What Causes Hesitation on Acceleration in the Acura TLX?

According to consumer reports and at least one lawsuit, the Honda Acura TLX may be affected by a dangerous defect that can cause issues with maintaining speed, including hesitation on acceleration, or unintended deceleration.

What Is Hesitation on Acceleration?

Hesitation on acceleration occurs when a vehicle fails to accelerate, or speed up, when the driver presses on the gas. The vehicle may seem to hesitate to gain speed. A similar issue known as unintended deceleration may also occur, where the vehicle suddenly loses speed without warning. These issues may be dangerous, and are often caused by a defect with the vehicle.

What Causes Engine Hesitation on Acceleration?

Problems with acceleration or deceleration may be caused by a variety of factors. In the case of the Honda Acura, these vehicles may have been equipped with a defective fuel pump. According to some consumers who have purchased Honda Acuras and experienced issues with acceleration or deceleration, Honda may have been aware of the faulty fuel pump but continued to install it in vehicles.

Honda vehicles have a throttle by wire system, which controls the rate of acceleration or deceleration through the use of a sensor that is attached to the gas pedal. This sensor measures how much the pedal has been pressed, and relays this information to the throttle control computer. However, the vehicle’s engine and transmission also send information to the throttle control computer. If the instructions sent by these three parts conflict, it may result in the malfunctioning of the throttle and unintended acceleration or deceleration.

What Should You Do if You Experience Acura TLX Hesitation During Acceleration?

Experiencing hesitation during acceleration or deceleration may be a scary experience. If this happens while you are driving, you may want to find a safe place to pull over and park. Sudden acceleration or deceleration can be very dangerous, especially if it occurs on the highway. Due to the vehicle’s unpredictability, it may result in accidents. You may want to have an auto mechanic check your car as soon as possible before continuing to drive the vehicle.

Should You Join an Acura TLX Class Action Lawsuit?

If you have experienced problems with your Acura TLX failing to accelerate, or suddenly losing speed, you may qualify to join a class action lawsuit. Speaking to a qualified attorney about your case may be one way to determine what your legal options are.

Victims who join or file class action lawsuits may be eligible to receive compensation or reimbursement for the costs of fixing the defective vehicle, as well as potential additional compensation for any injuries or damages that occurred due to the faulty Acura fuel pump.

What Acura Hesitation During Acceleration Lawsuits Have Been Filed?

Many victims of hesitation during acceleration or unintended deceleration have filed lawsuits regarding these potentially dangerous issues. NHTSA has reported on the deceleration issue as well.

One recent lawsuit filed in California is seeking class action status in order to represent all owners of 2016-2020 Honda Acura MDX vehicles, as well as 2019-2020 RDX vehicles. Plaintiff Roby P. filed his lawsuit against the American and Japanese branches of Honda Motor Company after experiencing deceleration issues with his vehicle.

Roby states that he purchased his 2019 Honda Acura MDX in December 2018 from an authorized dealership. The lawsuit notes that Honda promises “Precision Crafted Performance” for the luxury Acura line. After he had had the vehicle for approximately a year and a half, however, Roby began to experience issues with the car.

On or about March 7, 2020, Roby claims that he was driving on the highway and using cruise control when the vehicle’s speed suddenly dropped from 75 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour. This unintended deceleration allegedly happened twice during a span of approximately 20 minutes. Thankfully, there was no car accident.

A few days later, Roby claims that he brought the vehicle in to a Honda dealership authorized to provide repairs and other services. However, after his car was examined at the dealership, he was told that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle.

Four days later, on March 14, 2020, Roby claims that the unintended deceleration happened again. This time, he claims that his Acura suddenly decelerated to a stop while he was driving slowly through a parking lot. Roby claims that he was not braking at the time when this occurred, and that the car spontaneously decelerated on its own.

He brought the car back to the Honda dealership on March 17 to be inspected once again, and claims that he was again told that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Roby claims in his lawsuit that he continues to experience the deceleration issue with the car.

Roby’s Honda Acura Lawsuit is Case No:  3:20-cv-00676-CAB-AHG, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Join a Free Honda, Acura, and Subaru Fuel Pump Recall Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you own a Subaru or Honda manufactured between 2013 and 2019 and have experienced engine problems such as reduced engine power, stalling, and/or engine shutdown due to a faulty fuel pump, you may qualify to join this investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.