Well a couple of months ago my passenger side door handle was replaced because it wouldn't lock when touching the door dimple.

Well it looks like the replaced handle went dead. It will open, but won't lock.

Took it in and they tried to "reset" it, but no go. They ordered a new one.

I guess it's not a major deal, but I am kinda bummed that I've had to fix the same side twice now.

Again, glad I purchased the extended warranty for when this puppy goes past 60k miles.

 

Frustrated too. Car drives like a dream but I replaced the driver's side door handle a month ago. Now the passenger side door handle is acting up - won't lock but will unlock. One more trip to the dealer.

 

Mine have been behaving yet it is concerning to see multiple members posting problems with the door handles. Kind of an important feature of a car.

Slight correction... the bumper-to-bumper warranty expires at 50K and the drive train at 70K. I'm with you...these electronic marvels can have expensive surprises later. I got the Acuracare warranty too.

 

I had the same issue with the driver's side door handle back in November. It took a few trips to Radley's to get it right, but ultimately, it was replaced. Has been working fine ever since... except after visits to the laser car wash... Same handle stops working for a day or so after going to the car wash... It returns to its usual self ater that though.

 

I don't trust the dimple at all. Back when I first purchased the car, I'd test it by locking with the dimple. I'd hear the doors lock and I'd check the rear handle to make sure it was locked. I'd come back to the car an hour or two later and it was UNLOCKED. Luckily, my habit is to use the keyfob anyway to lock the car, or I press the lock button on the door panel--done it that way for years. This method works 100% of the time.

I bought the extended warranty specifically because of the complex electronics of this car, so I'm with you guys.

 

I don't need to press the door dimple to unlock the car- "being in the neigborhood" of the door dimple will unlock the doors. All's I need to do is touch the door handle or the vicinity and it will open.

 

Same experience here, just touch somewhere on the outside surface of the door handle. Brush the back of my fingers against the outside is all it takes. I do not have to touch the dimple.

Just make sure you are not carrying the key fob and hosing down the car. It interprets the water stream as a touch.

 

Now it's working, go figure.

I'm still letting them replace it.

 

AND IT WILL STOP WORKING AGAIN. The handle replacement IMOP is only a pacifier. No Fix.

 

Well I spoke to soon! That's what I get for being smug.

The drivers door handle no longer locks the car, although the passenger side still works.

Time to go to the dealer! Sigh!

 

STOP AGGRAVATING YOURSELF. When you get out of the car just use the door lock switch on the door and all is done. The door lock issue will never be resolved or there would be a recall.

 

Grrrrrreat.

My driver's side door handle is partially dead as of yesterday. I can lock the car with the dimple, but I can't unlock the car with the handle.

I haven't used my keyfob to unlock the car in so long I almost forgot how to use it.

Luckily, my MID shows the oil life is at 20%, so I expect to be at the dealer for my first B-service in the next couple of weeks...so I'll have to live with it. Dang, I'm so spoiled by this car....

The extended warranty is DEFINITELY a good investment for this car.

 

So true! I find using the fob so archaic. Driving a car with keys jingling from the ingnition is barbaric.

Each time I am away from my RL for just a day, I appreciate it more and more. It was a slow, unobtrusive dependency it has created with me.

Excuse me now...I need to go to the garage for quality time.

*sigh*

 

Can't tell you how many times I get in my other car now and reach to start it without the key. My kids already think I'm an idiot. That doesn't help.

 

I hear you brother! I thought I had the problem taken care of when I bought my wife an 06 Murano with an Intelligent Key FOB!! Guess what, I pull on the handle and it doesn't unlock like the RL, so again I look and feel like a yutz when my kids tell me that I have to push the button to lock and unlock the doors. Of course, me being the adult that I am (can be), I say: I KNEW THAT!

 

And it came back yesterday. The door handle started working again out of the blue. Bizarre.

 

Hey Bob,

Mine occasionally does this mostly after it gets wet (passenger side only), but with the current warm waether, it seems to clear itself up pretty quickly. My guess is that when the winter months come back again, it'll become chronic once again as it doesn't get a chance to truly dry out.


George

 

This is a common condition with touch sensitive devices. Similarly a laptop touch pad will not manuever the cursor correctly if your fingers are wet or oily (so much for eating fried chicken when working online!).

The RLs handles can be affected by moisture as well or if you hand is wet or sweaty. Further the handle construction is likley to hold moisture from rain, carwash or morning dew.

I have only noticed it when washing the car. And frankly it is a feature not too condusive to an outdoor object. My hand tremors (nerve damage) has not probited the use of the touch feature and I am sloppy as to how I make contact with the handle blister. I just kinda glide my hand over the handle and it works. I find I can open the door wit one finger behind the handle. For me, it is a godsend over trying to get a key in the door with a trembling arm!

Ultimately it is a gee whiz feature. But as a few of us confess in this thread...we have grown darn dependent on it.

 

agreed. Unfortunately, I learned that the hardway.

I was running to my car last week in the midst of a typical Central Florida thunderstorm (TampaRL you know what I'm talking about). It was raining in sheets, lightning crackling around me, and the wind was blowing 30mph. I had an umbrella but it wasn't doing much except keeping my head dry. I reached the car, put my hand on the door to unlock it, and nothing happened. I realized what was happening, but had a package in one hand and the umbrella in the other. What to do now! If I put the package down its contents would get ruined. If I put the umbrella down the package and it's contents would get ruined!! Luckily, after grabbing the handle another 2 or 3 times, it finally beeped and unlocked the door. I pants and shirt were drenched but my head and package were basically dry.

Lesson learned. Get your fob out when it's raining. Don't count on the door handle.

 

For neuronbob and others - DON'T always count on using the inside door lock button when getting out of the car.

I, too, am used to doing this, and still do - but I've found that if I press the lock button on the door panel too soon, it will lock, then unlock because I am not out of the car far enough. IOW, it thinks I'm trying to lock the fob in the car and it just promptly unlocks itself again.

This has stung me more than once. I return to the car only to find it unlocked. So I began to watch what was happening, and it turns out if I do the button press while still seated (like I sometimes do), then gather up the cellphone, jacket or whatever, then get out of the car ... it has unlocked itself.

As a result, I don't much trust it now. I often press the fob button as I'm walking away, just to be sure!

Oh, and as for getting used to the keyless ... try getting used to the monster key/fob for the MDX - it's giant (4-3/4" end to end), but at least the key part swings out of the fob like a switchblade knife, and folds back up to shorten it for carrying.

.
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Ahh, so I'm not the only one...my driver's side handle started acting up recently(will lock but not unlock by touch)

FOUR trips to the dealer later it's fixed.

1st trip: Troubleshooting...luckily my workplace is less than one mile from the local Acura dealer(Clair Acura, East Walpole, MA)

Loaner car: White 06 TL 18k miles...seen better days..felt old.

Thay wanted to keep the car overnight because they didn't have the part in stock, but I declined to leave it, and told them to call me when the part arrived....it took two days.

2nd trip: Part arrived

2nd loaner: Silver 06 TL More mileage than the previous TL, but MUCH tighter...really nice!
Picked up car that afternoon but was preoccupied with my job so I didn't notice(or it popped out later) the trim piece that holds the lock cylinder was sticking out about 1/2 and inch until the next day, I immediately drove it to the dealer and showed the service manager, who brought the shop foreman out to look at it. I made arrangements to drop it off the next day.

3rd trip....Try to fix trim piece

3rd Loaner: 07 non tech RDX EXCELLENT Vehicle.

Dropped the car off, and got a call it was "Fixed" before lunch.
Went to pick it up, and while it looked better, the trim piece was still not flush, so I asked the service rep to look at it. He said "yes, it doesn't look correct" and we made arrangements, and he would order the entire door handle assembly including the trim piece.

4th and hopefully last trip: Door handle and trim replacement.
4th Loaner: Same 06 White tire\beat down TL I had the first time

This time they got it right(knock on wood)

That said, I'd like to say I've owned Acuras since 1990 and Hondas since 1984, and this is only the second time I've had an unscheduled maintenance issue(first time was a non functional radio preset button) with any of my Acuras/Hondas.

 

[QUOTE=lumpulus]Ahh, so I'm not the only one...my driver's side handle started acting up recently(will lock but not unlock by touch)

FOUR trips to the dealer later it's fixed.

Hopefully I am wrong, but I would wager the problem will surface again. If the door handle issue would/could be fixed there would be a recall. IMOP the replacement as I have posted before is only a pacifier. They (Acura) will continue to replace the handle until it is no longer under warranty.

Anyway.. I HOPE IT STAYS FIXED for you. (I doubt it though)

 

[QUOTE=medrxman]Obviously you think this problem can't be fixed. But what causes you to draw that conclusion? It's just circuitry and some sensors. It's not happening to everyone. It's not some inherent flaw in the technology.

After reading these posts, I agree it's odd that this keeps happening over and over to some people, but, I can't imagine it is unfixable. Did anyone who's had multiple failures ever get a reasonably good explanation of what's going on?

 

Mine works very well (06). I've had a problem once or twice but once I used the fob to unlock (or lock) it seems to re-set itself and work again.

 

I agree that it is, or should be, a fixable problem. But it is probably less expensive to replace,(until out of warranty) rather than have a fix and a recall.

Just like the 1999 thru 2003 TL transmission issue. Acura extended the warranty to 7 yr/100M miles but NO FIX. Many reoccuring transmission issues.

Tranmission issue and DOOR HANDLE issue are what I call

PACIFIERED.... Keep replacing till out of warranty..

Of course, that is my opinion,

Good Luck

 

The transmission recall was more of a safety issue because of the dangerous situation that occurred if it failed while at highway speeds (unexpected and dramatic downshifting).

The door handle issue is hardly a safety concern.

Unless there is a mass failure, Acura will just deal with this through TSBs and offer goodwill if it desires for those out of warranty.

Hence, my $1,000 extended warranty will most likely be put to good use for just this item alone once the factory warranty expires, as I already have had the door handle replaced once.

 

Thanks, but no worries there, I never keep any car more than two or three years, and never own a car that is out of warranty.

 

[QUOTE=GoHawks]The transmission recall was more of a safety issue because of the dangerous situation that occurred if it failed while at highway speeds (unexpected and dramatic downshifting)


NOT TRUE..If it was a saftey issue then why isn't there a fix?

 

[QUOTE=medrxman]Yes it is true. Recalls are typically for safety issues and are monitored through NHTSA.

In a recall, the part is replaced whether it's failed or not. A TSB refers to a known problem and it's intent is to help a tech diagnose the problem and provide a corporate sponsored resolution to the problem. They typically do not instruct to replace the part if it has not failed.

I read the TSB for the navigation system for my Land Cruiser (the infamous $5,000 part). It specifically stated that it only applied to situations where the part failed, and Toyota would not reimburse dealers if they replaced a functioning part on a vehicle even though the VIN fell within the ones outlined within the TSB. For those who were out of warranty, the TSB instructed dealers to contact the district office for possible goodwill. Recalls transcend the warranty period because it is a safety issue.

As for the transmission fix. My understanding is that the oil jet retrofix addressed most if not all of the issues and the incidents of failed transmissions were dramatically reduced. Now It is possible that people still experienced failures, but it is possible that some of those transmissions suffered early undetectable damage despite the fact that Acura called for a visual inspection that included a picture that was sent to Acura corporate to determine if the transmission was salvageable.

Again, speculation on my part. I experienced ONE wierd shift on my '01 TL when it only had 30K miles. I reported it and my dealer immediately replaced the transmission. I question whether it really was failing, but they were insistent on replacing it. I also had the oil jet retrofix. My TL had 80K miles on it when I traded it in for the RL, and I never had a transmission problem.

 

I believe I reported earlier in this thread that my passenger side door handle (which was replaced once) was acting up again, but then it started working so the dealer suggested we hold off replacing it just yet.

Interesting thing happened yesterday.

I've been off of work for the past few days. Washed the car Thursday evening. The car went in the garage immediately thereafter and hasn't left since.

Yesterday afternnon was going out with the family and we were taking the truck which is parked to the right of the RL. As I'm standing in between the two cars (driver's side on the Land Cruiser & passenger side on the RL), the RL starts beeping and locking the doors.

I thought maybe I brushed up against the door sensor, but nope. I turn around and I'm just watching as the car is repeatedly locking the doors and beeping. I look at the fob and the little red light turns on every time the doors locked.

I thought maybe something was wrong with the fob, but it did the same thing with my wife's fob.

When we got home last night, it no longer did that.

My guess is that some moisture must of worked it's way in the sensor shorting it (probably not really a short, but best word I could think of) causing it to simulate the touch of the door dimple. Since the car hadn't left the garage, it didn't get a chance to evaporate. Once I walked near the door and the car sensed the fob, it immediately started to lock itself.

My guess is that the handle is on borrowed time. It's working now, but my guess is that once the weather gets colder, if not sooner, it'll permanently go and it'll need to be replaced.... again.