Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

toothdude

Long story will try to keep short...
I have an '04 TL w 25K miles on it. The tires now need to be replaced. I have been diligent on rotating them etc.
I talked to the dealer, they suggested I bring the car in to have the tires looked at. When I went in the service advisor went to get the service manager to have him look at it. Two minutes later he returned without the service manager, I guess the service manger couldn't be bothered!! and I was told that it would be looked at, and the info would be conveyed to the regional rep who would contact corporate. I already had contacted corporate and started a case number earlier in the week.
I received a call later this afternoon from corporate.
This lady was rude...told me that the wear was normal and that the tires are not part of any warranty.
I mentioned to her that even the service advisor had noted that Acura know these Turanza tires are crap and that they use a different compound now.
She said that if the alignment was off and caused the wear they would be covered. Is she crazy? I am being penalized because I actually rotated them.
Anyhow, asked to speak to her supervisor, was told that for in a hostile and raised voice, the decision was made and that she would relay the info but that I may not receive a call from anyone.
My car is still at the dealership and I have no idea what was said to corporate regarding the tires.
All I can tell you is this is the last ACURA I purchase. I have never been treated like this and refuse to be.

Any ideas on how to proceed from here?
I know I probably won't get anywhere with this, but I can't believe after spending almost 40K on a car that they won't stand behind their product including their tires.
What tires last only 25K?
I'm planning on calling corporate again just for my own piece of mind.

Any ideas on brands for replacements? Looking for very quiet tires w/ good handling.

Thanks ya'll....had to vent!

cerauli

I would use "Mirror Glaze # 7" (Marquis). Take it off as soon as you apply. Repeat if necessary. Safe for clearcoats.

Good luck!

bodble2

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

bodble2

Really? Peanut butter? To take off bird crap, or to smooth out scratches?

laxcoach

thank you for the website! very helpful! i'm not an agressive driver and dont feel i need to spend two bills on a tire. from what i read, the avon's look fine and definetly sit well with my budget. amazing to see so many complaints about the tires! i'll keep you posted. good luck.

bhelsdon

Hello, I own an 04 TL and I also am part owner of a tire and lube shop. I got 27K out of my EL 42s and I have put tires on three other 04 TL's and they all had the same amount of mileage on them. The UTQG rating on the EL42s is only 260. That means they are only rated to last 20 to 30k. The UTQG rating is a rating given to all tires by the manufacturer to let the consumer know how much life to expect from the tire. The higher the number the more miles the tire will get. The tires on the new 06 BMW 325 sport are only rated @ 160 which means only 15k. The new lexus IS 350 has a sticker on the back window warning that the tires will only last 12k.

I personally put Michelin XGTH4 on mine. I went down to an H speed rating so that I could get a higher mileage tire and Also so I would not get the flat spotting that occurs on W V And Z rated tires.

armand

I put Continental's Extremes on my '04 TL and like them a lot. They are also relatively inexpensive.

ed31cincy

I also looked at the Continental Extremes on Tire Rack's site. What kind of driving do you do and do you get into some occasional snow? Are they more quiet than the originals?

ContiExtremes were not on the list I posted here because some people complained of tire noise and poor snow traction, including one person who has a 2002 TL.

When I look at the customer reviews I look for a couple of things. I want the car to either be the same model as mine, or close to it, such as a BMW 3 or 5 series, Accord, G35, etc. I throw out the ones who rate them after less than 5000 miles. I look at where the person resides to see if they have similar road and weather conditions like what I experience.

twin4

I have an 03 TL. It is the best car I have ever owned as far as the traction control system. I live in the midwest and drive for my job a lot. I am amazed at how it handles ice and snow. I am now getting ready to lease a new car. Unfortunately, I do not like the new body style of the TL. I have looked at an Avalon LTD. It's a beautiful car but I do not know how it handles in the ice and snow, even though it has a traction control system. So, I may have to suck it up as far as the body style if I want assurance that my car will handle well in inclement weather. The TL is great

armand

I do sort of averish driving. I'm not too aggressive but like the feel of good handling. The tire rides better and handles as well as the Bridgestones. I don't think they are much quieter that the originals. They are much better in wet weather. I don't have any snow experience with them because I believe in snow tires and use them in the winter. I live in th NYC area in a moderately hilly area.

laxcoach

for some reason avon tech's are hard to find here in suffolk county. figures. beside price, are there major differences between the kumho, continental, yoko's, and perreli? i'm assuming no matter what i buy, they'll be much better than what i'm driving on. thanks for the information, i really appreciate it!!!!!!!!

ed31cincy

I think that what you are doing with two sets of tires is the smartest and safest, but also the most expensive. I do the exact same thing with my '95 Camaro. I have driven it year round since it was new. In '96 I bought Bridgestone Blizzak tires and OEM rims from Tire Rack. At the time the whole package cost $800, a bargain by todays standards! As a matter of fact, I just put the Blizzaks on my Camaro this afternoon as we are in for a snow/ice mix today and tomorrow.

Thanks for the information on your ContiExtremes. I was definitely looking at them after I saw a post from you or someone else a few months ago about them as replacements. A quieter ride is something I am looking for though.

heart2

Just another idea for tires. Have 2003 type S and have 42000 miles. The Michelins (OE) still have tread but with winter approaching got nervous and did not want to go to snow tires. After much research, bought 4 Toyo TPT. Each ran about 140 at local tire chain which is a dealer for Toyo. Only had them a couple of weeks and it is like night and day. The Michelins were terrible(and costly).

toothdude

Thanks for the info...it looks like I got all I could out of these tires. I guess I'm more upset by the way corporate treated me...if they explained it specifically as you did, I would be satisfied with their response.

I'm repalcing them Mon w/ the continental exteremes...wish me luck...:)

bhelsdon

Good luck! If you don't want to spend the money on Michelin then you should look into Goodyear RSA. I believe that goodyear is running a sale on them. I can't remember if the conti- extremes are directional or not but if they are then you need to avoid them. You will get more life out of a non directional tire because you can rotate it all around the car.

komori

I have a 2005 TL with approximately 12,500 miles that I just noticed seems to have an excessively loud engine noise at 40-55 miles per hour. As the transmission changes gears during acceleration it seems to minimize. It sems like it just started, however I'm not certain that it wasn't from day one. Is this related to the tire issues that have been cited!

jinva

I replaced the summer (performance) Dunlop tires on my Audi A4 with Turanza LS-V's. I found them to be quieter with a better ride and much better snow traction (compared to none) than the Dunlops. On TireRack they are the 2nd rated below the LS-Z's in the Grand Touring All-Season category. They are a bit cheaper than the Z's and, if you don't need the extra performance rating, should work well.

After seeing how low the Michelins that came on the TL are rated (last in that category), I am tempted to put LS-V's on before it snows. But I'll probably wait to see just how bad the Michelins are.

rockinrn

After a 12 hour night shift at the hospital I slide into my 6 month old 2005 TL this cold morning looking forward to warming my buns with the heated seats during the scenic journey home. As I turned the key with anticipation I was greeted with clickety, clickety, stutter, stutter and dash lights flickering like a Vegas hotel. Acura roadside assistance was very courteous and efficient. The TL got the scenic route to Bell Acura of Phoenix perched upon a flatbed tow truck. I on the other hand got a ride home in my wife's Hyundai (which has never stranded anyone in 5 years). BAD ACURA!!!

golfnut5

Forget about the Goodyear RSA's, I had them on a Cadillac CTS and they were the worst tires I have ever owned. The RSA's have a major cupping problem and are done at 25,000 miles.

golfnut5

I have a 2005 TL with automatic transmission. I have a whining sound under light acceleration to about 40 MPH. I also have a winding down whine sound after I have come to a complete stop (really strange). I am wondering if this is characteristic of the TL or do I have a problem. Any comments out there would be appreciated.

ed31cincy

Thanks for sharing your opinion of the Turanzas, especially for the information on the "V" versus "Z". I saw so many positive comments about the Turanzas at Tire Rack, but I wasn't sure whether that justified the $200+ cost. I checked, but there is no 235/45/17 size on the "V", it is only available as the more costly "Z".

aaargh

Was is "Bad Acura" or bad you? Please give more details. Did you leave the lights on? What was the cause?

bodble2

Well, it wouldn't have been the lights, since the TL has auto-off lights.

aaargh

True, forgot about that. I always shut them off manually.

assamese

Hi, Planning to lease a TL in NJ, not comfortable driving in snow. Cars.com options mention 2 types of tires:

Tires: P235/45R17 93W All-Season STD

Tires: P235/45R17 93W High-Performance $200

which one should I choose ? Any alternatives to the ones mentioned above ? Prefer all-season tires, so that, I do not have to switch during summer.
Thanks in advance.

qbrozen

all-season with FWD in jersey has never caused any problems for me. There's been no amount of snow in all my years here that I have no been able to handle with that setup.

assamese

Thanks for your response. Any particular make/model better for TL than others ? Thanks again.

semez

I have a 05 TL and cant quite figure out what the VSA is supposed to do. I turn it on and it drives the same as if it was off. Am I missing something or is it just a bunch of hype.....

aaargh

VSA keeps the car from losing control (traction). Under normal conditions, you won't notice any difference. However, in slippery conditions or anytime you would lose control, it will assist when it senses you have lost traction. It has come in handy in two snow storms so far this year. No hype, it works.

needanap

Am I the only one who has problems with the cup holders? On two occasions, I've bought a steaming hot cup of coffee and placed it into the cup holders. Because the holders are so snug, when I try to take it out, I end up crushing the top of the cup, the top pops off, and the coffee spills all over the seat and center console (and of course, me!). Maybe I'm just a klutz, but I've given up placing paper cups into those things. And yes, I'm now using a commuter mug.

qbrozen

sorry, i can't help you with that because i don't own a TL. Personally, I go to tirerack, enter the car information, and read the ratings/reviews of tires I'm considering. Good luck.

vaughn4

Anyone notice a strange (slight grunt) noise and sensation when the brakes are initially applied on the TL? I'm not referring to the ABS because this is when I apply them gently. :confuse:

bodble2

I would use a commuter mug (with screw-on lid) regardless of the design of the cupholders. Starbucks probably have the sturdiest paper cups and lids, and even those leak from time to time.

laurasdada

If you have the Bridgestone Turanza EL42 tires, just drive your TL in the snow a bit. You'll experience the VSA. And the ABS...

mldj98

Isn't the VSA always on and you have to push in the button to dis-engage it?

laurasdada

Yes, it is on (monitoring) but not always active. You probably need to get into a skid/slip situation for it to engage. Driving up my iced over driveway engaged the traction control this morning.

hco

I took delivery of an 06 TL a month ago.

I've noticed the TLs TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) consistently reads 3-4 PSI below what a manual gauge is reading at each tire.

To make sure my gauge was not suspect, I checked with a second gauge and got the same results.

I brought this up with my dealer, and he seemed to think most gauges people have are inaccurate, and I should trust the readouts the car is giving me.

I think the reverse is true, and Acura either has faulty sensors or they've put in a fudge factor into the system. I suspect this to be the case since the amount of discrepancy in the TPMS reading is consistent for each tire.

It does not appear my dealer has run across this complaint before ... I'm curious to know if anyone else has noticed the same thing.

Thanks for any feedback!

chiifac

I got my 06 TL about 6 weeks ago. My TPMS consistently reads about 2-3 PSI above manual gauge reading. Of course, after driving for a while it would then read another 2-3 PSI more.

nhtlowner

I also have a 2005 TL with about 18k miles. It starting making a whinning noise during accelleration at around 15k. My dealer told me there was nothing wrong with the car, but I am taking it elsewhere for a second opinion. It just does not sound or feel right -- like it is losing power in 2nd and 3rd gears as the automatic shifts.

gmar

I HAVE TRACKED ALL PREVIOUS POSTS REGARDING BATTERY PROBLEMS, NONE APPEAR TO APPLY IN MY CASE. IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS, I HAVE HAD 3 BATTERIES REPLACED IN MY 05 TL (1600 MILES TOTAL), IN EACH CASE THE CAR HAS BEEN IDLE FOR 5-7 DAYS. DEALER HAS DONE ALL OBVIOUS DIAGNOSTICS i.e. ALTERNATOR CHECK, TRICKLE, LOOSE/BAD WIRES ETC. THEY ARE CURRENTLY HOLDING THE CAR FOR A WEEK TO SEE IF THEY CAN DUPLICATE MY PROBLEM. HOWEVER IF THEY CAN'T FIND IT THEY WILL RETURN IT WITH ANOTHER NEW BATTERY. ANYBODY WITH IDEAS, COMMENTS? ALSO WHEN THE BATTERIES DIE, SERVICE ADVISES ME THAT 0 CRANKING AMPS REGISTERS ON THE METER. DESPITE THIS ONE BIG ANNOYING PROBLEM --- I LOVE THE CAR.LOVE STINKS....THANX

elvis4prez

My TPMS seemed pretty accurate.
It saved me some potential bad wear recently by beeping that the pressure was low. Guess it didn't like the cooldown we went through! Neither did I - brrr.

elvis4prez

I got my TL a few weeks ago. The dealer got it for me with a dealer trade and it came with tint (a free "bonus"). I've never had a car with tint before. When it's dark, there is a prism or scattering of light effect from headlights coming in the rear window where the tint goes over the rear defogger; sort of like quadruple vision. The salesman said it would get better over the next month or two as it "settled" or "cured".

I've not used the rear defogger yet but was thinking about turning it on to maybe help the tinting get "cooked on" and get a little tighter with less prism effect.

Has anybody experienced this or have any advice?

bodble2

Weren't there some posts a few months back about either the Nav or the onboard computer draining the battery?

gmar

your right, actually i got onto another acura forum, and found it could be the computer module of the temp gauge flatlining and draining the battery. apparently the computer gets locked and continues to "search" even while the ignition is off. i will mention this to my service advisor---hope he listens- otherwise he gets a wedgie. this advice was also available on this website---i just missed it.

qali

Hi, I apologize if this has been answered by a previous post, however, my search did not yield any useful posts.

I have a 2002 TL with brand new winter tires. Today was the first snow storm in the Toronto area and the side streets were very slippery. My tires were giving me reasonable traction, however, I noticed that my TCS system was also working very hard during minor acceleration. Is this normal ?. What exactly does TCS do in terms of traction control?. Does it apply engine braking to the wheels that are slipping ?.

Any ideas or references to the best application of TCS and winter driving would be appreciated.

TIA

cassiri

Tint shops will tell you not to do this. I think it can make it bubble rather than cure. I think time and sunlight will make it cure.

cassiri

Ok so it just got cold in Texas today. My TL is only a month old and I'm hearing light knocking. It only occurs when the engine is not completely warmed up and with partial throttle. At full throttle it goes away and it also goes away once the engine is completely warmed up. I assume it has to do with the cold temps and possibly the gas they sell for such weather. Anyone seen this before? And yes I've used only 93 octane from two different gas stations.

bplayer

This is quite normal and should be expected. You should not expect winter tires to provide 100% traction that is equivalent to all season in dry weather in the summer.

TCS basically applies braking to the wheel or wheels that it detects are spinning.

laurasdada

I have an '05, not sure about '02, but I believe that Honda sets the slip tolerance for the TCS fairly low. In other words, TCS activates very early when wheel slip is detected. Here in Boston, we had real snow yesterday (it is just BEAUTIFUL outside!!!) and my TCS engaged fairly frequently even though sometimes I didn't even detect slip. Best application of TCS? Basically you either leave it on or off. If you want the wheels to be able to spin, off.

It took me 15 minutes yesterday to get up my 50' driveway! As I've mentioned, I don't think very highly of the Bridgestones on my '05 in the snow, but in this case there was a sheet of ice under about an inch or two of snow. I got out to spread a bit of rock salt and slipped several times, doing quite the "balance ballet" for the neighborhood! Using the autostick, TC/no TC and begging, I made it with my neighbor in their RWD Infiniti Q looking on in horror/amusement. They parked their car on the street, no way it would make it up their driveway!

Once my TL had conqured the driveway glacier, it was ok in the snow. TC a few times, but no ABS. I think it was especially slippery/icy as we had had a small snowfall followed by a warm up/freeze/snow. I saw a lot of wheelspin. Luckily, most people were driving sanely, even SUV drivers!

semez

I dont understand it but I was driving in snow/ice and the TL 05 worked flawlessly. I didn't slip even a little bit. Have the Turanzas tires i heard horror stories on this site but I didn't experience any problems. Went up a icy hill about without even a slip. Cant believe how this car goes in the snow. very happy woundnt trade car/tires for anything..Guess all you hear on this site are dis-satified customers but not me for sure.....