Hello Everyone.

I would appreciate if someone could answer few questions that i have. I didn't want to create multiple threads for my questions, so i decided to create one.
My Acura RL 2005 has 109,000 miles on it. i Have oved this RL since April, and when i bought it, it had 103k miles on it. I do not know the the previous history as to what has been done to the car before i bought it. Obviously, it does not have a warranty anymore. Here are the questions:

1. My battery seems to be weak. I do not have any problems with starting the car after multiple days of not driving it. However, whenever i stop, turn off the engine, and put the on the accessories mode, and listen to a radio for 30-40 minutes, my battery will die. Obviously, i udnerstand the fact that battery has the potential to die because of the accessory mode, but isnt the battery life too short? If it is, what would be the BEST battery to buy that is good for my Acura? (places to buy, model number, etc)

2. Is it ok to change the oil according to the manual and display on LCD every 6000 or so miles? or would it be recommended every 3000 miles. im using 5/20 oil i believe (im not sure), but it is the oil that most people reference it on this board.

3. I have heard that it is recommended to replace the timing belt before the car reaches 120k miles. Would there be any indications (problems) whenever this belt needs to be changed? Noises, squirks?

4. Also, whenever i switch between the gears, i hear noticeable notices in the shifting of the gears. No sounds like that are being experienced when driving on the road. Only when in park (to other gears, and vice versa). What could be wrong? Any ideas?

5. Also, would it be possible to get the history report of what was done to the car in the past? Dealership history for that car? how much do i need to pay for this complete report?

Answers and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you

 

I'll try to give you a run down.

1) In regards to battery issue, I will plead ignorance, as I lease my cars and have never owned a vehicle with that much mileage. Obviously, the OEM battery has served the vehicle well. 30-40 minutes of accessory time seems OK to me, I wouldn't say I use mine for that long. If you know a good mechanic they could easily do a battery check for you and give you a definitive answer. Otherwise you could price shop OEM vs. aftermarket.

2) With oil changes, I have stuck completely to the MID display. There may be others with more mileage on their RL who may have different opinions but I assume the car knows best. Takes the guesswork out of the equation for sure.

3) Don't know about the timimg belt either, maybe someone else will chime in.

4) Do you notice the gear change sounds while in a garage or next to another vehicle. It is a known fact that the transmission will make a mechanical linkage sound when switching from park especially in the above conditions. If it doesn't happen while driving and your D light is not flashing there shouldn't be an issue. My 02 TL-S prior to having the transmission replaced would make clicking sounds while driving and the D light on the instrument panel would flash.

5) History report is easy, I obtained it from my dealer FOC prior to my lease end inspection.

Hope this helps a little. Congratulations on the purchase, have you been pretty happy otherwise??

 

1) This is a pretty good run for an OEM Battery. But, look in your warranty booklet. The 2006 has an astounding statement that says the battery is warranted for four years, no pro-rating. I cannot believe that is what they intended, but it is a try. The RL, like many modern cars, is a complex car, and has its own network connecting all the computers called the B-CAN (Body Controller Area Network) which is not supposed to draw that much current, but on occassion does. In addition, there is an advisory in the manual about not leaving the Auto headlight function on if the car is not going to be driven for more than a week, so there does seem to be more power draw than older cars which only had a clock.

2) Look in the manual, and understand the MID messages and settings. MID works great, if it has been reset correctly after maintenance, which is more than oil. The rear diff needs changing on a regular basis also.

3) The same manual will give you the low down on the timing belt, which is a 4 service, and should be IAW the MID unless

The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown on the
maintenance minder. Replace the
belt at 60,000 miles (100,000 km) if
you regularly drive your vehicle in
one or more of these conditions:

-In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).

-In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).

-If you frequently tow a trailer.

I would call the dealer. 105K miles may be time to change the belt, or it may be a more general schedule such as 120K miles or 7 years, whichever is first. They have become less conservative over the years. My 95 Legend says 60,000 miles or 5 years in the manual, but every dealer told me 90K miles or 6 years, and recently, I was told 120K miles or 7 years (all from the same dealer)

4) Don't know

5) Don't know. My experience has been that Acura does not have the database that Lexus does. If dealership A does some service, dealership B has no idea that it was done. They only have what is in their records. If it was an auction car, they will have no info on it, or so they tell me. Maybe someone has more recent experience?