Acura bulletin B14-025
What it saysThe timing belt area makes a chirp after the engine warms up. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Acura filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Sep 18, 2020, received May 18, 2017, about the engine — 3 documents under this number. It names 15 model years (2016–2019). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSERVICE BULLETIN - THE TIMING BELT AREA MAKES A CHIRP AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP. THIS RESULTS FROM THE TIMING BELT CONTACTING THE BACK EDGE OF THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B14-025 | Service bulletin | Sep 18, 2020 | 10180017 | PDF, 2,782 KB |
| B14-025 | Service bulletin | Aug 6, 2020 | 10178469 | PDF, 2,459 KB |
| B14-025 | Service bulletin | Jan 19, 2016 | 10099641 | not found |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14559-RCA-305 | Idler Pulley Shim | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 14551-RCA-A01 | Timing Belt Idler Bolt | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 90168-TA1-A00 | Page 2 of | 2 | eBay Motors → |
| 91319-R70-A01 | O-Ring | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 90002-R70-A00 | — | 1 | |
| 90165-SDA-A00 | — | 1 | |
| 90161-SDA-A01 | — | 1 | |
| 90002-R8A-A00 | — | 3 | |
| 91319-PAA-A01 | O-Ring | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 15302-5G0-A00 | Oil Filter Base Gasket | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 18393-SJA-A01 | Pre-Chamber Gasket | 1 | eBay Motors → |
| 90163-SDA-A01 | — | 2 | |
| 90161-T2A-A00 | — | 2 | |
| 90164-TY3-A01 | — | 2 | |
| 90371-SEF-000 | Flange Nut 12 mm | 4 | eBay Motors → |
| 90212-SA5-003 | Self-Lock Nut 10 mm | 3 | eBay Motors → |
Labour operation and the time the manufacturer allows
| Operation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1110A7 | Diagnose, and install an idler pulley shim | 2.6 hrs |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (18 pages), read Oct 4, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches Acura’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
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The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Doing the repair yourself, or pricing it before the shop does? Search the part by fitment on eBay Motors — the listing and the price are the seller’s.
Find the belts and associated pulleys for the 2019 MDX →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 15 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,608 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 605 of them name Engine — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
On the 2016 Acura MDX, the 54 owners who gave an odometer reading for Engine reported it at a median of 66,701 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
The car does not restart after it has turned off during an idle stop. This is part of the start/stop system. The stop/start feature will leave you stranded at stoplights due to a failure to restart the car. To restart, you must put the car in Park mode and hit the start/stop button at least twice to turn it off, then turn on the car.
2019 Acura TLX · Engine · filed with NHTSA Nov 23, 2022 · ODI 11494676
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.
2018 Acura RLX · Engine · filed with NHTSA May 18, 2026 · ODI 11738529
While accelerating the car started stuttering and lost power. It seemed like it was in neutral. At the light I shifted to park and back to drive and the same problem occurred. I was only 2 blocks from home so I checked all fluid levels and they are all ok. I drove the car around the block several times and the problem went away
2016 Acura RDX · Engine · filed with NHTSA Apr 19, 2021 · ODI 11412945
In depth: 2019 Acura MDX engine problems → · 2018 Acura MDX engine problems → · 2017 Acura MDX engine problems → · 2016 Acura MDX engine problems →
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the engine
Source: same model, same component group32 other manufacturer communications filed against these Acura models under the same component group (engine), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Acura list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTI&05122026901 | Other | May 13, 2026 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction In… |
| BTI&04292026901 | Other | Apr 29, 2026 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction In… |
| BTI&04202026901 | Other | Apr 20, 2026 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction In… |
| BEBM12032025901 | Other | Dec 3, 2025 | Dealer Message - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically re… |
| B25-049 | Service bulletin | Sep 17, 2025 | Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover. |
| B25-048 | Service bulletin | Sep 17, 2025 | Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover. |
| BPS&08122025901 | Other | Aug 12, 2025 | Dealer Message - Acura is also implementing an additional (1) twenty-four (24) month period for 2015 model year Acura TLX vehicles, commenci… |
| BTI&07312025903 | Other | Aug 1, 2025 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2023-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a no auto re-start… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Acura, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Acura B14-025 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the B14-025 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Honda warranty extension on file lists the ones Honda has filed.
Which vehicles does B14-025 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 15 model years: 2019 Acura MDX, 2018 Acura MDX, 2017 Acura MDX, 2016 Acura MDX, 2018 Acura RDX, 2017 Acura RDX and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.