2020 Acura Ilx Problems and Recalls (9 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2020 Acura Ilx is Glass / wipers / cameras (33% of 9 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Glass / wipers / cameras — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 9 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 2020 Acura Ilx?

3 of 9 filings named Glass / wipers / cameras (33% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (1 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system and Brakes. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2019 has 36 reports on file; this year has 9. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2020 Acura Ilx

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Glass / wipers / cameras. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Glass / wipers / cameras. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Glass / wipers / cameras 3 complaints · 33.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 0
  • Deaths 0
All Acura Ilx years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) appears in 3 of 9 owner complaints (33.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 3 complaints, 33.3% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 3 · 33.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 11.1% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 · 11.1% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 1 · 11.1% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 · 11.1% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 11.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 11.1% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 1 complaints, 11.1% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 · 11.1% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 3 33.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 11.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 11.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 11.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 11.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 11.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 11.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 11.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2021; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 2023. 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2021 Dec 2025 Recall campaign 23V858000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V858000 Recall campaign 25V859000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V859000 Investigation PE25015 ● Investigation PE25015
  • Campaign 23V858000 was reported 991 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 25V859000 was reported 18 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 2
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 23V858000
Recall campaign 1 25V859000
Defect investigation 1 PE25015
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system and Brakes.

  1. Recall campaign 23V858000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 25V859000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    Reduced brake function can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 4, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is RN5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 17, 2025. The information in your report suggests that Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) may have been aware of this issue more than five business days before filing a report with NHTSA. Please be reminded that under Federal law, this agency is to be notified of all safety defect and/or noncompliance decisions within five business days. 49 CFR 573.6 Significant civil penalties can be assessed for this violation.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 9 of 9 complaints · page 1 of 1
2025-11-23Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11701081
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am experiencing an issue with my brakes. When I am at a red light and I brake, I find my brakes start to descend. So it's brake, then the brake moves a bit down towards the floor. Then it moves down a bit more. I am still able to brake but I find that the brake pedal moves down a few times while I am sitting at a red light. I am greatly concerned.
2025-09-11Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11686669
CrashFireInjuryDeath
[XXX] [XXX] Email: [XXX] Subject: CarMax auto and CarMax auto finance RE: CarMax auto finance [XXX] Phone: [redacted] Website: carmax auto finance Transaction Date: 10/23/2023 Amount Paid: 29976 Payment Method: Credit Card I bought a car with Carmax Finance and from the beginning of the car was lemon so I request change. It was denied then I’ll be sending a letter from then I’ll be have issues mechanic paint depreciation I’ll be sending the letters to every single complain organization looking for help and nothing CarMax finance INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2025-04-11Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 11654004
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I live in a colder climate, we’re were experiencing temperatures in the 20’s with ice storms. While driving the rear window completely shattered, the rear defroster was on during the time of the incident. I contacted the manufacturer for a remedy, they informed me there is no remedy for my particular vehicle. They suggested I pay out of pocket at a certified Acura dealership to get a dignostic and to get the window fixed. I decided to have the window replaced by Safelite. There is a very big and well known problem with the 2020 Acura RDX for this same scenario happening. There was warning light or indication something was going on with the window. Acura needs to address the problem with the rear defroster as this poses a huge public safety risk when this happens while the vehicle is being driven.
2025-03-11Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 11647721
CrashFireInjuryDeath
the back glass burst for no reason; no impact.
2025-01-17Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11636647
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Smart Unit failure caused constant triggering of the alarm at all hours, headlights would not turn off, dashboard controls shorting out.
2024-12-06Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11629226
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My Acura ILX 2020 has less than 40.000 miles and has a mechanical problem that can not be fixed and it is dangerous for my self and others. In my opinion this is related to the stearing of the car and it is very dagerous knowing that you take your car to be repair and the dealer does not know how to fix it. It makes clicking noise when turning. It is a rattling type noise coming from what sounds like the front, right side of the car. I usually hear it over little bumps but as the day goes on the noise gets louder and the bumps do not have to be that big. I'm not a car technical person, but any type of noise coming from my car is concerning. Other people feedback "I've been to the dealership on three occasions to try to fix the problem. On two of the occasions I was put in an ILX loaner with the exact same noise. " It does matter of what parts is gets change the car keeps making a rattling type noise coming from what sounds like the front. Please refer to this web site for more testimonies of the on going problem with the steering system of the Acura ILX cars, specially my Acura the ILX 2020 model. https://acurazine.com/forums/ilx-382/ilx-suspension-noise-869859/
2023-10-06Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 11548689
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while stopped and preparing to make a left turn, a 2002 Subaru ran a red light and crashed into the driver's side panel. The driver's side seat belt snapped on impact. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bag was deployed. There were no reported injuries. There was no fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who referred her to a collision center. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to a collision center but was unable to obtain and replace the seat belts. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 2,353.
2022-11-09Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 11492908
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The factory original windshield wipers caused micro scratches in the glass. Dirt cannot be thoroughly cleaned from the scratches and collects more dirt during driving. When facing the sun, dirt particles in the scratches reflect in the scratches obstructing clear vision. Changing windshield wipers after just two years of use from new did not correct the problem. This particular vehicle is garaged.
2021-04-01Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11406050
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CON 127 MILLAS DE USO Y MIENTRAS EL VEHCULO ESTABA EN MOVIMIENTO EN EL ESTACIONAMIENTO DE UN CENTRO COMERCIAL SE APAG EL VEHICULO Y NO PRENDI. EL VEHCULO SE COMPR EL 08/01/2020 TENA UNA SEMANA DE COMPRADO.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2020 Acura Ilx?

Owners named Glass / wipers / cameras most often — 3 of 9 reports (33%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2020 Acura Ilx?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system and Brakes. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2020 Acura Ilx?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources