Malibu Flyer

I got my Sports Hybrid back from the headlight recall after 4 days in the shop. The additional days were to address several issues besides the headlights.

Here were the issues I asked about:

1. Headlight recall
2. wiper blades streak
3. center console would not automatically close
4. poor garage door opener range
5. intermitten "clicking noise" from driver's side B pillar
6. Voicemail dialing - can do from iPhone but not car's HFL

The headlight recall seemed to go pretty well --- Except that the morning I got the car back the HUD stopped working. I don't know if it is connected but my guess is that it is since the headlight replacement involves the electrical system it could be connected to the HUD. The HUD worked for the ride home but the next AM it was dim and then just disappeared. Have an appointment for next week to get this fixed.

The wipers were a pretty easy fix, they just replaced the blades and all is good. I thought the pressure with which the blades stay on the window needed adjustment.

The center console is very frustrating. The auto close feature when you slide the top back was only working about 1/3 of the time. The technician said there is no adjustment so they simply ordered a replacement part. Sounds good - except when they installed the new part it had the same problem. They also checked several RLX's they had in stock and reported they all exhibited the same issue. In essence they just shrugged their shoulders and said it is what it is. Have any of you had the same issue? It isn't really a big deal since I still can close it my pushing on the back of the slide to close it or just open it sideways.

The poor range on the garage door opener the response was others have complained about it and there is no fix from Acura for it. Disappointing response but still not a show stopper problem.

The Clicking noise they get a gold star -- at least so far. They took apart the B pillar and said they found something loose and fixed it. They took off the black piece on the outside and worked on it from the outside. So far it seems to be fine but since it was an intermittent problem I need more time before I can really say it is done. I did not get the wind noise TSB done since I have not heard any wind noise -- even when I have my hearing aids turned up

Voicemail issue -- once again they said they didn't really know of a fix. I am going to call the HFL folks and discuss it with them.

None of these problems are really big but it seems stupid that there are no fixes for some of them. Also, I don't think any of there issues [except for the clicking sound] are unique to the Sports Hybrid.

I do still like the car a great deal despite these little annoyances. After having a brand new TLX [ it had 375 miles on it] for 4 days I was looking forward to having my Sport Hybrid back. I missed the more lux interior, the instant acceleration, the HUD [at least until mine went out], and the overall solid feeling of the bigger car.

neuronbob

1. No issues nearly two months after my headlight replacement

2. No streaking wipers after a very severe winter in which I had to use them at least several days a week.

3. I have the same issue with the center console. It takes me 2-3 tries, intermittently, to close it. It's a minor annoyance so I haven't taken it to the dealer yet.

4. Everyone has the short range issue with the remote. I know I have that, too. This car has to be pointed a particular way, or at a specific point on my slightly sloped driveway, when I'm backing in, to be able to open the door. If I pull in forward, which I do on cold days to plug in my engine block heater, no issue. It likely has to do with the orientation of the antenna in the car given this observation and thus Acura's solution would have to be a hardware fix with a different design. Another workaround in addition to repositioning the car was posted in another thread, a range extender on your garage door opener. I'll have to find that response and repost it here.

5. I have no rattles or untoward noises in my car, so can't help here. I don't have unusual wind noise, either, so I haven't had the wind noise TSB done.

6. How do you try to dial voicemail from your phone? Describe what you are doing so we have a better understanding and maybe one of us can stumble upon a workaround.

Last, sounds like the HUD came unplugged? Or bulb blew? Hopefully it's an easy fix. I don't see how any of the work done to your car would have involved taking that part of the dash apart unless there are components back there we are not aware of. on this one, watching for your report.

fsmith

Center console could use a better/stronger closing action on mine also. Looks like it is just a very slight design flaw. Has not bothered me enough to complain, and I am generally very fussy about small things on the car.

George Knighton

Shut up!

LOL....

I've been traveling around with a decibel meter, and I do not like what I am seeing.

It's not my imagination. When you get up around 70, it's very noticeable.

Krell Audio saves the situation, but when you look at the noise meter, it is discouraging.

A difference of 5 db between what it should be and what it is, that's something that people notice.

holografique

Same here with center console, has been like that since I got my RLX in 2013. I immediately attributed it to a design flaw. The closing mechanism simply doesn't create enough counter-force to start closing on it's own. You have to help it a little by giving it a slight "tug" as you push the button at the same time.

Malibu Flyer

My work voicemail is Verizon based so there is along string of inputs --

1. First the verizon phone number followed by the the #
2. Then I enter a pause followed by my office phone number and another # sign
3. Then there a pause followed by a password and a final #

Here is what I have tried:

1. Find the downloaded phone book entry in the car and use it - no joy.
2. Dial the number from my handset (I have it set under my favorites - it works fine and after the numbers dialed the phone connects to the car's audio system. This is the only work around). After I hang up the call shows in recent calls. I try to use the recent calls to dial the number from the car - no joy again
3. Instead of using the car's phone book I manually entered the string into the cars speed dials. The speed dial won't work either.

What happens when I use the car to originate the call it only dials only the first number.....the second number shows in the display but does not dial the number. It used to be the HFL had a SEND function which I could use to send the second and third strings. I haven't found this function in the RLX.

Mike_TX

LOL. I didn't even realize the console lid did that until I went out to see what you guys were talking about. I always open it to the side, and the wife opens it to her side when she wants in.

Anyway, mine works fine - stays back when pushed all the way, then slides fully forward and clicks into the locked position when released.

And my Homelink range is fine - I can open my garage doors from up the street. Not sure that's a good thing, since bad guys can also do the same thing. With one of those code doohickeys, they can just drive up the street and see if any of them open.

Overall, my headlight recall turned out well. While in there, they noticed one of my driveshaft seals was leaking a little, so they ordered a new part and fixed it. Might not have noticed it for a while if they hadn't done the headlight thing.

Also, I might add my new headlights actually seem a little more intense than before. But it may be my imagination.

.
.

Zoommer

Dealer working with me to take care of items I bring up. Let's see how this puppy ages.

TSX69

I have had some issues with the center console, including it not sliding shut. However, I have figured out that it is a design flaw. Sometimes it opens on both sides & slides shuts, however, sometimes I will open on 1 side but then it will not open on the other side or slide shut. I have to fidget it with a while before it will continue to do all 3 movements. When messing with it previously, I have completely taken the lid off and noticed that it is a fairly simple design (2 hooks on both sides) so it seems that when it will not close, it is just a misalignment.

I have noticed the garage door opener has very poor range. I could open my garage door down the street on my TSX but I have to be in the driveway before my RLX does it - which is annoying bc then I have to come to a complete stop & wait for it to open. To be fair, the Lexus GS had the same short range.

Still glad that I have had no major issues *knock on wood*

Malibu Flyer

I understand about the center console. It is a new design for this car and as others have so often said there are some risks to being a beta tester.

What is more annoying if the garage door opener. This is technology that has been around for decades.....nothing new or cutting edge about it, yet my 10 year old RL worked better. Like the console it is not anything serious but just disappointing. These relatively minor things should have been caught before the car was released. They aren't rocket science. IMHO these things are due to not having good quality control. Luxury brands carry luxury pricing and should have superior quality control. Acura as a brand failed us for these items.

woropallo

I hate to sound like a broken record, but my console works fine and so does my garage door opener, it open the same as my other car it before I get to the drive way. Maybe they got it right with the 2015 after the feedback from the 2014. I don't have suspension and many of the other issues stated on this forum. However, I am a little jealous of the 2016, more technology for the same price, but that the way it goes.

FredS

You are 100% correct. Something over the last couple of years has changed at Acura and not at Honda. I have bought over many years many new Acura's and everyone never had any issues from the start. I can not believe Acura has made all you new buyers guinea pigs. Don't believe me, just look at the current J D Power initial quality survey. The 2014 shows Acura down from number three just two years ago to 25th out of 32. Acura is below Land Rover and Volkswagen. Based on this forum with the TLX and RLX when the 2015 survey comes out in June Acura will drop even further. Very sad to see this happen to Acura.

George Knighton

I'm jealous of anybody who can get the garage door opener to work in any fashion at all!!

LOL....

I've never been able to get it set and still have to drive around with a little push button opener in the console.

DASS

iTrader: (2)

Same here

I couldn't get it to work in my TL, and I have yet to get it to work in my RLX. I too still use a garage door opener clipped to the visor :-(

fsmith

^^^ CFL bulbs possibly? Very old openers?

neuronbob

I had a horrific time getting my 2G RL to work with Homelink until I went to the Homelink website and followed the instructions to the letter:

http://homelink.com/home/welcome

Give it a try and report back.

Fabvsix

I had to replace my garage door, spring E T C ..... I asked him if he could sync my cars as I was having issues....he did all 3 of my Acura's and has worked flawlessly since then..I don't know what the trick is as Acura has bad documentation and/or a bad technical writer or both....

Malibu Flyer

I am embarrassed to admit that the problem was Operator Error!!!

When i got my car back they had reset the brightness screen. When I went to increase the brightness, I unknowingly moved the position of the HUD display out of my view. I thought I might have done that so i played around the HUD buttons. What I had forgotten was that to activate the movement of the HUD display you have to first hold the arrow key in for a few seconds. I merely keep pushing the the arrow key [jabbing at it] and got no display, only a message about raising/lowering the position of the HUD. What I didn't know that even though I got the message I had not first activated the function.

The message on the service slip said, "suggest the customer read the owners manual on the operation of the HUD". I feel like an idiot.

The experience left me with a greater appreciation for the HUD. I have gotten so used to not looking at the dash board gauges it made it seem like a big distraction to have to look down to check my speed. Just one more way that I'm spoiled by the Sport Hybrid

fsmith

Funny story. We have all been there!

I agree about the HUD. I now use it full time and don't even notice it. Except that I always know my speed without even consciously focussing on the HUD. And the phone calling/answering and navigation functions come on as needed and are wonderfully executed. Five stars (out of five) for the HUD implementation. A big win.

Malibu Flyer

I had an interesting discussion with one of the senior technicians when picking up my car after my embarrassing HUD problem [the problem was me not the car].

We talked about the issues with the center console. He said that they had found the best way to try and get the top to retract automatically after sliding in back was to develop the "right touch" on the sliver switch you use to open and close the top. He admitted there was some flaws in the design but that if you don' t push hard on the button or hold it in for a prolonged period you could usually get the auto feature to close the sliding cover. I tried it a few times when the tech was there and it helped. i need to experiment more with developing the right touch on the release. Not really a fix, more of a work around for some design issues. Others with this issue [which is probably most of you who slide the top back] should try a not too firm or too long a push on the switch. See if it helps.

Malibu Flyer

Just wanted to update everyone that the clicking sound fix has held. The clicking sound is now gone. I was somewhat worried because it was intermittent but now a month later it has not shown up.

EE4Life

See TSB 15-023 - HomeLink System Has Weak or Limited Range in the TSB sticky thread.

https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...thread-921955/

George Knighton

That is just about the weirdest, un-Honda-like "plugger" TSB I've ever read.

You basically take out the transmitter and tape it somewhere that is supposed to give it a better more unrestricted line.

It's hilariously plugger. :-) I'm glad they're doing something, but it's just...hilarious....

sooththetruth

Hilarious must be your euphemism for "disappointing". I tried to read the TSB, but it must have been buried in any one of the many on the list, and titles were not specific; I didn't have patience to read them all.

pgeorg

Here you go: http://www.urvi.net/forumfiles/SB/B15-023.PDF

sooththetruth

Glad to see the TSB did not involve duct taping the transmitter to the passenger side A Column. (That's the impression I had from George's review, I say now, smiling inwardly)

The TSB leads to no visible change once completed. Now, how stable the repair will be long term, if there are repairs in the future, is still unknown.

JM2010 SH-AWD

It does smack a little of shade tree mechanics, but once performed, it should last OK. Just a little surprised they didn't figure this out ahead of the car's release. They must have really rushed the RLX to production.

woropallo

Personally, looking at the fix location and being in the satcom and RF field for years, I have a hard time believing moving it over to the right a few inches will make much of a difference, not unless there some type of inference causing issue at it current location. I think I will not bother with this fix, my works all the time and start when I start pulling my car into the driveway, which is fine for me. I have a three car garage that you can park 2 cars back to back in each opening before you pull into the garage.

Malibu Flyer

While it agree this TSB seems a little strange I am willing to try anything as long as it works. For me it can't get any worse. When I back out of my garage I have to turn 90 degrees, which give the narrow alley I have I can't make in one swing. When I am at about a 45 degree angle to my garage and less than ten feet from the door, the HomeLink will not work. I just seems like the angle of the car to the opener. When going into the garage, I can be somewhat further away, say 25 feet, and the Home Link will work fine. Further away than that though it will not work.

I just assume that this device didn't get a lot of testing. After all this isn't new technology. It has been around for over 50 years. It makes sense to me that there is something about its location that blocks the signal. Anyway, I will be getting this fixed when I bring the car in. I will probably wait until in need my first service (?The last time I looked I had about 30% oil life left). Hopefully by then they will have a fix for the CMBS.

I am glad that Acura has figured this out. As you see from my original post this was a problem they have known about for sometime. I had given up on a fix coming since it has been a long time since the problem first showed up in the 2013 RLXs.

Malibu Flyer

EE4Life - thanks for posting this note directing me to the TSB thread. Much appreciated.

George Knighton

..

holografique

I swear Malibu - you are like an Apple Fanboi

"Developing the right touch" as a fix for a design flaw is just like Steve Jobs saying "you have to learn to hold your iPhone a different way" as their fix to the "Antennae Gate" debacle whereby the location of the Antennae on the first release of the iPhone 4 turned out to be a poor design choice and signal reception quality was negatively impacted simply by holding the phone in a manner that was normal for any mobile phone user.

Steve Jobs was a genious, but I lost a lot of respect for him the day he made that announcement. He was notorious for distorting reality through perception. Remember the whole "Megahertz vs Myth" ad campaign they had? One of the biggest shams in technology history...

George Knighton

Wait until you find out about USB-C. LOL.... The new (regular) MacBook has one, single USB-C port that does everything.

Apple's been right about a lot more than they've been wrong.

They were the first people to get rid of the 5.25" floppy.

Then they were the first to get rid of the 3.5" disk.

Then they got rid of CD slots.

And they never use impact as a verb.

holografique

USB-C is a great design, and I applaud them for moving the industry forward AGAIN as they have in the past.

My problem is they never have the balls to admit when they are wrong.

---
sent from my awesome iPhone 6 Plus

George Knighton

Hey, now. They gave us free bumpers, after all.

George Knighton

Jobs also said that he stuck with Motorola too long.

holografique

LOL! After the fact...

I love Apple products, I dont like their "cult" behavior as a company...

neuronbob

Sigh. That particular TSB is useless. I've already adjusted the way I park so the aim is good. Hopefully another item they fix for either the upcoming 2016 or the hoped-for 2017 MMC.

George Knighton

At you can get yours to work.

I've never been able to get mine to work at all, and I just carry an extra transmitter in the console.

sooththetruth

Wow. I agree that the looks of the car have grown on me, and when you see one in person, the design really does fit the "heft" of the vehicle, which is impressive to me. However having to carry the transmitter borders on embarrassing for Honda. (that and the fake wood interior panels....yes, that again).

We all get used the compromises our car's demand. Despite the Mercedes mantra from the pre Lexus days, there is no vehicle that makes you "compromise nothing".