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Acura TSX Maintenance and Repair

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  • ramstein317ramstein317 Member Posts: 47
    I have a 2008 TSX automatic. I am currently leasing it. It has about 35,000. Ever since I got the car, whenever there is summer time, and I start my AC when I am driving, after some time, I hear this embarrasing, annoying noise that comes out of the hood. I can hear that while I am driving. It's like a siren/ knocking noise that sounds very large. I had taken the car the first 1000 miles, and the acura dealer test drove it, and nothing came on. Now, I am really annoyed by the noise. I am going there again tomorrow, and see if that noise comes "while", the technician is test driving it. They have never heard anything like this before. I am hoping that the noise comes tomorrow, so they know what it is, or what to do. Do you guys know that if this is something part of the warranty? Has this ever happened to any one? Thanks..
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I have mine on auto- and adjust the temperature. No problems.
  • mcmagicmcmagic Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 2009 Acura TSX about a month ago. The steering is a bit remote and has been described in several reviews of this car. I went from a BMW to this car and will say that the BMW had a much better "on center" drive when driving at fast speeds. I am not a mechanical guy but have read the the soft steering is due to the "electronic steering" assist that this car uses. I hope this helps. Nothing may be wrong with your car you and I just need to get used to the new feel of the steering.
  • 1bythesea1bythesea Member Posts: 52
    I do know how you feel. The first service, B-1, on my 2007 RDX at 5000 miles was $285 at the Acura stealership. After that I went to the Honda stealership one block down the road for all general service which I will continue to do on my 2010 TSX. It's much, much cheaper.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    The acura dealers that I deal with are also honda dealers. The one acura dealer is actually cheaper on service than honda.
  • ramstein317ramstein317 Member Posts: 47
    So, I believe that any Honda dealer can service any Acura model? If so, would they use the Honda parts, or parts of Acura? Please advise.
  • biker4biker4 Member Posts: 746
    Until very recently Acura parts for the TSX were Honda parts - it is after all a Euro Accord. I think this year Acura is starting to actually put Acura markings on some of the parts - like the windows. But in reality, for the TSX, the parts are still Honda parts - and there's nothing wrong with that - unless you're one of those snobs who think that the marked name makes a diff. :shades:
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I own a 06 tsx and just looked to see where the parts were from Most of them say Acura on them (honda is sometimes named under the Acura.)
  • jakevajakeva Member Posts: 1
    Do you have a license plate holder attached to your front bumper? Mine tends to rattle a bit at different engine speeds. This is a result of the vibration of the engine causing the license plate holder go through a mechanical resonance, at which the license plate holder tends to vibrate a lot and makes contact with the front bumper. This only happens, though, at engine speeds which match the resonant frequency of the holder, which is why it may be happening only at particular points while you are accelerating.

    To diagnose if this is the case, go out and jiggle the license plate holder a little, and see if there are some gaps between the holder and bumper where contact could be occurring. Then wedge some cloth strips in these gaps in-between the holder and the bumper to ensure that the holder cannot vibrate, then drive the car and see if the sound is gone or reduced. Tear up an old T shirt or wash cloth to get some pieces of cloth. If this fixes the problem, have the dealer replace or tighten the license plate holder.

    Hope this helps.
  • ramstein317ramstein317 Member Posts: 47
    Hi All,
    Does anyone know anything about automatic door lock? I have a 2008 tsx automatic with navi. Whenever I start the car, and start driving, the doors doesn't lock automatically. I have to manually lock the doors, since they were in the unlock position? Hope I am making any sense.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I am almost 100% sure but that feature started in the 09 tsx. My mom's 08 accord has it so I know what you are talking about (it is annoying at times)
  • ryguy61ryguy61 Member Posts: 1
    I bought a new 2009 TSX w/Tech in July. It's been a great experience mixed with a bit of bad luck. I've had to buy two new tires (not covered under the warranty) and had to have 3 wheels replaced do to the clear coat pealing.

    Yesterday I found that someone has scratch paint off of my rear bumper. I need to know if this is something that I can fix myself, or if I will need to take it into a body shop and have it repaired.

    I was told that because it's on the bumper that I need a "felx agent" or the paint will start to crack. Please advise.

    Thanks in advance.
  • bvdj84bvdj84 Member Posts: 1,724
    Why did you have to replace tires? Its new? Also, wheels that are pealing? Wouldn't Honda be responsible for all of this?

    If this were my car, I would not fix it myself. I would take it to a dealer or a very reputable shop that would do this. Get many quotes first.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    tires are usually covered by the tire manufacturer not the dealer.
  • sweeneydjsweeneydj Member Posts: 3
    Hello-
    New to this forum.

    I have a TSX, 2004, 72K miles. The dealership recommended a Fuel Injector Cleaning. yes, it is more sluggish now (despite using premium gas) but..there is a HUGE difference in price if the dealer does it ($200) or a place like Valvoline. I'm assuming the Acura dealer does a thorough cleaning of the injectors??

    Is it worth it??

    Thank you!
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    Before you do that try using fuel injector cleaner. You can buy it at any auto store-just pour it into your gas tank. I have used it on other cars but not yet my 06 tsx, with 94,000+ miles. Still has alot of pep but then again I use regular gas and do alot of highway driving.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Don't waste your time and money.

    All the fuel injector cleaner you ever need is already in the gasoline you've been burning since you bought your TSX.
  • albert72albert72 Member Posts: 203
    my engine got sluggish and I put in a small container of lucas injection cleaner and it stopped the engine hesitation and increased the power in a few days.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    I've noticed that my car runs noticeably better right after a car wash... :blush:
  • delekodeleko Member Posts: 20
    I have always had my 2006 TSX serviced at the dealer, but this past year I noticed they were pushing for many additional fluid flushes/services that were not part of regular maintenance. After getting suckered once for a brake flush, I mentioned it to my father and he brought this article to my attention: http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/autos/The-Great-Car-Maintenance-Upsell/

    Seems that dealers are trying to make more money in the slow economy on precisely these types of services. You may not need it.
    :)
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    How about a product that does all of these things...

    * Helps restore lost engine performance caused by deposits left by lower quality gasolines
    * Helps keep emissions low
    * Unsurpassed ability to clean vital engine parts such as dirty fuel injectors and intake valves

    You can get it here...

    http://www.chevron.com/products/ourfuels/prodserv/fuels/gasoline.aspx
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I also have all the service on my 06 tsx done by the dealer. They have never tried to sell me unnecessary service. I follow the maintenance minder. My car, bought new 11/06, has 94,000+miles with the original brakes-it is due for brake fluid change.
  • sweeneydjsweeneydj Member Posts: 3
    Thank you!

    I JUST replaced my breaks at 70K miles. I was impressed at how long they lasted. I also just replaced tires, although those should have been replaced a little sooner.

    I am going to go ahead and get the throttle body cleaning and fuel injector cleaning. it's cost is about $208, but I have $50 coupon, so I'm going to do it, it's been a little sluggish, so I hope this helps.

    Thanks for your response!!
  • gbosilgbosil Member Posts: 88
    FORGET THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANING "RIP OFF!" and not necessary. Also go to Autozone pay $6.50 for some Fuel Injector cleaner "Prestone" and put it in your fuel tank when you fill up next at the pump. Takes two seconds and save your self the $150 bucks! :shades:
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I totally agree
  • cariocatsxcariocatsx Member Posts: 2
    I am planning to purchase a TSX . When I asked to a ACURA Sales person about the maintenance costs he said that every year I will need to pay $120 for brake cleaning and caliper lubrication, beyond other costs. Have you heard about it ?
  • delekodeleko Member Posts: 20
    Hi. I have a 2006 TSX, which I love, and I don't recall ever having this maintenance done. I have the oil changed every 5K miles (free @ dealer with my purchase) and, otherwise, just do what the maintenance minders tell me to do. This has been of minimal cost. It may be different for a new model, so would probably be useful to get a hold of a manual yourself and see what those reminders are...
  • cariocatsxcariocatsx Member Posts: 2
    Tks for your quick response. I just downloaded TSX's Owners Manual at https://techinfo.honda.com/ and will look for more info.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Your salesperson has no idea what he/she is talking about. You don't need to clean your brakes and lubricate your calipers every year.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I am in total agreement with the other posts. I own a 06 tsx. It will be 3 years old on the 17th (bought it new). It now has almost 95,000 miles on it. I get all the maintenance done by the acura dealer-they have cleaned off the brakes but I did not have to pay for it. When I had my tires rotated they would do it.
  • delekodeleko Member Posts: 20
    No worries. :) I am definitely not the most mechanically inclined person, but have found my previous Honda Accord and my current TSX to be reliable and easy to maintain. I do remember, though, that it was difficult to figure out the exact sequence/cost of services from the manual due to the maintence minders.

    The other things that comes to mind, is to try another dealer and ask to speak to the sales mgr. If they don't know, they are in big trouble. And since you are on Edmunds, did u check under the true cost to own function? Under model info. That is probably the most unbiased report.

    Good luck!
  • sergeyesergeye Member Posts: 3
    My mechanic recommended the following at 120K service for my 2004 TSX:
    - replace valve cover gasket
    - adjust valve clearance
    - switch to synthetic oil
    - change automatic transmission fluid
    - change coolant.
    - change brake fluid.

    I have been following maintenance manual so far. It does not mention replacing valve cover gasket. It says "adjust valve clearance only if noisy". Any thoughts on that?
  • sergeyesergeye Member Posts: 3
    I have 120k on my TSX.
    I have been changing oil and filter every 10k. Used regular mineral oil, as per owner's manual. Oil stayed clean and was not burnt till the end of 10k. Mechanic recommends switching to synthetic. Of course, it costs more.
    - any thoughts on that?
  • spedprofspedprof Member Posts: 16
    I have a 2009 TSX and just realized that there is a built-in air pressure gauge. As the air is getting colder here, the gauge shows 28-29 PSI when I start up. Knowing that I am supposed to have 33PSI cold, I went to my local gas station to put air in and used my handy-dandy air pressure gauge that I bought a few years ago in some auto parts store. Well, it shows that I have 33PSI, so I went home and thought I'd better first check with the experts. So, my question is, how accurate is the built in air pressure gauge or should I use the cheapo one that I bought?

    Thanks.
  • thelowmanthelowman Member Posts: 1
    Here is the story, I'll try to keep it brief. It was time for new tires so I shopped around and went to a pretty reputable establishment to get four new Toyo Versado tires put on my TSX. Prior to getting the new tires, the car was riding beautifully with the only problem being some hydroplaning in wet weather (due to tread wear). Everything went smooth at the shop with the process and they did an alignment as well. They told me when I was leaving that they noticed that one of my wheels was slightly bent but didn't anticipate it being a problem. When I hit the highway on my new tires, the car felt OK until I got past 60 mph when I noticed significant shaking in the steering wheel. I called the shop to tell them about it and suggested that the wheels weren't properly balanced. The guy at the shop told me that he thought it was due to the bent rim at which point I went a little ballistic. How does a slightly bent rim that had never caused a problem before suddenly cause all kinds of shaking once new tires are installed? Any and all thoughts on this would be appreciated. I feel like they are trying to get me to buy a new wheel from them.
  • gbosilgbosil Member Posts: 88
    They bent the rim while mounting it or they didn't properly balance it. Just my thoughts. I would have went BALLISTIC TOO!!!!! :mad:
  • ken559ken559 Member Posts: 1
    I got a 2009 TSX w/Tech about a year ago. Love the car, but about 4 months ago the display started not working properly. It would occasionally take 30 seconds to 2 minutes to turn on (i.e. stay black during that time). I tried pushing the contrast button, enter, audio, map, info, etc and nothing works. Even if I shift the car into reverse, the backup camera will not turn on. But then about a minute after the car has been on, the display comes on and everything is normal.

    I took the car in to the dealership two months ago and they swapped out the Nav unit. The next day it was fine, the day after that it started acting up again. I decided to wait a while to see if the problem persisted, and sure enough it has not improved. I took it back to the dealer today and they could not duplicate the issue and recommended waiting until it "got worse" before bringing it in again.

    Does anyone have any thoughts on what could be causing this?

    Other than this minor issue, I really like the car! I just hope that I didn't end up with a :lemon: of a display. Please help. Thanks!
  • sergeyesergeye Member Posts: 3
    Hi.
    Don't be so fast to blame the mechanic. Similar thing happened to me.
    I did indeed have a bent rim, but it was on the rear axle. The shaking was not noticeable on the steering wheel. There was a bit of shimming before the tire change, but I wrote it off to the tires being out of balance towards the end of their life. After the tire change, the bent rim (by accident) ended up on the front axle. Of course the vibration was very pronounced. Your choices are:
    - move the rim to the back and not rotate tires. In the future, you will have to replace tires two at a time
    - take the wheel to a specialty repair shop to see if it can be straightened.
  • biker4biker4 Member Posts: 746
    The valve cover gasket needs to be replaced if they pull it to adjust the valve clearance. The question is: are the valves noisy? Have you noticed the valve train any louder than before? If not, they're just trying to make money. Unless there's a definite problem showing I would never open an engine.

    The recommendation to synthetic is just that - a recommendation. You don't need it unless you think the synthetic will somehow help the car. It won't.
  • marked1marked1 Member Posts: 15
    Hey, before you blame a tech try this. remove your wheel and try to bend it,
    see how easy it is. I'm sure you had a bent rim before you came for tire replacement, it was installed in rear and now it's in front.
  • rlommbardirlommbardi Member Posts: 30
    The passanger side door lock will not go up and down - I can do it by hand however - when I press the flob or inside button - it does not work -
    some one said it probable is the motor????? does any one know how to fix this - or how much it would cost to be fixe - I have a 2004 1/2 TSX with 50k miles - on it
    and this is really bugging me...
    :mad:
    Rick in Northwest Burbs of Chicago
  • biker4biker4 Member Posts: 746
    It's more a solenoid than a motor that controls the power door lock and the cost could vary depending on where you take it. The part it self could be fairly cheap but the door needs to be taken apart to fix which could be expensive.
  • jsandberg77jsandberg77 Member Posts: 7
    '06 TSX, 72,000 miles. I recently had a "check emissions system" warning appear. I took it to autozone and the error code was P0135. Apparently my oxygen sensor needs to be replaced. I called Acura to see if this was covered under the Federal Extended Emissions Warranty (8yrs / 80k miles) and they said it was. I took the car to the dealership, and they said it was not. I called Acura back, and they said it would not be covered. I called back Acura and they changed their tune and said the sensor was not covered.

    Has anyone had their oxygen sensor replaced under the extended emissions warranty?
  • rlommbardirlommbardi Member Posts: 30
    Not sure if I have the exact same problem - but was told since my gas cap was not on tight enough - it cased this problem....
    sooooooooooo I tightened the cap and it was good to go...r :confuse:
  • biker4biker4 Member Posts: 746
    I would go further up the Acura chain - if it's part of the emission system it should definitely be covered.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    edited April 2010
    When you called Acura customer service did you get the name of the person who told you that and also did they give you a case #. I do not have any problems with my tsx but when I wrote a letter to compliment the dealer I go to I received a call from Acura client services. They gave me their name, direct phone# and a case# in case I wanted to call them. I did get the tighten gas cap message that would not go off until the dealer reset it.
  • jsandberg77jsandberg77 Member Posts: 7
    I recently had a check emissions system light come on on my 06 TSX (see message 1212 above). I decided to purchase an O2 sensor and have a local mechanic replace it rather than pay the dealership $100+ just to diagnose the problem. The check emissions system light went off after the O2 sensor was replaced, but then it came back on yesterday. Anyone have an idea what might be wrong?
  • rlommbardirlommbardi Member Posts: 30
    I too had the same problem with the Emission Light.... I turned the car off
    and then checked the gas cap.... it must be on tight.....and the light went off...

    not sure if it that simple for you however .... you may want to check...it
    RL
    in Bartlett .IL ;)
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    take it back to that mechanic and have them check it out
  • gbosilgbosil Member Posts: 88
    Over the weekend I got into my 2010 TSX 4 cyl and it took 5 seconds for the engine to turn over .. sort of like it was flooded or something. When it did catch it sort of sputtered like it wasn't getting enough fuel and is now fine with no problems. Anybody experience this? Thanks
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