Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

tl_2007s

I just noticed some white spots on molding on my TL. (Well, I hope I got the term right...the black shiny trim around the windshield...) To cover it up and restore the black color, what do you suggest I use?
Thanks,

bdemarr

Yes, you are correct...25k is the best you will get. I was at NTB yesterday and was asking about tires for my '04 TL as well. Apparently Pirelli P6's are a good match with a 50k warranty. I have Yokohama's on there now with about 4/32 left after 19k miles. I am hoping to go 25k, but will see. Also, the factory tires were a joke- got 12k out of those!

a1s1a1

After buying my TL auto with Navi in '04, the car was plagued with door rattles in the driver side and passenger side . Several visits to the dealer which is 100 miles from where I live were waste of time until recently . I actually learnt to live with these rattles by switching on the music after I have started the car and while pulling out of the garage. I did an extensive search of the problem and here is what I have to say:
1. Ask somebody to grab the rear view mirror on the driver's side, move it up and down, while you are sitting in the driver's side with the door closed. If you hear the rattle in the door it is the defective housing of the mirror which the dealer will change happily. Repeat the same procedure on the passenger side.
2. In February of '07 ( shame on ACURA i.e. after 3 years :mad: ) a TSB came out which specifically addresses the door rattle and B pillar buzz/squeaks on all TLs i.e. 2004-2007. Surprisingly, the technician at the ACURA dealer was completely unaware of this TSB. I actually had to give him this TSB # before he agreed to me
I had finally got the car fixed and enjoying a quiet ride after 3 years :shades:

bodble2

In addition to what can be customized thru the Multi-information Display, is anyone aware of further lights/locks/security settings that can be customized by the dealer using a computerized scan tool? This is available for many other brands, including BMW, MINI, Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti, Audi, Mitsubishi, just to name a few.

types_koz

I too had the same dead battery problem a month ago when buying a new TL Type-S. Went to drive off the lot at 9pm, and the car would not start. Picked up the vehicle the next morning, and it still doesn't seem to crank with the juice that a new battery should. Sounds like I can expect to be stranded in the near future with a dead battery. Should I go ahead and be proactive and buy a new battery now, knowing the battery from acura will go dead in the near future?

kennyg8

I believe the TSB you are talking about is the one dealing with rattles supposedly caused by the seatbelt assembly. My dealer tried the TSB fix twice, but the rattle is still there. I don't know if this is due to the incompetence of the dealer's technicians or the TSB giving a faulty fix. COuld you please post a link to the TSB and let us know exactly what was done? THanks.

bodble2

If your TL-S is only a month old, why can't you take it back to the dealer and ask them to make good with a new battery and/or figure what the cause is?

tl_2007s

I just noticed a horizontal scratch on the plastic surface of the area where temperature, track info etc. is displayed. :sick: I am not sure how to refer to this location exactly...right at the center of dashboard. I am pretty sure that it is plastic. I am not sure how I accomplished to do this..possibly while fiddling with folding sun shade...

Any suggestions as to how I can remove it? I found a product on janvil.com while searching the Internet, but I wonder if anyone has any experience on this or any other kind of plastic restore product.

Thanks,

gonzotls

Hi all, I'm a new Black TL owner (about a month) and I would like to know if it is safe or recommended to perform the first waxing job on it or should I wait a few months. I've been doing some reading about the proper way to do this and it appears as follows:

Wash
Smooth surface clay
Polish
Wax.

So for a new car do you think this is valid and recommended?

I would really like to see how it looks like after this process and get the 'wet'look but I also don't want to create any scratches doing this, maybe being too careful here.

I'm planning to use the Meguiar's line of products including the NXT tech wax done by hand. Any comments? Thanks

ggesq

I use Zaino products.

Go to zainostore.com. There is a wealth of info there.

tgr3

man you are a genius .....

do you have an illustration on how to take apart and fix rattles in the back of the car (subwoofer deck, seat belt retractors, and back pillar?)

that would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks

ggesq

Two suggestions:

(1) Take it to the dealer and try and get it fixed under warranty if applicable OR

(2) http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97028
http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136318&highlight=subwoofer+rattle

When your feeling bored- you can search through here and find even more info:
http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/search.php?searchid=582511

herbert11

I have a 2006 TL bought new in Dec 2006.

The XM radio display shows only the artist or song. Never both at the same time. I have XM in my other car and 2 XM receivers in my home. They all show both the artist and the song at the same time. Is there a way to program the receiver in the TL to display what I want to see?

camon

On my 05 TL XM only displays one at a time.

animalsrush

I was at a stop light this weekend and a huge rock clipped by a passing car hit my passenger side door. I have a huge scratch about 7 inches wide and about 1/4 inch thick. Can u guys recommend a good paint shop in chicago area. How is Maaco??

buyer777

This must be non-nav, my XM shows singer name and song title

bdemarr

I have an '04 and it displays only one at a time too. I believe the nav only allows 12 characters at time. If you notice, it will not display the whole title if longer than 12 letters. Of course you can select "audio" and see it all.

scottm123

Don't go to Maaco!!!

I have no idea what good shops are in your area, but Maaco is all over the place.
They're known for cheap quick work, but their prices go up quickly if you actually expect them to do any prep work, like cleaning, sanding, fill, etc.

People with real skill do NOT apply to Maaco.
Their shops are filled with wanna-be hacks.
Their work stinks... don't go there!

chkntony

I went to the acura dealer today to get oil changed.
They charged me $39.00.

Is this about what everyone else paid?
seemed a bit high for me.

laurasdada

Going to the dealer for any service (non-warranty) will generally cost you more. For an Acura dealer though, $39 doesn't seem too (relatively) bad. I take mine to a local shop for oil change/tire rotation & balance for about the same price, though.

Did they give you a "free" wash at least?

bodble2

$39 is good. I have to pay about $80 to change the oil for our Mini.

z71bill

I take my TL to Honda dealer to get the oil changed.

The Accord V6 and TL use the same filter and oil - after all the engine is basically the same (different bore) - it costs me less - plus I have a Honda dealer a few miles from home - the Acura dealer I bought the car from is a 45 mile drive.

The - get your service done here and get free tires can be a scam - but the main problem I have with it - is they will require your tires to be completely worn out before they will replace them. I normally replace tires when they are 80% or so worn out - never wait until they are all the way down to the wear indicator. I also like to upgrade the tires when they need to be replaced - the dealer will put the same crummy cheapo tires on.

carteach

I'm curious to hear whether other Acura owners take their cars to Honda to get their oil changes. I'm in the same position as z71bill. All the Acura dealers are about 45 minutes from me; and there's a Honda dealer who's ten minutes away.

Question: my car has only 8,000 miles on it. I assume getting the oil changed somewhere other than an Acura dealer doesn't affect the warranty.

Also, what's the free tire deal? I've never heard of it.

rvator4

Ditto. Have had my 2000 TL back to the Acura dealer only once for the transmission recall modification. 60,000 happy miles.
Honda does it very well.

laurasdada

Generally, I only take my '05 TL to the dealer if warranty work is required. If it coincides with a scheduled service (e.g. oil change/tire rotation) I'll bite the bullet for convenience. Dealer does mail out coupons, provides a loaner (darn! every time I'm in the loaner NSX has just gone out!!! I usually get the tossable TSX) and they wash the car, too. But overall, I only give my dealer a "C" for service. Nice personnel, but each warranty item has had to go in twice for fixes.

A local tire/service center gives pretty good deals on the routine stuff with online coupons and affiliations (e.g. BuyAmerica). As I wrote earlier, they'll do an oil change, tire rotation/balance for $30-$40. Nice shop, too...

scottm123

My Acura dealer is 20 minutes away so our MDX is brought back to it's first home for oil and fluid changes.

My Infiniti dealer is 70 miles away, so my G will most likely be brought to the Nissan dealer down the road from me for fluid changes.
They have a huge window to the garage so I can watch everything and a friend with an X-Terra says they're great there.
I'm still a little worried, but I think it's better than the 70 mile trip to the dealer, and far better than going to a "Jiffy-Hack" place in town.

animalsrush

Thanks.. I decided not to go to them. Found a local body shop was twice as expensive but clean and professional..

dexdauz

My Acura TL maintenance minder is showing that the car is due for A12 service. I called my local Acura dealer and they told me they do not follow the "factory recommended" service schedule. My car has 30k miles and they quoted my $523 to service it. I figured if I follow the "factory recommended" service (A12) it'll be cheaper. Does anyone just follow the maintenance minder or do you normally believe your dealership that you need more stuff to be done?

tl_2007s

My TL-S is about 3 months old. It has 2200 miles on it. Oil level is at 70%. When should I expect to see the first maintenance minder for the first oil change?

financebuzz

I have a regular TL that is almost two and a half months old. I am pushing 6000 miles and the maintenance minder just recently got down to "<10%." (Yes...I drive a lot...long commute.) I got a followup letter from my salesman and in it he mentioned that Acura recommends leaving the original oil in for 7500 miles. I am not sure I would be able to get to 7500 without the oil life going to 0%. Should I change it based on the 7500 recommendation or earlier if the car does indicate that?

scottm123

I have an 06 MDX and Acura told me the same thing.
I had a long road trip planned and was currently sitting at 2,700 miles and thought I would go in early for my first change (due @ 3,750), and they sent me packing.

Their reason, as it was explained to me, is that Acura uses special additives in the oil used from the factory which are supposed to assist in proper engine break-in.
Changing the oil early did nothing to help.

News to me, but I listened to their suggestions.

carteach

Verrrry interesting. My dealer told me I HAD to come in by 2500 miles because it was the first oil change. Someone is not telling the truth. I would expect more from Acura.

bodble2

Your dealer is not telling the truth.

pat

Actually, your dealership is not "Acura", it's independently owned and operated. Check your manual. That's where you will find what Acura says to do.

scottm123

Good point Pat.

I know the TL: and the MDX differ slightly, as the TL has the maintenance reminder that looks at how the car is driven.
The MDX does not, and we're left to just follow the maintenance guide in the back of the manual.

If the dealer is trying to get you in for an oil change early, it's just so they can make a few bucks.
I believe what the dealer told me, if for no other reason, because he was turning away business.... something not seen very often.

My manual has 2 sets of maintenance plans.
Normal and Severe driving.
Following Normal driving, I should be changing every 7,500 miles.
Severe driving, like towing and very short trips in extreme weather conditions calls for 3,750.

When I get my oil changes, the dealer puts the little sticker on my window with when to change the oil again and of course, it's marked at the 3,750 mark, and not the normal driving conditions recommended 7,500.

Oil changes and other quick maintenance jobs are the dealers main bread and butter.

animalsrush

That is strange. When my A1 reminder came i took it to the dealer and he changed the oil. It had only 3000 miles on it( i only drive it to the train station). Maybe my delaer just ripped me off or something. I remember my Honda dealer telling me that for my civic that i shouldn't change oil till 7000 miles

carteach

so I should go by the manual, period? Very upsetting that I can't trust my dealer.

On to another one.

pat

Yes, go by the manual. The people who made your car know how you should treat your car. The dealership makes money every time you come there for service, as they should, of course. But just keep that in mind as you balance what they tell you against what the manual tells you.

scottm123

Follow the Manual and the car's maintenance reminders

indymon

On My 07 Acura TL:
2 local Dealers said it would cost $100 for A1 (Oil Change and Tire Rotation). Went to Jiffy Lube. At Jiffy Lube it cost $50 total (Oil Change $35 - $5 coupon from Jiffy lube.com = $30) + (Tire Change $21) I PAID $51 TOTAL. Make sure you ask for 5W 20 oil. JiffyLube

THE NEXT DAY - I found a better deal at Walmart for $25 Total for both oil change and tire rotation: $19 for Oil Change + $6.00 for tire rotation ($1.50 per tire). Better oils cost a bit more ($18 bulk - $22 bottled - $46 synthetic oil) WalmartLubePage

WARNING RESET: See owners manual for instructions on how to reset the service warning) [click to display "oil life" then hold down middle button for 10 - 15 seconds].

tom19382

Yeah, the dealers really overcharge for the oil changes. There is a washer for the drain plug that has to be replaced with every oil change. You can buy them at the dealer for about 50 cents each. I just buy 5 at a time and take 1 with me to have them replace it if I get my oil changed elsewhere.

asingh80

Hi,

I just had a hit and run case. My 2007 TL was parked in the parking lot and someone rammed into it before pulling out. I'm looking for some recommendations of good body shops near new brunswick NJ area. zip 08901

the car needs rear left quater fender replaced and some buffing, touch up, re-paint and finish kind of work....

thanks

kennyg8

I changed the oil at 4k miles while there was 20% oil life left. I did it because I wanted the dealer to fix the annoying rattles with the free first oil change. Dealer changed the oil w/o asking any question. 2.5k miles later, rattles are still there, and the replaced oil is now down to 60% life left.

bodble2

Your oil life seems to deplete quite rapidly.

kennyg8

Most of my driving is local. In fact, my mpg is 17 and my average mph is 18. That probably accounts for the quicker oil life depletion. Having said that, however, I was able to get 33 mpg on my vacation trip where the average mph was 70 and I travelled 900 miles.

z71bill

My 2006 TL (w/o nav if that matters) just hit 8,000 miles - about 14 months old.

In the first few months I had the outside temp reading stick at 85 degrees a few times - then it would go to ----- then seemed to work fine and show the correct temp.

I also noticed that my key fob would become - UNlinked (is that a word?) so when I unlocked the car - the seats would not move to my setting (wife had driven the car)

I then went many months with no issue -

Now it seems like the temp display is always way off - and every other time the wife or I use the key fob to unlock the door our settings have been lost -

Today the memory seat buttons were completely dead - I started the car - turned it off - and they came back.

Any idea what my problem is?

I am thinking maybe a short / bad cell / in my battery could cause this - maybe dropping power for a nano second -

ggesq

z71,

see: http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116208&highlight=temp+gauge

ggesq

this might help you too:

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SB/B05-025.PDF

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SB/B05-029.PDF

rfftype2

Anybody had experience that when you slow down you experienced transmission downshift earlier than it should be to cruise longer.

camon

Yes, definitely if the car is going downhill. Otherwise no.