Acura bulletin ONLA8E11022020
What it saysOwner 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). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Acura filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Nov 2, 2020, received Nov 11, 2020, about the electrical system. It names 5 model years (2016–2020). 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 communicationOwner 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.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONLA8E11022020 | Service bulletin | Nov 2, 2020 | 10182477 | PDF, 93 KB |
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.
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 5 model years this bulletin names have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 4 of them name Electrical System, Power Train — 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.
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.
2018 Acura RLX · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Mar 6, 2026 · ODI 11722582
The contact owns a 2016 Acura Rlx. The contact stated that after loading groceries into the trunk of the vehicle, the trunk to was manually closed however, the trunk unlocked independently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no fix for the failure.
2016 Acura RLX · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 1, 2020 · ODI 11362194
****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.
2018 Acura RLX · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Dec 5, 2018 · ODI 11156440
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 electrical system
Source: same model, same component group2 other manufacturer communications filed against the Acura RLX under the same component group (electrical system), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONL6R507142023 | Service bulletin | Jul 14, 2023 | Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, abnormal noise may be heard from the rear when driving straight or making small sid… |
| BBOM09152020 | Service bulletin | Sep 15, 2020 | Dealer Message - Today, September 15, 2020, Acura is announcing a stop sale and emissions recall for certain 2017-2020 MDX Sport Hybrid and… |
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 ONLA8E11022020 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 ONLA8E11022020 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 ONLA8E11022020 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 5 model years: 2020 Acura RLX, 2019 Acura RLX, 2018 Acura RLX, 2017 Acura RLX, 2016 Acura RLX. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.