Acura TSX Maintenance and Repair

uncledavid

Suprised to hear you say that. Mazda's reliability approaches Honda and Toyota.

trickydick

I've had my TSX for about 1 month and twice today, while driving it home for work, the engine totally cut-off, once while I was slowing down to a stop and once when I was going around 30-40 mph on a suburban road. This happened once before the first week I had the car when I was backing out of a friend's driveway, but I didn't think much of that incident until now. I had to put the car in neutral while the car was moving and turn the ignition to re-start the car. The only indicator I remember is the "key" symbol on the dash panel.

Has this happened to anyone else? Do you know if this is common and/or a problem Acura is aware of? Any insights are greatly appreciated!

Tricky Dick

trickydick

I wanted to re-post this in case anyone else has experienced this. Thanks.

I've had my TSX for about 1 month and twice today, while driving it home for work, the engine totally cut-off, once while I was slowing down to a stop and once when I was going around 30-40 mph on a suburban road. This happened once before the first week I had the car when I was backing out of a friend's driveway, but I didn't think much of that incident until now. I had to put the car in neutral while the car was moving and turn the ignition to re-start the car. The only indicator I remember is the "key" symbol on the dash panel.

Has this happened to anyone else? Do you know if this is common and/or a problem Acura is aware of? Any insights are greatly appreciated!

Tricky Dick

hunter001

Go to your local Honda dealership and check out the final assembly points of the 4-cylinder Sedan Accords and you may be surprised about USDM Accords made in Japan ! As mentioned earlier, every single one of the 4-cylinder Sedan Accords that I have seen, are made in Sayama, Saitama, Japan, just like the TSX.

Later...AH

cgtsx04

First off, I have an Automatic Transmission TSX. I am consistently getting 150 miles per half tank and 300 miles on full tank. That equates to about 17mpg. I feel that something is actually wrong with the car. I have seen earlier posts and complaints about this. Responses have included how people are calculating their mpg figures. I do not think that is the issue. I think the issue/problem is the throttle. When you are going say 30 or 40 mph(on a level road)and let your foot off the gas, there is no feeling of coasting, but a definite feeling of resistence. It feels like the throttle is not being released and the car is being slowed much quicker than it should. I think that this resistence is affecting the gas mileage. It feels like the brake is being applied...or like you are downshifting on a Manual (again, mine is an automatic). I am meaning to take it in to Acura and will within next 2 to 3 weeks. Can fellow TSX owners please respond with any comments or insights. Thank You.

diceman88

You should definitely get much better than 17mpg in your TSX. Mine is a 6-speed, and I have always gotten at least 24(all city driving) to 32(all highway). My overall average over 3600 miles so far has been 26mpg.

Are you dividing miles driven by # of gallons put in at the pump? I know this sounds silly but if you assume you are putting in a full tank(17.1 gallons) at each fillup your math will be way off. I find the low fuel light comes on when I have used 12-13 gallons and the most I have ever put in was 14.5 gallons. I had to drive around for 60 miles with the low fuel light on to go this far and my wife was getting really nervous.

I know what you mean about feeling a decelerative force when you let off the gas. Mine does this even when I push in the clutch and coast. I think perhaps the tires have a high rolling resistance. I am always checking to see if I left the parking brake on.

bszeto

What grade of gas are you using? Gas mileage can be affected if you are using 87-Octane gas.

jkobty

We consistently get less than 300 miles on a full tank. Mixed hwy city driving. It is disappointing, and I believe it has to do with the fact that you have to rev the car above 3000 rpm to get it to accelerate properly.

diceman88

The auto trans TSX I test drove felt a little weak under 3000 rpm, too. That's one of the reasons I got a manual. There is plenty of pull down to 1000 rpm in 1st and 2nd, 1500rpm in 3rd, and 2000 rpm with 4th,5th, and 6th.

I regularly delve into the 4000-5000 rpm range, and occasionally get into the VTEC range of 6000-7100. This still nets me 26 mpg.

uncledavid

I have an Automatic,and a heavy foot. I rev the engine pretty hard. But, I'm getting between 25 mpg and 30 mpg (depending on how much time I spend on the highway). In heavy Los Angeles traffic, I still do a lot better than one you are reporting. Either something is wrong with your numbers, or you've got a problem with the car. If you've eliminated the obvious culprits (tire inflation and octane level) you should complain to your dealer.

typee

We average 26 - 28.5 in mixed urban driving on 89 and 91 octane. Our TSX is approaching 10K miles.

Don't wait for Acura's "fix" for the door buzz. Our dealer resolved with careful diagnosis and several disassemblies. Our buzz was in the locking mechanism, and was easily resolved once it was isolated.

The issue of side moldings was a big one for me, as well. The problem is, Honda and other manufacturers are clearly moving away from moldings in many car models. In some cases, the moldings that remain are virtually useless as protective devices, but clearly styling items only. Final decision for me was considering how much protection the new Accord 4 door's moldings are likely to provide in the real world - virtually none, except from another new Accord! Believe Acura offers side moldings as add-on if you must have them.

bobst

We bought our RSX at Pohanka Acura in Chantilly VA, and we were extremely happy with the way we were treated. I wanted to give them the highest marks on a survey, but they told me that Acura doesn't do a written survey. They said a person from Acura might give me a call.

After a couple weeks, I called Acura myself and gave a good report about Pohanka.

lumbar

I've read with interest your posts about buying on other boards. I live about 10 mins from Pohanka and am very curious as to what kind of deal you received. If you could post your experience (I guess either here or on the prices paid board), I'd sure appreciate it. TIA.

bobst

After bought our RSX in October, I posted a topic in the Smart Shopper forum titled, "Hey guys, Bobst actually buys a car".

If you look at the archived discussions in that forum, you should find it. I just checked there myself, and found it.

They didn't give us a good deal. We got it on our own by offering a fixed OTD price and walking out when it was not accepted. The sales manager came out to the parking lot to say they would accept our offer. It only took about 10 minutes from the time we made our written offer to the time they said they would accept it.

I would definitely go back there to buy a car. They were very friendly. However, like all successful dealers, they won't just give you a good price. Like E. F. Hutton, you have to earn it by being an informed buyer. Good luck.

Bob

nctsx

Had a strange problem this morning. I plugged my cell phone in the jack in front of the gear shift. A few minutes later, the left turn signal started blinking erractically...turning itself off and on. When I unplugged the phone, the problem went away. Any similar problems?

Appointment scheduled next week for windshield creaking, loose drivers seat, erratic door chime when door is unlocked from outside (no key in ignition or lights on), now the phantom turn signal. Four new Hondas were never this way!!

johnny420

Funny, my door chimes in exactly the same way when I use the keyless entry to open the door. I get two or three chimes, then it stops. Let us know what your dealer says about it.

03honda

Althought I don't have a TSX, I do have a 2003 Accord. In the Accord the lights blink 2-3 times depending on if you press unlock once or twice. As a result if I get to the car and open the door quick enough so that the lights are still in their blinking cycle, I hear the "lights on" warning chime momentarily as the lights blink...could this be the "problem" you're referring to...? Sit in your car with the driver's door open and the lights off and press unlock...see what happens.

johnny420

Dude, you hit the nail on the freakin' head. I did what you said and sure enough the chiming is a result of the lights blinking, signalling the car is unlocked. Doesn't happen when you use the key to unlock the door.

That begs the question: is this a problem? Clearly it's a minor glitch to me, but my 2000 Accord never did it, and both cars have similar security/keyless entry systems.

Did you do anything about it on your Accord?

Thanks

Johnny

03honda

Nah, I didn't do anything about it with the Accord (I don't think there is anything to do, except maybe press unlock farther away so the lights have stopped blinking by the time I open the door or disconnect the chime, if that's possible). I think the reason it does this is because the actual parking lights turn on and off, rather than just the blinkers, therefore activitating that annoying chime. However, I do agree it's a minor glitch and frankly, I think it's stupid that Hondas/Acuras even have a chime for the lights, since they automatically turn off anyway...glad I could help!

njtsx

I have 900 miles on my TSX (automatic) and my mileage is poor. I have seen other posts on the issue, but no remedy has been addressed. I spoke with the dealer yesterday and he attributed it to the additives for winter, but my mileage has topped out at 21.5 mpg (yes it has been calculated properly). Has anyone who has had this problem had it fixed? Their suggestion was to wait until spring when I should see a couple of mpg improvement, but that still is below the city mileage rating. I use premium fuel and travel 60% highway and 40% suburban traffic. One of my purposes in getting a four cylinder was to offset the costs of fuel. Instead it performs worse than my prievious six cylinder did and I have to use gas that costs 15% more than what I had been using. 300 miles per tank is appreciably less than what I had expected. Suggestions, comments, similar experiences, any recourse? Thanks.

robr2

Honda engines are known for improved fuel efficiency as the engine breaks in. In most instances, it can take up to 10K miles before you can achieve the best results.

Winter fuel mixtures do decrease MPG as does the cold temp. Further your driving style, traffic, et al all affect final numbers. Lastly, the EPA estimates are under optimum conditions. Give it some time and good luck.

xplorx4

I've noticed that with mixed city/highway driving, such as you've described, the mileage is substantially lower than when with highway-only miles. I've been getting somewhat poor mileage from my TSX as well (and it's got nearly 12,000 miles on it now), but the mileage dramatically improves when I travel long distances (i.e. more than 300 miles) without any city driving. I believe the primary factor for my poor fuel economy is that I'm heavy on the go-pedal.

johnny420

My TSX has almost 1100 miles on it and my mileage has been less than I expected, too. My first tankful resulted in 27 mpg, but that was almost entirely freeway driving on the 300 mile trip back from the dealership where I bought the car.

Since then I've only averaged about 22.5 mpg @ 40% freeway, 60% city driving. To be perfectly fair, I've been driving the car pretty hard, constantly seeking out twisty roads.

I have a lot of trouble keeping my foot out of the throttle with this car. That said, I'm a little disappointed with the fuel economy.

I'm hopeful things will improve with spring fuel and as the engine breaks in. BTW, mine is the 6 sp MT version.

Johnny

nctsx

You were exactly right on the window switches. I thought I had an electrical problem, but relieved to see it is not a problem. Interestingly enough, my Acura service man was not even aware of this feature; couldn't find it in the owner's manual either. Thanks again.

hertie

I am looking at both the Aura TSX as well as the Camry Solara. Has anyone done more extensive driving in winter conditions of snow and ice? Does the traction/stability system work well enough to keep you from slipping and the car from spinning out? I live in upstate NY and this is very important to me. Thank you for any help.

johnny420

In some snow driving and extensive rain driving, I can say that the TSX actually has very good traction. In fact, its traction belies its appearance. It's pretty solid in those conditions. It's no AWD SUV, but it does quite well.

I've only had the VSA system kick in a couple of times, usually on start off. It works like it should.

In ice, I think any car has to be drivien carefully, but FWD is always an advantage.

Johnny

justin

everyone's TSX is performing flawlessly i guess? good news!

redkey1

I've got poor fm reception and / or a buzz coming from the tweeters at the top of the dash. You can hear it at the beginning of a song or when you can just hear instruments. Something is amiss for sure. I think it may just be a loose wire or something because it gets better and worse for no reason.

Also, a creak on the passenger side of the console (basically where your left leg would be if you were sitting in the pass seat). You can hear a creak / pop upon giving it gas or braking. It creaks and then stops, I almost think it is the plastic just rubbing against itself, although there is a slight bulge in one spot where the plastic meets the carpet so that may be causing it.

Finally, I noticed that the car pulls a tad to the left sometimes but I have yet to take it to a parking lot or something where I can test it to make sure it isn't just an uneven road. I know this is a problem that occurs often and there is actually a nhsta note on it for the TSX.

I only have 300 miles so I am a bit paranoid but I can understand how there can be small glitches and hopefully I can have them look at it this weekend.

gostate

I have owned my Acura a total of two months and have already been in the service department twice. Once within the first two weeks of ownership and now it is in there again for the same reason. I was driving down the road to work (less than 20 miles)- the radio stopped, then the interior lighting goes, and then you lose all gauges and loses a lot of power. First time I had it towed to the dealership. Then less than a month later it happened again. This time I was able to start it and take it to the dealership. I currently am driving a loaner and extremely unhappy.

By the way, my car also pulls to the right upon stopping and starting. I heard the TL is having the same type of problem.

I love the look and feel of the Acura, but I think the one that I got has serious problems and is unreliable.

redkey1

Their is a nhsta bulletin on that, it can be beacuse of tire pressure or an off-alignment of the steering wheel. It can be easily corrected.

see NHTSA item # 10003102

SERVICE BULLETIN # 080103

[url]http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov

mbennett674

I think that pulling to the right on hard acceration is a typical characteristic of fwd cars called torque steer. does the car still pull during constand driving, or only acceleration?

kagedude

I am so mad right now and need to really vent. I took my 2004 Silver TSX to Acura of Manhattan for my first oil change. I also needed warranty work done on the trunk valet lock, wheel alignment and the windshield creak issue.

This is how they faired on the warranty work:
Trunk Valet lock - They were able to unlock it but suggested I not lock it back. I need to come back because they have to order the part.

Wheel alignment - they said the tire pressure was off 40 lbs psi. They set it to 32psi. Funny, I set it to 32psi the day before as suggested by forum members but it really is the alignment. I drive home with the alignment still off.

Windshield Creak - They said it was the sunglass holder and nothing they can do about it. They must really think I'm so stupid to not be able to isolate where the creaks are coming from.

The part that blew my top off was the complimentary car wash. I specifically told the rep that I do not want them to wash my car. I am anal about my TSX and take my time detailing and washing with just a sponge. The car before today had no swirl marks or scratches whatsover. It looked brand new. Now after the car wash although clean, when gleaming under the sun, I see brush marks across the front door, back door and the roof. I also found 2 brush scratches on the trunk.

So what can I do now? I feel they've ruined my brand new car. Ugh... I feel my car was so violated.

redkey1

I would go straight to the general mgr of the dealership about the carwash, that is just not right.

As for the winshield creak, there have been some posts on tsx specific sites that it may have something to do with Y clips holding in the side gutters that run vertical along the winshield and the channel that runs horizontally across the bottom. Try applying pressure to all of these to make sure all of the clips are in place.

kagedude

I called Acura Customer Relations but they can't do anything about the paint finish scratches. They do suggest me calling the Service Manager of the dealership. I spoke to the service rep earlier and she still stands by that they don't use those abbrasive brushes and the next time I come in, they will give me something to clear up the scratches. Although being compensated is nice, it still won't change the fact that my TSX is just not the same anymore.

I just called the Service Manager and as expected, she can't do anything but to say take it in and we'll look at it. This whole thing is giving me a headache.

ethos80

My lights for the clock, radio, and climate control just went out (~3750 miles). The radio and climate control still work though. I've checked the fuses both inside and under the hood - none are broken. I'll be heading to the dealer this next week (while also getting the windshield fixed and the RF door rattle), but if anyone has some suggestions I'd be appreciative since i'd like to know what station or cd I'm listening to.

best,
jw

ethos80

Also, I've noted that the external temp rating seems to be about 5-10 degrees off. Anyone else?

jw

ethos80

i just got back from the dealership today, and they tightened the clips on the windshield and ordered the part for the dash radio that controls the light brightness. They said they've had one other case like that...so not too bad.

i'm also debating when to get a small dent fixed that some [non-permissible content removed] made just a week after i got my car.

jw

marklouis

I found this procedure elsewhere. Haven't tried it yet:

The outside tmep gauge can be adjusted by holding the reset button & turning key to the II position (not start). Watch the temp guage countdown -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3. If temp is too high (as in your case), say 3 degrees, then stop temp countdown on minus 3. If it is measuring too low, say 2 degrees, then stop countdown on 2.

nubbin47

Consider yourself lucky if swirls is all you got with your oil change/car wash. We took ours in for the first oil change. The dealer left it out in a hail storm. And they attempted to wash it, scratching it in several places. Then in an attempt to hide the scratches, buffed some really serious scapes into the paint. This car is/was brand new. This Arlington, TX dealer says I take the same chances with him parking it outside at his dealership as I do when I park at the mall. Really nice folks.

ethos80

the calibration of the external temp worked. thanks!

jw

mbennett674

Usually, my I make my first shift from 1st to 2nd their is a weird sound/feeling - almost like a clicking CV joint, but I think it's in the tranny. Has anyone else experienced this? I'll probably bring it in to be looked at, but I am trying to isolate the problem first.

mbennett674

I don't think it's in the tranny, and it only seems to happen when the car isn't warmed up. The first hard left/right turn there is a weird sound - amost like a worn CV joint - if you have ever experienced that....

Anyone else? suggestions?

thepdmm

I have two questions about my TSX after my first (relatively) long trip.

1) Stereo causes a slight vibration at the top of the driver's door at medium to high volumes.. is this just the stereo? I understand it is a relatively powerful stereo and I may just have to deal with it:) however this isn't the complaint that people have had about the car in the past about door rattle is it?

2) my car seems to be pulling to the left on certain roads. Although not consistent it does favor the left. and I do have the correct tire pressure. Should I have this checked out??

thanks

redkey1

The noise you hear by your ear could be one of 2 things in my experience. 1) The plastic where the seat belt is attached to the door can make some noise. 2) The seals on the door make a squeaking / vibrating noise sometimes. You can recreate it by pusing on the seal with the window down. Try some 303 protectant on the rubber.

I thought my car was drifting too, but many highways are pitched just a bit to the sides for drainage purposes.

mbennett674

I have been trying to figure this out for a few weeks now. On teh highway I feel like the car is tracking to the left (the road is clearly banked to the left) so I would drive over the crown and the car drifts to the right. The TSX just seems to be very sensitive to this, but I don't think it's allignment or tire pressue. I will, however, ask the dealer to check it out during my first service in about a month.

dx2e

I have got the car just today, after much research. (thanks to the posts on this site) AND this drifting is the first thing I notice on the way back from the dealership. It is a VERY LITTLE drifting, and my hands are sensitive enough to feel it. Is there anyone else who has the similar experience ? Solutions ?

redkey1

I honestly think it has to do with the tight handling of the tsx when combined with roads that are not 100% level. I think that it is most noticeable to those who came from a lesser handling vehicle (jeep, in my case).

thepdmm

I talked to the dealership and they said drifting is because of the tight handling characteristics of the TSX. if the road leans the car will follow the road. I guess the TSX hugs the road all the time, not just in turns. Not an all bad thing in my book.

However they also said they would just align the car, to silence any concerns I have (I have been very impressed with my dealership)

I would suggest not waiting for your first service to have the car aligned unless you don't mind paying for it. Alignment is considered "maintenance" and not covered under the 4 year 50K warranty. If you just got the car and you are conserned about the alignment the maybe call now and work out what they want to do.

ALSO the vibration I mentioned in an earlier post isn't really a squeaking it is more of a vibration.. BUT I do have the stereo up pretty loud so it may just be the noise resonating in the car. In that case the solution is to turn the music down or wait until something other then the base guitar kicks in.

redkey1

Give the speakers time to break in. I found them harsh at first, but they seemed to sound much better after having the car for a few months.

thepdmm

I agree about letting the speakers "break in" however I am sure the rest of the car is a bit stiff also (seams in doors etc.) I am not too upset about the vibration, I turned the stereo settings to my preferences (wife and I happen to like the stereo set a bit differant) and the vibration is minimal and I am sure the car needs some loosening up time. Can't complain a lot about a strong stereo..

Also how many people out there live in a state that have front plates as a law? I really wish our tax dollars were spent in other places. TSX looks better without the plates. and I really don't like the braket against the bumper!