2021 Acura Ilx Problems and Recalls (10 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2021 Acura Ilx is Lane keeping (30% of 10 owner reports). There are 0 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Lane keeping — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 10 complaints · 0 recalls

What problems show up on the 2021 Acura Ilx?

3 of 10 filings named Lane keeping (30% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (2 reports).

This snapshot lists no safety recalls for this year. That is not a clean bill of health. Still check the VIN at nhtsa.gov.

The 2020 has 9 reports on file; this year has 10. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2021 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 even if this page lists none.
  2. Lane keeping. Confirm the system works if advertised, and that related recalls are closed.
  3. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  4. Automatic braking / collision warning. Ask whether the warning lights stay off and whether related recalls were done.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Lane keeping. 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: Lane keeping 3 complaints · 30.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 1
  • Deaths 0
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 Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) appears in 3 of 10 owner complaints (30.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 3 complaints, 30.0% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 3 · 30.0% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 2 complaints, 20.0% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 crash reports 2 · 20.0% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 1 complaints, 10.0% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 1 crash reports 1 · 10.0% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 1 complaints, 10.0% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 · 10.0% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 10.0% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 10.0% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 1 complaints, 10.0% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 · 10.0% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 6 complaints, 60.0% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 6 · 60.0% 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)
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 3 30.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 20.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 1 10.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 10.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 10.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 10.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 6 60.0% 1 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 Jul 2021. 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 Owner reports Jul 2021 Jan 2026
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 2
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 2
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (0)

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

No safety recalls are on file for this model year in this snapshot.

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 3 of 10 complaints · page 1 of 1
2026-03-20Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11725735
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am reporting a severe and hazardous safety defect in my 2021 Acura ILX involving water intrusion into the headlight assembly, resulting in electrical failure of critical lighting and signaling components. Due to an apparent manufacturing defect in the headlight sealing, moisture is entering the housing and is visibly present as condensation, directly causing system malfunction. This defect leads to intermittent and unpredictable failure of the turn signal (blinker), including failure to activate and spontaneous activation without driver input. As a result, surrounding drivers cannot accurately determine my intended movements, significantly increasing the risk of a collision. Additionally, the headlight intermittently dims or shuts off at night, creating dangerously reduced visibility and unsafe driving conditions. The defect also compromises essential driver-assist safety systems, including blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning, which rely on consistent visibility and signaling. When these systems are impaired, the risk of unsafe lane changes and crashes is substantially elevated. The issue is ongoing, reproducible, and worsens with normal environmental exposure such as rain or humidity. There were no prior warnings. The failure began with visible condensation and has progressed into repeated electrical malfunction affecting multiple safety-related systems. This is a failure of federally required safety equipment, not a cosmetic issue. Loss of lighting, signaling, and safety system reliability presents a clear and unacceptable risk of crash, injury, or fatality. This defect does not appear isolated and may indicate a systemic manufacturing or design failure. Immediate investigation is necessary, and recall action is warranted to prevent further harm to drivers and the public.
2026-03-20Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11725734
CrashFireInjuryDeath
am reporting a serious safety defect in my 2021 Acura ILX involving the front headlight assembly. Water is entering the headlight housing due to what appears to be a manufacturer sealing defect, with visible condensation inside. This is causing electrical malfunction, including intermittent failure of the turn signal (blinker) and inconsistent headlight operation. The components are available for inspection upon request. This defect creates a significant safety hazard. The turn signal will fail to activate or activate randomly, preventing other drivers from knowing when I am changing lanes and increasing the risk of collisions. The headlight also intermittently dims or shuts off at night, reducing visibility and creating dangerous driving conditions. This issue also affects driver-assist safety systems, including blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning, which rely on proper signaling and visibility. When the lighting system malfunctions, these systems are less effective, increasing the risk of unsafe lane changes. The problem is ongoing and reproducible, especially after exposure to moisture. The malfunction occurs intermittently but frequently enough to make the vehicle unsafe. The vehicle has not yet been formally inspected, but inspection is being pursued. There were no warning lights prior to failure. The first symptom was condensation inside the headlight, followed by increasing failure of the blinker and headlight. This does not appear to be an isolated issue and may indicate a broader manufacturing defect. Because this directly impacts visibility and signaling, it is a critical safety concern. This issue should be urgently investigated for a recall to prevent accidents, injuries, or fatalities.
2025-12-19Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11706024
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Acura ILX (VIN: [XXX] ) that has been unreleasable for an extended period due to manufacturer inability to supply a required safety component. The vehicle was involved in an accident on July 6, 2025 and delivered to Caliber Collision in Corpus Christi, Texas. All accident-related repairs have been completed. However, the vehicle cannot be released because a required airbag and/or airbag module is unavailable. American Honda Motor Company, Inc. has advised that the safety component is unavailable to be sold and that no estimated time of availability exists. Due to the safety nature of the missing component, the repair facility has confirmed the vehicle cannot be legally or safely released. The delay is no longer accident-related and is solely due to manufacturer unavailability of a safety-critical, non-cosmetic part. I have requested interim solutions including buyback, rental assistance, or a dealership loaner, and no temporary or permanent solution has been provided. This complaint is submitted to document manufacturer inability to supply a required safety component resulting in extended loss of vehicle use. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Acura Ilx?

Owners named Lane keeping most often — 3 of 10 reports (30%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2021 Acura Ilx?

NHTSA lists 0 safety recall campaigns. This snapshot lists none, which is not a clean bill of health. 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 2021 Acura Ilx?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the system works if advertised, and that related recalls are closed. 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