Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

animalsrush · August 2006

for the person who recommended this product for cleaning chalky residue on the dash.. Thank you very much.. It WORKS. I had tried 4 other products none worked. I am glad to have got done with that issue.. Black Magic protectant works and doesn't leave that oily residue..

Thanks again these forums have been awfully helpful .. from buying the car to maintaining it

laurasdada · August 2006

I agree with you. But my TL is spoiler-less (not spoiled?).

cecilt1 · August 2006

Did you try 303 Aerospace Protectant. Not a petroleum product like armorall so it does not leave that shiny look after you do it. Best of all is you can do the whole interior including seats with this stuff. It has a SPF 40 built into it.

seanh2o · August 2006

Good choice. I got the identical one. I love the Quartz interior. Now get ready for paint chips.... I already got two on the hood after 2 months of driving....

seanh2o · August 2006

What do you guys think about the lip spoilers sold on Ebay? Some of these guys sell ones that does not require any drilling. Anyhow have experiences with these glue-on lip spoilers?

animalsrush · August 2006

No i didn't.. These are the products i tried

1) Cleaner sold by the Acura dealer ( two cans.. One foam one spray)
2) Mcguires leather/vinly/plastic protectant
3) Dupont leather/vinyl/plastic protectant
4) Armorall vinyl plastic protectant

None of these worked .. After the first application of black magic the diffrence was noticable.. I will try 303 when this bottle gets over. Thanks for the suggestion

animalsrush · August 2006

Have guys noticed that paint chips easily on Acura. I have a black car and it already has quite few chips ( more than my 10 year old black honda). Is it something to do with paint treatment

bodble2 · August 2006

I have a tiny one on the front passenger door. No dent, just a chip down to the primer. If it weren't for the fact that I have a dark color (Abyss Blue) I probably wouldn't have noticed it. However, I do have an ugly patch of fine scatches on the hood where I tried to clean off the mother of all bird crap.

:mad: So there's probably something to the theory that the paint on the TL is not the most durable.

bodble2 · August 2006

I have the dealer-installed lip spoiler. Now, I'm not sure if the whole thing is glued on, but last year I noticed the ends were becoming separated from the trunk deck. The dealer fixed it by apply some adhesive or double-tape.

scottm123 · August 2006

"Have guys noticed that paint chips easily on Acura. I have a black car and it already has quite few chips ( more than my 10 year old black honda). Is it something to do with paint treatment"

Unfortunately this is a byproduct of new environmentally friendly low VOC paints. They chip MUCH more easily than older paints.

You'll see this problem occurring on all new vehicles, but the low profile cars like the TL, IS, TSX...they will suffer the most.
The only avoidance is a clear bra

, or leave it parked in the garage

animalsrush · August 2006

Though it is not good, i feel little better. I thought i had a dud paint job on my Acura

seanh2o · August 2006

Thank you for the reply. It was about time someone answered it. I kind of feel better but it feels more like give up kind of a feeling. :confuse:

scottm123 · August 2006

If you go with the clear-bra option... by cautious in your decision.
Some films turn yellow over time.
3M makes a film guaranteed not to yellow.
Also, ask about thickness... some are so thin, they're useless, even bugs ding through.

Also be careful with who does the installation.
I saw a TL at the mall a month ago and the film was not brought to the edges on the panels.... and it looked awful.

bodble2 · August 2006

Generally I don't like to see a bra on anything attractive.

scottm123 · August 2006

Well, if it has to be there, let it be clear!

cruznsd · August 2006

I am contemplating a bra to combat the rock chip issue.
Another option would be to follow far enough back to be out of the range of tossed rocks, but then people would constantly be moving into my lane and I would never get anywhere! Flip side would be to stay out in front of everyone, but the tickets would cost way more than a bra ever would.

The clear bras I have seen are all visible in some regard, the edges are always discernible and there is definitely a slight color variation between the film and non filmed areas. The Acura full bra looks like it fits very well and looks like it would be pretty good for rock protection. I am wondering how it will affect the paint in terms of differences between sunlight fade and possible buffeting. I know that if it gets wet it must be removed or could cause problems but in San Diego we dont see to much moisture. Another concern would be the possibility of added noise. I have never had either type of bra on any of my vehicles previously, but have certainly seen ill fitting bras that make noise flapping in the breeze which no doubt would harm the paint. Another issue is one of cost. The clear bras for some reason are about double the cost of the traditional type, of course there is the installation but its no more difficult than applying tint film and is precut to fit each vehicle so I fail to see the cost differential. Does anyone have experience with the factory bra, or any other issues that I have not foreseen?

meateater · August 2006

I say hang out there with the no bra look.

I haven't noticed any more chips on my TL vs other cars I've owned. Buy some touch up paint and treat the dings.

Plus taking the bra off can be cumbersome.

billyperks1 · August 2006

I had the Factory Bra installed on my wife's 2004 Accord, when we first purchased it back in 2003.The fit was snug and it looked good on the car.After about three months on the car, I decided it was time for the semi-annual Zaino detail.When I removed the BRA to my surprise, there were a lot of scrathes imbedded in the hood and the quarter panels.
I used the Zaino 5 and Zaino 2 to get rid of the scratches and up to this day the BRA is still sitting on my garage shelf.

Personally, I have learned to live with the rock chips, now and then I will use Honda's touch paint to make them obscure.

hky · August 2006

I use factory bra on several cars before, they are snug at first and then no so snug after a while; they all trap dirts, sand, debris, moisture and will scratch the hood; unless you take it off every trip. The worst one I had actually overheat the car. Now, I have the clear bra - hardly notice it from a few feet away. I will still stay a distance from trucks, ups, semi, last time I literally saw a golf ball size stone bouncing to my fender.. so good luck.

ontop · August 2006

Maybe you get a bra for your bra.

Or encase the whole vehicle in a vinyl shield. And get floor mats for your floor mats.

A car's gonna get dings.

Do you have body side mouldings? Probably need those too.

bodble2 · August 2006

"And get floor mats for your floor mats"

That's already happening. Those carpet factory mats are so plush many people are throwing rubber "winter" mats over top of them. Now, to protect those nice custom-fit winter mats.... :P

z71bill · August 2006

My grandmother had many nice things - & she went out of her way to protect them.

Clear plastic covers on her sofa and chairs - same thing on her car seats - put on by the dealership before she took delivery. I recall after she died helping to remove the plastic coverings so we could get her stuff ready for the estate sale. It all still looked new.

I like to take care of my stuff - but I buy it to use and enjoy it - not so it will still be like new when I am done with it.

Nothing wrong with getting all weather mats - but I like to take the floor mats out of the car sometimes. Before I got married I always took them out begore I went out on a date - still like to remove them (stick them in the trunk) when we go on a long trip. Sure my carpet gets a little dirty - but who cares - at least I got to use it.

Even if I get $250.00 less at trade in time (which I don't think I will) I would still feel it was worth it.

As far as clear plastic / or removable type bra's to "protect" your car - I would rather have a few scratches!

bmw325xi · August 2006

I see there is an issue with vibration in the 2004? Is this issue also in the 2005?

bodble2 · August 2006

You would take your all weather mats out when you go on a long trip? Why? :confuse: Wouldn't that be when your car's interior is subjected to the most wear and tear?

z71bill · August 2006

I don't know if the carpet gets more wear on a long trip - I guess thats my point - I would rather wear it out by using it myself rather than keep it covered up - I mean - if the only time you see the carpet is when you vacuum under the floor mats then how can that be a good thing? What are you afraid will happen? Do you have plastic covering the carpet in your house? (I know some people do)

If the car has 60,000 miles on it when I trade it in and the carpet under the floor mat has a small wear spot on it - or a stain - or even a hole - who cares? Or look at it this way - even if the carpet looks like new - because the owner has always had it 100% covered with rubber floor mats - how much more will they get at trade in time?

I do clean the car out on a regular basis - if the carpet is dirty I clean it. But why pay extra (for special floor mats) to protect something that you will never use? That just does not seem right to me.

bodble2 · August 2006

I don't have plastic covering the carpet in my house, but then again the entire main floor where the heavy traffic is, is all granite and hardwood. Only the upstairs containing only bedrooms are carpeted. And we don't wear shoes upstairs.

If only your carpet is in new condition, and the rest of your car's interior is shot, then of course it wouldn't make much difference at trade-in time. However, if you've maintained the whole interior nicely, including the carpet, then yes, I do think it makes a tangible difference at trade-in time. You throw out the worn mats then, and I think it makes a good impression on the buyer (or the dealer if you're trading in) if the carpet is in mint condition.

z71bill · August 2006

I do take care of my car - so can't/won't disagree - if your car still looks new when you trade it - it will be worth more. My car will look good when I trade it - but the carpet under the floor mats will have been used.

I would guess that 99% of the time the guy that puts a value on the car (at the dealership) when you are trading does not even bother looking under the floor mats.

I bet if you took a poll that more than 90% of all people who buy a new car never drive it without the floor mats installed. The only time they even see the carpet under the mat is when they are cleaning the car. I am in the other 10%.

jacksonkid · August 2006

I have a set (7 bucks from Wal-Mart) of plastic mats that cover the factory set. They serve their purpose very well and I can see straight through them. They are practical for me since I don't trade cars in at all and tend to keep them for quite some time. If you plan on keeping the car for a relatively short duration (less than 4 years) and you don't have kids, I say use the factory mats.

tom19382 · August 2006

Hi,
I have an 06 TL 6 speed and was wondering if anyone else has ever towed with one fo these cars. I know it can be done and there are many towing hitches available online for them. I am considering getting the lower rear bumper spoiler as well as the other lower body spoilers. I was wondering if anyone has a trailer hitch on a TL with this lower spoiler on the rear bumper or if it would not be possible to install due to hitch and bumper clearance issues. Thank you for your help.
~Tom

pat · August 2006

Hi - as I mentioned in another place you posted, you really only need to post a question once. Here's the same link I gave you there: tom19382, "Acura TL: Accessories & Modifications" #418, 7 Aug 2006 5:58 am.

See ya there!

tedescm1 · August 2006

My o4 was in for the vibration issue and they gave me a 05 loaner. It also had the harmonic vibration.

dan4125 · August 2006

I have read several posts as to what others have used for the fading and chalking of the dash which I am experiencing with my 06 TL. I have tried the Black Magic Pro shine but it does not seem to solve my problem. I am noticing the outline of the Airbag more now. I spoke to the Dealer today and they said they would put in a new dash,but I am not comfortable with them tearing everything apart. Has anyone found any product that can be used to darken the dash or used a custom dash pad other than using a protectant. I would appreciate any input. Dan

ggesq · August 2006

hahaha. of course it did! your presence on this forum is borderline "trollish."

bmw, test drive some TL's extensively. talk to other TL owners in the "real" world. try to test drive as many used 05 & 06's out there and don't go by what you read in these forums.

tedescm1 · August 2006

Do you deny the existence of this problem in the 04 and 05 models?

Who do you think your fooling ...only yourself!

By the way...if you check with the dealer, Acura had issued a tsb to install a vibration damper to help solve the vibration problem. Its not widely known or advertised.

They do not issue TSB for make believe problems....

tedescm1 · August 2006

I had my dashboard replaced and it solved the fading problem for about a year. I did create more rattles.

I would not do it again.....

meateater · August 2006

Amazing that not only do you continue to own the car (and not trade it since you're so disgusted with it) but you continue to visit this board to trash the car.

One would think you would have moved on by now.......unless, of course, your motives are pernicious.

ggesq · August 2006

Of course, I don't deny the existence of SOME TL's having this issue.
I am just fighting myself to believe that your posts on this forum are genuine i.e. YOUR TL having every known problem known to man. Again, sorry to hear YOUR TL ( and every TL you have encountered) is a :lemon:
Good luck in your endeavors to find a manufacturer that builds the perfect vehicle.

tedescm1 · August 2006

My posts are genuine.if you want details Ill be glad to provide them.

In fact I actually took Acura to court and received a settlement, which I not allowed to discuss in detail because its bad press for Acura and they want to keep these problems a secret.

I m angry with Acura for the way they treated me and I want other potential buyers to know how poorly Acura treats customers that do have problems. We maybe in the minority, but Acura just wrote us off.

In all my dealing with Acura (over two years) I have never spoken to anyone more senior than a telephone rep and I made many attempts to speak to a senior person. They did however speak to my lawyer

As far as moving onmy car will be paid off in Oct and Ill move on to some other brand. Ive been looking at the Lexus 350, but I want to wait a year before I buy one. I dont want to buy too early and make the same mistake twice.

No car is perfect...but my experience with Acura had been beyond imagination. Its been like a Steven King novel.

BrideOfClyde · August 2006

And that's saying a lot, considering my TL costed $12K more than my next most expensive car. Have had climate control issues since the first month of ownership. Took it to the dealership and they said they couldn't reproduce the issue. 15 months later and the issues have gotten progressively worse, the most annoying of which is when I use the defrost setting in the morning, the floor vents pump out HOT air (like 85-90 degress) even though the dash vents are apparently pumping out the 65 degree air I set it to. Got a TSX as a loaner and it does the same thing, but it's far less pronounced (more like 5-10 degrees warmer on the floor where my my TL feels like 20).

In general, the climate control doesn't handle small temp changes well (have to crank it way down or way up to get it cool off/warm up) and doesn't work like any other car I've ever driven (why do the side vents pump air even when it's turned off or set to floor only??? stupid). The temps also vary constantly - 68 sometimes feels like 72, sometimes feels like 62.

The windows rattle. A LOT. And rolling them down doesn't scrape off moisture at all.

Tried setting up a bluetooth phone. According to the instructions, first step is using the voice command "phone setup". That didn't work. And apparently there's no other way to bring up the phone setup menu without using the voice command.

I have taken the car in for service twice, both times with a pair of problems. And keeping with the "twos" theme, the service manager gave me the same pair of responses "that problem is actually normal" (rattling windows, A/C super slow to cool off) and "we couldn't reproduce the other problem".

All you all who feel like you must defend the TL's honor with your life - save it. Color yourself extremely lucky that you didn't drop down $35K + tax and interest for a headache and a half. Those of us with extreme buyer's remorse don't need the extra grief from the misguided fanboys telling us our expectations of having a reliable luxury car that's not only covered by warranty but, *gasp!*, actually gets fixed when something is wrong are too high.

I had originally planned to buy the best car $25K could buy but ended up splurging because of Acura's stellar reputation and because of all the great reviews I read on the TL. If you haven't purchased a TL yet, please save yourself the hassle. This car sucks, the service (sales & repair) sucks as much as anywhere else, and it's a waste of money. I bad mouth Acura (and Los Gatos Acura in particular) every chance I get. I'll never buy one again and I will never say a nice thing about them.

bodble2 · August 2006

Ok, so aside from that, how do you like your TL? :P

Well seriously, while I haven't encountered most of the problems posted, I must grudgingly admit that the TL is sweeter to look at, than it is to drive. It has lots of toys, but they don't always work as intended. It is still eye candy, but somehow, it's not the type of car that, the more you drive it, the more you want to drive it. Hard to put a finger on it, but it just doesn't have that "intangible", the mechanical harmony, if you will, that makes you want to keep driving it at the end of the commute. In fact, I would go so far as to say the opposite is probably true. Sometimes, after having been away for a period of time, I would jump into the TL and think, what a nice car! But after some time behind the wheel, then the handling kinda feels ponderous, the steering a little loosey-goosey, the power not as overwhelming, the blind-spots a little more noticeable, a little more noise starts to be noticeable, etc, etc. :sick:

laurasdada · August 2006

It's too bad you received such a poor example of a fine car, but it does happen. After 19,000+ miles in my '05 (I'll guess yours is an '04?) it has been fine. Performing exactly as I hoped and expected. Here in New England, last week was brutally hot/humid and my CC performed flawlessly. No window rattles, although they have squeeked a few times when raising/lowering. That's just recently, only a few times and not in the last few days. Maybe the hot/humid weather?

Anyway, no need to defend the TL's honor. I'm just reporting my facts. I have no Bluetooth experience, but my father in LA has not had any problems with his Bluetooth. Neighbor loves his TL, too.

Sorry you got a :lemon: , but I've yet to personally meet anyone who doesn't love their TL. And I believe sales continue to be brisk.

Good luck with your next set of wheels.

maximafan · August 2006

I got to test drive the Acura TL this past Saturday. I figured I'd better start test driving the cars I've been interested in while
I await the verdict on whether my Maxima is going to be totaled out from the accident.

I called the local dealer and spoke with a saleswoman to discuss a good time for me to
come in. We agreed I could come in between
2:30 and 3:00 p.m. I got to the dealership at
around 3:00 p.m. After waiting almost an hour
for the saleswoman to returm from some other
test drives with other clients, I was getting
ready to just leave when she showed up.

I also was told that this was only her second
day on the job. Needless to say, I knew pretty
much more about the car than she did. Although
she was a nice lady, she just wasn't able to
answer some of the questions that I had, such
as if the $1000 incentive on the TL's was still
valid.

Anyway, we finally got around to test driving
the car. Everything was going pretty well until we got on the interstate. I started
noticing a significant wind noise that appeared
to be coming from the windshield area. Has
anyone experienced something like this?

Well, we got to talking about some other things
about the car and I had somewhere I had to be,
so I didn't get a chance to bring the noise
issue to her attention. This has been bugging
me since then.

To be fair, I may ask them if they would let me
drive a TL overnight or for the day so I can
spend some time with the car on my own with no
distractions, and hopefully in a different car
than the one I drove.

I still would like to give the TL the benefit of the doubt, as I really do like the exterior
and the interior styling of the car and love
the gadgets also on the inside. I enjoyed
listening to the satellite radio. It had
crystal-clear sound, whereas on some cars, the satellite radio doesn't sound as clear or as
loud as the radio or the CD Player.

z71bill · August 2006

I know the TL uses some type of sensor in the key as part of the security system. I assume if I go to Acura and buy a spare key it will cost $50-$100 - I would rather have a key that WILL NOT start the car - I just want to unlock the door.

Has anyone had a key cut at your local hardware store (or Walmart) - that can be used to unlock the door?

I had a key cut at Walmart ($.88 plus tax!) for my Mazda3 - it works just fine in the trunk/door locks but will not start the car.

I keep this key hidden under the rear bumper - if I ever misplace my key while away from home - I can unlock the trunk - I keep a spare key in the trunk that can be used to start the car.

Even if someone finds my spare (Walmart) key they can not use it to steal my car.

jimmy81 · August 2006

Could your 'problems' with these minor issues stem from the fact you got ripped off paying $35K for your car?

I have no AC problems, no rattles, my Bluetooth set up the first time I tried it, and the one time I went to the dealer for something I was handled great - in and out in 10 minutes.

To say 'this car sucks' because you have an AC problem and a few rattles appears trollish. All cars have issues sometimes. Yours are minor but you feel inspired to just trash the entire car. Whatever.

animalsrush · August 2006

I sympathize with you . I had few problems with my brand new car and same response from dealer that they couldn't reproduce the problem. So i kept notes on when rattles happened and how and also got acura client service involved. After few dealership trips got most of my problems fixed.. The car is very nice these small problems make it bit annoying.

With regards to bluetooth: Keep at it. It didn't work for first few weeks. It kept going back to setup and my phone was not listed as compatible. However last month i tried once more and managed to hook it up.. Voice recognition software is bit picky. I think my accent freaked it out

So if one dealer doesn't fix your problem take it another one. They will definitely do it . Atleast that is the experience i had with Acura so far

lailouis · August 2006

To fellow TL owners; I have my 06 TL w/ Nav. for above two weeks. I started to notice the temperature in the morning is extremely cold. Living in the Midwest with the high humidity it fog up my front windshield to the point that I cant see through. I have the climate control set to Auto and temperature at 80 degrees F and cold are still blowing inside the cabin (outside temp is 74 F). Try using the Defog and the matter got worse. Also, completely turn off the climate control but still dont help. The only option is to use my wiper to clear my windshield so that I can see.

My of other vehicles have never experience this type of behavior. Is this something unusual only to my TL or other have a similar experience? Also anybody know how to correct it? Thanks in advance.

revras · August 2006

This car is perfect for the 16-35 yo who is impressed by gadgetry and fluff. I leased this car and hated it, fortunately I was able to get out of the lease early. My car vibrated( I know well documented /harmonic vibration issue), seats were cheap hard leather( very uncomfortable for long drives) and the suspension made me feel every crack in the road. I have no idea how or why consumer reports rates this car as highly as they do. To each their own, I doubt their are more negative posts on any other car in any other forum here on Edmunds.

bhelsdon · August 2006

Yes I had it done. I went to Ace hardware. They told me that they didn't have a blank but any Honda blank will work. I keep it in my wallet just in case.

bhelsdon · August 2006

You should have it looked at. Mine has never done that even on the most sticky cool mornings. If you had it set on defrost or defog it would do that, but it shouldn't do that with it set on auto.

lailouis · August 2006

Thanks for the feed back. I am scheduled next week to bring the car to the dealer.

Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

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