2004 Acura Tl

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE 2004 ACURA TL, WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 01/18/07 FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE SHE WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MECHANIC THAT THE 2 REAR TIRESPREMATURELY WEAR WORE OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN #05076. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT IT WAS BEST TO PURCHASE 4 NEW TIRES INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE 2 BACK TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THESE TIRES CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WITH DOT# 0B6NTU22404 AND SIZE P235/45R17 RADIAL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THIS WAS MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL THESE TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT SHE HAS TO PAY 75% OF TIRE REPLACEMENT AS PER THE DEALERSHIP TIRE CHART, HONDA WILL PAY REMAINING 25%. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND THE TIRES COULD EXPLODE ANYTIME AND IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE OWNER. *AK UPDATED 03/30/07. *JB

COMPLETE FAILURE OF RIGHT REAR TIRE PURCHASED NEW IN A SET OF FOUR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE (NOVEMBER 16, 2006). TIRE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. FAILED TIRE FLEW OFF RIM (WHEEL) CAUSING CAR TO BE NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT RIM (WHEEL) AND TIRE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. *JB

I HAVE OWNED THIS 2004 ACURA TL SINCE JAN. 2004. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS DUE TO A SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION. THE VIBRATION IS MOST NOTICEABLE AT ABOUT 60 MPH. ONE CAN FEEL AND SEE THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIRES (AT NO CHARGE) WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. HOWEVER, THE VIBRATION PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN CORRECTED. IN REVIEWING WEB SITES IT APPEARS THE VIBRATION PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT ONE COMMON TO MANY ACURA TL OWNERS. IT SEEMS THAT HONDA HAS AN OBLIGATION TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

DRIVING ALONG ON I-10 IN MOBILE, AL ON SATURDAY EVENING. STARTED RAINING, TURNED ON THE WIPERS AND THEY WORKED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, THEN RETURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND STOPPED WORKING IN MIDDLE OF A RAIN STORM. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT TRYING TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SHOULDER. WASHER STILL WORKS. CHANGED THE FUSE, STILL NOT WORKING. GOING TO DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. *JB

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 ACURA TL ON A RECENTLY REPAVED HIGHWAY WHEN THE WHEEL FELL OFF THE AXLE WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO PRECEDING NOISES OR CHANGES IN HANDLING. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD QUICKLY AND AVOID INJURY. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, SO I CONTACTED ACURA TLC SERVICE AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER'S REFERRING AUTO BODY SHOP. ACURA EVALUATED THE CAR, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND TO FILE A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE. THE AUTO BODY MECHANICS AND MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER BOTH FELT THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ACURA DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED BY THE AUTO BODY SHOP AND ASKED TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK; THEY DECLINED. I CONTACTED ACURA CLIENT SERVICES AND REQUESTED A REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER TO EVALUATE THE CAR. THEY DECLINED. ONE WEEK AFTER THE INCIDENT, ACURA CLIENT SERVICES MADE THEIR FINAL DETERMINATION NOT TO COVER THIS INCIDENT. ULTIMATELY, THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS FOUND TO HAVE SNAPPED WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF IMPACT OR WEAR AND TEAR. IT WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW LOWER BALL JOINT, CONTROL ARM, AXLE, TIRE, WHEEL, AND FRONT QUARTER PANEL AT THE EXPENSE OF MY AUTO INSURANCE PROVIDER. *NM

FOUR NEW P235/45ZR17 PIRELLI PZERO NERO M&S TIRES PURCHASED DECEMBER 6, 2005 FROM TIRE RACK. HAVE HAD 3 [SO FAR] OF THOSE TIRES BLOW OUT: MARCH 9, 2006 AFTER 3,295 MILES; MAY 30, 2006 AFTER 5,536 MILES; JUNE 30, 2006 AFTER 6,184 MILES. (1) WERE TOLD BY TIRE RACK AND THEIR INSTALLER THAT IT WAS JUST BAD LUCK. (2) TIRE RACK SAID IT COULD BE AN INSTALLATION PROBLEM. AUTHORIZED PIRELLI DEALER INSTALLERS (NOT THE ONES WHO ORIGINALLY INSTALLED THE TIRES) SAY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO INSTALL INCORRECTLY AND CONCLUDE IT IS BAD LUCK. (3) AUTHORIZED PIRELLI DEALER SAYS IT COULD BE THAT THE VALVE STEM HAS A TEAR AT ITS BASE BUT DENIES ANY MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. WE ARE CONVINCED WE BOUGHT A BAD RUN OF THESE TIRES OUT OF THE ITALY PLANT BEFORE THEY STOPPED MAKING THEM THERE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON HIGHWAY, RIGHT FRONT BALL-JOINT BROKE IN HALF WITH NO WARNING OR REASON. RIGHT FRONT TIRE BECAME PERPENDICULAR TO THE VEHICLE. WIFE AND CHILD WERE IN VEHICLE WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THE BALL JOINT WAS ABSOLUTELY DEFECTIVE AND ACURA REFUSED TO ASSIST IN REPAIR, CLAIMING NO RESPONSIBILITY. I OWN 2 ACURA AND WILL NEVER BUY HONDA AGAIN. *NM

THIS IS A NEAR MISS PROBLEM. WE OWN AN ACURA TL 2004. IT HAS TERRIBLE BLIND SPOTS. I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM ARISES BECAUSE THE BARS WITH THE AIR BAGS IN THEM ARE SO WIDE THAT THEY CAN HIDE AN ENTIRE CAR. WE HAVE HAD TO ADD DEVELOP EXTRA MECHANISMS TO ANTICIPATE POSSIBLE VEHICLES, AND I FEEL MUCH LESS SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR THAN ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. ALSO, THE HVAC SYSTEM IS SO COMPLEX THAT IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE IT WHILE DRIVING. I HOPE YOU WILL START TO LOOK TO SEE IF YOU SEE A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ACURA'S OR OTHER VEHICLES WITH BROAD AIR BAG HOLDERS AND COMPLICATED HEATING AND AC SYSTEMS. *JB