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Older Acura TLs

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Comments

  • bacdoc2bacdoc2 Member Posts: 1
    Well today I joined many people with tranny problems. My TL-s has 15,200 miles on it and the tranny started to go on the highway. When I pulled off the highway and started to drive through city streets there was a terrible clunk when the car was slowing down to a stop. When the car goes from 2nd to 1st as your comming to a stop it feels like the tranny is going to drop out on the floor. I was scheduled for my 15,000 mile service on thursday but this can't wait any longer. My dealer said that he would give me a loaner when I came in for my scheduled service on thursday, but now that I have to bring it in earlier what am I supposed to do? I cannot go without a car. Does anyone have any similar problems with the tranny(and I know your out there) and any advice on how to resolve this.
    On the acura-tl forum many people were stuck without cars for weeks and I have no faith in how acura is handling this matter. I hear they are exteding the warranty, but who cares if your without a car for a extended period of time.
    I need advice.
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    Acura extended the warranty to seven years or 100k miles.They will give you another car while yours is being repaired-hell, my dealer offers me a loaner anytime I have to leave the car for an hour.
  • coconutheadscoconutheads Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 3.2TL with 115,000 miles. Does anyone know where to get an HID Headlight for less than $160 (A&H Motors). Dealer wants $210.

    This car has been great. Only two other repairs that are non-maintenance. EGR and Rear view mirror. The mirror popped due to heat inside car. Burnt my fingers. Hey, its Central Florida.
  • oldacuraoldacura Member Posts: 3
    I'm deciding between 3 new cars: Acura TLS, Honda Accord or Volkwagen Passat wagon.

    Based on research these are my views of pros/cons:

    Passat wagon GLS/1.8t/5spd: Pros:

    Like the room in the back for dog, bike & skis
    Standard side curtain airbags
    Appearence

    Cons:

    Reliability?
    Underpowered?

    Honda Accord EXV6 Pros:

    Standard side curtain airbags
    Plenty of power on regular gas
    Great value
    Great reliability

    Cons: Trying to like the looks

    Acura TL Type S Pros:

    Appearance
    Power
    Reliability
    Value

    Cons:

    No side curtain airbags
    Hard to fit in dog, bike, skis.

    I'm replacing a 1989 Acura Integra that I've owned since new. It has been reliable, economical & fun transportation but with all of the giant SUVs around, I feel very vulnerable driving a small car w/o airbags.

    I live in Colorado where it snows & I do mountain driving above 10,000 feet. So, the differences between low power turbo & high power normally aspirated becomes less.

    Thoughts? Suggestions?
  • waydewayde Member Posts: 198
    As a previous Acura Integra (1998) and Honda Civic (1996) and VW GTI (2000) and now a Protege5 (2002) I can give you my .02$.
    I had ALOT of reliability issues with my GTI - dumped it after 15 months - so, wouldn't recommend the VW. I know many people have had good "luck" with theirs but I don't like to take a CHANCE that I'll get a "good" car or "bad" car.
    The Civic, Integra, and P5 are all great! All I've had to do is reg. maintenance.
    I would recommend looking at (at least driving) the new MAZDA6. The trunk is quite large. The driving experience is VERY 'sporty'. The interior is very nice -- have to see it in person.
    I have test driven all 3 cars and they are all great. The 2 things I don't like about the Accord (as much as I try) are the exterior styling and the soft suspension (the coupes is much firmer). The TL-S was really nice but like you said, no head curtains and since you tend to keep your cars for quite a few years you should probably get this.
    The 6. The only way I can describe it succinctly is to see inexpensive BMW. The FEEL is great. The sound is great. The center console area is really nice, as are the Optitron guages in the Sport package. Anyway - just giving you another option.
  • steedmsteedm Member Posts: 14
    I have just traded up from a 97 Integra, and looked at Passat, Accord, Camry and TL-S.
    The TL-S won, since it has every feature you need as a std., and has the coolest headlights. The Accord is nice inside but has a strange exterior, I am not convinced that VW has a good dealer network, and the Camry is a little boring, and has no safety features as std (such as ABS).
    The TL-S needs a telescoping steering wheel and side curtains, but is very solidly built, I would prefer to be hit in it than an Integra. Also Acura have the highest reliability ratings of the four.
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    Congratulations! I too am looking for a new car. My options so far are: TL(non S), Accord, Camry, Lexus ES300, and Nissan Altima. The Lexus is the best but also the most expensive ($34k). I do worry some concerning the 5-speed auto trans in the the TL as some here have had major transmission troubles. I just cannot understand after building auto transmissions for decades as to why they cannot get them to work flawlessly. Was the TL's trans a concern for you?
    Please keep us advised as the miles roll along on your TL as to your likes, troubles, mpg, etc.
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    I also considered the ES300 because I liked the quiet and the smoothe ride. However with the options I wanted it was way closer to 38k than 34k and over 40k with the tax. I can easily afford that but I considered it a gross rip-off and would have felt like a sucker paying it. Bought the tl for 28k and the spare 10k lets me drive it free for four years.
  • otis123otis123 Member Posts: 439
    Drive a 6 cylinder Subaru Outback (LLBean or VDC) before you buy the Passat station wagon. I struggled between a 4 motion Passat and the LLBean back in Feb. 01 and eventually bought the LLBean. Have 34700 miles so far and zip problems. It has a near-luxury ride & feel like the other cars you are looking at AND AWD AND bullet-proof reliability. It's like a little tank, weighing in at 3750 lbs. with excellent crash stats (just no side curtains yet). Remember, this is the 6 cylinder - not the 4.
    My wife talked me into buying it (never thought Subarus were very attractive) and now we fight over who gets it and who gets stuck with the Accord. Hard to explain how it grows on you (enough to probably buy the next generation in 2005).
    My $.02

    Ralph
  • steedmsteedm Member Posts: 14
    I have no worries since mine is recent production, Honda will be watching the transmissions really closely right now.
    My 2 cents is that the TL-S is much better to drive than the TL, the TL has much less road feel, and wallows more. I am glad my car advisor talked me into trying a TL-S. At the time it seemed that paying $2K for a few more hp, slightly stiffer shocks and holes in the leather was rather steep.
  • scott31scott31 Member Posts: 292
    You are forgetting the biggest reason to go for the TL-S vs. the TL. (other than the 260hp of course).

    It's the VSA. The regular traction control on the TL is a cheap traction control. The VSA on the TL-S combines a good traction system with a stability system as well.
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    The tl only "wallows" if you try to drive it like an M3 BMW. Remember,this is a family sedan that just happens to have way better than average performance. The majority of drivers, especially those over 40, are going to prefer the tl suspension over the tls.
  • chineechinee Member Posts: 50
    As a TL-p owner, an '02 bought in Nov '01, with the tranny gone at 19K miles, I must say I've been dissatisfied with Honda reliability and integrity. I drive 35K miles a year, so a 100K mile warranty is good for three years for me, not long enough. The tranny can go again, which has been the case for many owners, and I'll be stuck with a $5-6,000 repair bill.

    I bought this car to get 200K miles out of it. It's my first "Honda", and bought the TL because of Honda's "sterling" reputation for longevity; obviously not my experience. Also brake rotors warped at 20K miles, and at 18K, the electronic ignition (terminology?) was faulty as well.

    I've always been a Nissan guy, 150K on my Sentra, then 180K on my Altima, neither of which required any major repairs. Decided that I deserved a better car than Nissan could offer so got the TL. Well you know what they say, if it ain't broke..... should have bought the 02 Maxima.

    It seems that people here believe that Honda has addressed the tranny problem...well that probably is not the case. All they've done is beef up the failing parts so that they'll last longer, (probably to 100K miles), there has been NO redesign, regardless of what they claim. And before Honda admitted that there was a higher than normal failure rate on these trannies, they treated owners like dirt, swearing on a bible that we drove the trannies into the ground, (but I know I drive like a grandpa).

    They've also released a figure that 1.6% are failures, but as trannies are still continuing to fail, that number WILL increase. Ask anyone how long it takes for the dealer to order a tranny, weeks and weeks....there's a huge backlog because failures are still occuring.

    It's obvious I've soured on the brand.

    Lexus doesn't deserve the premium they charge, so I'm heading to Infiniti in 6 months or so when the G35 price softens a bit (I hope).
  • garygersh2garygersh2 Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone know when the TL is due for its next complete overhaul and when the new model will be coming out? Also, I have a 2000 Tl now. It's my second one and I've also had a couple of Accords previously. I notice on all of them that sometimes the car runs as smooth as silk. The car is responsive and the acceleration good when you step on the gas pedal. At other times, it feels like the car is laboring. It feels like everything is dragging when you accelerate. The tranny shifts a little harder, and when you take your foot off the gas, the car starts to slow down by itself. It feels like you've applied the brakes, even though you haven't. As I said, all of my cars reated the same way from time-to-time. Is this just a characteristic of Honda products, or all cars, because of variations in temperature/humidity conditions, or the computer controls built in, or is there something wrong here?
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    New tl is due Sept. 2003
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    Has anyone heard of a recall of TL for a bad camshaft? I saw something about it in the Cl forum.
  • mvcjonesmvcjones Member Posts: 14
    I was in the market for a new car after the lease of my 1999 SAAB 9-3 was due. After doing some research, my short list for autos was as follows:

    Passat GLS 1.8T
    SAAB 9-3 Linear
    Acura 3.2TL

    The Acura seemed like the best deal on paper. Honda background (although I was turned off a bit as the Acura is the only car on the list built in America), most HP, luxury type service, past ownership experience was good (we owned an integra and a 2.3CL in the past), etc...

    My wife and I test drove the 3.2TL and I was excited as the lease deals were around $1500 down and $350+/- per month, very good pricing, equal to the Passat and better than the SAAB.

    However, the test drive proved fatal to the lease idea. The car seemed reasonable enough inside, decent interior, although a bit dated and the center stack could use a little more polish, but, at 6'-0" and 210 lbs., I felt like I was squeezed into a sardine can. The car was incredible tight, front and rear, and I could not find a comfortable driving position. Either my head hit the headliner, and not just touching, but making me cock my head to the left, or I was so reclined that I was looked to the side through the rear passenger's window. I was shocked and disappointed, as this car, again, seemed like the front runner on paper. Sitting in the back seat was not much better. Cramped as could be. The only saving grace was the 'scoop' on the rear of the front seat.

    The Acura dealer tried to use price concessions to make up for the lack of space/comfort, and I explained to him that there is no way I would lease a car for 3 years and feel extremely uncomfortable for the duration, for any price.

    Oh well. Hopefully the next edition of the 3.2TL will prove more roomy. The rest of the car seemed fairly nice, although a bit subdued and soft, which is appropriate for a mid-level luxury car.

    I would up going with a loaded Passat GLS 1.8T Tip. VW is running very aggresive leases right now, it was better priced than the SAAB, I am a little wary on the new SAAB model as it has no history like the Passat and TL and it has GM bloodlines more than ever. The Passat is very nice, needs a little more power, bigger wheel and a CD changer, but very smooth ride, very nice interior with great details and creates and excellent driving environment with some sportiness and very smooth ride. I also like the fact that the VW is based on it's more expensive Audi cousin, so you are getting more costly engineering at a value price. I probably would have leased one instead of my 1999 SAAB 9-3 but the 2yr/24,000 mile warranty was absurd and they fixed that with a 4yr/50,000 mile warranty. And I have been pleasantly surprised because out of SAAB, VW and Acura past ownership experience, VW service was the worst, but my local dealer which has proven to have excellent service so far, fixing every minor delivery issue quickly and without hassles.

    Anyway, I look forward to seeing a new TL in 3 years. Hopefully they will be roomier and I can strongly consider it for my next lease.
  • frankz3frankz3 Member Posts: 1
    My 2000 TL change compartment is stuck. Does anyone know how to remove it? Thanks.
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    You mean your "not an ashtray". Probably a coin stuck behind it. I suggest you go to Acura-tl.com and use the search function. This has been discussed many times with instructions for removal etc..
  • jke4manjke4man Member Posts: 9
    I was just wondering how long you have worked for Acura meaning how do you know they haven't corrected the design flaw. You also seem to be pretty hateful towards the Lexus. What happens if there is a problem with the Infiniti? If that happens you are out of Japanese high end vehicles. The funny thing to me is the problem is in 1.6 percent of cars if you go by these chat rooms it is 100 percent of the cars. Honda did not get it's reputation by leaving people out in the cold so everyone calm down a little bit it will be alright. The only thing that is being accomplished here is killing the resale value of all the cars because of the problems of few. I am sure the salespeople at Infiniti can't wait to earn your business I know you will look out for them on the survey. It must be a wonderful feeling going through life as peachy as you are.
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    I am also interested in the TL for my next new car but I am worried over the transmission issue. I have heard a couple of terrible stories on this forum of the transmission suddenly and abrubtly failing on the highway. How could one drive 70 mph and be worried that all of a sudden the trans could drop into a much lower gear especially how close some trucks drive behind you? Has Acura come out and officially stated that this problem has been corrected in the new TLs. I did read earlier on this forum that new TLs manufactured after May of 2002 have been corrected but I do not think that came from Acura. The car is everything that I want in an entry-level luxury vehicle at a reasonable price but the transmission is a troublesome issue. I wonder if these abrubt failures have been reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    People worry too much. You don't hear from the vast majority of tl owners who have had no problems(like me in 2and 1/2 years). The problem is fixed says the company. ?who knows, it wasn't a huge problem to begin with. If I were you and I didn't need a car right away, I would wait for the next model tl in sept.'03.
  • richard52richard52 Member Posts: 41
    I agree. I drive a 2000 TL with 45000 miles. I have had no trouble what so ever with the car. Read Consumer Reports, they give the TL their highest rating including the transmission. I think the whole issue of tranny failures is overblown
  • jke4manjke4man Member Posts: 9
    I agree I think the whole issue of the transmission is blown way out of proportion. I have 45000 on my TL and have had no problems. This and my other Accords are the only cars I have ever owned that I could make a statement like that without knocking on wood. I am glad to own a car that I am not worried about putting miles on, I know no matter how much I drive this car it will still be running long after it is paid off. I am also not worried about putting to many miles on it to be able to trade out of it because I truly love to drive this car that is something I have been able to say about very few cars I have owned including the Accords. The TL is much more than something to get from point A to point B in it is the type of car that you take the long way in. The dealer where I bought the car from also had an S2000 and believe it or not I am 22 and don't have kids and I chose the TL over the S2000. My decision was not based on practicality but the fact that I truly enjoyed driving the TL much more. I still don't have a second thought about it and feel I made the right choice. This is the kind of car you fall in love with every detail of. I recently drove a brand new TL and noticed every little difference between the two my seat goes back a little further and is a little wider with diffrent lumbar adjustments. The new one has a five speed auto and mine has a four speed. I also drove a TL type S the suspension was stiffer and it handled better the Type S also had Metal look trim instead of wood trim and like I said you fall in love with the details of this car and if I were to pick one of the three to drive for the next five years even with money not being a factor I would pick my car. I am so used to everything that it feels near perfect to me. So don't let something being blown out of proportion stop you from buying a great car you can see that I love mine.
  • bitnoj1bitnoj1 Member Posts: 17
    When can I expect the 2004 TL in the showroom? What kind of upgrades? I hear I may have to wait until Sept. I hope they raise the headroom. I know they'll increase the HP since the Accord is pushing 240hp.
  • pemarshpemarsh Member Posts: 68
    What is everyone puting in their TL (non-s type) for gas??? 87,89,92?????
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    I read on this forum or the regular TL forum that the transmission problem DID affect the 2003s but ONLY if they were made before June of 2002. I have not heard this anywhere from Acura but sure would like to know exactly what the problem really was and how it was fixed. I did hear that they did have some type of problem with one of their suppliers(I assumed it was a part in the 5-speed trans). Supposedly that supplier or part is no longer being used in the transmission manufactured after May 2002. I sure would like an official response from Acura. Maybe one of the Honda salesmen could find out for us and post it here. I am interested in the TL but am very cautious concerning a possible transmission problem.
  • daysailerdaysailer Member Posts: 720
    The TL requires premium fuel. Since it has detonation sensing and dynamic timing, it can operate on lower octane fuel without disasterous consequences, but power and response will be diminished.

    Since the Accord now produces more power with its 3.0l running regular fuel, will we see a regular fuel TL in 2004?
  • chineechinee Member Posts: 50
    A few weeks ago I added my 2 cents to this board about my personal disappointment with Acura and the Transmission issue. Some folks read anger into my post when I really meant to communicate my extreme disappointment with my first Honda/Acura product.

    Although I still have the TL, the wife and I bought a Sequoia back in October and I will tell you, we were so pleased with Toyota...I almost traded the TL for a Highlander a month later.

    Now don't get me wrong, the TL is a great car, but not for me. I drive 35K per year, thus the (3yr) 100K extended tranny warranty is no good to me. If I was the "average" commuter driving 15K per year, a TL purchase is just fine, but I wanted 200K out of this car, which now seems unlikely without the risk of high repair expenses down the line. Other than that, you CANNOT beat the VALUE (and overall quality) built into the TL.

    You mentioned wanting to know about "exactly what the problem really was and how it was fixed." So did I, for my peace of mind, this was my wife's car, so my threshold for risk is quite low (there's a safety issue with the tranny). The two dealers I spoke to were still uninformed (as of Dec 2002) and the Acura Customer Service line still only pipes on that "it was redesigned". No specific details are available from official sources....that I could find.

    And like you, I like the ES300 a lot, but the premium Lexus charges is too much, no matter how great the dealer experience is; maybe that's because I do much of the service and maintenance myself.

    If you are still seriously considering a TL purchase, do your research on other boards; there are at least two more sites you can get details from, and read about owners' actual experiences. Email me if you'd like.

    Now everyone else....I'm not angry,... disappointed yes, but not angry...not a hater. I even still have the TL......
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    You should use at least 91 octane for your tl just like the manual says. I have experimented with different grades. The tl will run just fine on regular gas and you won't notice the small loss of performance in normal driving. What you WILL NOTICE is the loss in fuel economy. Over many tanks I have averaged 24 mpg with 93 octane and 21 mpg with regular. The difference in price (20 cents) in our area does not make up for the loss in mpg.
  • suzanneb1suzanneb1 Member Posts: 1
    My 2003 Black Acura 3.2 TL is 5 months old. I have put 10,000 miles on it. I love every inch of it, but I just finished hand washing it and noticed that the finish on the hood, trunk, and top of the car has thousand of tiny pits in it. You can feel and see them. Has anyone had any problems with the finish? What should I do?
  • dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    You should take the car to your dealer and ask them. When you say that you can see them on your black car, how do they appear? As dull spots? Or spots of different color? And can you see them from more than couple inches away?

    Your car's finish may simply be defective. Manufacturing defects do occur on any model of cars. My 2000 TL had defective glass in both of the side mirrors. The mirrors have developed black spots all over that were obviously due to some defect in the finishing of the mirrors' reflective surface that is not exposed to the elements. That's just an example of the extremelly rare weird defects you might see.
  • beebe2beebe2 Member Posts: 1
    My 2000 3.2 TL developed what seems to be a valve tap, but goes away while warming up a bit. I'm not close to an Acura dealer, so I asked Honda about this. Honda says they have run into this with their Accord. Not to worry. This started at about 45,000 miles,and now have 52,000 miles on it, but I feel that it would have been futile to take it to the dealer, and for them not to be able to hear it. Is there anyone else that has this noise and should I be concerned? Thanks
  • naenaenaenae Member Posts: 5
    My car didn't just suddenly stop on me. I had several "slips" before I had to get a new transmission at 60K miles. I now have about 1K miles on my new transmission....and it's slipping. I still love the car...and my dealership. Jerry Damson Acura in Huntsville, AL has been absolutely wonderful to me. An Acura rep. is coming out next week to look at my car, and I will have a new TL-S to drive while they have mine. I had a Vigor and loved it!!! This is my 4th Honda product, and this is the first one that has ever had any trouble. At the moment, I have confidence in my dealership & Acura that my transmission woes will be solved. I believe Honda & Toyota make the best cars out there, and both of them are experiencing transmission problems. My friend, who has a 00' Camry, & I had to get new transmissions the same week. The difference is Acura has extended their warranty, and Toyota has not...according to my friend. So, as long as Acura takes care of this problem, this is a great car to own.
  • duval1duval1 Member Posts: 30
    Anyone know of worthwhile performance boost from adding K&N filter in 2003 TL Type-S since factory supposedly has low restriction air intake?
  • cyborgencyborgen Member Posts: 13
    One cold day the 'check engine' light comes on. I call the service dept guy who suggests that maybe I didn't tighten the gas cover enough, he said after a few days the light would turn off automatically (this is actually in the manual). A week goes by and the light is still on. One morning I start the engine and the 'D5' light flickers on and off... uh oh... I check the manual in panic and find out it may be related to the transmission.
    I bring it in for inspection to discover that I need a new transmission. Apparently the 2000 model transmissions were of lower quality, metal is slowly shredding in the transmission. Fortunately the transmission is guaranteed up to 60k :)

    Changing the transmission here in Canada is about $4000 CDN tax excluded. Personal income in the province of Quebec is taxed at 55%, so you'd need to generate about $10,000 to cover this repair :(.... I must have a guardian angel :)

    The technician at Acura mentionned that this has become a real headache for them, transmissions are back ordered, and the problem has put a real dent in their reputation this year. However this car is extremely dependable and the mechanisms detecting troubles are very efficient.. of course make sure you are covered by some kind of warranty past 100k if you can. Do the math :)
  • jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    I guess the American transmissions are even worse than yours-mine is guaranteed for seven years or 100k miles.
  • billyperksbillyperks Member Posts: 449
    Has anyone installed the XM Satallite Receiver to their Bose Radio?
    If you did, what was the cost?
    Are you happy with the outcome- in terms of the quality of the work and the performance of the system?

    Please advise- I am about to shop around for prices this weekend.
    My friend has the XM radio in his Chevy Avalanche and it sounds awesome, this is an option Chevy offers.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    What makes you think drivers over 40 want a soft suspension.

    I am over 40 and want a 6-speed TL-S which I understand is coming out in 2004. Just saw the TSX at the auto show and it will be a good car too. The Accord Coupe 6-speed also would be nice.

    Getting back to stiff suspension I had 98 M3 and it wasn't the suspension that bother me rather the lack of trunk space and small back seat even in the sedan 5-speed version.

    I have an IS300 5-speed and the suspension is actually too soft.
  • neuronbobneuronbob Member Posts: 43
    A petition has been started with members of the Acura enthusiast sites (Acuraworld) who are concerned about the quality of the 3.2 TL, specifically its transmission failures and poor service department quality. Several members of the boards have had transmission failures at freeway speed, one of them causing an accident in which another person was severely injured. This prompted the webmaster at Acuraworld to write a letter to give to Honda of America executives. It is currently in the form of a petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/acura/petition.html . If you care that Honda's quality seems to be slipping a bit (I have owned Hondas for 14 years and generally love them), and are concerned that Acura is not worried enough about transmission failure in the TL, sign the petition.

    I don't usually request input for others' causes (I've had no problems with my TL), but the transmission failure stories I've heard have me concerned enough to do something.
  • neuronbobneuronbob Member Posts: 43
    billyperks, I have the Pioneer XM receiver in my TL. I had it installed last summer during XM's free install special at Circuit City, so installation cost me nothing. The other option was purchasing the parts and having it installed at my Acura dealer, which last summer cost $509. The advantage to the Acura dealer is that they know how our rather complicated center console/dash comes apart, the guy at Circuit City had to wait while I got the instructions online before he could start. He still did a remarkably good job--no rattles afterward.

    Anyway, I bought the Pioneer GEX-FM903XM receiver. http://www.xmradio.com/catalog/product_detail.jsp?id=17214&ty- - - pe=Tuner It cost $189 last summer, and there is a $50 rebate on it currently. It was installed behind the back seat (e.g. no one can see it from trunk or cabin). It has a wired remote that I placed on the junk drawer at the bottom of the central stack. To see an example of the setup, see here http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showthread.php?s=59e6af2633d12db5e4- - - - - 8ef900fa3ad4e1&threadid=42693 . I also bought the Terk SR-1 antenna ($79 last summer, now $59.95), which looks like a fat regular antenna. I bought this because I didn't want my gorgeous black paint ruined by the SR-2 antenna which, while smaller, adheres to the top of your car.

    The unit I bought uses FM modulation (22kHz), and I set it to broadcast to 87.9. This allows me to keep my stock radio and head unit. The sound quality is excellent! However, there is also a connection to allow digital-quality (44 kHz) if you choose to upgrade your head unit at the same time. I didn't want to go through that hassle.

    The range for XM radio extends well into southern Canada, as I found on one of my frequent trips to Niagara Falls and environs. The idea of listening to the same station across the entire country is intriguing to this frequent traveler. There are other radios that are more easily installed, e.g. the Delphi Ski-fi, (see install here http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showthread.php?s=59e6af2633d12db5e4- 8ef900fa3ad4e1&threadid=51389 ), but those options weren't available to me last summer. Any questions, email me.
  • daysailerdaysailer Member Posts: 720
    I've experienced neither transmission nor customer service problems with my '02 TL. I realize that the fact that Honda has extended the warranty suggests that there is a greater potential for problems than may be typical for Honda, but the warranty extension is itself a positive response from Honda.

    I am not inclined to rail against a manufacturer based on comments by others in a message board and do not understand someone who would take an active role to address a perceived problem with which they have no personal knowledge or experience.
  • billyperksbillyperks Member Posts: 449
    Thanks for the info.
    My dealer told me to stay away from Circuit City, according to the Dealer, they will do a sloppy job.
    They recommended a Car Audio Shop around a block from the Dealership.I am going there Saturday to inquire more about the setup and their prices.

    From the pictures you posted it seems like a ton load of work to install.I really don't want to take my car apart like that.I have this anal attitude about any car I own.I want everything to be picture perfect,squeaks and rattles freaks me out.:)
  • naenaenaenae Member Posts: 5
    I promise this isn't a perceived problem!!! My car is at the dealership at this moment with problems on my second transmission. I am a Honda/Acura lover, but the quality of my TL doesn't match that of my Vigor. I still like my TL (although, it is a "softer" car than my Vigor)...and I'm 44 & don't like "soft." My daughter will soon be 16 and she will get a Honda product. As long as Acura takes care of my problems, I will be happy; however, I drive over 30K miles a year, and 100K miles warranty isn't enough for me. I want to have the confidence in this car I have had in all of my other Acura/Honda cars. Hopefully, one day I will. I truly hope you do not have any transmission failures. I would love for this to be an isolated issue, but unfortunately, it isn't.
  • daysailerdaysailer Member Posts: 720
    I share your concerns and do not question that there is transmission failure rate atypical of Honda. The question is, what can owners reasonably expect of a manufacturer in such a case?. The warranty has been extended, as it should be to maintain customer confidence. Whether the extension is sufficient is probably an issue on which owners and manufacturers will not agree. Owners would like a lifetime guarantee, a manufacturer wants the least costly solution that will maintain his market image (and sales).

    I'm not happy that my first automatic sedan has a cloud over its transmission, but my alternatives are to rely on the Honda warranty and customer service, or sell the car. How will a petition help?
  • neuronbobneuronbob Member Posts: 43
    I think your points are valid. As I said, I've had no problems with my TL personally and am very happy with it, my dealer (excellent service!!) and Honda products in general. The extended warranty was an excellent first step that will act to maintain the value of my TL. My (and others') concern is just with Honda's response to its loyal customers. This tranny problem is VERY atypical of Honda products, which is all the more reason to vigorously pursue it, and to let its customers in on the problem. The petition is merely one vehicle used to let Honda know that its customers are concerned, nothing more. Hope this helps!

    billy,
    I wouldn't want to take my own dash apart either, too complicated! I lucked out in my install, but I was insistent on getting that "free" install. :)
  • akal50akal50 Member Posts: 112
    People are praising Acura for extending the warranty, but I doubt you'll feel good about the warranty if your transmission fails and you're in an accident. This is the type of move I would expect from Ford or Chrysler, not Acura. What's obvious is that Acura has a serious problem with their transmissions and has decided that it would be cheaper to offer an extended warranty instead of doing a recall.

    How will the petition help? It'll send a message to Acura that they can't just cover up this problem. Thanks to the internet, more and more people are learning about this transmission problem. Many Acura owners, people who have owned Honda/Acura products for decades, are turning away from Acura. And some potential Acura buyers like me are having serious doubts about Acura. The only other way to get the message across is to stop buying their cars. But they may conclude sales fell for some other reason. This is more direct and clear.
  • naenaenaenae Member Posts: 5
    I really don't think Acura is trying to cover up the transmission problems....or we would not have an extended warranty. I wish the word would NOT get out about the problems. Since I already own one, I do not want the value to drop....and I think it will as soon as the "world" knows about this. This is the first automatic I have owned since the early '80's, & I'm sad about this situation. However, there isn't another car out there as nice as the TL that doesn't cost thousands more.....so I'll keep it & hope for the best. My dealership assures me I can count on them to take care of me, if I have transmission problems in the future....not sure if that's just 100K mile future or what. I am not convinced Acura has the problem figured out, but hopefully, they will by the time I reach 100K miles. I enjoy reading everyones comments....just wish we didn't have anything bad to talk about...and there is definitely more good than bad!...or I wouldn't still have it!
  • 99solara99solara Member Posts: 51
    My 2000 TL has 32k miles and the tires are starting to hydroplane badly. The treadwear indicators are not showing at all and they are wearing evenly. It just seems that the grip has gone away. Has anyone else had this experience? I hate to replace tires with lots of tread left, but I do not want to slide off of the road. What tires do you recommend for replacement?
  • daysailerdaysailer Member Posts: 720
    I've had MXVs of various types on other cars that retained their wet performnce with wear better than most tires in my experience. I have Michelin XGT H4 tires on two other vehicles and prefer them for their superior transient response but I have no experience with them when worn.
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