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Comments
my '03 RSX's nearing 80K miles. Recently, when going downhill and tapping brakes, auto tranny started to kick down to 3rd, which at >75 mph isn't terribly pleasant.
Did anyone here experience the same?
Is that "grade logic" or something more serious?
From now on, I'm using tranny manual option when downhill.
Thanks for advise, V
I have not flushed the tranny yet so I can't tell you if that cured the problem.
How can I save money and do things myself? and how necessary at 30k miles is it to have them (the dealership) check the car out?
Also, any local area (Los Angeles) RSX Owners use someone certified, more care giving and less expensive then the Acura Dealership?
thanks so much
thanks. I'm afraid it's just AT fluid. Will take it soon to the dealer and have error codes read. I may have to flush AT sooner than expected, at 80K miles, but it's not that bad.
BTW, I've reported 61K miles on stock Michelins before. Replaced'em with ContiExtremeContacts (some snow here in upstate NY). So far, so good. Gas mileage is practically same, traction is better for sure.
Keep motoring!
1. you can change both filters yourself, for about $30 in parts.
2. for $380, the dealer is without a doubt doing some type of laundry list of "services they recommend" - you could just ask them to do what is listed in the book for 30K (pretty much just those filters, tire rotation, and oil change) and see what they say for price
3. you could have a private shop just do those things, for even less money
4. you could get an oil change and turn the maintenance light off yourself - just hold down the odometer button and turn the key to 'on', hold it for a count of five or so, and the light goes out.
Some inspections are part of the maintenance schedule Honda provides. It might not be a bad idea to do them if you plan to keep the car a long time.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I've asked acura and they say as long as I keep receipts my extended warranty is intaked.
I already did the oil and had the tires rotated months ago...so I'm gonna change the air filter and cabin filter..
I'm sure the belts are fine at 30K...
have a great memorial day weekend...safe driving.
i'm in the same boat ... car in 3 times - each they thought it was struts. 3rd time they realize its the springs. im told they are waiting on new springs to be manufactured and approved. this was over a month ago. im starting to look into the lemon laws of my state - this is silly, my car has less than 3k miles on it!
(jentalksalot - are you still reading/posting here? im interested in speaking with you via email.)
2) allsmiles - what dealership? How old/many miles did this first start? How many miles now? How many times have you been back for the same problem?
Now, feel free to tell me I'm off my rocker because I do live in Texas where we get a lot of 100+ days and I don't have tinted windows. Maybe I'm expecting too much and the only way to stay cooler is to move north (and don't think I haven't considered it!) Is everyone else pretty happy with their AC?
You probably already tried what I'm going to write, but I thought I mention it anyways. I also wanted to ask you about your experiences with the car.
ON THE A/C:
1) Is the poor cooling worse with the years, or has it been that way since new?
2) Do you use flow through when you first get into the car, and switch to recirculate after blowing the hot air out of the cabin?
3) Have you noticed a difference in a/c performance with engine rpm - if you were to stay in lower gears longer would it cool better?
4) Can you carefully look at all the connections of your a/c lines - are there any signs of a slight oily residue which has collected dirt or dust? Condenser?
5) If I remember correctly there used to be a test for a/c performance according to Honda - someone with the shop manual might be able to fill in the specifics. The test was something like:
avoid direct sunlight, start engine, close windows, turn on a/c (for max cooling - fan and temperature), set to recirculate, then measure the air temperature coming out of a vent, right at the vent.
I don't know how you are supposed to do it, but no one was to sit in the car, yet you were to run the engine above idle - like 1500 rpm for 10 minutes. Come to think of it, I never did raise the engine speed...
The temperature (vent) after 10 minutes was read, and compared to a chart of humidity and temperature for the outside air. I had the feeling anything about 42 F or lower was considered fine.
These were just some thoughts - hope they give you ideas.
ON YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE CAR:
If you wouldn't mind, could you answer a few questions:
1) What repairs/work have you had to do in the 5 years you had the car?
2) Any strut noise? Did it go away?
3) Any grinding/notchy shifting? (Do you let the car warm up before pushing it?)
4) Any chance you know your average mileage for the time you owned the car?
Your answers would really be appreciated because you have so many miles on the car. A lot of people posting haven't driven as far as you, yet there are a few problems posted.
I wonder how many of the problems are due to the car and inherent defects though...
Thank you,
Bill
at 500 miles: The oh so popular "popping sound"
Acura's solution: "All the cars do that"
1000 miles: The car's battery would randomly die. I don't leave my lights on or doors open.
Acura's solution: They let the car stay at the shop for a few days, when the car died there, they replaced the battery
5000 miles:
1) The car had died 3 times since its last visit
2) The popping sound could now be felt in the steering wheel, peddles, and the shifter
3) A noud whining noise could be heard when pressing the gas in any gear. (It sorta sounded like you were going in reverse)
Acura decided to replace the battery again and give me new springs. They rebuilt the transmission complete with new syncros becuase they had "warped"
5010: Whining noise... again
Acura decided to give me a while new transmission and alternator becuase it died (without stalling) at a stop sign right outside the dealership
5100: All the same problems, no new solution
Acura decides they don't have an answer
My solution: I bought a Lancer Evolution VIII
I was a long time fan of acura. I had a 1995 Integra SE that I LOVED. The thing was a tank. I learned to drive on that car. I got rid of it becuase I wanted something new and "improved"
For anybody thinking about an Acura... please reconsider. You don't want a :lemon:
As a side note... all of you guys were so nice in trying to help me. I can only wish all of you the best of luck. Evos are great too!
As a side note... all of you guys were so nice in trying to help me. I can only wish all of you the best of luck. Evos are great too!
Since when does an Acura automatically qualify as a lemon?
Sure, YOU had a lemon, but not erveybody's Acura is a lemon. Stop generalizing.
Mines closing in on 80,000 with barely any problems...mine must be a lemon too right?
Good luck with that Mitsubishi. :-)
Which car should I trade it in?Which car is reliable?
_
ON MY EXPERIENCES WITH THE CAR:
I've had my car for 4.5 years and put almost 100,000 miles on it. My car gets mostly highway driving and my gas mileage averages somewhere around 30 miles per gallon. I have done the routine maintenance (and usually whatever else the dealer has thrown in with it) and I drive fairly conservatively (I don't push my car to its limits). I've had a few minor issues, but most of them got resolved:
EMISSIONS LIGHT
This light was really sensitive when I first got the car and was going off for no reason. They had to install an update and then the problem seemed to disappear.
SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT
I remember taking my car in because this light came on unexpectedly. They may have fixed something, but they also explained to me that this will go on when there is an unusual weight distribution in the passenger seat. It may have been coming on because of something I'd done - anyway, the problem disappeared.
RATTLING IN THE HATCH
In the winter I do hear rattling in the hatch. I've taken it in several times to fix this, but it never goes away completely. I think it is better than it was, so I've been okay dealing with the noise I occassionally hear.
OXYGEN SENSOR
I don't know if this is something that goes out fairly often, but I have replaced at least 2-3 oxygen sensors in my car. The symptom of the problem is that when I am stopped and I push on the accelerator, nothing happens for a second or two and then the car jerks forward. This almost always happens only on hot days.
SHIFTING ISSUES
I have an automatic, so I may not have some of the problems that those with a manual transmission may have. I did have a problem with rough shifting at one time, but they fixed it. I want to say I had to get it re-aligned, but I can't remember for certain.
DRIVER WINDOW
I did have issues not too long ago with the driver's window not rolling up as expected. They cleaned out something and it seems better, but then again I don't use it all that much so I may see the problem again later...
I think there was something else that I had to get fixed, but I can't remember exactly what it was. I don't believe I've experienced the "strut noise" that others have noticed. Overall, I've been very happy with the car and felt it had few problems considering it was a first model year car. I was very close to buying a Civic instead of this car (probably more practical), but I haven't regretted splurging on the RSX.
It sounds like the warranty was worth it - I am glad you got the a/c fixed before you were out of the warranty.
Most of your problems were not that bad, but I wonder if Honda stopped doing their homework as carefully as they used to.
Two thoughts came to mind reading your problems. First on the oxygen sensor and then on the window. I do not have personal experience with the rsx's, but thought I'd still mention a few things.
Sometimes cleaning out the throttle body helps with the jerking or hesitation you mentioned. I do NOT know for sure if this might be a problem with your particular car, I just know cleaning often helps. Some shops charge extra to clean it out during a "tune up" and others just do it as part of the job. A little bit of carbon can build up and make things less smooth opening and closing the throttle.
(Some cars will go >200,000 without cleaning - some only 30,000 miles...)
I would expect the check engine light to come on if there were a problem with the oxygen sensor. The light will NOT come on if the throttle body needs cleaning. If your light was not coming on, and the dealer was replacing the sensor, I would be a little bit cautious about the dealer. It may actually be an o.k. place, it may not... I thought I would mention this because cleaning is a little less expensive than a new sensor if you are out of warranty now. An oxygen sensor should definitely last longer than 30-50,000 miles.
Does the window have an auto up feature? It might just need resetting if it isn't going up all the way. I do not know how to do this for the rsx.
You can clean out the grooves the windows ride up and down in, and this will help with the window's functioning. If they are not very dirty, a rag moistened with a silicon spray lubricant would work well; if they are dirty you might use some damp paper towels before wiping some silicon lube in.
Oh, one other thing, on the hatch noise. Have you tried removing the cargo cover? If you eliminate the noise doing so, you might want to look for a small piece of rubber (or even cloth for experimenting) to put into the cargo cover's mounting points. You would have to experiment a little bit to find where the noise was coming from...
Thank you again for your comments,
Bill
I am considering a new 06 RSX as opposed to a 06 Honda Civic. I had a 96 Civic since new and it was a very reliable car, although it had its problems over the years.
This front strut problem that many complain about, what is it? In your opinion is this a case of a serious problem or sensitive ears that sometimes can't ever be rectified? I think the world of Honda cars and their Corporate policies. Honda notified me that they had extended my Calif emissions warranty to 10 years and 100K miles. It also included a free tune-up, oil, and filter change. Later they notified me that it was now 14 years and 150K miles. Thirdly they notified me that if I had ever paid to have my emissions system repaired by Honda or anyone, they would consider my case with substantiated documentation. I sent my $700+ bill and work order by non-Honda shop and they refunded the money.
That is why I want a Honda car or its cousin Acura. I like the RSX because it is similiar to the Civic and you get a lot for the money even though the RSX is discontinued next year. I want a small, reliable, long distance commuter car that is good on gas economy and relatively comfortable. I drive about 2-3K/ month and it sits out in an open parking lot when not driving. Like my "ole warhorse" 96 Civic DX.
You sound reasonable, what do you think about the noise? The RSX is the bottom of the line for Acura like the Honda Civic. Are some expecting RL quietness from the RSX. I quess some will get defensive, but if it was a safety issue, wouldn't the federal govt (NTHSA sp?)get involved by forcing a fix by Acura by now? My Civic has a lot of road noise from the tires (Pirelli P400s) that are cheap and I love for its wear that drown out the other noise.
Thanks
I went to the local honda/acura dealership with full intentions on buying a loaded Civic. At the time, the Si was impossible to get unless you wanted to wait for months. I was quickly turned on to the RSX and it was more affordable than I thought. With the expetion of the front end noise, so far I'm very pleased with the RSX ... its comfortable, it looks good and its a blast to drive.
The spring/strut noise is not a matter of owners with 'over sensitive ears' ... look around on these posts and else where on the internet - its just a problem with the springs. my dealership has acknowledged the problem and says that acura is working on manufacturing new springs. my only complaint is that 2 of the first 3 months that ive owned my car i have this annoying noise in my front end. my '90 Integra sounded better. i got a new car so i didnt have to deal with used car problems any more and while the noise doesn't seem to be effecting performance or safety, its flat out abnoxious and annoying.
Good question. I have asked the complainers of the noise to give me a decibel reference as to how loud it is...whenever I do, I get 0 reponses and the forums go quiet for awhile.
I will admit that I have a subtle clicking in the front end, but I only hear it when I make a turn to the left after turning to the right (an S turn when parking in my driveway next to my wifes car) and the decibel of it is very low....maybe equal to the sound of dropping a pencil eraser to the floor...seriously.
I suppose if I let it bother me and was constantly listening for it, I would probably let it bother me...but it doesn't. 80,000 miles on my car, I turn the radio to half it's volume and the noise goes away.
The RSX is the bottom of the line for Acura like the Honda Civic. Are some expecting RL quietness from the RSX.
exactly right
I quess some will get defensive, but if it was a safety issue, wouldn't the federal govt (NTHSA sp?)get involved by forcing a fix by Acura by now?
right again....I haven't heard any massive recalls on this "problem"
here you go again poeple...an open invitation to tell me how LOUD this noise is
Mark
That's a new one to me. I never heard of it happening during acceleration while going straight.
I'm curious as to why it seems to be more prevalent in the later model RSX's. Not many complaints over the first couple of years. Something must have changed in the design or the components to cause this to happen...and yet no one seems to know.
You're right though - it seems more common in the '05 '06 models than anything else. Apparently there is a TSB for the '05 - something to do with a bent spring seat? But no TSB for the '06, so i'm not even sure if its the same problem.
There's another gaggle of folks with the same problem on the msg boards at clubrsx.com.
Thanks all.
I decided to drive the car towards Temecula in So. Cal. once on the 15 fwy where its somewhat hotter (90-100 degree heat. At about 200 miles on the odometer, in 6th gear, at about 3500 to 4000 rpm a buzzing noise started occurring. I was assured by my gf (passenger) that its probably just some breaking in and that I shouldn't worry about it. The buzzing noise sounds as if a belt at high speeds were touching a piece of plastic.
I kept the car for a week without mentioning the problem and further drove the car to Palm Desert (same temp. if not a bit hotter 111 degree heat) the following weekend. On the way out again the buzzing noise occurred. This time it wasn't going away and would basically occur at the same interval of speed and and rpm but would occasionally go from a softer buzz to a louder more higher pitched buzz.
I promptly turned it in to the dealer late on Jul 03 at which time they only had time to inspect the car on the rack to tell me if anything was loose which of course wasn't the case. And they said the car was fine. I took the car back at that point and brought it back after the holiday.
On my return visit I made my appointment in the afternoon (when the car would be warmer) and test drove the car on the fwy to duplicate the sound. While driving on the street in normal traffic, the technician tried to get to the same rpm in other gears without any luck in duplicating the sound. Once we hit the freeway though the sound instantly became appearant.
At this point his best guess was that it was possibly a heat shield, one that covers the drive shaft. He mentioned they would try and fix the problem through trial and error.
Wondering if anyone else has had this issue i resorted to these posts, where unfortunately there's been uncovered other similar issues, but none which really come close to matching mine.
The only one which did was the post by the guy who traded in his rsx for a mitsubishi and described a sound as if going in reverse in sixth gear. I'm wondering if it was a similar issue to mine. If so then I am worried that it may have to do with worn synchros or some other faulty part in the transmission.
Anyone have any suggestions??????
Thanks much!
I've been gasing up at the same gas station for quite a while with 91 octane, and I've been getting on average about 29.5 mpg. I drive about half hightway and half city. This last week I was forced to fill up at another gas station which had 93 octane, and my gas mileage when up to 33.4 mpg. I've found that 93 vs. 91 octane is maybe at most $1.00 more per tank with how small the rsx gas tank is.
Yes I understand that a higher octane will increase your mileage, but I figure for a matter of pennies you can increase your gas mileage by almost 4 mpg. Just thought some of your would like to know.
I'm surprised your dealer didn't tell you or you didn't read it in the manual.
Not all states in the U.S. even sell 93 octane. 91 is the most you can get (at a gas station anyway). It all depends on where you live.
http://www.autofan.com/review.asp?ID=740
Recommended Fuel for RSX Type S - premium unleaded 91 octane
Perhaps I should have said 91 is lower octane? Would that make you happy?
:-)
I just bought a brand new 06 RSX (1 mile on the odometer). When I took the car home from the dealership, there was a distint buzzing noise coming from what I thought was the moonrood area. The noise seemed to switch sides depending on which way a cross wind was blowing. The dealership states that they need to replace the sunroof glass to fix this buzzing noise. Wll let you know if this works.
The buzzing noise I hear sounds like its distinctly coming from the engine bay whether as if its a heat sheild rubbing against one of the drive shafts. On first attempt, the dealer attempted to tighten these down and it seemed to help or quiet the noise but it came back the next day. The car is still at the dealer and they are attempting to fix the car a second time. So far my car has been there over a week and half. A few more fixes and Im going to attempt to have them replace the car. :lemon:
As far as the noise you heard from the sunroof area....
I have been searching posts on here as well as on ClubRSX.com where I found people having a similar buzzing or wind related noise coming from the top of the windshield. I believe the dealers responded by replacing the from windshield to correct the problem.
If anyone else has any idea about the buzzing noise or knows of someone having a similar issue. Please let me know.