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Acura TL Bluetooth/HandsFree Link Problems

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Comments

  • jtskijtski Member Posts: 1

    This faulty Hands Free Link issue is absolutely unacceptable, especially since Acura has allowed it to proliferate for so many years and victimize all of you here who have spent so much time and money on this! In fact, Acura must be one of the worst luxury auto brands after all of the issues I've dealt with.

    I have a 2007 Acura TL that was serviced multiple times while under warranty for issues such as a "mysterious power draw" and sticking side view mirror. The dealer's service dept stated they couldn't find the source of the power drain, so they simply put in a new battery as if that was an answer. And the sticking side mirror still gets stuck.

    As soon as the warranty ran out, they gave me the cold shoulder. My Acura TL now won't start after only three days of non-use because its battery gets completely drained. The battery is new, the alternator passed tests, and online forums all indicate a known Acura service bulletin for the culprit being the faulty HFL module. Acura Service depts want to charge just to look at it, and Acura Customer Relations refuses goodwill service and told me to pay for the repair myself! This is outrageous!

    I want to at least be able to drive my car, so I removed the HFL module myself, which was easy. That module was hot to the touch like a smartphone after playing a long movie! And the car hadn't been driven for two days! Guess what? My car's battery no longer gets drained.

  • superstudentsuperstudent Member Posts: 1

    I have a 2006 TL. Last week, it was sluggish to start. I was told that it had a faulty HFL connection that was draining my battery (a battery that was replaced 4 months ago). I told them that I have never used the darn thing and I've had the car for 7 years! It cost $400...I just now came across this forum and learned that it could be disconnected...Acura did not tell me that!! Today, my car did not start at all. I had to get it towed to Acura for them to tell me that my starter was kaput! Now, I am thinking maybe it was the starter all along. Until, now I used to love my car...but almost $1000 in seven days!!!! This is appalling! I sent an e-mail to Acura Client Relations. Something needs to be done about this!

  • mdxman007mdxman007 Member Posts: 1

    2008 Acura MDX. Same issue with HandFreeLink (HFL / HFT) Module or Bluetooth module. The issue was intermittent and first started with wiggling the wires a bit and connection was establish. I know then something is loose but module is working!
    I took little pieces of foil rolled them up really thin and put them in the holes of the electric plug where the module is connected just so to give it some conduction from power source pins to module connector. I noticed the white and black terminals were then ones that were loose. Works like a charm!

    Oh and if you didn't know the HFL module is located in your the centre console behind the arm rests. Good luck

  • noazdadnoazdad Member Posts: 2

    I have a different problem with the HFL... I don't have the "rebooting" problem, or the battery drain. This is a 2005 Acura TL w/ 86K miles.

    Mine goes through the pairing process just fine, until you get to the part where she asks you "What would you like to name this phone?" As soon as you say anything, the pairing process quits and you're not paired. This happens EVERY time, and it just started about 3 months ago. I've tried the HFL reset procedure, turning off WiFi on the phone, everything I can think of.

    This is with a new iPhone 5s running iOS 7.1.1, so I know it's not the phone...

  • jinaidujinaidu Member Posts: 1

    I had similar issues (not finding my phone) connecting my iPhone 5s with my 2008 Acura TL and spent quiet some time in the past. Finally, I figured out the problem and could successfully connect. Steps: Go to main menu Phone setup Out of options like list, add, delete, chose 'list' option (I didn't know that I had 2 phones already configured, one my son's and the other one my old phone) Deleted one of the phones Chose 'Add' option This time, my new iPhone 5s was discovered and I could pair it successfully... No need for any new hardware ... the limitation, it appears, is 2 phones.

  • papiccpapicc Member Posts: 1

    2006 TL- HFL stopped working on my wife's TL. Reset the system and tried to pair again. It would not recognize any phones.

    Thought I remembered having a issue once before but could not find the repair record (it was still under warranty). After researching for a couple hours I was getting pretty disappointed. I figured I would take it apart and at least clean the contacts between the mother and daughter boards. I did find that when I took it apart that the module that was in it was newer (dated Aug 2008 on the information label) and that the wiring harness had been modified.

    Anyway, cleaning the contacts worked! Worth the time before trying to find a replacement or aftermarket.

  • mopalskimopalski Member Posts: 1
    I have an Acura 2008 MDX, I have the same dead battery issue others have reported. I have gone through 4 batteries over the past 5 years. Most recent new battery was installed a month ago, yesterday went out to the car and it was dead. I contacted the mechanic who installed the new battery.

    He said they ran a test and found a malfunctioning circuit that powers the bluetooth hands-free link. Said that the HFL was drawing current from the battery while the car was off. It wasn't drawing a lot of current, but enough to kill a battery over the course of a few weeks.

    There's a youtube video that shows how to install it yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbwdAQcecN4. I haven't tried that, just reporting that I watched it and it looks like a simple enough to replace myself.

    I'm not buying Acura again.
  • yanceshyancesh Member Posts: 1
    I have a '05 Acura RL, which I purchased about a year and a half ago. I haven't been able to pair either of my phones. Now the HF Link is on and has been for 4 days, which keeps me from using my audio system. It has done this a few times before but goes off on its own. Does anyone know if I can replace with a new updated module?
  • matthew57matthew57 Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever figure out how to complete the pairing process cjustins? I am having the same problem where it asks me to the name phone, and then it exits.
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