Ry4an

Here's an odd one. I bought my 2006 RL as a dealer demo car with 7600 miles on it. I'm at 17,000 miles a year later and have been perfectly happy with it. I had noticed that the blue footwell lights described here in the forum didn't seem to be working. Today while in for routine maintinance I asked that they check it out.

It turns out that not only are the bulbs missing, but the sockets are gone, and so are the wires "a good ways back". The dealer's got no explanation and is checking with Acura to see if they can order replacements or if they would have to order a whole new dash wiring harness.

Anyone got any theories? Is it likely they were never installed (factory defect), were removed by service while it was a demo for some (forgotten) reason, or is it possible someone who had the car out on a test/loaner snipped them? None of those seem at all likely. Puzzling.

Incidentally, excellent service on this matter and in general from White Bear Acura.

miner

Were the wire obviously cut and not covered where the cut had been made?

Rexorg

Probably the previous owner thought the blue light was ultraviolet and could cause cancer, or they were trying to mod their RL and screwed up and forgot about it and let you worry about it.

SpicyMikey

Yea, but he said it was a demo. That means it was never sold. That's the weird thing. Why would the dealer alter the car. They wouldn't.

Which makes me wonder if this was really a demo. Ry4an; You should run a CarFAX on the VIN to see if it was titled already by someone else. I wouldnt put it past a dealer to lie about that.

A "demo" is usually just a declaration made on a car between the dealer and the manufacturer. The dealer makes the car a "demo" and then uses it for demonstration purposes. The advantage is that the dealer doesn't have to pay for the vehicle until it is later sold. The manufacturer covers the cost while it's being used in that capacity.

Rob144

Maybe the car had one of those little electronic "disablers" under the dash (to keep cars from being stolen off the lot). When the car was sold, they might have removed it and accidentally cut or loosened a wire while under the dashboard.

Does the car alarm function properly?

Rob144

TL_Captain

It's not uncommon that dealers "forget" to tell customers the cars they sell have been in wrecks.

It's possible that you car had some sort of frontal damage, and the shop did a sloppy work.

vluu

Sounds like someone took them and wanted to clean up the evidence. That sucks! I think the dealership who sold you the demo car should replace what was never there.

Mike_TX

Well, none of us knows, but my guess is they needed parts and just cannibalized the demo. Sounds weird, I know, but the harness has obviously been cut by someone, as opposed to it being a factory error.

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RL06tech

Since it was a demo, I wouldn't be surprised if someone, probably a costumer, whacked them off to pimp his own car. I go to car the Chicago car show every year, after a few days the "fans" have stolen everything that isn't completely tied down!

Chas2

The other thing I noticed is that the blue LEDs are dramatically different depending on the color of the interior. When I saw the blue LEDs in a tan interior I did a double take, and had to relook at them all in my black interior because I thought I had been shorted on LEDs or that they were much dimmer. In fact, that black carpet sucks up (absorbs) all the light.

Ry4an

miner, the guy in service made it sound like they were cut but not capped/wrapped

I've run a carfax and everything's showing as clean and with me as first owner.

If they have to replace the full wiring harness to get them back maybe I'll see if I can swap them for an accessory that's a lot less labor to install.

Just bizarre.

Thanks, I guess, to this forum for letting me know about some lights whose absence I would have never noticed on my own.

Ry4an

It's been awhile but I finally heard back from the dealer on this. They said a call was placed to Acura who said that some 05s and 06s never got the footwell lights at all. That could agree with them not being able to find the sockets or wires to the socket, but I'd love some external confirmation. Anyone else heard of an 05 or 06 without the blue footwell lights?

I, of course, don't care about the lights, but I do want to make sure my car wasn't stripped by a demo-er, 'cause it might someday suck to be without the airbags.

INSPIRE 32V

iTrader: (1)

^ hopefully the dealer is correct and the car never came with any

Rexorg

I don't believe the dealer. The wiring harness has all the wires for every component. There is no way a car would be built (in Japan no less) and have something like this go unnoticed. I would call the Acura regional manager and get to the bottom of this. There is something fishy going on.

SpicyMikey

I have an 07 RL so I can't clear this up for you. But, there's a lot of guys on here with 05 and 06 models. You should be able to get to the bottom of this real quick.

Does anyone with an 05/06 have the blue lights in the two front foot wells? That will clear this up real fast.

ed111

I have a 2006 RL, purchased Oct. 2006. Non-CMBS/PAX model.

It has the blue foot well lights.

TampaRLX-SH

According to Acura's own press releases, the footwell lighting is featured on both 2005 & 2006 models. Below are the press releases (search for footwell) to find.



http://www.hondanews.com/categories/757/releases/2076


http://www.hondanews.com/search/rele...server&s=acura

SpicyMikey

Based on ed111 and TampaRL, it sounds like you got your answer Ry4an. The dealer is either lying to you or was given wrong information from the Acura Tech line. Time to go back. I hope it doesn't take another two months for them to give you a rather simple answer. I'm surprised you had that much patience.

Ernie Golfs

I have an 05 RL purchased in May of 05. I have the blue footwell lights.

neuronbob

I call Why would that happen? I can understand some early MY 2005s, but after that, the wiring harnesses and parts are all the same.

SpicyMikey

Agree, but I wouldn't accept an answer that ANY early 05's missed the feature. it was advertised to have it in 05. I'd expect it be there from day one.

Scott in Houston

I took some pics of mine. I really liked the lighting.
I'm not a good photographere, but was experimenting with a new camera: (tan interior)

SpicyMikey

Looks cool. Please tell me you were on a slow shutter. Mine are nowhere near that bright. In fact, with any other ambient light coming into the car from a street light, etc., you can hardly see them.

If your's appear that bright in real life, then I either have something wrong with my lights, or I need my eye's checked in the blue spectrum

Mike_TX

As Scott pointed out above, he's a "photographere", which explains how he was able to get the footwell lights to look that bright.

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miner

'06 pruchased in Sept. 2006 - theater lights here, too. Time to slap the dealer into reality.

Scott in Houston

DOH! haha


Yes, it was without flash and used the camera's macro setting for night time pics, so it had to be slow shutter.

They weren't "that" bright, but they were pretty darn visible at night. I think I also turned off the overhead interior light... can't remember.

Chas2

Macro for night time pix?

Dr. Colorado

2005 model purchased 11/4/04. very blue lignts in the footwell, one of my favorite features. i have the taupe interior.

Scott in Houston

It's a Nikon D70. There are some pre-set "macros" (is that the right word?).

THere's an action one for movement, a portrait one, a night one... and some others.

Basically, it tells the camera what to favor in shutter speed and sensitivity, etc.

For these pics, I chose night mode, and turned off the flash, and the camera compensates by leaving the shutter open long enough to get the pic. It's just an auto way of doing a typical slow shutter speed shot at night.

Not sure I'm explaining it right, but I hope you get the picture... no pun intended. lol

underst8

I can almost guarantee that at some point during your car's life as a demo someone brought their RL in for service because their footwell lighting was not working, and perhaps he was a demanding customer, or perhaps your dealer wanted to please him because he was a longtime customer, or whatever, and cannibalized the demo car they had on the lot in order to get his car back to him as fast as they could. May not have even been with the higher-ups knowledge, but a service dude or whatever, but it's not unheard of.

Make them repair it without cost to you. If they object, contact Acura.

Ry4an

Okay, I'll push this further with the dealer. Just to be clear there isn't a single person reading this who has an 05 or 06 and _doesn't_ have the blue foot well lights, right?

If I decide to go over the dealer's head on this is there a regional contact reference list handy?

Thanks to everyone for their time on this.

SpicyMikey

Ry4an, I think it's time to skip the dealer. You already went to the dealer. He gave you his answer. What are you going to say to him that won't end in an unpleasant conversation. Given the delay in getting your first answer and the missing parts to begin with, I'd say the dealer is most of your problem. Bypass them. Call Acura Client Services directly at 800 382 2238 and open a case. Let them call the dealer. Let them research the true answer.

underst8

Your RL is supposed to come with footwell lighting - it did not. Somewhere along the line something got messed up. Obviously the dealer does not care or is aloof. Take it to Acura and they will get it fixed, and probably be surprised to hear about this i'd hope.

TampaRLX-SH

I hate to poke at the dealer, but you made the effort to get this resolved, waited too long for a response and they truly skirted the issue with a very non specific reply. It is no big deal to replace the wiring harness unless the dealer has reason to avoid submitting the warranty repair order. The only reason I can think of is that they KNOW why it is missing and submitting the claim to Acura may expose something they'd rather avoid. Acura would deny the claim, and they'd be out of pocket. Tough darts.

If this is the case (again, you already gave them a try to make it right), you are doing yourself ancd other Acura owners a disservice by not reporting this dealer response as inadequate.

There have been many discussions as to where Acura is not up to snuff in service support. Well here is an opportunity to give Acura CS a chance to correct the situation, and potentially reveal a dealer malpractice (which many times is the root of Acura service complaints).

The win is you get your lighting / harness rectified, and the dealer thinks twice about skirting another Acura customer issue. I would, however, request Acura CS to refer you to another dealership for the repair and future service. I would be done with the dealership that cannot manage rectifying something this simple.

scottj

Ah, that helps. At least on Canon cameras, those are "modes". Macro is what you use for close-up shots. That's why some of us were scratching our heads. Whatever it is called, thanks for sharing a very cool shot!

GoHawks

Ditto here. I purchased mine in May '06.

Scott in Houston

Oh sorry. Yeah, I was confusing my technology/computer terminology confused w/ this. A macro being a set of commands ready to go on a computer and projecting that onto the photo world.

Yeah, it's a "mode" on my Nikon as well.

Ry4an

As a quick update I was in to the dealer today getting my winter wheels put on (which their free year-round storage of the off season wheels and my not having to find a way to get 4 dirty wheels home in my RL makes completely worth the $30 as far as I'm concerned) and I let my service rep (Chris, a great fellow) know that I think ACS is lying to him about some cars shipping without the blues. I asked him to get something in writing from ACS saying as such so we can pin them down on their deception.

I figure that way if Chris (Hi, Chris) is snowing me it gives him a face-saving out: "ACS won't put it in writing, so they must have misled me on the phone earlier -- we'll just make it warranty right for you", and if he's not snowing me at least I'll know that ACS is the culprit. Not that I've any great problem going in there and saying I think I was lied to by them, but hey flies, honey, always give a man a dignified way to correct a mistake, etc.

The Dougler

iTrader: (1)

maybe next time you take your car in for service demand an RL loaner and exact revenge?

SpicyMikey

Did you ever call ACS and open a case? Sounds like you think ACS is the culprit. From what I've heard you say, it sounds like the dealer is the problem.

To me this is fairly black and white. Fact, the car comes with blue foot well lights. Fact, your car does not have them. How can anyone argue differently?