So my 2008 TSX (1012 miles) shut down in the middle of the highway in Washington D.C. rush-hour traffic. (It's a miracle I wasn't shot dead for blocking the lane.) It wouldn't start. The dashboard says "Check Emissions." The dealership says "ECM Failure." I translate that to mean the computer crashed. Has anyone else seen this? I bought an Acura because they're supposedly very reliable. Right now - I want my 2001 Honda Accord back - this TSX is (for the moment) the worst car I've ever owned - beating out the 1996 Ford Mustang my wife *had* to have when we got married. Please tell me I didn't just buy a piece-o-crap car? I am NOT a happy Acura owner. We've had 5 Hondas and they were all good. Until now.

 

One in a million failure. The dealer should have you on your way with no cost to you. What else is wrong that makes you call it the worst car you've ever owned ?

 

I can see why you would be upset with your car just shutting down on you during rush hour but im pretty sure its gonna be fixed under warranty. Now if this was something that you would have to pay for out of your own pocket, than yes this would have to be your worst car ever! Any other problems?

 

might just be a loose connection t o the ECM. Hard to trust what the idot dealers tell you. Let us know what the outcome of this is.

 

 

In almost 5 years on these forums never seen an issue like that.

 

That sucks! Sorry to hear that! Hopefully they gave you a loaner. It just sucks because obviously you lost time, could have been dangerous, and it caused some mental anguish since it makes you wonder what you got yourself into.

Fingers crossed for you and your car. Keep really good documentation of everything in case it becomes an issue again. Gotta believe its a fluke!

 

You're probably the very first person to ever get that problem...let us know how it's resolved!

The TSX is very reliable...every review gives it near perfect scores in reliability. Most of the problems you'll come across are just a few rattles, if any. It doesn't sound like your problem is a mechanical failure...it sounds more electrical/computer related.

You only have 1k miles on the car, and it's the worst car you've ever owned? What else has your car done? Maybe your dealership didn't do the inspection phase when the car arrived to the dealership

 

I can see why you would be mad but that's very unfair to the car if you just judge it when you don't even know what happened.

 

Wow, that is interesting....and definitely the first I've heard of this problem. I can certainly understand why you'd be pissed off (and worried). I would be, too. Hope it all works out.

 

Please do keep us posted. I've had my car for about a year now... (knock on wood), absolutely no problems other than me being a doorknob and broke off the glove box plastic piston arm that allows the glove box to open softly.

 

What other problems have you experienced that makes you believe the TSX is a worse car than a Mustang? I'd like to hear...

 

well that noob isn't going to come back anymore so i guess we'll never know.

 

The OP was just going off his personal experience. I'd think the same thing if my brand new car just stopped working all of a sudden. Most people would not be very happy in that situation.

 

True, that does suck, but still, it seems like a total fluke occurrence, although I'd probably be pretty pissed off too.

 

First time I have heard of this problem with the TSX. I have been monitoring these boards just about every single day since the TSX came out as a 2004 model in April 2003. Can we calculate how many total posts have been made in nearly five years? I find it odd that this is MWCOB's first post.

What do others think?


2005 Acura TSX

 

I have a 2008 Acura TSX, Knock on Wood no issues. I hope the issue is resolved for the orignal poster. This is my third Acura.
umair

 

Why do you have such suspicions? So he's a new member, and probably found this site by googling for his problem. I don't see the reason for doubt. He isn't the first person to find this site while researching a problem with his car.

 

When I say it's the worst car I've ever owned, that's based on the fact that: 1) No prior car, even the Mustang, ever left me stranded in the middle of the highway. 2) No prior car has ever has such a complete failure that it didn't run, and 3) The situation has gotten worse. They don't know when, or if, they can fix the car. Each of these modules is manufactured specifically for the car. No two modules are the same. The part is therefore "indefinitely backordered." There is no delivery date, no manufacturing date and no solution date. The car is sitting, dead as a doornail, on the lot. The dealer is actually entertaining the idea of giving me my money back.

 

sorry to hear about that-i love my tsx- sounds alot like my laptop computer (even tho alot cheaper and not life-threatening). owned it two months-stopping working- called toshiba-no help- bought it back to circuit city two weeks ago-they can not figure out what is wrong- owned it less than two months. good luck to you-my parents owned a honda that was nothing but one problem after another.

 

Wow, that sucks. What they should do is just give you a new car. Have you asked for that? I'm really sorry to hear about your troubles.

 

It sounds to me like the dealer should be able to give you a replacement car at no charge. If Acura gave a crap, they'd replace it for you. It has to be covered under warranty that the car will at least run. If you needed a part replaced that doesn't work, you get that part for free. Looks like you need an entire car replaced, especially since the mileage is so low, it seems like someone messed something up down the line and checked it off during QC anyway.

Thats too bad this experience has damaged your perception of the TSX. I can pretty much vouch for 99% of the people here that they absolutely love their car as much as I do, if not more, just because its been an awesome car to us. They're not bad cars, you just got really unlucky. Now, if they replaced your car and it happened again, then I'd be a bit concerned...

 

Do you at least have a Loaner? I would ask for a TL or RDX. Sorry to hear about your car, this is the first I've heard of this problem.

 

1. We've had a few cars leave us stranded before. My saab cut out as I made a left turn...I almost got t-boned if the car didn't roll out of the way. Our mustang once left us out in the middle of the desert, and we had to pay the full-fare of a bus trip to get a ride into town when they were only 1/3 away.

2. If you pull out the pentium chip out of a computer, it won't run. The fans, hard drives, floppy drives, video card, etc. might be in pristine condition, but they can't run without the brain.

3. When your car is in for warranty work, you can get a loaner. Have them give you a car to use.

No one likes being stopped in traffic...that doesn't make the vehicle the worst one out there. If it were mechanical, then maybe (ie: Fix Or Repair Daily)...

 

"No two modules are the same. The part is therefore "indefinitely backordered."
I find this very hard to believe. Maybe no two modules are programmed the same because of the interaction with the immobilizer, but this ahould be a simple software change the dealer can do. Sort of like when you need a replacement key, etc. Does the dealer appear to be competent? Have they escalated to the zone or national system?

If this is indeed the way our cars are designed I'm thinking twice about keeping mine very long at all. I have one vehicle in my fleet that had a crapped out ECM. Found one in a junkyard and plugged the original PROM in and was back on the road. Sounds like the Honda/Acura folks need to re-think their design and failure rates.

Since this is beyond a lemon because they claim they can't fix it at all, insist on a new replacement vehicle at no cost to you. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

What kind of part is custom made for each car? That sounds fishy, maybe you heard them wrong...or if that's really what they are saying I would take them up on the money back offer and buy from somewhere else.

 

There was a conference call with the other Acura dealerships apparently, and I've been hooked up with a Corporate Advisor from California... It's true: No two modules are the same. The Service Manager pulled one out of a brand-new TSX and installed it in my car. It failed. Corporate says the module has to be programmed at the factory with VIN-specific information. Note that I'm working with one of the (if not THE) largest dealerships in the U.S., and one of the highest-rated dealerships. My service advisor won some big award on the East Coast last year. These are not dummies.

There is hope - corporate indicates they might have a computer ready by Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, my free month of XM radio is running out, the car is sitting out in the rain and frost, and my "new car smell" is slowly leaking away. I'm missing my honeymoon.

 

I agree; time for a new car.

 

And I say the dealers should have a programming system that allows them to install the vehicle-specific data into a generic module. In the GM world, if a body control module craps out, the dealer has a programmer which re-installs the correct odometer reading and other specific data. If Acura does not have such a system available to the dealers then there is a serious flaw in their repair system. Trust me, the failure rate of ECMs, BCMs and other modules SHOULD be low, but there is a thriving after-market module rebuilding industry to handle this exact problem. I'm still shaking my head ...

 

what dealership did you get the car from?

 

You should definitely receive some sort of compensation for this, either a discount/rebate or something. This seems worse than a "lemon law" violation.

 

Is this Pohanka in VA? They have soooo many TSX's sitting around, they should just give you a new one. Acura better at least extend the warrantly on any and all electronic components for a long long long time.

 

Oh it's VIN related programming so the software is custom, that makes sense, I was thinking about custom hardware. Good luck and like others have said see if you can get some kind of compensation.

 

Any forward progress on this ?? My local Hondata retailer says the dealer's story is bogus too.
PM me if you want to keep exchanges private. And keep smiling ...

 

Still no computer. Monday is supposed to be the last day on the delivery window. I'm giving them until Thursday and them I'm getting a lawyer. I confess, even if a miracle occurs and they fix it, I'm probably going to just sell the car and start over. There's a Lexus dealership next door. I may just drag this thing 200 yards down the road, and see what they'll give me for it.

 

Update: They finally got this fixed. My compliments to Pohanka for their hard work. Apparently I'm the only person to see this and Acura is rather curious about the issue. In the meantime, I'm just happy to have my little white ghost back... Yes, I test-drove the IS250. That's the most over-priced Corolla I've ever seen, and my GOD if Toyota doesn't nickle-and-dime you to death. $36,000 for a car and it doesn't come with Navi standard? Same story with the ES. I'm on my 5th Honda product, and I think the jury's back on me - I'm a Honda guy.

 

Congrats to you for getting a positive outcome.

I agree about the IS250....it's nice, but way overpriced. IIRC, you can't even get HIDs on the RWD IS250. What a RIP!!

 

NM....yes you can, but for a "small" price. Lol.

 

I think I got Toyota figured out. They can sell the regular brand for cheap while overpricing the luxury brand!

 

Can you summarize the repair procedure? What did they replace?

Thanks, Glenn