2016 Acura ILX Problems: 8 Known Issues

On the 2013-2022 Acura ILX, the Denso-supplied in-tank fuel pump module fitted across virtually the entire ILX production run uses an impeller that was molded with insufficient density and inadequately dried. The impeller absorbs fuel, swells, and interferes with the pump body. The pump then fails to deliver pressure - typically presenting first as a long crank or a hard start, then progressing to an engine stall that can happen at road speed with no warning and no restart. The ILX coverage was expanded twice: an initial 2019-2020 campaign (21V215, itself an expansion of ) was later broadened to cover 2013-2023 ILX under 23V858, so this spans every powertrain the car was sold with - 2.0 automatic, 2.4 manual, hybrid, and 2.4 DCT alike.

On the 2014-2019 Acura ILX, on a range of ILX built from the 2014 model year onward, the plastic fuel tank was manufactured out of specification and can deform. The deformation changes the geometry the level sender float travels through, so the fuel gauge reads higher than the actual fuel remaining. Drivers run the tank dry while the gauge still shows fuel, producing an unexpected engine stall in traffic. Because the symptom is a gauge reading rather than a warning light, owners commonly misdiagnose it as a bad sending unit and replace the sender - which does not fix a deformed tank.

On the 2016-2022 Acura ILX 2.4L K24W I4, the 2013-2015 ILX 2.4L with the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) exhibits severe shudder, jerking, and hesitation during low-speed driving. The clutch packs engage roughly in stop-and-go traffic, and the transmission frequently hunts between gears on slight inclines, making city driving extremely unpleasant.

On the 2016-2019 Acura ILX, a separate and often-confused driveshaft defect affecting the FACELIFT ILX only. During assembly, excessive grease was applied to the driveshaft/intermediate shaft splines. The trapped grease prevents the shaft from seating fully into the transmission, so the retaining clip may never engage. The shaft can then work its way out in service and separate from the transmission, causing sudden loss of drive and, as with the corrosion recall, a roll-away risk when parked. Owners frequently conflate this with the 20V770 corrosion campaign - they are different model-year ranges and different root causes, and a 2016+ car is not covered by 20V770.

On the 2013-2016 Acura ILX, the ILX was swept into the Takata ammonium-nitrate inflator recalls in several successive waves. The driver frontal airbag inflator propellant degrades with long-term exposure to high heat and humidity cycling, which can cause the inflator housing to over-pressurize and rupture during deployment, spraying metal fragments into the cabin. The ILX is unusual in that some cars were recalled MORE THAN ONCE: cars repaired in the first wave received an interim 'like-for-like' Takata replacement inflator that was itself later recalled (19V182), and a further 2013-only campaign (19V500) followed. Both the gasoline ILX and the 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid are covered. Owners who assume a single dealer visit closed the matter frequently still have an open campaign against their VIN.

On the 2016-2020 Acura ILX, a late-breaking campaign covering the facelift ILX. Brake fluid that was contaminated during manufacture attacks the rubber seal inside the brake master cylinder, causing it to swell and deform. A deformed seal lets fluid bypass internally, so pedal travel lengthens and braking effort no longer produces proportional pressure - and the fluid can leak externally from the master cylinder. The result is degraded braking performance with increased stopping distance. This affects the 2016-2020 refreshed car only; it is not a first-half-of-production issue.

On the 2013-2022 Acura ILX, on the 2.4L K24 ILX, the variable timing control (VTC) actuator on the intake camshaft is not fully oil-pressurized at first start. The internal locking pin fails to hold the actuator against the sprocket, so for one to two seconds after a cold start the actuator rattles loudly against its stops - a hard metallic grinding or 'bag of bolts' sound from the front of the engine that disappears once oil pressure builds. It is worst in cold weather, after the car has sat overnight, and with stretched oil-change intervals. This is an all-K24-family pattern documented from roughly 2008 onward across Honda and Acura four-cylinders and it carries into the ILX's 2.4. It does NOT apply to the 2.0L R20 or the 1.5L hybrid, which use a different valvetrain, and merging it into a generic 'ILX engine noise' issue is the classic mistake on this nameplate.

On the 2016-2022 Acura ILX 2.4L K24W7 I4, the dual-screen infotainment system in the refreshed ILX suffers from the same lag and responsiveness issues found in other Honda/Acura models using the same platform. The upper screen frequently freezes during navigation, and the lower touchscreen becomes unresponsive to inputs for several seconds at a time.