Acura TSX Maintenance and Repair

toons01

According to the 2005 Quick Start Guide, it says "At times, the enigne may take longer to start than usual; the engine transmission software is working to reduce emissions at startup."

 

This is on the first page, first bullet point under the "Things You Need to Know" section.

 

hope that explains it.

jkobty2

The trick is to turn on the ignition key, but do not crank it till after a few seconds. Watch your display panel, and when you notice that your fuel guage is initialized, then crank it.

I think what happens is when the engine is shut-off, all remaining fuel is sucked back into the fuel tank. So the next time around you need to wait slightly till the gas has been pumped back to the engine. You will not speed this process if you start cranking immediately, the engine will just turn but will not start.

christina271

thank you for the responses...

i am concerned that the battery is not fully charging-sometimes the day after a long trip, the battery cranks slowly..wondering whether anyone has had either battery or alternator problems with the 04

kaisha

i also experience a high idle speed, but it only occurs when first starting the car. after the car is warm, the idle speed is normal. are you experiencing the high idle speed consistently?

saruhhh

Yeah. I've kinda realized that it's when the car has just started.

kenn_tsx

i heard this noise and acura ran test and test finally they figured out it was my release bearing(throw out bearing) had to be replaced and when they did that they found that the springs on my clutch were rubbing on the flywheel... but yes i am hard on my car but just a heads up... wasnt cheap!!! even though i didnt have to pay for it.. it was all under warranty... but thats just a heads up...

thepdmm

I have yet another question, sorry been so wordy!

I have a 04 TSX and my wife has mentioned that the passenger seat only heats the bottom (not the backrest), however the driver's side heats both the bottom and the backrest. Are the heated seats different from passenger to driver's side?

thanks

ronabi

Yes, they are different. The seat back on the passenger side has equipment installed to sense occupancy of that seat (including height and weight, I think) which is used to determine correct deployment of the passenger side airbags. So, lack of heat in the passenger seat back is by design and not a defect.

thepdmm

Thanks,

Now if I can only find someone who will answer my door rattle issue I will be 100% happy!

uncledavid

I've been able to solve all my rattle issues in the TSX by cleaning the gaskets around the doors and sunroof, and then applying Vinylex or NXT protectant. The goal is to get those gaskets clean and smooth. The fault tolerances in the TSX are low, and the gaskets are close to frame. If there is any grit or dirt that gets trapped in their, you'll hear lots of squeaking and rattles.

kagedude

Hi, anyone know the real trade-in value of a 2004 Acura TSX 5psd NonNAV Satin Silver in the Rockland, NY area?

KBB shows 21700 while Edmunds show 21000 for excellent condition with specs below:
It has 14000 miles.
Car does not need to be reconditioned.
Exterior - Zero dings/dents.
Interior - Still smells new.

Is it also possible to trade down? I'm looking to trade it in for a commuter car.

kagedude

I went to the Mazda dealership yesterday and picked up the 3i 4dr auto/sport for $16500 and traded in my TSX for $21K. Its actually not bad if you count the tax savings. Its like I sold my car for $22379.

I really love Acura and its resale value. Hate to have to trade it in but I just really needed a commuter car.

Nice posting here.

indydriver

I don't understand your position that you had to trade the TSX because, "I just really needed a commuter car."

kagedude

Remember that Acura described TSX owners as passion buyers? My TSX has always been my baby and couldn't see driving it to work every single day and for reasons below.

1. I drive 600 miles a week.
2. With the mileage that I do, the warranty would expire in less than 2 years.
3. To replace 17inch tires every year and a half will be quite expensive.
4. Main thing that was getting to me was no body side molding. I couldn't stand parking it and having to think about people accidentally hitting the door. Seen too many RSX, MDX and CLs with weird door dings... dented vertical lines around 8inches.
5. I'm too paranoid with this car. Remember the Jetta commercial with the supermarket cart. I'm that guy.

My old commuter car used to be a 2002 Hyundai Accent GL. I just thought I needed something better to make me feel good about driving everyday. I think the Mazda 3i fills in quite nicely.

c_hunter

The Mazda 3 is actually quite a nice little car, I hope it works out well for you. I would probably get one myself if I was in the market for that kind of car.

Regarding the bodyside molding, if you are desperate enough, you can always have some installed on the car. For a couple hundred bucks, you can have molding sized and painted to match the car (ie, not the typical black K-mart syle molding). Acura even offers it for several models (but not TSX if I remember right). Anyway, I would not let molding be a factor!

Craig

indydriver

No offense, but, that is one of the strangest rationales I've ever heard for getting rid of a car you love. I would think with all the time you spend commuting, you would want to be in the car you love i.e., the TSX. The warranty, tires and door dings are simple maintenance items that you will have to deal with on any car. It would be a lot cheaper to invest in the upkeep of your TSX than buying another car. I don't get it.

kagedude

No offense taken. Never said I had a normal rationale but just to explain, my area which is the NY metro area is very dense. You park your car bumper to bumper or door to door. Space is a premium here. Cars with no protective moldings will suffer big time. Have you ever seen pictures of the yellow cabs with those big ridiculous bumper guards? I didn't even get started on the potholes. Some cars you see, you'd think they've been in a fender bender like my 94 mazda protege .

So if my goal in owning a TSX is to preserve its looks as well as mechanical maintenance, where I live and how much I drive is too much that it doesn't do justice to the car. I guess I see the TSX more as a collectible than a transportation vehicle.

Btw, I've been to Chicago and Indiana and aside from rust, late model cars there seem to be in good condition from door dings and bumper scrapes.

kagedude

Thanks Craig. I definitely was desperate enough that I did order the Acura molding from sportwing.com. I was so disappointed to find out the molding from the pic which flares out is not what they shipped. They said they stopped making that exact shape and went with the standard straight moldings. I just gave up there.

I picked up my blue Mazda 3i today and I must say, the front kinda follows the shape of the TSX and the interior is not too bad. It has the stereo controls on the steering wheel and it has the auto/manual shift. I've been calling it the mini TSX today and the best part is it comes with the body side molding.

tarnowdriver

Hello Everyone,
I'm new here from Park Ridge, IL. I just picked up an 05 silver/ebony TSX 6-speed with preinstalled splash guards AND body-side molding, yes body side molding. Here is the story, upon visiting several Acura dealers, at one, I have noticed that an already sold TSX had a black body side molding installed - you can use TL molding to install on a TSX, however, at this time only 2 colors match to my knowledge: silver and black. Initially Naperville dealer was sceptical to install TL's molding with guides but I told them other dealer did it. So they did it the 1st time and did it right too. Molding looks great and I'm not so afraid to go grocery shopping Jewel/Dominicks... . I have not driven the car much yet, we have snow and it's sitting in the garage until weather gets better. Hope this note will help those of you who need body-side molding.
Thanks.

26pt2runner

Body-color side mouldings are optional on the TSX

tblazer503

i dissapear for a couple of months and everyone is busy.... same ol' complaints though.

Ronabi- something you can try to do to improve the ride is 16" rims. I believe they should fit since the brakes look pretty similar to the Accord's. That will give you a little more 'rubber flex' but with a cushy ride comes less sporty ride and that includes vehicle response. other than that, you can get a really nice suspension setup , but that would be $$$$

Unfortunately, clutch issues are hard to claim after 30k miles. heck, if you drive like i do, you can wear a clutch out in 30k, my average speed on my trip computer is 20mph. sometimes as low as 15mph. loooootts and loooots of stop and go traffic... good thing i got auto It certainly can't hurt to get acura to pay for say half the bill, though... worth a shot. but thats like asking them to pay for your new tires after 10k miles... very unlikely...

c_hunter

I would not go lower than the recommendation -- the tires will be much more prone to hydroplaning in wet weather with low tire pressure.

I hate to say it, but TSX is not the car for you if you are concerned about ride comfort. Accord is a slightly better choice -- they trade handling for a cushier ride.

16" wheels/tires, if they fit, is about the best fix I can think of. Check the Tire Rack website -- they will know what fits.

CRaig

smhaske

I am having a similar problem. I bought TSX ‘05 just 15 days ago and almost every day in mornings when I start driving the car there is a sort-of friction noise and my foot (which is on accelerator / break) can feel that friction just for a moment (less than a second) and then that noise goes and never comes back during that drive.
After going through these posts I am kinda getting nervous. Could this be some thing major ??

c_hunter

That is the ABS activation/startup. It's perfectly normal.

Craig

nowakj66

This is probably unanswerable BUT.

Observation - there seem to be more perceived issues from TL owners than TSX owners.

What can we conclude from this - the TSX is a less troublesome car? Or there are simply more TL owners and therefore more complaints?

manavi

Maybe TL owners feel they have a right to be more nitpicky since they paid more for their car? I would probably feel that way.

I mean, the more you pay for something, the more resentment you have if it's not perfect.

If I bought a brand new $7,000 Kia Rio, I don't think I would have the guts to go back to the dealership because it had a rattle somewhere.

rko2

I agree that there seems to be more complaining about the TL, but remember that there are many more TLs on the road (which means more opportunities for things to go wrong). No matter how much money you spend on a car, it will not be perfect. Plus, people are much more likely to post a message about something wrong than to post messages about the things they like on a car. If all I read were posts in the edmunds.com forum I think I would be so depressed that I would just ride a bike everywhere.

Also, after visiting the auto show and sitting in many cars, there is still no other car I would rather have than my TSX. Even if I could spend thousands more. It's not scientific, but after so many people have sat, slammed doors, reclined the seats, etc., I still liked the feel of the TSX interior over jaguar, saab, volvo, and lower end mercades. And of course, driving the TSX manual is awesome. I will take a rattle here and there over rough roads any day of the week in order to be comfortable while pushing 70mph around a tight clover leaf on ramp and then blowing by the BMW in front of me.

johnny420

Nice. I agree that you can get a skewed view of a cars problems if you frequent forums like this. Check some of the enthusiast TSX sites for more posts about the positive aspects of the car.

That's cool you'd still buy the TSX after sitting in all those other cars. The car does corner like it's on rails. Not sure about the part about blowing past bimmers, but whatever works for you :-). Maybe if they were trying harder it wouldn't be so easy.

The TSX is definitely a blast to drive. I think carving turns is every bit as entertaining as hard acceleration.

Johnny

ellen4

Yes, I noticed that my outside temperature is reading about 7 degrees higher than the actual temperature. I noticed this because 1) It seemed colder than the temperature guage indicated and 2) My guage was reading 7 degrees higher than the temperature display at the bank that I drove past.
I don't have a solution. I'll ask the dealer about it next time I bring the car in.

johnny420

Check your owners manual. The gauge can be adjusted using the reset button at the gauges, to the tune of, I believe, plus or minus three degrees.

It's a simple operation.

Johnny

robr2

Also don't assume that the temp on the bank sign is correct.

cargoes

The similar drifting problem happened in my one-month-old TSX.

Especially, when I stop the car at red light, if the road is not 100% level, the steering wheel will quickly turns 90 degrees by itself! The car goes wherever it WANTS to go, either to the left side of the road or to the right, just doesn't stay on the track. Unbelievable! Just don't understand!

I took the car back to the dealer, they could not fix it and just let me take a test drive on another brand new TSX, and it happened the same - the car is drifting, the steering wheel turns by itself when breaking!

Someone said this is the sport car and it happens like this. Does anyone have any clew? Thanks.

u2fan4688

I had the exact same problem and just dropped off my 2005 TSX at Acura of Boston today to have it checked. I test drove a demo TSX with the technician and he agreed that my steering feels sticky and not fluid like the demo model. They are contacting Tech Line in California and replacing the Power Steering unit today.

I'll keep ya posted.
Keith
Massachusetts

kyfdx

That is "tramlining".

The vertical grooves of your tires are getting caught in the grooves of the road... When you have wide, performance oriented tires.. It is most noticeable at low speeds, when braking..

Hold tight to the wheel... it won't take off, if you don't let it.. and when it comes time to buy new tires, avoid tires with vertical grooves... A good tire specialist should be able to point you towards tires that tramline less.

regards,
kyfdx

u2fan4688

Wow! very interesting kyfdx.. I'll keep that in mind. though the service tech agreed that my steering was "toooo" tight and not as fluid as it should be.. so they are replacing the powersteering pump. Hopefully tonight it will be fixed. The loaner I have today doesn't have that problem.

Interesting.. one learns something new every day.
thanks,
Keith.

cargoes

Thanks Keith.
The sticky steering I can accept, as the dealer claimed that is a sport car. I just could not accept the drifting when breaking.

johnny420

"That is "tramlining".

That's exactly what it is, and the TSX is somewhat prone to it. You do get used to it, though.

Johnny

cargoes

Thanks kyfdx,
That sounds interesting. However, the tire effect should not be so obvious to the steering wheel or the entire car. It must be something with the design of the front wheel system which maybe too sensitive to the road.. and returns feedbacks to the steering wheel? Just couldn't figure it out.

Would this be a safety issue when you want to stop the car and it will not stay on the track, instead, the steering wheel can turns by itself in very short time (less than 1/4 of a second) and distance (five feet)? The next day that I drove my car and I stopped at the red right and a BIG bus was just next to me, the steering wheel turned 90 degrees! and I was glad my car didn't run into the bus!

Do all sport cars with wide tires have this kind of characteristic (drifting/turning steering wheel by itself)?

Thanks.
Best Regards,
cargoes

cargoes

Thanks Johnny,
Are there any official descriptions about it? I would have to get used to it if that is the way it was designed...

cargoes

robr2

Could someone possibly be experiencing torque steer??

kyfdx

I was going by the quick pull during braking, as you come to a stop... I think that has to be tramlining.... although, tire pressure and alignment, along with some possible brake caliper problem could contribute..

Torque steer is only during throttle application.. I did notice a little of that when I drove the TSX, but not a lot..

regards,
kyfdx

chiefjs

Keith:

I finally found a TSX owner from Mass. on this forum. I am getting ready to buy and am curious to know what you paid at Acura of Boston. I am looking for an auto with nav.

I know this is not the forum for this, but in the Prices Paid forum everyone seems to be from out west.

Jim
Massachusetts

cargoes

kyfdx,

That is what exactly I meant that the steering wheeling turns by itself. I just wondering how good the way it was design. Tramlining? My dealer said they adjusted the pressure on the brake caliper, but I just didn't feel the difference at all. Confusing...

cargoes

davking

That doesn't sound like a drift or tramlining to me. Sounds like a pull caused by a brake grabbing on the side of the pull.

u2fan4688

Jim,
Acura of Boston was great. I highly recommed them.. They treated me very well and we very pleasant to deal with.

I paid $26 even for the 2005 auto without navigation. A very fair price.

However, they did tell me that its very difficult to get a car with Navigation.. no matte what color.. you may have to give up on color to get the Nav.

If you need anymore info you can email me
Keith

u2fan4688

My dealer just replaced the power steering unit and the "drifting" problem was much better. Not 100% totally gone, but better.

the technician and I test drove 2 other 2005 TSXs with 400 miles on them and neither exhibited the "drifting".. and both drove a little "smoother" in the steering than mine.

So the pulled the power steering box out of the other demo and put it in mine and the result was noticably better. I still get a little drifting.. but its not real bad. Mine also checked the tire pressure and alignment and all were fine. Brakes were also fine..so any residual "drifting" is probably due to "tramlining" as outlined in earlier posts.

Lovin my new TSX.. me thinks I'll pop open the sunroof today
Keith.

cargoes

Thanks davking,
I got the same feeling...may be the forces on both side of braking disc are not balanced. The dealer said that they had checked the pressures of the breaking system (didn't know they really checked). No improvement.
cargoes

stevekramer

My TSX was about 5º higher, too. The owner's manual says to push the reset button until it selects the outside temperature gauge, and then hold it in to select the adjustment you want (± 5º).
After pressing the reset button about 20 times and noticing that it only shifts between trip A and trip B, I called the dealer who told me to bring it in. "The guys in the shop know how to do it".
I figured it out, however: Select trip B (trip A might work, too) and hold in the button. The trip meter will reset to zero, but KEEP HOLDING IN THE BUTTON. It will, after about 10 seconds, select the outside temperature guage and then show 1,2,3,4,5,-5,-4,-3,-2,-1, sequentially. Stop it when you have the adjustment you want.

smhaske

I spoke about this problem with the acura service person and he said that he has heard about this problem before. And that he has asked acura about this and does not have any responce yet...
Also, the noise is not just when in reverse or applying breaks, it just happens ...

szewslowtsx