towards oncoming traffic. The contact applied the hazard lights, and turned the vehicle off and back on.

Power Train at 7,500 miles May 17, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11096519

The contact owns a 2016 Acura Tlx. While driving 70 MPH, a loud noise was heard. The contact noticed that the sun roof exploded without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,200. The VIN was not available

Visibility/Wiper at 7,200 miles Feb 28, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10957515

The following problem has happened about 12 or so times. I didn't keep track until it was obviously an issue. I have recorded it on video about half dozen times and provided this to Acura. While driving with the adaptive cruise control set to a speed I touch the brake to disengage the cruise control.

Vehicle Speed Control at 4,000 miles Dec 11, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10934567

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: 18 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 24 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every TLX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 39k

miles, typically

Half the 53 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 13,000 and 83,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 11

10k–20k 6

20k–30k 3

30k–40k 7

40k–50k 4

50k–60k 4

60k–70k 4

70k–80k 0

80k–90k 3

90k–100k 3

100k–150k 7

150k + 1

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	12	93,000	1.5×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: engine (1.5×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	10%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

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 BEBM09252026901Dealer Message - The fuel fill pipe assembly may not have been manufactured to specification.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin B26-025The factory fuel fill pipe assembly may not have been manufactured to specification.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin B26-023The factory fuel fill pipe assembly may not have been manufactured to specification.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin B22-009"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.

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 251

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 249 service bulletins, 2 others

Most often about: Engine, Electrical System, Power Train, Equipment, Fuel/Propulsion System.

B26-025 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Fuel/Propulsion System
Service Bulletin - The factory fuel fill pipe assembly may not have been manufactured to specification. As a result, small contamination particles inside the fuel fill neck may prevent the primary shut-off valve flap seal from sealing properly. This may result in a fuel smell from the fuel fill neck area and may cause DTC P0455 or P0456 (EVAP system leak detected) to be set.
B26-023 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Fuel/Propulsion System
Service Bulletin - The factory fuel fill pipe assembly may not have been manufactured to specification. As a result, small contamination particles inside the fuel fill neck may prevent the primary shut-off valve flap seal from sealing properly. This may result in a fuel smell from the fuel fill neck area and may cause DTC P0455 or P0456 (EVAP system leak detected) to be set.
BEBM09252026901 Other
2026-09-25 · Fuel/Propulsion System
Dealer Message - The fuel fill pipe assembly may not have been manufactured to specification. As a result, small contamination particles inside the fuel fill neck may prevent the primary shut-off valve flap seal from sealing, resulting in fuel smell from the fuel fill neck area and may cause DTC P0455 or P0456 (EVAP system leak detected) to be set.
BPS&08122025901 Other
2025-08-12 · Engine
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 adj
B22-009 Service bulletin
2025-07-07 · Engine
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.
B24-022 Service bulletin
2025-02-19 · Engine
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.
B24-022 Service bulletin
2024-11-22 · Structure — Body
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.
B16-008 Service bulletin
2024-09-04 · Engine
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.

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 →	16 bulletins
P0174 P0174 on Acura →	The engine is running lean on bank 2.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Mass air flow sensor →	16 bulletins
P219A P219A on Acura →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	16 bulletins
P0430 P0430 on Acura →	The catalytic converter on bank 2 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Engine · Catalytic converter →	9 bulletins
P0420 P0420 on Acura →	The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Engine · Catalytic converter →	6 bulletins
P0716 P0716 on Acura →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
P0A11	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	5 bulletins
P0A94	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	5 bulletins
P16E5	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	5 bulletins
P0455 P0455 on Acura →	A large leak in the evaporative emissions system — often a fuel cap left off.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P0456 P0456 on Acura →	A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P287C	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins

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.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 6.0%

failed emissions

976 initial inspections of 952 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 TLX	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	6.0%	4.2%	973
Failed the safety inspection	0.82%	2.2%	976
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.61%	0.27%	976
Miles driven a year	10,000	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	102,963	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

TLX by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2025 B 2 4 25 mpg 2024 B 2 5 25 mpg 2023 C 4 19 25 mpg 2022 C 4 34 25 mpg 2021 C 5 104 25 mpg 2020 C 5 63 27 mpg 2019 D 6 93 27 mpg 2018 C 4 96 27 mpg 2017 B 3 71 28 mpg 2016 this page B 3 111 28 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 TLX

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Acura TLX have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Acura TLX. 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 2016 Acura TLX?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Acura TLX 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 B (81/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Acura TLX?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Acura TLX, 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 2016 Acura TLX?

Transport Canada measured it at 190.2 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.1 in tall, on a 109.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,481–3,748 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Acura TLX?

Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Acura TLX, most often about engine, electrical system, power train. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 6 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Acura TLX?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Acura TLX runs 5 to 6 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 — Bin 5, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Acura TLX?

The manufacturer has filed 251 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Acura TLX, most often covering engine, electrical system, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. 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.

How does the 2016 Acura TLX do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Acura TLX failed the emissions check on 6.0% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.82% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

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	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	3	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	111	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	251	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	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
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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