Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

bodble2 · December 2004

To me the C300 looks like one of those Japanese cartoon super-heros with a tiny head and a huge muscular body.

bodble2 · December 2004

Does anyone have any idea whether the oil life remaining sensor/monitor has any correlation to oil level? For example, if the oil level drops significantly, would the oil life sensor, and/or the service reminder, pick that up?

ricko · December 2004

The TL has two problems, one, Acura is using a poor quality tire in the Bridgestone, which is producing flat spotting and a poor ride but this problem is masking the real problem with the TL vibration issue which is a defect in the design of the car, which, at this time there is NO fix for the problem or it is too expensive to fix. Then after a couple of times to the service dept. and you still have the problem we get that now very familiar response -- Oh, its just a characteristic of the car, then why are we being told the engineers are working on it!! I urge all of you who are having this problem to contact the BBB and your own states consumer protection agency to report this and make Acura fix this or give us a new car!

kkftz · December 2004

Point of clarification... if you purchase w/Navigation, instead of Bridgestone Tires you get Michelins.... I believe the michelins are better than the Bridgestones... not sure if this fixes the problem, but it is a much better tire.

doja · December 2004

"...but this problem is masking the real problem with the TL vibration issue which is a defect in the design of the car, which, at this time there is NO fix for the problem or it is too expensive to fix. Then after a couple of times to the service dept. and you still have the problem we get that now very familiar response -- Oh, its just a characteristic of the car, then why are we being told the engineers are working on it!!"

Does everyone agree the vibrations and rattles are a design problem?

Are the vibrations being experienced by all 04/05 TL owners,even those with Michelins?

This *potential* or is it an *inevitable* problem is the only thing preventing me from buying a TL...even one with Michelins. This is a major Bummer.

jap · December 2004

I have not experienced any of the vibration issues which have been mentioned in this forum. I have a 2004 TL with the Bridgestone tires. Initially, the car rode very roughly with these tires, but that disappeared after about 200 miles. I now have about 4500 miles--the ride is smooth and there is no vibration. Also, no rattles.

carnaught · December 2004

Mine is 5mos. old with Nav. ('04) and Bridgestones. I do experience the vibration and harsh ride. This will preclude me from looking at another Acura.

revras · December 2004

These are all real problems with this car. Granted it is fun to drive but these are serious comfort and safety issues that Acura has not adequitely addressed in this car. For a car that costs upwards of 32K it should be better.

vin3 · January 2005

Shelly

When you say the ride has improved 95% is this in regards to flat spots or vibration ? Can you be more specific. I have a vibration which goes onto a shudder at 1500rpm to 2000rpm, we have not exchanged tires yet. My car is a 2004 tl. Thanks

tl05stdowner · January 2005

does Jabra A210 work? I've VzW service and they don't have a decent bluetooth phone. Motorola v710 works, but the phone has camera problems.

doja · January 2005

Posted by cabowabodude: "...I was told to stay away from the 04's due to the problems with vibration, I was also told that the Bridgestones were also something to stay away from. Seems like everything on this board is correct."

Posted by doja: "cabowabodude: Are you saying that the service manager (a highschool friend) told you to stay away from the 04 TL due to the vibration problems? If so did he say anything about the 05 TL? Thanks."

Reply by cabowabodude:

"Doja, Yes, I am saying the service manager told me to stay away from the 04 TL's and also stay away from the Bridgestone tires. I was at several dealerships that day and I found out that my friend/service manager had worked at a certain dealership. So I started to ask if there were any problems with the TL's, I was told to stay away from the 04's. I was told the 05's had a change to the undercarriage, and there was nothing that could be done to the 04's."

Has anyone else heard that the vibration problem has been fixed in the 05 TL by making a change to the under-carriage? I would like to believe it, but....

gregh1 · January 2005

I own an '03 TL Type-S that I am fairly happy with (especially now that I have a free, brand new tranny @ 48K miles...wink, wink).

My problem is a very loud whistling noise from the engine compartment that fades in and out during low outside temps only (single digits).The noise only tends to fade in during cruising speeds (not idle). The problem seems to be getting more pronounced every year, but is hard for the Acura Service Dept to diagnose due to having to test drive the car when it is very cold outside(also inconvenient for me).

I am thinking it is the fuel pump, as the whistling noise reproducibly dissipates when I step on the gas when it fades in.

As I am getting very close to my warranty expiration, I would like to have some feedback from others who may have had this problem, as I may not be able to get the car into the dealership during a cold day and any ammunition I have, will help me to get them to solve the problem. Thanks.

achadha · January 2005

Just had my el 42's replaced after 11k with so called newer versions on my 04 tl. After driving with these for 2 weeks now it has come to my conclusion that these new ones are no improvement at all. Still feel harsh bumpy ride with some vibration on highway. Anyone have any ideas on what can be done with these new tires? trade in to a local tire vendor? dealer replace with different tires? just wanna knnow if i have any options. thanks

brew99 · January 2005

Doja - I have an '04 with about 18k km on it and have little issue with vibration and no rattles. I do get some flatspotting with the EL42's which typically works itself out in a few minutes and minor driveline vibration at around 90km/h which is not that noticeable. The EL42's are not a great tire so definitely look to replace them or pick up an '05 with the new Michelins (if they are any better).

plastix · January 2005

Just picked up my new '05 TL (auto, no navi) this past weekend. Holy cow, had I found and read this site prior to that, I may not have bought this car at all!

Fortunately I've loved the car and have no complaints...so far. I've noticed slight creaks from the rear of the passenger compartment (i.e. in an uneven parking lot), but certainly not a big deal. And there's a whiff of torque steer on hard acceleration. But no harshness, no vibrations, no prolonged cranking, no rattles, no bumpiness. Instead, it's been amazingly luxurious, comfortable, and composed. Mebbe I'm just too used to racecars and motorcycles...

However, what's this complaint I see about "flatspotting?" Is it really flatspotting (as in what happens when you lock up tires or spin a car, and wind up rubbing away a localized patch of rubber, thereby resulting in a no-longer-round tire)? Or is everyone really complaining about uneven tire wear and/or vibrations? I've gone back quite a few pages, and can't really find a good explanation for this thread's definition.

aaargh · January 2005

I believe the flatspotting refers to when the car has sat for a while, the tire deforms slightly (flat on the bottom). The tire looses its true round shape.

It takes a few minutes for the tire to heat up and regain its round form. In the mean while, you hear and feel the flat spot.

I have the newer EL42s on my '04 TL and only rarely notice it. It happens most often when it's cold outside and the car has been sitting for more than two days.

Based on earlier responses, the newly formulated tires are much better than the older ones with regards to this issue. It was a real problem. Hope this helps.

boylan82 · January 2005

Has anyone noticed a creaking/knocking noise form the console/dash area? i have noticed this sporadically, with no real pattern.

ricko · January 2005

At the time I bought my LEMON there were no Nav's which had the Michelin tires and I was not aware of the problem. I have bought my lemon signs to put on the car and I am headed for arbitration this month. I can't believe Acura has taken the position they have with those of us who have these cars which they have no fix for.

jdub2 · January 2005

I picked up my '05TL last month and was thrilled until the next morning and every day since because of the strong vibrations in the car after sitting in the cold for a few hours. I met a consultant this morning who bought his TL in May '05 and didn't feel the vibes until it got cold in November(We both bought ATs w/BS L42s). (It may be an important point of distinction for those in the southern states, to note that a few people have not felt the vibes. It(flat spotting) does seem to be a cold weather symptom.) He took his car into the same dealer where I purchased my car and they gave him Michelins and solved the problem for him. The dealership seems to have been directed to change their policy because they more recently refused to do the same for me given the same complaint. I was told the "Characteristic of the car" line.

I'm a repeat Acura costumer ('02MDX,'05TL)and we are all luxury car owners who have gotten the same run around as we've been reading about on this and many other boards. People like us are probably numbering in the thousands with complaints about a disturbing ride characteristic of the TLs, namely a very rough ride with no apparent cause, fault, or responsible party to seek remedy from. Recent history reminds us that the manufacturer of the L42 tires is the same (Bridgestone) that was implicated in the deaths of many people (worldwide) who were driving Ford Explorers just a few years ago in the '90s. I've downloaded hundreds of stories about these TL problems and the lack of accountability for them. The common thread in them is :you're on your own.

While my Acura service mgr says that he is not authorized to replace tires, his mechanics have said that no one is complaining about the Michelins that come with the Navi package. (check out all of these complaints, virtually no one is!) We're taking our case to the Atty General in NY State, Eliot Spitzer. Many of us are driving these cars through our first winter and we don't even know if they are safe. Pardon the mellow drama/righteous indignation rap and give it some thought. Some of you might remember the last 5 minutes of the PBS Frontline Series on the Bridgestone-Firestone-Explorer story. A PBS repoter was using Federal buildings in D.C. as a backdrop while giving his closing monolog and as fate would have it a woman rolled her Explorer right over just a 1/2 block away.

bodble2 · January 2005

I must be one of the fortunate ones. I have the EL42s on my TL. Just this past long weekend, I drove it up to Whistler, B.C. where the temp dipped to as low as -10 to -15 C. I had parked the car at the hotel and didn't move it for 3 days. And even then I have not noticed any vibration, at any speed. On the way home, I had her up to about 80 mph at various stretches and the ride was smooth as a baby's bottom all the way. The EL42s on my TL may be what they called the "reformulated" ones, but we also have EL42s on my wife's '02 Accord (in a smaller size), and I also honestly can't say we've had any problem with vibrations.

ktnr · January 2005

"I've downloaded hundreds of stories about these TL problems..."

Can you share with us the web site where hundreds of stories about TL problems are posted?

Also, you don't mention what Bridgestone's response was to your complaint. Each time I've ever bought a new car, the tire manufacturer's Tire Warranty was included in the paperwork discussed at delivery. With each car I've purchased, the car salesman pointed out to me that the tires are warranted by the tire manufacturer. Like you, I too would try the car dealer first (just for the heck of it) but I'd expect my next stop to be a tire dealer.

Unless you can prove that a safety defect exists, I think it unlikely that Mr. Spitzer will expend political capital on behalf of luxury car owners with lumpy tires.

Thanks for sharing your concerns and best of luck to you in getting this issue resolved without having to buy your own tires.

rsher · January 2005

At 1500 RPM between 50 and 55 mph, my 2004 TL automatic has a low humm or vibration that is quite noticable(almost like it wants to be in fourth instead of fifth). The dealer spoke with the Acura tech people who said it was "normal". Its anoying. Has anyone else had this issue? Is there anything I can do about it?

djselzer · January 2005

Although our 2004 TL has not experienced flatspotting of the tires, we are replacing the stock "all season" Bridgestones at only 15000 miles. The tires were rotated as per recommendations from the dealership. It appears Acura is willing to change the tires once at their cost, and the dealership is planning to do so. Has anyone experienced this problem? I was under the impression that the all season tires should last for a minimum of 25000 to 30000 miles even on hard driving.

tl05stdowner · January 2005

Same here. My TL2005 is heading to its 1st 1000 miles this weekend and still going smooth at any speed.

myacura1 · January 2005

Hi all,

Have to say this forum has been very useful. I've now got 1500 miles on my new TL and i've been getting 20 MPG - i think this is pretty common for most TL owners as the car needs to break in. But how long did you have to wait until the MPG started increasing????

igiban · January 2005

Did your Acura dealer volunteer to replace your tires, with what kind of tires? Were the tires worn out bad already, or it's due to some complaints of yours, that they would do that for free?

danny1878 · January 2005

If I'm not mistaken, the MPG has been better since the first oil change @ 6500 miles.

Habitat1,

I just found out that the computerized service reminder is able to detect how severe the car has been driven. That is why the avg mile for oil change is different from one car to another. You maybe having too much fun.

VIBRATION

No vibration or whatsoever @ 19kmiles. Try to reduce air pressure in your front tires (but not less than the lowest recommended level). That might help a bit.

dkg005 · January 2005

I have 2004 Acura TL. Here are some of the issues I have with the TL.



1. Tire Tear. My rear passenger tire has a 3 inch tear between the treads. I took it to the dealer and they said that I hit a pothole which may have caused the tear. I took it Firestone and they said it wasn't a manufacture defect and they won't be able to replace it. I explained to them that I didn't hit a pothole, but heard a loud pop in the middle of driving. Have anybody else experienced this?



2. Rattles. My dealer was able to fix one of the rattles above the driver's side window. They added more adhesive glue to the padding. That seems to fix one of the rattler.



3. Rolling down the window all the way or halfway on the driver side and front passenger window causes the door to vibrate when shutting it.

gotatl · January 2005

I have an 05 TL. This is overall a great car, too bad I can't recommend it to anyone, yet!

There is a slight vibration, or resonance coming from the drivetrain when accelerating in first gear, more noticable with more load on the car, like going uphile. Some of you have eluded to having this problem.

Dealers, of course, two of them so far, characterize this behavious as "characteristic of the car". Here are my guesses:

1 - Engine might not have enough low end torque -very slight chance this is the culprit, since if you accelerate very softly, you dont' have this problem.

2 - Possible issue with the torque converter. It feels that the resonance may come from the TC until is spins up to certain cycle.

Any thoughts?

Has anyone talked to Acura (the company, not the dealers) to see if they are aware of any torque converter issues on 04-05 TLs?

bodble2 · January 2005

One thing that I have noticed about the TL's automatic is that it is quite eager to downshift. I've noticed this especially on my weekend trip. At highway speeds, it seems anytime you call for more speed to pass or to go up a hill, it will downshift (or maybe the torque converter unlocks). I'm not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing. I know some will like a quick-reacting tranny, but all the constant shifting makes the drivetrain kinda busy. I just didn't think with 270hp, it would need to downshift so readily.

djselzer · January 2005

We experienced an episode on the interstate where there appeared to be no traction whatsoever. Since we only have 15000, I asked the dealer about it. I had read a couple of the entries on this website about "bad" tires. I had also read on this website that some dealerships were replacing the tires. So, we asked the dealer and they have apparently agreed. They examined the tires and reported that our tread wear was almost to the replacement indicators. I will only know the price when it happens. It was implied that the dealer would do it for free. This may be a dealer based decision and not an Acura decision.

I have since reviewed the Turanza EL42 on Tire Rack and there are many entries from '04 TL owners that speak of bald tires at 15000 miles or less. It appears that this is a common occurrence for this car & tire combination. Although this is considered a premium tire, there is no tread life warranty on the EL42's.

I am almost certain the dealer will replace the tires with new EL42's, but I am not sure.

klee3 · January 2005

Have you guys noticed how easily the leather seats get wrinkled up? I just bought my 2005 TL last month and the passenger leather seat is already beat up. What suggestions do you have to keep the seats new? Thanks.

Karen_S · January 2005

...links and/or addresses to auto forums outside of Edmunds is not permitted. Please read the "Rules of the Road" and/or the Member Agreement for clarification. If you have any questions, please direct them to me in email.

Thanks for your cooperation.

handson · January 2005

We have just over 1700 miles now. Our mileage has varied from 17 (all local driving by my lead foot spouse) to 29 (all highway). Typically we get 23-25 mpg in combined local/highway driving.

bodble2 · January 2005

That seems about right for the TL. I've gotten as low as about 17 mpg in IMPERIAL (not US) gallons in pure urban driving, albeit with frequent stop and go, school zone drop-offs, extended idling, etc.

vin3 · January 2005

Have the same problem between 1500rpm-2000rpm at about 50mph and above sometimes mine will actually shudder. According to Acura this is a driving characteristic. I have had the tires balanced, motor mounts aligned and the shift points on the tranny worked on. Still have the same problem. It appears we all are in the same boat.

revras · January 2005

I have had it with this rough riding, vibrating, rattling pile of junk. I guess my best advice for anyone.. don't ever buy a car without taking it out overnite, if possible for an extended test drive. The rough riding characteristics of this car were just not apparent on my 15 minute test drive. I think all the complaints about the stock tires are really a reflection of how Acura engineered the suspension on the car..poorly. It's telling that the majority of the ads Acura puts out on this car focus on the stereo system, I must admit its the best 32k stereo on wheels. In any event I was lucky, was able to trade for another brand of car and only lost 1k on my forty two month lease, because the TL is still a hot car to those who value flash, gadgets etc over a controllable, safe, comfortable car.

rsher · January 2005

At first, I my dealership as well told me that it was "normal". Then, after I persisted, the dealership took the car for several days and later told me they discussed this with an Acura area service manager who said the vibration (I have also called it a "shudder") was caused by "harmonic resonance". The dealership told me that Acura recognized this as an issue and was going to issue a technical bulletin in the next 45 to 60 days with a proposed fix. I guess I will find out then if this was a way of putting me off or if they really recognize they have a problem and have a solution on the horizen. The loaner 2004 TL they gave me when they had my car did the same thing.

carnaught · January 2005

klee, I noted this premature leather wear with a previous post, as well. When I brought it up at a recent service appt., I was told it was "normal wear". Sorry, but I don't buy this. My previous car (different make) had essentially no wear of its seats after two years compared to my 5 mos. old '04 TL.

This lack of Acura responsiveness to the consumer and the numerous rattles, vibrations and feeling of hollowness rather than solidity has soured me to buying any more Acuras (and this was my third).

bodble2 · January 2005

It's such a shame though, because in so many ways the TL is a great car. Not a good car, a great car. I love mine. But if only they had gone the extra mile with workmanship and material, and avoided the rattles, squeaking & creaking, wrinkly leather, etc., this car would be a legend in its own time.

sgsunny · January 2005

Clarify, if possible...I heard about the probs w/

vibration, rattling...regarding the 2004 TLs, and

some postings inferring this prob has "presum-

ably" been corrected w/the 2005....should 2005 TL-ers be on the look out for this? I am getting

my new TL this week.

bodble2 · January 2005

From what I know, I don't think any of the problems have been definitively corrected for the '05. Generally, there may be less rattles and other quality problems as a model gets older in its life-cycle because the production process smooths out, plus they may make subtle changes to material, etc. to eliminate rattles and other noises. As for the vibration issue, I haven't experienced it on mine, but for people that have it, I have not heard that Acura has come out with a fix for it. Oh, they've tried rotating tires, changing tires, alignment, etc., but my impression as that they are still just grasping at straws at this point.

Karen_S · January 2005

A few posts have been removed. Also, if you suspect the validity of certain messages, please contact the host. Do not continue to disrupt the topic with speculations and accusations.

Thanks for your cooperation.

carnaught · January 2005

"But if only they had gone the extra mile with workmanship and material, and avoided the rattles, squeaking & creaking, wrinkly leather, etc."

That is precisely why I DON'T think it's a great car.

dfilice · January 2005

I own an '02 CL-S. I thought about the new TL, but the mileage?? Why would the TL get much worse mileage than my car? In the city, I get 21 mpg and on the highway I consistently get 29. Mind you, my car has 10 less horsepower, but did Acura change the gearing in the TL? I know it has really good performance and handling...rated much better than my CL-S.

igiban · January 2005

Not that I don't think Acura could do a better job in those regards, but which $31K car is truly a great car? Lexus is probably the best in that department.

bodble2 · January 2005

I assume you meant Lexus is best in regard to quality of material and workmanship, not that it is the best $31K car overall?

carnaught · January 2005

I don't believe the answer to your question in #1552 is Acura.

bodble2 · January 2005

No, not in regard to quality of material and workmanship. Overall....hmmm...maybe.

igiban · January 2005

Yes I meant in terms of workmanship and materials, Lexus is the one to beat.

For $31K, it's hard to find a car that does everything well. You just have to give and take some. TL is a great blend of many virtues, while others excel more in one area or the other.

That said, Honda's workmanship is very good traditionally (I've owned a few). I don't know why this TL received these many complaints. Maybe because it's built in US? But then so are Accords and I don't think Accords got this kind of complaints that much.

My 05 TL is coming soon and I am crossing my fingers to have none of these issues. I do know a few friends of mine that own 04 TL and have no workmanship problems. So I know 'it can be done'!

Acura TL Maintenance and Repair

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