Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

dtate99

Bank on it!

tedescm1

To Danny1878

Yes, I’m sorry to say that I did purchase a silver 04 TL and I paid full list price. The car has had several recurring problems including an anti freeze smell and several rattles that the dealer can not seem to fix. Also, the tires leave something to be desired.

If I paid 25k for this car I would not complain but a car the sells for 33K should not have these problems and I think you would agree….

My previous car was an Avalon and the car was perfect. Perhaps I was being rash in calling the TL a piece of junk, but it’s very frustrating to pay 33k for car with quite a few problems that the dealer cannot seem to resolve. I purchased my car in early Nov and it's been back to the dealer three times for the same unresolved issues. How would you feel...

qbrozen

while I don't think your complaints are unwarranted, I do think that folks sometimes put too much weight on the price of the vehicle without looking at what they are getting rather than the minor problems it presents. Ok, so you paid $33k. But then please point out another entry-luxo car with all of the performance and features of the TL for that price or better. Because if you know of one that will give you everything the TL does for the same price or better and will have zero problems, then let me know because I might like to buy one.

igiban

has a point, that is, all these nice features from TL start to mean less when you have to go back to the shop many times right after you buy it. Those things that tedescm mentioned seem no biggies, but they are alot more 'basic' than DVD-a or BT, ones that you'd expect any new car, certainly an Acura, to do without.

danny1878

Is your car with nav/auto?

tedescm1

My car is an automatic without nav.

gkearns56

I hate to hear that you are having problems with your new '04 TL. I have one and the tires were a problem, until the dealer changed them out for me. I'm sure this car is a very nice car. However, if you were not aware, this car is built in Marysville, Ohio (where the Accord is too). I was nervous buying this car because all my previous cars have been built over in Japan, where I've never had any problems with. You can tell where the vehicle is made by the VIN number, if you aren't sure of the origin. All cars built/assembled in Japan use "J" as their first letter in the VIN. The Accord/TL use 1 or 2's as the first letter. The Acura TSX is assembled in Japan. I thought about buying a TSX and I hope I don't regret it; based on some of the postings I've seen here. Good Luck.

tedescm1

What kind of tires did you purchase and did Acura exchange them for you?
Did changing tires improve the ride or do away with tire vibration from flat spotting?

brew99

Day 2 and I am thoroughly enjoying my new TL. I had the first occasion to try out the beverage holders this morning and was a little surprised. My large Tim Hortons coffee (a ritual for us in the cold north) was almost swallowed up by the cup holder. One is a little deeper than the other, but both seem a little on the large side. Anyone find the same or have any quick fix suggestions other than buying an extra large instead of a large???

smoore5

My lease on my 2000 Avalon XLS expires in March and I am leasing an 04 TL. I sure hope I enjoy the TL more than the Avalon. I found the car underpowered, the seats too hard and I had to have a ring and valve job at 26,000 km (oil sludging).

The TL certainly was a lot more comfortable and fun to drive, even though I only took 2-20 minute test drives.

torontotl

I have certainly noticed the same thing when I have gone to Tim Hortons. I now make it a habit of bringing my own mug and have them fill that up. Overall I still much prefer the new design of the cup holder to the old. The last model did not hold the cup in at all well and I have had a couple of my mugs tilt and spill coffee in my 00 TL. With the deeper cup holders and the "fingers" holding the cup in, the coffee never spills.

scarf

I just paired my SonyEricsson T616 phone with the TL. It works great. I love this feature. You will enjoy.

scarf

I have been driving my new TL for about 2 weeks. Tires definitely do vibrate between 50-65 mph. I am going to dealer next week. I would think Acura needs to change the tires or they will have some bad press real fast. 33K car should not have this issue. test drives were great. Overall, car is wonderful. Good buy.

vinceb81

I feel your pain. My 04 TL/NAVI has been in the shop for the past 3 days. I am suppose to pick it up tomorrow. I hope they were able to fix it but after recent conversations with the dealer, I am not holding my breathe. They are trying to fix rattles in the steering wheel and both doors. I have also heard rattles in the radio area and passenger dash. There are many features of the TL that I really like, but for 35K, I am extremely disappointed.

blerner2

Not sure if this has been discussed before:

I've had my '04 TL for about 3 weeks now, and I'm still having a hard time getting used to the "cut off" on the Headlight pattern.

The headlamps work great, but it seems that they do not project out very far in front of the vehicle. Even putting on brights, the pattern does not seem to illuminate very far down the road vs. my old car.

I don't think my lamps are misaligned. Anyone else notice this?

soljc

Just caught a thread on another message board that Acura was aware of the tire problem reported in the Turanza EL42s, and would be issuing a fix soon.

rooch

I called the Acura customer service number and asked whether Acura planned a fix for the tire problem I keep reading about in the discussion groups. I was told by the rep that she has heard of the problem, but that no fix was planned as not everyone has the problem. I did not like that answer.

tedescm1

To Smoore5

I have owned both and the Avalon is quieter and gives you a more comfortable ride. The 04-tl is much sportier, but gives a somewhat bumpy ride.

Try to rent a tl for a day and make sure you really like it.

tedescm1

It sounds like you have more rattles than mine.

I hope they can resolve your issues, but my experience has been negative. The dealers are courteous and attentive but can't seem to fix the problem.

I called Acura about the problems and just keep referring me back to the dealer. I’t a real circular problem.

I’m really surprised at the number of problems associated with the new tl. I’ll never buy another new car in it’s first year...although I purchased a 2000 Avalon XLS in it’s first year without a problem.

All i can say is play the radio loud and try to ignore the rattles.

dulnev

You're either imagining it, or your headlights are misaligned. The reason I say that you might be imagining it, is precisely because of the sharp cutoff. With the 04 TL you SEE EXACTLY how far the low beams extend (which I consider quite far). Whereas in your old car it was a smooth decline in the intesity of light the further you got from the car. It just seemed like you had more coverage.

tedescm1

My headlights work great. You probability need an adjustment.

gkearns56

"tedescm1": The regional rep was at the dealer when I brought my car in (try to find out what day yours rep comes to that dealership) and said they'd do a one time replace on my tires, my choice of another tire. Those Turanza EL42s are awful and Honda knows this. The service manager says people need to contact Honda's customer service and open up a problem file. You are given a file # for reference. The Honda rep says the dealer rep has the "discretion" to swap out those terrible tires. They did that for me. Initially they said, they'd replace with any brand. Michelin doesn't have a tire that is "W" rated that doesn't look like an SUV tread (i.e. Michelin Sport S/X). I wanted one that looked nice so I selected the Bridgestone RE750. They got great reviews off "tire-rack". I also looked at Falken 512s and Toyo Proxes 4; both received excellent reviews and had a nice tread pattern. The rep indicated NOT to go backwards on the tire rating (V, W, Y, Z) because it may affect the handling or setup of the suspension. That's why I stayed with a "W" rated tire. (Could have used a Y or Z too). Hope you can work everything out and have a chance to enjoy your car. It is a nice car. Save your invoice if you replace your tires so Honda can reimburse you if they decide to go that way. Good Luck

richmarino

Sounds like you have an alignment problem..

Although, I do have a question on the cut off pattern.... does anyone notice a sort of "scallop" pattern on low beams? The cut off is not a st8 line.... but has a funky jaggit look on the driver's side...

Anyone else notice this?

Rich

bodble2

When I had the demo overnight I did notice the sharp cutoff. I didn't notice the jagged line, and my impression is that the HID on the TL is brighter than the ones on my CL-S.

dtate99

Mine, too, has the jagged line. The driver's side low beam does not transition straight across into the passsenger side low beam. There is a notch where the two meet.

This was apparently done to reduce the amount of light directed into the oncoming lane of traffic. But I'm having my driver's side headlight adjusted up while it's in with the dealer this week for a few unrelated issues.

dtate99

I know you've fielded many questions from others regarding these tires which you've touted. But, like message #396 by msf2, I cannot find them on tirerack.com.

Also, gkearns56 (message #434) suggests that they are less than the recommended W speed rating. Is this true?

johnny420

If it's any consolation, I noticed the same cutoff effect with the HID's on my TSX, and I have become accustomed to it.

Once you do you'll realize how good the lights are.

When you will notice it most is in extremely dark conditions, where ambient light is low, e.g. the countryside.

Your lights probably aren't mis-aligned. Hope this helps.

Johnny

gkearns56

dtate99: Those Falken tires can be had on other websites. Check for the 512s; these are the ones getting great reviews. (They are made in Japan). Also compare prices because I've seen as much as $49 difference PER tire. Many people are not familiar with Toyo Tires. This brand tire has won the best overall tires from a tire magazine 7 years in a row. They are made in Japan too. I had to go with the Bridgestone RE 750s since the dealer offered to replace at no cost and the had to be Bridgestone. They got a great review and the performance/handling of this car is totally different (much better). Good Luck!

bodble2

Regarding the complaints about the Turanzas, I spoke to my salesperson again and she said she has heard of the problem (or rather she has heard of people talking about the alleged problem) and she has asked Honda about it but there is no replacement plans in the works at this time. None. Nothing. Zero. Zilch.

vinceb81

Well, picked up my Acura from the dealer and still have the rattle. Car was at the dealer since Monday morning. Rattle is still coming from the steering area. Just so frustrated. My wife and were driving home discussing if or when we can trade it in or sell it. I told her I guess I will turn the radio up loud and learn to live with the rattle. Don't think I will buy another Acura. There is so much to like about the car, if I could get the rattles fixed, I would be a happy customer.

achadha

dude all cars have a rattle somewhere... your saying you will never buy an acura again becuase of one rattle.. u are just being ridiculous...

dtate99

Sure, all cars have SOME rattles. But loud ones are so annoying to me, too. I had one emanating from the rear of my '02 TL and I took it in more than once to be evaluated. No one could ever seem to find it (which was SO frustrating when I would pick the car up again only to find no improvement) until I pointed out to them exactly where it was coming from. Finally, they found a loose screw or something in the rear ceiling above the headliner and I never had the rattle again.

For those of us with sensitive ears, rattles are VERY frustrating.

Come to think of it, maybe it was just a loose screw in my brain! LOL

kahunah

"...I'm having my driver's side headlight adjusted up while it's in with the dealer..."

That's the way it's supposed to be. My TL is the same. The headlights are perfectly angled in such a way as to not interfere with on-coming traffic (driver side lower) at the same time illuminate as much of the shoulder as possible (passenger side higher). This setup works extremely well, especially on unlit country roads. You'll also notice that when you switch the high beams on, the lights shine evenly on both the driver and passenger sides.

When I drive my '00 TL in the country (at night) I always get on-coming traffic flashing their high beams at me, thinking I have mine switched on. Now with my new TL, it only occurs a fraction of the time.

P.S. The "jagged" or step pattern of the beam is deliberate and normal. When the lights are on they are always at full high beam power but there is a shutter device that blocks the upper half of the beam. When you push the high beam switch, the shutter is raised to reveal the full beam. Next time, try flicking the high beams with the windows open. You can actually hear the shutter device actuate up and down. The reason it's designed this way is so that the high beam projection is instant. This also explains the "cut-off" look.

kahunah

The Bridgestone RE750s are very good tires but you do realize that these are Ultra Performance Summer tires and not all seasons like the Turanza EL42s. I hope you live in the south because the 750s will do you no good in any winter driving conditions.

msf2

I just purchased Falken Ziex ZE 512's for my TL. I bought them from edgeracing.com. Great service from these people. They answered all my questions and they're enthusiastic about what they do. Funny-I get the tires before I get the car! I'll bring the tires to the dealer and they'll put them on before I take delivery-somewhere around March 5-6. I couldn't ignore the reviews about these tires so I'll give them a try. Can't complain about the price-$408, including delivery.

gkearns56

"kahunah": Yes I am aware these are summer tires. I live in NC where we get a little bit of snow annually. I also have a Toyota truck that I run if the weather is really bad. These are very nice tires.

"bodble2": There is no formal recall on those tires. As I noted before you must document your tire complaint. It's up to the discretion of your dealership and regional rep to say "yes/no" on swapping the tires out. The Honda customer service rep said when/if they get enough people who complain about those tires; they will open an official service bulletin. This is why on a previous message I had posted informing the forum to please contact Honda and have them formally document your tire problem. If enough people do this with those awful Turanza EL42s, they will move toward that official service bulletin. Thanx.

tedescm1

To Vinceb81

I’m sorry to hear that the dealer was not able to fix the rattle. I've have had the exact same experience on three different occasions and yes; it’s very frustrating to buy a new car that already has annoying problems. However, I’ve learned to live with my rattle by keeping the radio volume up. I know it’s ridiculous to have to mask the rattle but what choice do we have? I really like the car but am disappointed with the quality and workmanship. I was expecting more from acura. I thought they were on par with Lexus….NO WAY, not even close.

I called the acura home office yesterday to talk to them about the tire problem but I was told there is no tire problem and they are not replacing tires. Of course, some people on this site have stated that their tires were exchanged by acura. Perhaps it depends on how loud you yell!

I’ll keep mine for a few years and then unload it. Not a bad car but not worth the money.

tedescm1

Yesterday I called the acura customer service center in California. I spoke to the rep about the alleged tire problem and rattles. According to them there is no tire problem and they are not switching tires…the rep would not allow me to speak to anyone above his level or the zone manager.

Doe anyone have any good ideas on how we can speak directly to the zone manager or someone with the authority to do something?

Clearly, normal channels do not seem to work.

gkearns56

"tedescm1": Can you deal with a different dealership. Meaning call them and ask them if they would help you. If you did replace the tires yourself, save your invoice. Should there be a formal recall, my dealer said (had I purchased them instead of them replacing) I would be reimbursed. That rep doesn't want to say "yes" because he may feel like everyone will start asking. The problem is documented by calling Honda. The more everyone calls to report this issue, the higher the chance of this being an official service bulletin. Don't give up!

richmarino

Wow... thanks for the feedback on the lights.

I am certainly glad that I posted that question.... You have quite a bit of knowledge!

Rich

brew99

In completing my purchase negotiations I had brought up the tire issue to the Sales Manager of the dealership and he said he knew nothing of any tire problem with the EL42's. In fact, went on to say how he has driven his TL for quite some time thought they were outstanding. He also didn't know what "flatspotting" was, so I kind of lost a little bit of confidence in him at that point.....I've only had the car for a few days so far and all in all the tires are adequate but not fitting of the quality of the rest of the vehicle. Fortunately, I have not experienced any of the vibration issues or flatspotting so I'll keep them going for a while and re-evaluate come spring time.

dulnev

Others have already pointed out that these tires are available cheaply at www.edgeracing.com. As far the the speed rating question: they do have the correct speed rating (W), when purchased in the same size as Acura OEM tires.

bodble2

brew, how do you mean?

brew99

They cheaped out on the tires which does not match the performance and quality of the rest of the vehicle in my mind. After a couple of days of driving on the EL42's, I'd say they are "ok" but compared to the Continental Conti Extreme Contacts I had on my A4, they leave much to be desired.......

bodble2

Must be Friday afternoon brain-cramp for me because somehow I had read your comment to imply that you took issue with the quality of the rest of the car. I was getting worried since mine will be here in another month or so!

pmf13

Brew, I just got back from the Canadian International Auto Show and I had a discussion with a rep from Acura Canada. I asked him about the tires and he told me that the problem has been recognised and a fix is in the works. He couldn't give me a time frame for the fix, but I gather it involved a replacement tire. His explanation was interesting. He indicated that Acura had given specs for a new tire to Bridgestone for the TL, but didn't realize that the EL-42 that was provided didn't meet the specs given until the complaints started pouring in. He characterized it as a compound problem and suggested that Bridgestone would be reformulating the compound for a new EL-42. He also indicated that Acura Canada would compensate TL owners who had laid out their own money to fix the problem.

adman17

Has anybody out there put tire chains on the new TL? Did you have any problems? What about Spike Spiders?

I've always preferred chains with the auto tensioners (like the SCC Shur Grip Z) but it doesn't appear as if they're available in the 235/45-17 size.

Thanks in advance.

mdhauke

Just picked up my new 04TL 6spd w/Nav today at the dealer. Tonight as I was driving somewhere I heard a snap as I was accelerating and looked at the passenger side and saw a 8 inch crack in the windshield going from the edge horizontally to the center of the windshield about half way up. Could it be that they installed the windshield too tight? Also this is covered under warranty right????? I mean it has to be, it's not like a rock was kicked up and hit it, it happened all by itself.

bodble2

I think glass breakage is generally considered "road hazard" and not covered by warranty. But they would probably replace it under the 12-month adjustment period policy.

dulnev

Yes, it's possible it was a manufacturer's defect. There was one similar report on another TL board awhile back.

What you need to do is take your car to any auto glass shop and ask them to examine the crack. If it were a rock (which is still possible, you simply could've missed when it hit), then it would be pretty obvious from examining the crack.

If it's not a rock, take it to the dealer to get it replaced under warranty.