2002 Acura Rl

I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND UPON EXAMINATION NOTICED THAT THERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE TELESCOPING MECHANISM IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I DID A SEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUES WITH THESE VEHICLES AND MAY BE WELL KNOWN BY THE MANUFACTURE AS THEY DO NOT SELL THE INDIVIDUAL PIECE TO FIX THIS ISSUE BUT INSTEAD SELL THE WHOLE COLUMN AS A UNIT WHICH IS $2500. THE PROBLEM EXIST BECAUSE THEY MANAGED TO MERGE PLASTIC AND METAL TOGETHER TO CREATE A SCREW-DRIVE MOTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45-50 MPH WHEN THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED AN OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CYCLE THE IGNITION FASTER TO CORRECT THE FAILURE AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER TO DEACTIVATE THE SRS LIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERN THAT WITH THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000. UPDATED 01/03/11

HANI ANTON BRAMPTON, ONTARIO CANADA L6Y 4R4 ACURA 2002 RL PURCHASED NEW FROM ACURA 2000 BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, CANADA IN 2003 VSA (VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST) ACTIVATES PREMATURELY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF MY CAR. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED AND TYPE OF ROAD CONDITIONS (DRY OR WET PAVEMENT). I HAVE TAKEN THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER AND THEY ARE OF NO HELP. NOTE THE VSA ACTIVATES AT ANY TIME AND WITH NO WARNING AND AT ANY SPEED INCLUDE HIGHWAY/FREEWAY SPEEDS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE 2002 ACURA 3.5 RL APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH (ROAD WAS FLAT AND STRAIGHT WITH NO POTHOLES, BUMPS, ETC.), THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SUDDENLY TWISTED OUTWARDS, WHICH LED TO THE CAR SKIDDING TO A STOP. THE CAR BASICALLY DROPPED ONTO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE (WHICH WAS FACING OUTWARDS - THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WAS VISIBLE WHILE STANDING IN FRONT OF CAR LOOKING TOWARDS BACK OF THE CAR). THE DAMAGE ESTIMATE IS BELIEVED TO BE GREATER THAN $4,000 PER THE BODY SHOP INSURANCE ESTIMATOR. I HAD AN OIL CHANGE SERVICE DONE 1 MONTH PRIOR AT AN ACURA DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS NO HISTORY OF ANY ACCIDENTS AND THE BODY SHOP THAT CURRENTLY HAS VEHICLE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF ANY PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH REGARDS TO ACCIDENTS, REPAIRS, ETC. INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THEY WILL NOT COVER THE PART WHICH FAILED (LOWER BALL JOINT) BUT WILL COVER DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF IT (MINUS $500 DEDUCTIBLE, REPAIRED WITH AFTERMARKET/RECONDITIONED PARTS AT THEIR PREFERRED LOCATION TO HAVE ANY SORT OF WARRANTY ON THE WORK DONE). I HAVE CONTACTED ACURA AND ADVISED THEM THAT IN THE YEARS 1996-1999, THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THE OFFICER ON SITE AND THE TOWING REPRESENTATIVE ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT SINCE WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE IN A FEW MINUTES TO GO BACK HOME (WE HAD ALREADY DRIVEN ABOUT 80 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE TO GET TO THIS LOCATION). I DO NOT BELIEVE THE DEALER IS AT FAULT ON THIS, BUT MORE SO MANUFACTURER SINCE THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF A POSSIBLE CAUSE (SUCH AS ACCIDENTS, REPAIRS, AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES, ETC.). THE VEHICLE AD IS STILL AVAILABLE AT HTTP://EXOTIC-MOTORS.EBIZAUTOS.COM/DETAIL.ASPX?IID=1014802 IN CASE IT HELPS TO GIVE MORE DETAIL AS TO ITS EXCELLENT CONDITION. *NM

THE CAR HAS A KNOWN TSB THAT THE CAR MAY STALL AND SHUT DOWN IF IT IS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE AND THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED 3 DAYS AGO. I WAS IN TRAFFIC WAITING IN TRAFFIC THE CAR JUST STALLED AND ROLLED BACK AND HIT THE GUY IN THE BACK LUCKY FOR ME IT WAS SITTING TRAFFIC. ONE OTHER TIME THE CAR WAS MAKING A SLOW SPEED TURN AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AND LOST POWER. THE CAR HAS A KNOWN TSB THAT THIS HAPPENS DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONED PCM. ALSO THIS CAR HAS A TSB STATING THAT A DRIVE PLATE IS MISMANUFACTURED AND HAPPENS TO ALL CARS IN MY YEAR AND MODEL A GRINDING NOISE WHEN START UP INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IT THE WEBLINK FOR TSB FOR STALLING OF CAR PROBLEM HTTP://WWW.ACURHTTP://WWW.ACURAWORLD.COM/TSB/2002/B02-031.PDFAWORLD.COM/TSB/2001/B01-044.PDF AND THIS IS FOR THE GRINDING NOISE PROBLEM. *JB