Acura ILX Oil Change: Keeping a 2013 to 2022 ILX Healthy

Acura stopped building the ILX after 2022, which means every one on the road now has some years and miles on it. Around Stead and Sun Valley plenty of them are second or third cars, still doing the run down US-395 into Reno every day. An older ILX is a simple, durable car, and the oil change is where we catch the small things that keep it that way. It came with three powertrains, and which one you have shapes the visit.

Three ILX powertrains

Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice compiles the Acura grades and lists the 2.4 at 0W-20, with the note to follow the owner's manual where it differs. For the 2.0-liter and hybrid cars we read the cap and the book rather than repeat a number we could not confirm.

The Minder on an older car

Acura's Maintenance Minder guide describes a display that counts oil life down to 15 percent, when it starts reminding you, and to 5 percent, when service is due now. Codes tell you what else is due: A is oil, B is oil, filter and an inspection, and the numbers add tire rotation, air filters, transmission fluid, spark plugs and valve clearance, and coolant. On an ILX past 100,000 miles, those numbered items are where the real maintenance happens, so we read the full code to you.

High miles and the right oil

A 2.4 with a lot of miles may start to use a little oil between changes. That is normal within limits, and the fix is checking the dipstick every few fill-ups, not switching to a thicker grade than the manual lists. If you want a high-mileage formula, we offer one in the grade your manual calls for; see our high-mileage oil change page. We also look for seepage at the valve cover and oil pan and tell you what we see before anyone talks about repairs.

The eight-speed DCT and other fluids

The 2016 and newer ILX uses an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a torque converter, and it uses Honda's own fluid on a Minder sub-code 3. The earlier five-speed automatic has its own fluid too. We check for leaks at every visit and handle a transmission fluid service when the code calls for it. Brake fluid on an older ILX is worth testing; it absorbs moisture over time, and the Minder flags it on its own schedule.

Smog checks on a Washoe ILX

An ILX registered in the Washoe testing area is long past its first three registrations, so the Nevada DMV requires an emissions test at every renewal, and a passing test is valid for 90 days. Our two Reno service centers on Mae Anne Avenue and Longley Lane can do the smog check and the oil change in the same stop.

An ILX in our lane

1. Drive in at any of our four service centers, no appointment needed.
2. Minder code read, 0W-20 or the grade on your cap poured, new filter, level checked on the dipstick.
3. Engine and cabin air filters shown; tires, lights, wipers and coolant checked; battery tested at participating locations.
4. Minder reset and a plain summary, including anything worth watching on an older car.