Older Acura TLs

slentini · February 2005

Has anyone had a problem with the leather seats ripping? Yesterday our drivers side seat ripped on the back side.. I'm hoping the dealer will have no problem replacing this.. Any ideas? The car is still under warranty. Only 9,600 miles.

tayl0rd · February 2005

How long was the warranty back then?

bodble2 · February 2005

It actually ripped open?!

I've got wrinkles and sagging (on the seats, not me!) but no rip.

cherylgirl · February 2005

Hi- anyone out there who lives in Northern VA.-please advise me. I am in need of a good auto body repair shop!

Last night,I was pulling out of a parking space in my condo development (trying to avoid the melting snowbank and sign) and hit a fire hydrant! The driver's side rear bumper is dimpled and punctured(the size of a melon)and the headlight above it is cracked, but no metal body damage is done. Basicallly I have to replace the bumper and have it painted, with the rear light replaced. I cringe everytime I look at it. I am new to the area and trying to find an autobody shop that will make it look like new!! Pohanka says they have a collision center, but I'm not sure about them, as I bought my car out of town. If anyone can recommend a good place for me to go, that does a good job on Acura's- I'd really appreciate your advice-especially looking for paint to match the car-white diamond parchment. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

slentini · February 2005

4 years 50,000 miles

slentini · February 2005

Yes, it actually ripped open.. I was shocked...It's @ Davis Acura right now and hopefully it won't be a problem. Personally, that's a defect in workmanship to me.

exb0 · February 2005

I have used Craftsman Autobody three times, twice their Chantilly location, and once their Sterling location. I am very satisfied with them. They are courteous, and do a good job, fast. They guaranty paint matching as long as you own the car. If you go to the Chantilly branch, try to deal with the short deaf guy, instead of tall bold guy, sorry I dont remember their names.

I have also heard positive things about Pohanka body shop, but I have never dealt with them.

tayl0rd · February 2005

You've got really low mileage on the car, but you may be out of warranty already, based on the age of the car and when you purchased it. It might be a crapshoot whether or not the dealer will repair it under warranty.

slentini · February 2005

The was originally purschased in March of 2001.

kyfdx · February 2005

Even in warranty.. your seats may not be covered.. If it burst at a seam, then they will probably cover it.. If it looks like it has been punctured? Then no chance...

If the leather looks stretched/worn.. they may also attribute it to wear and tear...

All that said... If you have very low miles, and no puncture is present... They should fix it.. How they will fix it, might be another matter..

Good luck,

kyfdx

igiban · February 2005

Anyone knows how many seconds or minutes does the Ave MPG in 04/05 TL re-calculate? Maybe it's because there's no decimal place for such # in TL but I don't see my MPG move much at all when going to local or highway. I'd expect it to be more sensitive to that even for an average MPG. It does move once in a while but pretty much stay tight to 22. Mine has still less than 1000 miles.

cherylgirl · February 2005

Thanks for your speedy help, exBO- I have an estimate appt. with both places-Craftsman in Chantilly and Pohanka on Monday. Today, I went to Alexandria to Auto Craft Body and Paint. Their estimate is pretty high ($1800) but they also guarantee their job for as long as you own the car) and are top rated.Said the pearl white needs a 3 process paint job. I am not filing with my insurance co. so I want to be sure I get good guarantees. Some places only guarantee for a year-so I'm glad to hear Craftsman Auto offers the same. We'll see how their estimates come out. When your TL baby is hurt, you only want the best!! Will let you know how it turns out!

Cherylgirl

mdhauke · February 2005

Short deaf guy?

mdhauke · February 2005

It's instantaneous. If you have a lot of miles on the trip calculator it will take a while to average out. Remember, your getting the miles per gallon averaged for the whole time you were using the trip calculator. If you want true highway mileage, reset it as soon as you get on the highway.

allie2 · February 2005

We are taking a trip with our motorhome in the fall and have heard that we may be able to tow our '03 Acura TL on all four wheels.

The dealer says it's only been tested to 35mph but he also said that the SUV has the same engine and can be towed.

Does anyone have an info on this subject? Thanks !

Allie

klee3 · February 2005

My 2005 TL has 550 miles on it. I've heard different mileages when people get the first oil change done. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

armand · February 2005

I wouldn't take a chance with that. I have always heard you shouldn't tow with the drive wheels on the ground - and I think it would be the transmission that would take the toll - but I'm not sure.

slentini · February 2005

Actually they are taking care of it under the warranty. They called me and stated that they had to purchase the new leather and it was covered under the warranty. I'm very pleased!

kyfdx · February 2005

Good deal!! Glad it worked out..

regards,

kyfdx

bodble2 · February 2005

The computer determines when your oil needs changing based on the driving conditions to which you subject your TL. So literally, your mileage may vary. Seems like a sensible approach to me.

spyder1 · February 2005

Please do not buy a TL with Bridgestone tires. The Bridgestones flat spot in colder weather and give a unacceptable harsh ride. I have an 04 TL and brought this up to both the dealership and to coorporate Acura. Both said they are aware of the Bridgestone problem but are not willing to fix the issue. They also stated that they are aware that Michelins do not flat spot. My recommendation is if you can't get Michelin tires that also come on TLs, don't buy the car. I my opinion, Acura's customer service is non existent.

taxesquire · February 2005

We've had this discussion before, though I don't recall if it was this TL board, the 06 TL board or the "TL Problems" board. For most people (like myself who lives in hot and humid F-L-A), the a/c works well. I keep it on auto, unless I'm wearing sandals and want the air coming out the vents and floor. Otherwise, I only adjust the temp up and down and let the unit handle the rest, including deciding on whether to recirculate or not. I think if there's a 20 degree differential btn the air temp in the car and the air temp you want, it goes to "recirc."

I agree with another poster that on really hot days, you should probably keep it on recirc, though you don't want it running on that setting all-the-time (you'll wind up with stale air).

Regardless, there are a few people for whom the TLs a/c does not seem strong enough. It's a shame strokeoluck (I think that's who???) can't enjoy the TL's a/c system - I think it's a good one.

laurasdada · February 2005

Hi, Spyder:

If it makes you feel any better, the Bridgestone's are very poor in the snow, too! :-(

However, the overall car is so good that I wouldn't advise against buying it. Just be aware of the tires when taking a LONG test drive and consider the cold weather performance. Maybe use the cost of replacement tires when negotiating. Had I known how bad the EL42s were before I bought I probably would have tried negotiating a tire swap/credit.

Six weeks/1600 miles and still running the original transmission...! Will try downshifting from 5th to 4th to see if I notice reduced vibration as suggested in the Problems forum. I don't think I'm experiencing vibration, however.

matthewstl · February 2005

See my earlier post regarding the Turanza EL42. I heard so many bad things about these tires I upgraded right away. I went with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. These are an Ultra High Performance All Season tire. Excellent traction in dry and wet conditions. Car feels and handles much better. Had a chance to take the car into the NC mountains this weekend. Drove in light snow and ice and no problem at all. Car handled great. These are expensive tires, but given the value I think the TL represents, this was an easy decision for me. Plus, I have the 6 spd and seemed a shame not to get better performance tires given the suspension and brake upgrades.

highender · February 2005

I have the A-spec with the Yokohama tires...seems to be ok...except the ride is really rough ( due to shocks also)

other wise it is a really good car....

gb23278 · February 2005

Does anybody have any input as to the durability of the leather in the new TLs? My father works on cars, and has seen some Acuras with badly worn leather after only 40,000 miles. Whats the best cleaner and treatment for the leather? Life expectancy/ any guarantees?

automophile · February 2005

Lexol has LONG be acknowledged to be one of the top products for leather care.

TIP- Rub it in with your HANDS - let it set and then buff off. It is fantastic. Do it twice a year.

If the leather gets dirty, Lexol also has a cleaner.

bodble2 · February 2005

And a side benefit is you would also have the best-conditioned hands around!

unprejudiced · February 2005

Test drove a TL yesterday. It drove very nicely on local road. Once on highway (the surface of which was rather smooth), however, there was a lot of road noise. We covered about 5 miles on highway and the noise was constant. I was quite surprised. However, it must have heen "normal", because the sales person from the dealer didn't make any comment. After we returned to the dealership, both wife and son, who sat at the back during the drive, commented on the noise. That noise was a lot worse than my 15 year old Mazda MX6 which I am contemplating replacing. I'd be very grateful if someone please tell me whether my experience was just a flook or the TL is really that noisy. Other than the noise, I really like this car.

nkeen · February 2005

My 2004 6 speed tends to drift to the left, and steering effort to the right is considerably higher than to the left. To the left the car almost "falls into" the turn, but to the right you have to fight the car. On a long drive my right shoulder aches from holding the car in balance, especially if heavy traffic forces me into the left lane for long periods. The problem becomes more pronounced at higher speeds, making expressways that snake around, like parts of the DC Beltway, heavy work.

So far the car has been realigned twice, and the alignment is within specs. Tires have been rotated and checked on a new precision balancing machine the dealer is evaluating; the machine evidently checks for both balance and asymetrical pulling tendency in the tires. The car has been been back to the dealer four times. At these times I've driven a couple of TL loaners. The steering had quite a different feel on both these cars.

The car still drifts left and, more importantly, the steering effort issue remains unresolved. The Acura area rep has driven the car, and acknowledged the drifting issue during a test drive (but not in any documentation). All dealer documentation states that no problem was found, but on the phone the service manager acknowledged he had experienced the asymmetrical steering effort issue when driving the car and stated that "in my professional opinion" the power steering rack should be swapped out and failing a solution there, the vehicle should be replaced. Then, the next day the same manager left me a voicemail, now stating that nothing could be done and the car was within spec -- the conversation the previous day had evidently never taken place. I also got a voicemail from the Acura area rep stating the same. Acura customer service says that nothing can be done unless the dealer states that there is a problem and suggests going to another dealer for a second opinion.

One lesson learned: if anyone states anything in these situations, get them to document exactly what they said. I'll post again if or when further developments occur.

liferules · February 2005

I had opportunity to drive my wife's TL today and was actually impressed with the quietness. I didn't take it on the highway but did travel on several roads with 40 MPH speed limits.

I haven't heard others complain about the noise... in fact, the Acura's are well known for their solid build and good cabin "seal".

highender · February 2005

Hi nkeen:

yes, my TL drifts a little also....

and I the dealer did the same ...said it was within spec...

I will bring it in once more...

highender · February 2005

my TL is fine in terms of noise...

though the ride is rather firm...and does transmit some road noise....something that we expected with this type of car and with lower aspect ratio tires...

we still like the vehicle.

unprejudiced · February 2005

I really appreciate the comments by Liferule and Highender. I think I should go and test drive another TL to see if the road noise is the same. The one I tested the other day was really fine on local roads. In fact, compared with our Honda Pilot and the Mazda MX6, the drive didn't feel too firm at all.But once I brought it onto the highway and increased the speed, the low frequency road noise started filtering in and stayed constant for the distance over two exits. I wasn't about to question the sales person about the noise directly, but I did at that point ask her about tires on the car. It was at that point that she told me the tires on the tester vehicle, which had no Navigation, were different than those on one with Navigation. I wonder if the tires make a significant enough difference. Another possibility: four people were in the car during the test drive (with an estimated total weight of about 470 Lbs). Maybe this weight was a factor. On the other hand, there were also four people in the Avalon we tested the same day (and the sales person was a lot bigger than the one from Acura), and the car was quiet. Anyway, I most likely will go and give the TL another try.

akirby · February 2005

Yes, tires can make a huge difference, especially with noise.

matthewstl · February 2005

Unpredjudiced, which tires were on the TL you test drove? Depending on model/configuration you may have tested the Bridgestone Turanza EL42 (which NO ONE likes and is the standard tire), Bridgestone Potenza (this is a summer tire and only available on the 6 spd as an upgrade) or a Yokohama which is only available on the ASpec version. Tires make a huge difference in terms of noise, handling and performance.

I just bought the TL 6 spd and upgraded the tires to a Michelin Pilot Sport All Season and stored the Turanzas. This was a fairly expensive upgrade, but made a very big, positive difference in the car. I will say, the noise on the highway with the Michelin is "ok," but certainly not quiet. Great stereo so I just make it a little louder.

Also, remember that the TL is more of a performance/sport sedan as compared to the Avalon. Really different types of cars. I'm really enjoying the TL. Very good performance and fits my family fine.

Edmunds has a couple of good discussion rooms comparing a number of other cars in this class. There are some really good ones out there. Have fun!

sychterz · February 2005

I had this happen on another car of mine. Everything was in spec. They started replacing all kinds of expensive parts. It turned out that the steel belt in one of the tires was off center. After changing the tires, everything was fine.

highender · February 2005

Hi unprejudiced:

I really appreciated your thoughts . I agree with akirby and mathewwstl....

perhaps test drive a vehicle that has a diff tire.... ?

good luck

nkeen · February 2005

Many thanks for the responses. Was yours just a drifting problem, or did you experience the asymetrical steering effort also? This second steering effort problem is the big issue when living with the car.

There have been many complaints about the Bridgestone EL42 tires on this board. All mine have been replaced (with new EL42s) and put on the optimal wheel based on output from the new balancing technology the dealer uses.

liferules · February 2005

In the Southern region, the non-nav gets the Bridgestone and the nav's get Michelin. I've heard stories about the Bridgestones and cold weather getting rubber "sludge" spots (or something like that...) that take warming up to improve, in the meantime, the car drives like crap...

Definitely go away from the Bridgestones...

punjabi_sahib · February 2005

hi guys i am plannin on buying a tl with navi...i just wanted to know what the keyless entry remote does other then lock and unlock the doors, i was checking out the features on the local dealers'(phoenix,az) website and it said that the Keyless entry cantrols the panic alarm, window, and moonroof is that true? if not what does it cantrol

liferules · February 2005

Those are correct. I am not aware of any other features it has other than linking the seats to the key, so if you use key #1, and your wife uses #2, when you get back in the car, the seat will move to your predetermined position and your preset radio stations and climate settings. A very useful feature IMO. Just don't get the keys reversed, I almost smushed myself into the steering wheel when the car thought I was my wife!

punjabi_sahib · February 2005

thnxx very much, i personally like the window opening with the keyles entry because i live in az and being able to open the windows of my car without leaving the house to cool the car down is awsome...obviously its really hot down here and getting out of my house in the 110 degrees in the summer is.....well sux, can someone post pics of the keyless entry...just wanna see what it looks like kinda curious how they put all those features in a remote with only 3 buttons(i think)

golfnut5 · February 2005

unprejudiced, I traded my 2003 Cadillac CTS in on a new 05 TL (automatic trans) this past December. The TL is much quieter than the CTS in town and on the highway. The biggest difference I noticed was in wind noise. I think the TL is very quiet at all speeds. Tires do make a big difference, the factory tires on my CTS were Goodyears which I replaced with Continentals. The Continentals were much quieter. I feel the Bridgestones are not the quietest tires and can't wait until it is time to replace them. As a side note the TL is more refined, powerful and cost $9,000 less than a comparably equipped CTS.

tlong · February 2005

I have a 2005 TL w/Nav since November. It is very quiet - quite a bit quieter than my '98 Audi A4. I have the Michelins and the car is pretty silent at all speeds.

I had read about a lot of the problems but went for it anyway. Just to let you all know that people with problems tend to post, people without them don't, so reading about trouble is NOT a statistical survey!

I have had zero problems with the car, I didn't even have minor problems that needed any dealer attention. I have no costmetic issues, no wind noise, no drifting, etc. A very impressive car!

laurasdada · February 2005

Hello:
One of serveral reasons I chose the TL over the G35 was the smoother, quieter ride. Coming from a '99 300M, a quiet ride was very important to me and I feel the TL provides it, both local and highway.

I have a non-nav auto with the Bridgestone Turanzas. I think they are flatspotting and are poor in the snow. Maybe, as suggested, I'll call Acura and see what their policy is on replacing?

ljwalters1 · February 2005

matthewstl, I have a quick q. re the tires. I bought a used 2004 TL (loving it, by the way), and when I noticed the tires were Bridgestone Potenza, I thought I got the summer tire version (which was a pleasant surprise). But my tires are still 17 inches, and I think if you get the summer tire upgrade, you get 18 inchers. Am I right? Would you need more info?

To the guy complaining about road noise - it sounds like you may have had the summer tire model, which would be a rougher louder ride than the regular ones. It should be shown on the sticker b/c it's an option that you pay for.

matthewstl · February 2005

ljwalters1, No you can get the Potenza Summer Tire upgrade in 17 inch. The 18 inch are Yokohamas (I think) and only come with the Aspec upgrade. You got the upgrade.

If you never had summer tires before - two things to keep in mind. First, when they say "summer" they mean it!! They are useless in the snow. If you live in an area where you may get snow, you'll need to consider putting snow tires or all seasons in the winter. If not, enjoy the handling you'll get on the Potenzas. Second, summer tires wear out much quicker then what most of us are used to. I had a set on my old BMW and they went at 18,000 miles. Not unusual. Try to maintain proper inflation and see if you can rotate them regularly (probably just front to back). Tread life is limited regardless so keep an eye on them. Glad you are enjoying the car. I really like mine.

rsetlur · February 2005

Wonder why honda/acura doesn't add DRLs in the US. It is a very useful feature and it would avoid many accidents.
Such a basic luxury item missing on the TL.

Even my 7 yr old camry has it.

highender · February 2005

my DRL is self activated:

1- I start the car
2- I lift my left arm..
3- reach for the light stalk
4- twist the lights on

waa laa !! DRLs... :-)

regular lights are brighter than DRL anyways...IMO :-)

Older Acura TLs

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