Acura maintenance: cost, plans and service schedule
Acura has received mixed rankings for reliability, but what does that mean for maintenance and repair costs? We have the answers

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Whether you’re interested in buying an Acura or you already own one, it’s a good idea to know how much upkeep you’re in for. We’ll break down maintenance costs and schedules, how much you can expect to spend keeping your Acura on the road and how that compares with other companies.
Acura has long been considered a reliable brand. However, it has received mixed rankings for dependability over the past few years, which makes predicting maintenance and repair costs difficult.
Jump to insightOn average, Acura vehicles cost less to maintain and repair compared with their luxury counterparts.
Jump to insightAcura provides fairly long factory warranties, but once that coverage expires, you may want to consider an extended warranty if you don’t have the savings to pay for a large repair bill.
Jump to insightAre Acuras expensive to maintain?
Acuras have a long-standing reputation for reliability, which usually translates to affordable maintenance and repairs.
“A vehicle’s overall reliability plays a big part of its maintenance expenses,” said Amelia Nolan, a mechanic with experience working on a variety of brands. “Acuras have a good reputation for lasting a long time without problems, just like models from the parent company, Honda. They’re like roaches. You can’t kill them.”
Acuras have a good reputation for lasting a long time without problems.”
This may not be as true as it once was though. Back in 2019, RepairPal ranked Acura the No. 2 most reliable car brand. However, J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which is based on 2021 model-year vehicles, ranked Acura much lower at 20th out of 29 brands. (Acura placed above the industry average in J.D. Power’s yearly dependability studies from 2013 to 2016, but it has only had an above-average showing once since then.)
The truth of Acura’s reliability may be somewhere in the middle. Using data from 2000 through 2023, Consumer Reports ranked Acura fourth out of 30 automakers for reliability in 2023.
Those are drastically different rankings. And it’s hard to draw definitive conclusions between different rankings because they use different data sets and different methods, but it may pay off to be a little skeptical and prepare for the worst.
How Acura compares with other automakers
According to RepairPal’s 2019 data, the industry average vehicle costs $891 per year to maintain and repair, while Acuras cost $684 per year.
These figures offer a general understanding of post-purchase expenses you can expect with each manufacturer, but if you’re looking for a more specific price point, you want to look at model-specific data.
Acura maintenance and repair costs by model
Upkeep costs for Acura’s most popular models range by about $150 per year. (In general, repair costs for cars and SUVs differ, which is reflected in Acura’s vehicles as well.)
According to Consumer Reports’ latest reliability rankings, Acura’s RDX and TLX both have above-average reliability, while the brand’s two recently redesigned models, the MDX SUV and Integra sedan, come in at average. Here are some estimates (not adjusted for inflation) from RepairPal.
Model | Average maintenance and repair cost* |
---|---|
TLX | $440 per year |
TSX | $415 per year |
MDX | $571 per year |
RepairPal’s figures combine maintenance and repair costs, but it may be helpful to remember that these are often separate expenses. General maintenance includes any precautionary services meant to prolong your car’s life, such as oil changes. On the other hand, repairs are intended to fix parts that malfunction. To give you a better idea of where your money might go, we’ll explore the possible costs that fall into each of these categories.
Acura maintenance cost and schedule
As with any vehicle you purchase, it’s important to keep your Acura in good condition through routine maintenance. All recent Acura models have a Maintenance Minder that tells you when and what needs maintenance on your vehicle, so you shouldn’t have to know your maintenance schedule by memory.
Your owner’s manual will give you a maintenance schedule specific to your vehicle. But in general, you can expect oil changes and tire rotations every 7,500 miles; air filter replacements every 30,000 miles; brake fluid refills every 45,000 miles; engine coolant and transmission fluid replacements every 60,000 miles; and spark plug replacements every 105,000 miles.
Your bill for maintenance services depends on where you go and the time required for each task. While a tire rotation may only cost $35, replacing your engine’s coolant can cost up to $168. Luckily, Acura maintenance prices are typically not as high as those with other luxury vehicles.
Acura also offers a two-year, 24,000-mile maintenance program that includes free oil and oil filter changes and tire rotation services for the new 2023 Integra. Get in contact with your local Acura dealer for other coupons and discounts on standard upkeep.
2019 Acura ILX maintenance costs
If you’re looking to invest in an older make, we’ve outlined prices for the popular Acura ILX below as an example. Just note that these numbers will fluctuate depending on your model and choice of maintenance shop.
Service | Cost* |
---|---|
Tire rotation | $47–$61 |
Engine air filter replacement | $72–$95 |
Cabin filter replacement | $73–$95 |
Brake fluid replacement | $95–$191 |
Tire and wheel assembly rotate and balance | $135–$170 |
Brake fluid flush and refill | $136–$218 |
Engine oil and filter change | $153–$169 |
Engine coolant replacement | $188–$229 |
The Acura ILX is one of the most affordable and reliable high-performance vehicles on the road. Its required maintenance is less frequent than other manufacturers, and cost estimates for the maintenance it does need are lower as well.
“If you’re comparing the costs of the first five years of vehicle ownership across the board, Acuras are a solid choice,” said Nolan. “In my experience, these models won’t depreciate as much, especially after modification as racing or show cars.”
Schedule maintenance for severe driving conditions
Acura recommends more frequent maintenance schedules for vehicles driven under severe driving conditions, which can include regularly driving in extreme temperatures, through stop-and-go traffic, on rough, dusty, salty or mountainous terrain, towing a trailer or extensive idling. If you drive your Acura under these conditions, the recommended maintenance intervals are typically shorter. For precise maintenance intervals, it is best to refer to the specific model's owners manual or consult an Acura dealership.
Acura repair costs
That said, issues can arise, and you should have a plan for dealing with repair costs when something does go wrong with your Acura.
“Almost all sensors started to give trouble and the car froze on highway. Had to get it towed,” wrote Rohit, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer from Quebec. “Apparently, it was due to a bad alternator that stopped charging the battery and that in turn froze all electrical systems like ABS, AWD, power Steering etc. … I was told an oil leak on the alternator was the issue. It costed me $3,000. After getting it fixed, I had the sensor trouble within 3 months again!”
Repair costs are hard to predict because you don’t know what’s going to break down on your car until it happens. While some issues can be resolved with minimal expense, other problems might cost you thousands to fix, as Rohit experienced.
2019 Acura ILX repair costs
We’ve assembled some cost estimates for a selection of Acura ILX fixes below to help you see what repairs might cost you, but bear in mind that this is just a fraction of what can go wrong with your vehicle.
Service | Cost* |
---|---|
Emission system diagnosis and testing | $55 to $69 |
Horn replacement | $92 to $109 |
Windshield wiper motor replacement | $201 to $224 |
Automatic transmission shift cable replacement | $245 to $285 |
Engine front cover gasket replacement | $458 to $561 |
Air bag control module replacement | $692 to $729 |
To help cover the costs of unexpected problems, Acura offers two warranties on its new vehicles: the New Vehicle Limited Warranty and the Powertrain Limited Warranty. The new vehicle warranty lasts for four years or 50,000 miles and covers nearly any part — as long as the malfunction is due to manufacturer error. The powertrain warranty lasts for six years or 70,000 miles and applies to faulty engines, transmissions and front-wheel and rear-wheel drive systems.
Once the manufacturer’s warranty ends, this protection goes away, leaving many people stuck trying to decide whether they want to pay for any repair bills that may arise or find a newer vehicle. There are other options, though.
How can an extended warranty help?
Extended warranties (aka vehicle service contracts) can offer similar protection to your car’s factory warranty, but you’ll have to pay for coverage this time. These plans are available from both dedicated warranty companies and Acura itself. (When we took a deeper look into Acura’s extended warranties, we found that they were mostly useful for protection against catastrophically expensive repairs, but you may have better luck. If you don’t, consider getting quotes from third-party warranty companies.)
Acura also offers choices for prepaid maintenance plans that will get your maintenance expenses out of the way in one go. The Standard A1/B1 and Premium A1/B1 service plans help keep your vehicle in good condition with oil changes, multipoint inspections and complimentary car washes. The Premium option also includes windshield wiper blade inserts and battery maintenance.
» MORE: Car warranty vs. car insurance
Article sources
- RepairPal, “Car Reliability Rating.” Accessed April 5, 2023.
- RepairPal, “Acura TLX Reliability Rating.” Accessed April 5, 2023.
- RepairPal, “Acura TSX Reliability Rating.” Accessed April 5, 2023.
- RepairPail, “Acura MDX Reliability Rating.” Accessed April 5, 2023.
- Acura Info Center, “2023 INTEGRA ACURA MAINTENANCE PROGRAM OVERVIEW.” Accessed April 5, 2023.
- RepairPal, “2019 Acura ILX Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed April 5, 2023.
- Acura, “Acura Pre-Paid Maintenance Menu.” Accessed April 5, 2023.