Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

ladybugs

I purchased the TL in May 2005. I absolutely LOVE it! The headlights are great and the high beams are awesome. I actually have people flashing their lights at me all the time because they think my highbeams are on when they aren't. Really, I have no complaints about this car. Good Luck car shopping!

ladybugs

My glovebox also has started to rattle in my 05 TL. It sounds to me like a screw that is vibrating. Someone had mentioned on this site about their steering-wheel rattling and determined it was their airbag. I hope it is not the passenger airbag. I am taking my car in the the dealer ship this week. I'll let you know if they tell me what the rattle "really" is.

bodble2

You can more or less verify that it is the glove box by driving down a bumpy road, and when it starts to rattle, just reach over with your right hand and press against the door, to see if the rattle stops. (Don't forget to keep your eyes on the road though!) Mine sounds like some loose part vibrating too. But I'm at a loss as to why the rattle stops when I press on the door since I can see no loose parts anyway around the door opening. One possibility is there is something in between the glove box door panels that is rattling.

classicbuff

I have a '96 TL. The battery went dead. I charged it, put in the radio code, and now both my remotes won't lock or unlock the car. I called Acura, and they said that I have "the old style square remotes" that can't be reprogrammed, and that I need to bring the car in to have them look at it. Has anyone else had this happen? I would really appreciate any ideas all of you might have.
Thanks!

ed31cincy

Have you seen another TL coming at you on a bumpy road with the headlights on? I have, and it almost looks like they are flashing their brights at you as they go over the bumps. I have also noticed this with other oncoming cars that have Xenons like Lexus, BMW, Cadillac. I think other people just misinterpret our headlights.

When people flash their high beams at me, I just flash back and give them an education as to just how bright the Xenon high beams are too!!

bethaud

I have noticed there are times when I apply the breaks that the foot pedal suddenly depresses further. I feel like the pedal suddenly looses pressure and moves closer to the floor. It happens about once every time I drive it. I also have noticed that the car downshifts hard sometimes. I took it to the dealer and they couldn't find the problem. Based on my description and frequency of occurance, they are ordering a master cylinder. While waiting for the part I have been paying more attention to when the foot pedal pressure changes. It seems like the car is downshifting when this occurs, could the two be related? Has anyone else had this happen?? I don't want to replace the master cylinder if the problem is really related to the shifting.

Thanks!

bethaud

Don't know if you've purchased a phone yet, but I have an '05 TL and the v710 Motorola phone works great. I haven't had any problems!

telco59

I'm not certain if this is the correct forum or not:
Does anyone know the configurations for installing the large and small cargo nets that come with the 2005 TL? The service guy at my dealership didn't even know how to put them up. I've not been able to find this info anywhere on the internet.

bplayer

There is a picture in the manual of the large net. It shows a three sided configuration, like a box open at the sides and top. My installation looks more like a V and open at the sides. There are many ways that it could be connected which gives you flexibility to match what you need to hold or constrain.

There are pictures of the small net, but the same principle should be used.

tldel

Does anyone know if the the 2005 TL radio can receive Sirius or how to make the conversion from XM to Sirius?

calwhiz

Does this happen even when you have VSA off?

It could just be TL's VSA & Brake Assist *thinks* that you need braking. E.g., this often happens when you are going down hill and are accerlating fast. The car, in this scenario, would down shift and apply harder than normal braking for you when you press the brake pedal

It's a feature If you are having doubts, turn VSA off and take the car down hill and see if the "problem" persists. Don't try it on a rainy day.

aaargh

I'm 95% sure you can't switch the radio from XM to Sirius. It's hardware specific (hardwired to XM).

bmcfarlane

I now have 2,000 miles on my 05 TL w/ NAV. VERY disappointed in the build quality of this vehicle. I have a rattle above the drivers seat, above the passenger seat, in the center speaker, and in the passsenger door. In addition, the leather on the seats is already beginning to crack. Extremely disappointed in Acura as I never had one rattle in previous Toyota/Lexus vehicles I have owned (all made in Japan). I will certainly be trading this out the first chance I have. Too bad, as the NAV & stereo are better than anything out there.

aaargh

Sorry to hear about your rattles. What has your dealer said they will do?

bodble2

Rattles are dangerous to have the dealer try to rectify. I had a slight rattle in the glove box door area. I saw that the door appeared mis-aligned. So I thought that must be the cause of the rattle, and I'd be smart and ask the dealer to re-align the door to kill 2 birds with one stone. The dealer offered to replace with a whole new glove box assembly. So I thought "Great, even better". Afterward, the glove box door was marginally better aligned. But now I got this horrendous rattle/creaking since the onset of colder weather that's annoying enough to make me think about trading in my car! (I used felt strips to try to alleviate the rattle, which helps some. But the fact that I have to resort to home remedies still bothers me :mad: ) If I had known, I would not have gone to the dealer with the problem and just lived with the slight rattle.

I agree with bmcfarlane, the rattles sure spoil what is otherwise an excellent car. I still love the way the car looks after almost 2 years. But if I have to constantly put up with rattles here and there, I'm sure how long I can put up with it!

allergydoc

I found in structions in the owner's manual. I had a 99 TL so I already had a good idea of how I wanted the net to be configured. I feel the small net works better on the right side of the trunk.

taxesquire

That's the side where the navigation DVD sits. I keep the net there, too. Good place to stack smaller items, a long as I'm not concerned about leakage.

bethaud

I hadn't thought about this feature being responsible for the braking issue, but I think you could be right. I have postponed my master cylinder replacement and plan to drive for a couple of days with the VSA off to see if it happens or not. I'll let you know. Thanks so much for responding!

bogiedriver

I just got my new 2006 Tuesday and really love the car, especially the audio system. Can someone tell me if SACD is the same as DVD-A or is it compatible with the TL's audio system?
Amazon.com has both SACD and DVD-A in the same category.
Thanks

carnaught

"........the rattles sure spoil what is otherwise an excellent car. I still love the way the car looks after almost 2 years. But if I have to constantly put up with rattles here and there, I'm sure how long I can put up with it! "

PRECISELY, that's what I've been saying all along.

bodble2

Where are the rattles on your TL? Did you manage to solve any of them?

ed31cincy

No, they are not the same thing. I'm even pretty sure the SACD will not play on the TL system. If you are shopping for DVD-A, try your local Best Buy. They are about the only place I have found that even stocks them in my area. Second, here is an addy for an online DVD-A store: www.dvdempire.com.

DVD-Audio is awesome, that is, when you can find any. The selection is still pretty minimal.

bplayer

Congrats on the new car. I also have an 06 and love it.

You already got a response that it cannot play SACD. It cannot play MP3's either, but if you have a DVD burner it is possible to rip CD's and burn then to DVD-A's, with a maximum capacity of 99 tracks per disk. You still only get CD quality.

It is also possible to extract the audio portions of a DVD-V and burn them to DVD-A giving true 5.1 audio. You will need some software (freeware and purchase) for this.

carnaught

Where are my rattles? Well, I'd call them buzzes and vibrations. They involve my ( nonaligned) glove compartment, center console, driver's door area and roof.

How did I solve it? My son drives the car (LOL).

garandman

When people flash their high beams at me, I just flash back and give them an education as to just how bright the Xenon high beams are too!!

Soon TL drivers will achieve the acclaim of Jetta owners.

The HID's produce a lot of glare to oncoming cars. Is there a fix?

bartalk3

Consumer Reports, in their April '05 auto issue, rated the reliability of the '04 TL as only average. In their most recent publication on cars, however, CR rates both the '04 and the '05 TL "above average" in reliability. Good news.

bogiedriver

Is it possible to fast forward through a track on a DVD-A or a CD?
Thanks for any help on this.

taxesquire

Yes, but not with the steering wheel controls. I believe it is the "seek" buttons that do this. Small silver buttons towards the bottom of the unit. Push & hold.

sobbad

Yes it is the same light. I am not sure about the SRS light my wife said it came on but I think it was probably the brake light.

bpace7000

I've got a 2006 TL and am having a body vibration problem when the is traveling between 55 and 65 mpg. Anyone having this problem?? Above 65 or below 55, no problems.

I have had the car 2 weeks and the dealership has looked at it 3 times and came to the conclusion that it is a defect in the model that Acura is currently working on.

Not sure if this is a ploy to escape the lemon law or a legitimate problem the TL has.

Any help is appreciated.

qbrozen

have you tried another one on the lot to see if it has the same problem? You have to check the lemon law in your state. I believe in many states, trying to fix the same problem 3 times with no solution equals lemon, and nothing they say can negate that. So if they are unable to fix it, they need to give you a new one or buy back yours. Check into it.

taxesquire

That "3 time rule" is my understanding, too. I think a "trick" some dealers do to avoid the lemon laws is they describe the problem differently each time you go in, so it looks like you're bringing it in for different reasons. Make sure you look at the receipt before you leave, and if you have to do your own documentation, start now!

tedescm1

Not so fast...with the lemon law!

I own a 04 tl with numerous problems:
· Harmonic vibration
· Replaced seat
· Replaced headliner
· Replaced dashboard
· Replace the door panel…I will not bore you with more details…
The most serious problem is the harmonic vibration which acura attempted to fix by covering up the vibration with a damper….but it still vibrates and they don’t really care.

I sued Acura and the case is going to be heard next month. My lawyer recently informed me that my chances of getting a new car or my money back are very slim. Acura will fight the case and appeal any verdict they don’t agree with…

I am told that I will probably get a few thousand dollars from my lawsuit. If I had known that, I would have traded the car in a year ago. I lost about 5k in one-year of deprecation….
In any case, Acura is really hard nosed about buying back a defective car and the lemon law is really not that beneficial to the consumer? I think the lawyers make out better than the clients.

By the way, does anyone know how much $ I can expect to get for my 04 tl?

roar1

Take your car to a tire dealer ( not a car dealer ) who has a "Hunter" road force tire balancer and have them balance your tires. You might possibly have a out of round tire.

If that fails to solve your problem, THEN take your car to a car dealer and have them check the Rotor/ Caliper assembly. Check the rotor for straightness and for running true. Check the caliper for proper operation. If your steering wheel shakes, it's a problem with the front tires and/or brakes. If your passenger seatback shakes and you feel a vibration with your 'butt-meter', then it's a problem with the rear tires/brakes. Good Luck !

roar1

Taxesquire....you are smarter than a dealer. I don't think most dealers are smart enough to trick you by telling you a different story each time you bring your car in for service. The more likely scenario is that the dealer just plain old doesn't know what the h--- they are talking about !!!!!

Your idea is sound. Keep good documentation.

qbrozen

every case is different. In the case we are talking about, the dealer has admitted there is a problem and has failed to fix it 3 times. My understanding of the law is that this is a pristine example of why the lemon law exists. It sounds like, in your case, you have a bunch of different problems. If they admitted there is a problem and are unable to fix it, I think you might need a better lawyer. Just a thought. I really know nothing about the lemon law and how it is used, but I have heard from many folks on these boards who have used it to their satisfaction.

taxesquire

Real sorry to hear about your defective TL. My '04 TL 6 MT has 20+k mi and has been trouble-free. While yours certainly seems to have been a big pain in the...neck, I think the only lemon law issue would be the vibration, assuming the replacement parts solved those other problems. It's not 3 defects with the car, it's 1 defect that won't go away.

taxesquire

Thank you for your compliment! When you say "I don't think most dealers are smart enough to trick you by telling you a different story each time you bring your car in for service", here's the scenario I'm thinking about - let's assume it's the TL vibration issue that others have discussed, and let's say the vehicle vibrates improperly when travelling between 55 and 65 mph, I could easily see someone bringing the car in on 3 occasions and this being the write-up, intentional or otherwise:

2/4/04 - consumer complains tires are misaligned; tires rebalanced

4/23/04 - consumer complains of vibration; examined tires for flat-spotting; front passenger tire replaced

7/30/04 - consumer complains of discomfort at speeads between 55 & 65; tires and undercarriaged checked; lines tightened, bearings replaced.

Now my description surely evidences that I don't know the 1st thing about what makes cars go (I know it has something to do with gas!!!!), but I think you get my point.

bodble2

"I know it has something to do with gas!!!!"

Yours, or the car's? :P :P

ljay2

Forgive me if this question has been answered before. I just got a 2005 TL, and it appears to me that much of the upholstery is vinyl, except for the perforated (leather) portions of the seats. Am I correct? I'll reserve my reaction till then. Thank you, owners.

jmfs15001

Are the mirror adjustment and mirror heater controls supposed to be back lit when the rest of the lights are on? I'm only a casual driver on this car, but I thought I saw these on at one time.

carnaught

I believe you're correct.

redondored

I have an 05 TL and it seems my seats aren't warming up like they used to when it was new. Anyone else notice this problem? Any feedback would be great!

bhelsdon

Only the word "Mirror" in the middle of the adjustment area is lit up on mine.

taxesquire

I'm pretty sure the armrests are also leather, as is the steering wheel and shifter. Pretty much, any place you normally touch is leather.

cerauli

I have an 04 TL and I just noticed that only the driver's window switch in the door lights up and the other three do not. Also, the passenger door window switch does not light up either. Does anyone know if I have bulbs out or is this the way the switches are designed?

Thanks!

camon

I noticed the exact same tendencies with my 2005 Acura.

1. Sometimes when I touch the brake pedal the transmission will suddenly downshift causing the car to jolt a bit. I read in the Acura TSBs, that this is a transmission programming "feature" utilizing a "grade logic sensor" that is meant to "assist" the driver in breaking on downgrades. It's a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] if you ask me.

2. Also, if you brake really hard, the car has another "collision sensor" system that will increase brake boost, casuing the peadle to go closer to the floor quickly with little effort from the driver, almost putting you and your passengers through the windshield and any car behind you in your trunk. Another pain in the [non-permissible content removed].

These two braking "features" are not only annoying, they create a situation where the driver looses some control over the car. These are just a few of the "features" that I wish would be scrapped, to allow the driver to be back in full control of the vehicle.

bhelsdon

you have pressed the lock out button. When the windows are locked the switches that are locked do not light up. I personally think that is pretty neat.

cerauli

OK! Now that makes sense... (I guess I should have been able to figure that one out!) Thanks!

bhelsdon

Don't feel bad, I was ready to take mine into Acura Service until my partner asked if the windows were locked.