Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

dlbenson

I've given up on the OEM Michelins for winter driving. They are poor in the snow and develop sidewall bubbles too frequently when hitting potholes. I've had to change both front tires because of such bubbles. (2003 TL-S)

Can someone recommend a winter tire that will fit on the 17" rims?

dulnev

Instead of a dedicated winter tire, you may want to consider an all-season tire that is highly rated for snow and wet traction. Falken ZIEX ZE 512 is one such tire (rated #1 by CR), I got it for my 2004 TL. Check out ratings at www.tirerack.com and in Consumer Reports (November 2003).

msf2

Are you really happy with those tires? I'm hitting the dealer this week. I may or may not put something else on the car if I buy it. Is the ride smooth and quiet?

dtate99

I'm going into the dealer this week, too. I might push for a tire replacement and would like to know your satisfaction with the Falkens.

uvamarkg1

I just picked up my 6MT/Navi last weekend, and of course yesterday I manage to find the mother of all pot holes with my car. Later in the night (2am) the tire goes flat and I have to call acura road side assistance. On top of the tire going flat, the rim was bent!

Luckily I signed up for that road hazard waranty for an extra 6 bucks a month it covers any damage to tires and rims. I would STRONGLY reccomend this to anyone purchasing one of these. Rims like this bend so easily and are EXTREMELY expensive to replace. Between the tire and the rim I've already more than made up for the price of the warranty and I haven't even made a payment yet!

Just a suggestion for those buying!

dulnev

I couldn't be happier with these tires. I have around a 800 miles on them now and they have been through all sorts of horrible weather here in the North East latelly. Honestly, I can't really imagine a better tire! They have met or exceeded my high expectations in every category. And at $85 per tire they are an amazing bargain.

coolcar3

Is anyone experiencing the problem where the handsfree voice command repeatedly interprets '2' as '0' and '3' as '8'. All the other digits work fine. Planning to take it to the dealer this week.

agostev

Does anybody feel that the front edge of front seats on 2004 TL is too high even in the lowest position? Does anybody know if it's possible to adjust that? When looking at the side of the seat I see that there is space to lower it, it just doesn't go any further.

dulnev

Yes, the front of the seat is not as adjustable downward as on 2003 TL. It took me awhile to find a position in which blood circulation wasn't being cut off to my lower extremeties by the front edge of the seat. I would say that it's the only ergonomic complaint that I have about the car.

Quazimoto

My 2002 TL-S got its new tranny courtesy of Acura this week. This is a well known problem in a msall percentage of 2002 TLs. I guess I am lucky!

Anyway, my tranny was slipping last year when I went over some West VA mountains. I never had another problem with it until last Friday, when it started slipping a lot. I called my local dealer, made an appointment and brought it in. I barely made it. The slipping was so bad, that all I could manage was 20mph on a 55 road! Anyway, I got there, got a loaner and was off. My new tranny should come in tomorrow and will be installed within a day.

The service team at Pohanka Acura in Chantilly VA was great. The loaner was a trashed 2003 TL with bad wipers (yes it was raining!), no windshield washer, and warped rotors. Well it ran ok ;-).

I'll let you know how the new tranny works out. The service manager told me it will be different, with different shift points, but my horse power will not changes (well no duh!) So, I am prepared for less useable power, bit we will see.

markt12

2004 Acura TL ~ My rear window defogger does not seem to work very well. It will clear portions of a foggy window, but it won't melt ice or snow. Before I go back to the dealer for the second time, can someone inform me as to how well his or her defogger works?

aciampi

I think you may have a defective rear defogger. I have no complaints with mine. It has worked properly and quickly in the coldest conditions with snow and ice.

kahunah

danny1878

tedescm1

What problem is Acura attempting to correct by replacing the tires?

Are they replacing 04 tl tires? When is this going to happen and does it involve all 04 tl's?

dulnev

Mine can melt THIN ice and snow, but if there's 1/2 an inch of that stuff, there's nothing it can do.

dulnev

First of all, it's not clear whether Acura is really doing anything to correct the problem. There are just rumors at this point.

As far as the problems, there are two:

1. Some people experience vibrations at various speeds, most often in the 50-60mph range. These cannot be corrected by rebalancing tires. Most people who have put different tires on the car report that these vibrations go away.

2. The OEM tires flat-spot terribly. "Flat-spotting" is a formation of flat spots in the tires after a car has been parked for hours or days. These spots cause vibrations until the tires get hot. Flat-spotting in the OEM tires has been attributed to use of nylon belts inside these tires. Most other tires on the market do not exhibit this problem.

bodble2

I asked my service advisor about the tires and he said he's not heard that there is any issue nor is there a "fix" from Honda.

We also have the same Turanzas on our '02 Accord, and we haven't had any problems with them so far. Reasonably quiet and smooth.

richard52

I drive a 2000 TL and am almost ready for the 60000 mile service. After checking a few Northern New Jersey dealers I find a great difference between their fees..from a high of $654 to a low of $389. Any comments on the difference? Has anyone had the service performed and at what price level.

qbrozen

what the heck is with the advertisement at the top of this discussion now?

ok, its a rhetorical question. its there for Edmunds' monetary gain. I guess I just didn't see it coming. go figure.

1hopeck

I thought all tires today are made with steel belts? I thought only nylon belts where used for bias ply tires which were used 50 years ago.

Maybe I am used to driving trucks where the tires are steel belted.

Using steel belted tires with a radial design and not bias nylon eliminated the flat spotting of years ago.

Quazimoto

I noticed that my cup holder was making my soda hot after a short 20 minute drive. About a month later, my tranny gave out. Coincidence? I think not.

If your cup holder gets warm quickly, the end is near.

On the bright side, I love the new tranny. The auto-manual now really WORKS! Before shifting would kick in a .5 sec after the tap. Now it is nearly instantaneous. I have not really exercised the tranny to much, but I do not notice a decrease in power or 0-60.

dulnev

Performing such service at a dealership is a waste of money. Find a good independent shop specializing in Acura care and you'd pay less than half!

rasaia

It seems that the only phone with this feature that my phone service (Alltell) can support is a Motorola 270c. However there are no pairing instructions available from Acura. I would hate to buy the phone without knowing for sure if it is going to work. Changing phone companies is not an option for me.

Sure would like to use this feature. Any help would be appreciated.

rasaia

The sub woofer in my new (04) tl doesn't seem to work very well. Don't get me wrong, the sound system is fabulous, but when checking out the demo disk that came with the car, there seemed to be a problem. One of the last tracts on the disk takes sends a separate instrument to each speaker, one at a time. When the sub woofer was demonstrated it hardly made a sound, even when it was set on the max level. Maybe someone could check thiers out and see if it does the same thing. It could be working the way it was intended, but it was barely noticible.

dulnev

The 270c with the optional Bluetooth adapter does not work with TL. Several people tried it and failed.

It's not just "Bluetooth-compatible" that you need in the phone, it has to have a Hands Free Profile to work with TL. There are no options for Alltell until someone releases a true Bluetooth CDMA phone. Now that Motorola T710 got approved by FTC for Verizon, Alltell might not be far behind, since it uses the same technology.

dulnev

It's been reported by other people as well. Acura must stop distributing these stupid demo disks with the car! Your subwoofer is working just fine. Just listen to any XM Hot Hits station that carries rap and hip hop and you'd be blown away by the bass.

danny1878

There are some info in message #291 for subwoofer

dtate99

Thanks, danny, for referring rasaia to one of my previous posts about the subwoofer. And, just like dulnev said, the subwoofer works fine! It's just hard to hear when you isolate that one channel (at least on the demo disc).

Dulnev, any word on when the Motorola T710 will hit the market for Verizon? The ONLY wireless service we have in our area is Verizon, and I will be needing to renew my service later this year. And, with Verizon having the "new every two" plan, I could get the Motorola T710 if it will come out this year.

dulnev

From things I read at other forums people speculate that it will be May-June timeframe. Which is better than I hoped for: I switch to Verizon about a month ago hoping there will be a Bluetooth phone by the end of this year.

eglewis

I had the same expericence with mine when I played the demo disk. I'm sure it works fine.

rasaia

Thanks for the information and quick response.
  I believe the Alltel network that I use is the same as Verizon, which, according to the second message (no 282) just won't work. Unfortunately Alltel tells me is the only bluetooth phone they can support. One thing for sure, Acura does not have any pairing instructions for that phone. Thanks again.
 
 
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i use t-mobile. i've used them for years. the reason verizon doesn't have bluetooth phones is because not many companies make bluetooth phones for the CDMA network. if you want a bluetooth phone, your provider choices are: at&t, cingular, and t-mobile. i am happy with t-mobile, but you will definitely have more dropped calls than you do with verizon. verizon has the best infrastructure in the northeast. at&t has the worst infrastructure in the nation. i'd stay away from them. the thing i like about t-mobile and cingular is that you get a SIM card. this little card is found under the battery and is easily removed and inserted into another SIM card phone. you don't need to go back to the provider to do this. the benefit is that i can buy phones from europe that are state of the art and not have to wait for them to get to the u.s. then once i have the new phone insert my SIM into it and presto, my new phone is working with my old number and i didn't have to go back to the provider. lots of flexibility and easy to upgrade. try t-mobile. i am using the sonyericsson t610 from t-mobile and it works fine with my car's HFL.

 

It's really simple: Verizon doesn't have any Bluetooth phones. One of the old Verizon phones - the Motorola 270c - could be made Bluetooth-capable by adding an adapter, but it would still not work with the TL.

Various rumors circulate about a posibility of a Bluetooth Virizon phone by the end of this year. I wouldn't hold my breath. Just forget that you have Bluetooth in your car. That's what I'm doing...

rasaia

diregard 394, it was posted before I read 388. Thanks dulnev

msf2

Didn't see Falken tires on tirerack. Did you consider any other tire when you were looking? Sears didn't have the right Falken tire in supply.

Anyone else feel free to chime in here!

micked

Has anyone else here experienced the ABS self check with the '04 TL, or know of anyone who experienced it with this car? I checked with 2 service stations and neither is familiar with it. Took the car into one and without being able to reproduce the sound they couldn't do anything. I called Acura's customer service number and was told it is known on the Accord but not on the TL. I am asking again in case anyone who might know about it has not read my previous post.

Thanks,

Eddie G

dulnev

My 2003 TL-S would do two such checks every time you started driving it after the engine was turned off. My 2004 TL NEVER did it.

If you can't reproduce it, it's not ABS self-check. It is NOT something that comes and goes. If the car is programmed to do it, it will do it every single time.

builttospill1

I have had the 04 TL since mid November and the troubles I have encountered are as follows:

1. Memory seats (supposedly they have a fix for it. Just waiting for back order of the part to be filled.

2. Bluetooth Voice Command-Seems they sold the TL while the Voice Command of the Blue Tooth is really in Beta mode. It has problems distinguishing numbers. Often times I have to repeat a number 5 or 6 times before it is correct. If I hesitate in stating a phone number one of the options I get is "Continue to Add Numbers". When I repeat continue to add numbers it does not understand the command.

3. Pronounced rattling in the passenger side dashboard.

4. Went on a trip to NYC and tried to imput Murray Street and streets close by. Not only did the Navigation put me in the wrong city but also the wrong state (New Jersey).

I hope Acura addresses these issues.

micked

My car makes the sound every time I start driving after it has been sitting for several hours. It did not do this for the first few weeks after getting the car, though. I don't understand how it is my car is the ONLY '04 TL that is doing the ABS self check.

Eddie

richmarino

Hi All:

I have had my '04 TL since the first of this year and I have noticed that the two front seats have started to "pucker" right where the weight of one rear-end sits. It doesn't feel different - but looks sloppy as the rest of the leather look taunt. If this happened in only one seat I would drive back to the dealer but it is going on in BOTH seats.

Is this normal? Anyone else notice this? Should I be concerned?

Otherwise, I love the car. VERY FAST!!!! I have two tickets in 6 weeks to provide it! I came from a 4 cyl car and now the extra power is sending me speeding down the highway at 90+ speeds and not even feeling it. I car WANTS to go faster..... I love the room and style....

I got mine in Grey with the Nav. - Awesome car.

Rich Marino
Philadelphia, PA

mobofe

it's normal for the 04TL...i think it's a disgrace to a 30K car but if you own one, you'll have to live with it. in addition to the buttcheek print, you'll also find that the leather side support (smooth fin next to the perforation) will wrinkle. Natural leather is supposed to wrinkle but not in this fashion - apprently it's cheaper leather which has a laminate on it.

igiban

is what makes me wonder about if/not getting a TL. It got nice look outside, nice power/ride from a nice engine/tranny, and ample room too. But the posts like above and having come from a Lexus make me concern about the 'inner beauty' of TL, which I do think is what measures up on the luxury department, the one part of TL I find less than desired.

msf2

Interesting reading the tirerack.com consumer review section about the Bridgestone Turanza tire standard on the TL. It gets pretty bad ratings. Many of the reviewers are 2004 TL owners who are unhappy and some who have switched or planning to switch to other tires.
I'm looking at other tires as well. Haven't taken delivery yet but dealer will switch before I pick up the car.
My question is this: does rimm size influence tire performance? I'm looking at several tires one of which is the Pirelli Zero Nero (?) or something like that. One TL owner said THAT tire on 18" rims was terrible. Many reviews of that tire are glowing. I get the feeling tire choice is almost like choosing a color-it depends on your taste. Anybody had any experience with those Pirelli's? I want a QUIET, comfortable ride.

cic53

I've been moving the center arm rest forward to prevent the seat belt buckle from hitting the aluminum trim but today forgot to do just that and now the trim has a dent. How many of you folks have this same problem? This is really a design flaw. Maybe the buckle receptacle should be raised a few inches higher.

richmarino

Quality of interiors

I have to say that every car will have its good and bad sides.... really.

Still, I would my cheap 19K VW Jetta with leather seats looked clean and taunt all during the 5 years and 120K miles that I put on it. I would expect that the a 32K TL's leather hold up as well. I am hoping that the "puckering" doesn't get any worse.

Besides - The only part of the car that I have a problem with (puckering leather) is not noticable to NON-car people... and I don't see or feel the difference. Bottomline, the car has POWER and you can see where the money went when you sit inside the car. MUCH better than the cheap feeling of the G35.... The TL has REAL metal trimmings.. not plastic sprayed silver to look like metal.

Bottom line... don't fear the TL. I would still buy the same car all over again.

igiban

"Bottomline, the car has POWER and you can see where the money went when you sit inside the car."

I hear you and I agree. You see I got sp-tick years ago on an Accord already with half HP. Of course I aged a bit and do not drive that way anymore, but then I am also aged to a point where I'd trade a few HP of TL for a better grain of interiors. I know between ES, TL, and G35 how diff. focus is stressed on. I'd wish to have another one that fits between ES and TL.

tedescm1

Yes the car (04 tl) has rattles and the dealer can't seem to fix them....

The tires also are low quality.

I would never buy another acura...

Pure junk..

steve12358

I'm considering purchasing a TL, and the Bluetooth technology is a big advantage. However, I haven't been able to find a dealer who can demonsrate it to me. Have any of you actually used it? Does it work well? I spend a lot of time on the phone in the car and this would be one of the deciding factors, so it's important to me that it works well. Thanks for the help.

inky4

Man-my wife dented the aluminum trim just above the seat belt recepticle-twice. She must get in there and just jamn it until it goes in. she is famous for this kind of care. Regardless, a design flaw since in 5 years it will be peppered with dents. rrrrrrrrrrrr.

kph

A dealer that isn't competent and tires you don't like makes a $30K+ car "pure junk"? You sir, could use a bran muffin....

danny1878

I have been looking for tedescm1 post but never heard that he bought the car, I only found many posts about complaints and persuasions to people for not buying TL. Most of us satisfy with the car and most of us definitely will buy again.

Dtate99, my theory again?