2004 Acura Tl

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED A TWO INCH CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THESE WERE RATED FOR 25,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD 27,200 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. THE TIRE LINE IS 92354517EL42.

THIS COMPLAINT REFERS TO THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES (BRIDGESTONE EL-42, 235/45-17 93W ) SUPPLIED ON THE 2004 ACURA TL WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AFTER JUST A SHORT TIME I HAVE FOUND THIS TIRE TO BE ENTIRELY UNSAFE AND UNSUITABLE TO THIS VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT BOTH ACURA AND BRIDGESTONE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THIS TIRE ON ALL EXISTING VEHICLES. THIS TIRE EXHIBITS UNSAFE CHARACTERISTICS IN WET WEATHER, WITH NOTICEABLE DRIFT AND HYDROPLANING IN ANY AMOUNT OF STANDING WATER, EVEN AS LITTLE AS 1/16 INCH. IN HEAVY RAINS, EVEN WITH NO STANDING WATER PRESENT, THE TIRE SEEMS INCAPABLE OF DISPERSING WATER AS QUICKLY AS IT FALLS, AGAIN LEADING TO VEHICLE INSTABILITY. FROM A RIDE QUALITY POINT OF VIEW THE TIRE IS ALSO UNSATISFACTORY IN THAT IT FLAT SPOTS EVERY MORNING, ESPECIALLY IN COOL WEATHER BUT EVEN IN WARMER WEATHER AS WELL, LEADING TO VIBRATIONS IN THE INITIAL MILES OF ANY DRIVE. IT IS ALSO ESPECIALLY HARSH OVER ROADWAY EXPANSION JOINTS, AND IS SO LOUD ON CONCRETE PAVEMENTS THAT IT POSES A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO DRIVER FATIGUE INDUCED BY THE CONTINUOUS NOISE. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE REGARDING THE RATING AS AN "ALL SEASON TIRE" WITH MANY OWNERS REPORTING THAT THIS TIRE IS VIRTUALLY USELESS IN ANY KIND OF SNOW CONDITIONS. *JB

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REFERENCE TO THE BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL 42 TIRE SUPPLIED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE 2004 ACURA TL. THIS TIRE IS TOTALLY UNSUITABLE FOR THE VEHICLE AND IS UNSAFE FOR THE INTENDED CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH IT IS RATED MS AS AN ALL SEASON TIRE, IT CAN NOT MAINTAIN EVEN MINIMAL TRACTION IN LIGHT SNOW. ALSO, AS THE TREAD WEARS, IT SHOW SIGNIFICANT TENDENCIES TO HYDROPLANE IN ANY AMOUNT OF STANDING WATER. THE FLAT SPOTTING ALSO CREATES DISTRACTING VIBRATIONS DURING COLD WEATHER. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH THIS TIRE INSTALLED, YET ACURA AND BRIDGESTONE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR ADDRESS THE PROBLEM UNLESS DIRECTED TO BY NHTSA. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HITTING A BUMP THE REAR END THE VEHICLE SKIDDED OUT. CAUSING ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR. HE REPLACED THE REAR TIRES TWICE, EVERY 7,000-8,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 12/7/2005. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOW ON IT'S THIRD SET OF TIRES. THE DEALER STATED THAT SINCE THE REAR TIRE WERE WORN EVENLY THAT ALIGNMENT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE HAD A BLOW OUT. THE THREE REMAINING TIRES WERE BALD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE BLOW OUT OCCURRED ON THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS VIBRATION BEFORE THE BLOW OUT. THE SPARE TIRE WAS IN PLACE AT THIS TIME. THE TIRE WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY. THE COMPLETE TIRE SIZE IS P235/45/17.

THE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERS OF 2004 AND NEWER ACURA TLS KNOW THAT THERE IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM WITH THE BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 TIRES THAT THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH. THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH VIBRATION WITH THESE TIRES. IN 2005, ACURA STARTED SELLING THE TL WITH MICHELIN TIRES BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINTS. THOSE OF US WHO STILL HAVE THE BRIDGESTONES ARE STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. CURRENTLY, MY VEHICLE (2004 TL) HAS CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALLS OF THE TIRES NOW. I AM REQUIRED TO FILL IT WITH AIR APPROXIMATELY EVERY 2 OR 3 DAYS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INSPECTED THE TIRES AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE CRACKS, AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY WANTED ME TO HANDLE THE WARRANTY CLAIM WITH BRIDGESTONE AND SENT ME OFF ON MY WAY, WITH A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE VEHICLE. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A BLOWOUT OF THE TIRE IS UNPREVENTABLE AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS, BUT THEY DO NOT CARE. I AM SUGGESTING THAT A RECALL BE PLACED ON THE BRIDGESTONE EL42 TIRES AND THAT ALL ACURA TLS WITH THESE TIRES BE REPLACED WITH THE MICHELIN TIRES, WHICH THE CURRENT YEAR TLS COME EQUIPPED WITH. *JB

MY 2004 ACURA 3.2 TL USES BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 TIRES (235/45R17), W SPEED-RATED. THE EL 42 TIRES HAD A SO CALLED "FLAT SPOT" PROBLEM AND THEY WERE WORN OUT ONLY AT 15,500 MILE. THERE HAS BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TYPE OF TIRES ON THE INTERNET. MANY OF THEM MENTIONED THAT "FLAT SPOT" PROBLEM COULD BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE.