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Connecting rod bearing failure

4451 Views 20 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  RobsM6S
If you've had this failure, comment w/ your model year, trim level, SH-AWD or front wheel drive, mileage on the engine and oil at the time of the failure. Include the affected cylinder, if you know which one it was. If this has occurred more than once in the same vehicle, include how many times it has occurred. Feel free to share any additional pertinent information.
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Not here in my TLX (see signature for my model, 80k miles). Hope it isn't a new issue for a run of engines.
I'm not sure, but I feel like I've seen a number of discussions where this happened in 2018 3.5 V6 SHAWD. I'm curious how limited it may be.
If you've had this failure, comment w/ your model year, trim level, SH-AWD or front wheel drive, mileage on the engine and oil at the time of the failure. Include the affected cylinder, if you know which one it was. If this has occurred more than once in the same vehicle, include how many times it has occurred. Feel free to share any additional pertinent information.
2015 v6 awd 95000 miles mobil1 synthetic 0w20. 20% oil life. Louder than normal ticking
Noise. Thought it was lifters. Nope.
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I guess I should add mine in here.
2018 v6 SHAWD
  • ~38k Mobil1 Synthetic Extended Performance 0w20, Mobil1 Extended Performance oil filter. Connecting rod bearing on cylinder 2 failed and took out a rod.
  • ~66k Mobil1 Synthetic Extended Performance 0w20, Honda OEM oil filter. Exhibited bearing damage via a low engine knock when idling and letting off the gas.
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I'm not sure, but I feel like I've seen a number of discussions where this happened in 2018 3.5 V6 SHAWD. I'm curious how limited it may be.
Happened to my 2019 V6 AWD :/
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If you've had this failure, comment w/ your model year, trim level, SH-AWD or front wheel drive, mileage on the engine and oil at the time of the failure. Include the affected cylinder, if you know which one it was. If this has occurred more than once in the same vehicle, include how many times it has occurred. Feel free to share any additional pertinent information.
2015 V6 SH-AWD Tech.
95K
Cylinders 2,3,6. First time this happened for this car
Oil- 0W-20 Full synthetic oil API SP/ Oil Filter- V0106
50% Oil Life
If you've had this failure, comment w/ your model year, trim level, SH-AWD or front wheel drive, mileage on the engine and oil at the time of the failure. Include the affected cylinder, if you know which one it was. If this has occurred more than once in the same vehicle, include how many times it has occurred. Feel free to share any additional pertinent information.
2016 SH-AWD TECH 90K MILES CYCLINDER 5 CONNECTING ROD AND BEARING 1ST OCCURRENCE ALL OIL CHANGES DONE AT ACURA DEALERSHIPS. ALL SERVICE UP TO DATE. CURRENTLY COVERED UNDER ACURA CARE AND MPP. AWAITING INSPECTION FOR WARRANTY.
2020 sh-awd a spec
69xxx miles
Always mobil one 0-20 full syn
Cylinders 3&4
Just under the warranty mileage but did all oil changes myself so Acura is offering 0 help.
2016 Base V-6, noticed the ticking at around 72,000 and that was 2 weeks after my last oil change. I took it to a quick lube shop, don't know what they put in it. I had to get my car towed to my Acura Dealership after it broke down. I was told it was 1.3 quarts low on oil and an engine replacement was needed. Now I'm on my second engine and I want to monitor this engine and maintenance like a hawk.
2016 Base V-6, noticed the ticking at around 72,000 and that was 2 weeks after my last oil change. I took it to a quick lube shop, don't know what they put in it. I had to get my car towed to my Acura Dealership after it broke down. I was told it was 1.3 quarts low on oil and an engine replacement was needed. Now I'm on my second engine and I want to monitor this engine and maintenance like a hawk.
I wonder if you have any possible recourse with the quick lube shop? Did you have a warranty that helped with the engine replacement? I image that a new or used engine would be quite expensive.

After hearing about the oil change nightmares many yrs. ago, I always check the oil level after a change, even when done at the dealer. My 2015 V6 is sitting at 104K miles and does not use any oil in between changes, I check the oil and coolant levels at least monthly as a precaution and also look for any possible leaks.
I wonder if you have any possible recourse with the quick lube shop? Did you have a warranty that helped with the engine replacement? I image that a new or used engine would be quite expensive.

After hearing about the oil change nightmares many yrs. ago, I always check the oil level after a change, even when done at the dealer. My 2015 V6 is sitting at 104K miles and does not use any oil in between changes, I check the oil and coolant levels at least monthly as a precaution and also look for any possible leaks.
The shop owner called and told me about every oil change service that I had from 3 different shops since owning the car. He goes on to tell me I’m supposed to change my oil every 3000 miles per the factory recommendations but I could change it 7,000 - 9,000 miles. I go by the maintenance minder. So, No he didn’t help me. I do have an extended warranty that covered $8,700 of the $9,100 for the replacement. Since I got the car back, I only use premium and check my oil levels periodically. Lastly, I had to have them update my transmission software a second time, after nearly getting stranded on the highway. The engine is smoother that ever though.
The shop owner called and told me about every oil change service that I had from 3 different shops since owning the car. He goes on to tell me I’m supposed to change my oil every 3000 miles per the factory recommendations but I could change it 7,000 - 9,000 miles. I go by the maintenance minder. So, No he didn’t help me. I do have an extended warranty that covered $8,700 of the $9,100 for the replacement. Since I got the car back, I only use premium and check my oil levels periodically. Lastly, I had to have them update my transmission software a second time, after nearly getting stranded on the highway. The engine is smoother that ever though.
Glad you had the extended warranty and the car is running great, a $9,100 bill would have been brutal.
Lol my dealer quoted me $21k and was going to discount to $16k to "offer what help they could"
Lol my dealer quoted me $21k and was going to discount to $16k to "offer what help they could"
That's insane, obviously that is for a new engine. If I was out of warranty I would have to go the used engine route, of course it would need to have a decent warranty.
Glad you had the extended warranty and the car is running great, a $9,100 bill would have been brutal.
Yeah, that had me a bit worried if the Ext Warranty Company would even approve the work.
3.5 V6. Spun bearing at 63k miles. It was still under warranty. Acura provided new block, headers, injector rail, timing belt, etc. Was told cost would have been $23K if not covered under warranty. Yeah, right.

Anyway, Acura scrutinized my maintenance history. But there was no way they could get out of it since I had been religious with getting the oil changed and conducting regular maintenance at the Honda/Acura dealerships (at a huge PITA and cost). I have always changed my own oil on my vehicles but was enlightened a few years ago to always use the dealership for oil changes and maintenance while the car is under warranty. Best advice I have received for car ownership. Acura had a record of all the oil changes and maintenance work done on the car so there was no way they could talk themselves out of covering it.

Had I done my own oil changes and maintenance (which i do on my wife's van), they could have easily denied coverage as they could have said that there's no evidence I followed the oil change or maintenance recommendations.
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3.5 V6. Spun bearing at 63k miles. It was still under warranty. Acura provided new block, headers, injector rail, timing belt, etc. Was told cost would have been $23K if not covered under warranty. Yeah, right.

Anyway, Acura scrutinized my maintenance history. But there was no way they could get out of it since I had been religious with getting the oil changed and conducting regular maintenance at the Honda/Acura dealerships (at a huge PITA and cost). I have always changed my own oil on my vehicles but was enlightened a few years ago to always use the dealership for oil changes and maintenance while the car is under warranty. Best advice I have received for car ownership. Acura had a record of all the oil changes and maintenance work done on the car so there was no way they could talk themselves out of covering it.

Had I done my own oil changes and maintenance (which i do on my wife's van), they could have easily denied coverage as they could have said that there's no evidence I followed the oil change or maintenance recommendations.
Happy to hear it is being taken care of. Acura should have a handle on this problem, I bet there have been hundreds of failures. Hopefully those with failures will place their complaints with the NHTSA to draw attention.
Is your car by chance a SH-AWD (seems to be the most affected)? It looks like your TLX is a 2018 or newer. Good luck with everything.
I wonder if you have any possible recourse with the quick lube shop? Did you have a warranty that helped with the engine replacement? I image that a new or used engine would be quite expensive.

After hearing about the oil change nightmares many yrs. ago, I always check the oil level after a change, even when done at the dealer. My 2015 V6 is sitting at 104K miles and does not use any oil in between changes, I check the oil and coolant levels at least monthly as a precaution and also look for any possible leaks.
I initially blamed the shop but out of some wizardry, the owner was able to pull up every oil change and interval I ever had on my car at any shop. I later on got to find out about the Honda Lawsuit and how bad oil consumption can be on many V-6 models. Yes, I have a warranty thru Ally Premier good for 85,000 miles. They paid for most of the repair bill cause it was a total of $9,100 Acura quoted me for, I pad about $1500 in labor.
I love my car butI just can't stand this VCM. I wonder if that could be a point of failure as well.
If you've had this failure, comment w/ your model year, trim level, SH-AWD or front wheel drive, mileage on the engine and oil at the time of the failure. Include the affected cylinder, if you know which one it was. If this has occurred more than once in the same vehicle, include how many times it has occurred. Feel free to share any additional pertinent information.
2017 TLX Technology V6 SH-AWD with 31k miles (yes, ~5k miles per year). In with the dealer for lower engine warranty replacement for spun bearing damage. Synthetic oil changes w filter 2x per year, nothing but BP Ultimate since I took delivery. No sure which bearings/rods were affected
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