2014 Acura ILX

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
25–38 mpgcombined; city 22–38, highway 31–38; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,590–$16,100U.S. average; Ohio $9,980–$15,170 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
5over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
30filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2014 ILX. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 ILX. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air bags21100
Electrical system3010
Engine3010
Exterior lighting2010
Power train2100
Steering2000
Back over prevention1000
Fuel system, gasoline1001
Fuel/propulsion system1000
Seat belts1101
Service brakes1000
Wheels1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 201366
  2. 201430
  3. 201519
  4. 201652
  5. 201720
  6. 201823
  7. 201936
  8. 202010
  9. 202111
  10. 20223

Every ILX year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2014 ILX over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Power train: driveline

NHTSA campaign 20V770000 · reported Dec 10, 2020 · 248,358 vehicles potentially affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles with a manual transmission and 2009-2013 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The drive shafts' protective coating may not have been applied properly during manufacturing, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt, or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.

Risk: A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing either the left or right drive shaft, if necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk with an interim letter mailed February 2, 2021. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are P9M, PAV, BAY, TAX, CA0, and MAZ.

NHTSA's record and documents

Air bags: frontal

NHTSA campaign 19V182000 · reported Mar 6, 2019 · 1,101,534 vehicles potentially affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

NHTSA's record and documents

Fuel system, gasoline: storage

NHTSA campaign 19V052000 · reported Jan 24, 2019 · 4,455 vehicles potentially affected

Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. The vehicles may have a deformed fuel tank, raising the height of the fuel pump and allowing the fuel level float to stick, possibly causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate fuel level.

Risk: If the fuel gauge displays that the vehicle has more gas than it actually does, the vehicle may run out of gas and stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is H3U, Z3T.

NHTSA's record and documents

Air bags: frontal

NHTSA campaign 16V061000 · reported Feb 3, 2016 · 2,232,187 vehicles potentially affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.

NHTSA's record and documents

Exterior lighting: headlights

NHTSA campaign 14V323000 · reported Jun 13, 2014 · 14,078 vehicles potentially affected

American Honda Motor Co., Inc (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2013 Acura ILX vehicles manufactured January 16, 2012 to March 1, 2013, ILX Hybrid vehicles manufactured January 12, 2012 to February 7, 2013, and certain model year 2014 ILX vehicles manufactured May 2, 2013, to May 31, 2014, and ILX Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 18, 2013 to February 19, 2014. Excessive heat temperatures around the headlight bulb and reflector unit may diminish the output of the headlight and cause smoke, melting, and fire. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk: The diminished light output may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Additonally, the excessive heat coming from around the bulb and reflector could cause the headlights to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlights, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-862-2872. Honda's number for this recall is JE9.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 54 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2014 ILX, the latest on Feb 28, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: air bags (29), equipment (14), electrical system (6), exterior lighting (4), back over prevention (1).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Defect petition DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
Electrical systemJan 27, 2023Closed Aug 7, 2023
Petition withdrawn
NHTSA's record and documents
Engineering analysis EA21002
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
Air bagsSep 17, 2021Open
NHTSA's record and documents

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2014 ILX.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6–9 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
ILX
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (S5)Premium Gasoline24 / 34 / 27
ILX
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 6-spdPremium Gasoline22 / 31 / 25
ILX Hybrid
Front-Wheel Drive
1.5 L, 4 cylAutomatic (AV-S7)Premium Gasoline38 / 38 / 38

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data