jfprl

It rained today and I noticed that the dimple on the drivers door would not respond. The passenger one worked fine. Actually for the passenger door you don't even have to touch the dimple directly just near it. Both door handles unlock fine, but I could not get the driver dimple to work without thouroughly drying the handle and then it was only marginal in its operation. Not pleasantt fishing for the remote in the rain when you don't expect to have to. Anyone else encounter this probelm? What is the fix?

vp911

I havn't had this problem, but I know when it is raining and I get close to teh car (with the remote in my pocket) it does lock by itself. The same thing occurs when I am washing the car. This is why I prefered the keyless entry on my FX35 (there were only two features I liked on that car - the keyless entry system - which has a rubber button which you actually have to push in to lock and unlock - so no problems in the rain. I also loved the leaking sunroof)

AcuraRLBlue

I had this happened to the passenger's door after I washed the car for the first time, and the dealer had to replace the handle. I was told that this had happened to other RL's driver's side door.

When washing the RL, leave the key in the car, otherwise when the water hits the handle the handle would be activated and deactivated repeatitively. This was not made clear in the owner's manual, and I found out the hard way. I think it caused the LED light in the my passenger's side handle to stay on for 3 days and the handle to go out of order.

jfprl

AcuraRLBlue-
After you had it replaced, did it work fine or were there any issues. Also, do you have to touch the dimple or just the vicinity of the dimple on the new handle.

Thanks and happy holidays.

AcuraRLBlue

jfprl:

The passenger side handle worked most of the time after it was replaced, but there were couple of times that it didn't respond. I think these were times when it rained. I do have to touch the new handle for it to work.

bluemule

What did you do to get the dealer to acknowledge the door lock problem and order the parts...same goes for the brake rattle issue? I've had two dealers tell me preliminarily that they've not heard of these problems, and I've got both.

On Friday, I had my 2nd service and 3 TSB's applied at my purchasing dealer (300 miles from here and a major deal to get over there for the work), and the tech didn't find anything wrong with the brakes. I had reported a metal slapping sound when hitting tar strips.

This dealer also reported to me that they've not had any issues with the passenger door handles. I didn't expect to get my passenger door handle fixed on such short notice, but was kind of surprised that they offered no fix for my brakes.

I'm too far from any dealer to take off from work and take the car in for evaluation just so parts can be ordered. It makes sense to make prior arrangements before driving in for the repairs, particularly if these are known issues.

dadcat1

I had both my door handles replaced in early October for failure of the dimple locking after the car was washed. Both doors lock fine now even after spraying the door handles with a garden hose. With the original door handles, I could cause the dimple locking to not work for a day or two after spraying with a hose.

static808

jprl. I have the same exact problem. The passenger door locks with no issue in the rain, but the drivers door does sometimes and doesn't other times.

I went to get it replaced at the dealer during the updated TSB's. They sprayed the door and at that time, the doors locked and unlocked without issue. They tested the thing about 20 times. Worked everytime, so the drivers handle wasn't replaced.

The service man told me that if it does happen, they will replace the handle. For now, its working.

Good Luck.

bluemule

My serial number is in the 7,000's.

Does anyone have their finger on possible communications between Acura and the dealers regarding the door handle issue? (and the rattly front brakes issue - I'll post another thread about the brakes when I cool down)

My Shreveport purchasing/servicing dealer told me this morning that they were unable to duplicate the passenger door not locking after I had driven 5 hours over there on Friday to have the 2nd maintenance and 3 TSB's done. They told me that they'd never had the problem with the passenger door. No fix was offered. Previously, I ordered a fog light replacement from the Birmingham dealer, and the part is in. I didn't order the fog light from the Shreveport dealer because I thought I could get it repaired quicker in Birmingham...it's closer. Anyway, I called Birmingham to see if they could help me fix the door if I should decide to have the fog light replaced in Birmingham and was told that they'd have to evaluate the handle before ordering any parts.

I thought this was a known issue with a known fix, and base that assumption on what I've seen posted here and at the Edmunds Acura site.

I don't care if they can't duplicate an intermittant problem...I've reported that it doesn't work. It's not working for me. Period...end of conversation. I want the darn thing fixed and it looks to me that the fix is to replace the handle.

I called ACS thinking I would get some help with prepositioning some parts for the door handle (and the brake pad fix) but Terrell told me that I'd have to take the car in for evaluation before a handle could be ordered. I then asked Terrell at ACS whether he would admit that there is a known door handle problem with the 2005 Acura RL and a known fix, and he refused to directly answer, preferring instead to take what I am considering to be an adversarial stance regarding the known problem and fix.

I'm attempting to get my door handle repaired without having to make an extra trip to a distant dealer...having some parts on hand that fit my car makes sense to me since Acura already knows about the problem. My dealer choices are Birmingham and Shreveport...300 and about 200 miles from here. Am I being unreasonable?

BTW, I'm getting the same run-a-round on the metallic slapping sound I'm hearing when going over tar strips...I'm willing to let any dealer look into this issue further, because if this is not the noisy front brakes, also a known issue, this could be very, very serious. I naturally assumed that the noise was related to the front brake issue. The tech in Louisiana told me that he found nothing wrong with my brakes and that the sound was probably normal. According to that dealer, my car has never had the brake fix. I think something is wrong here, and will have that issue looked into again.

What's going on here? And why am I having difficulties getting these items fixed or by golly, even acknowledged?

Following OT, but what the heck, I've busted this thread to pieces anyway...I'm reaching the end of my patience with this car. You may ask why I didn't order the fog light from the Jackson, Mississippi dealer. I called them first since they are only 100 miles from here. Their parts department told me that I'd have to "pre-pay", so I said no problem I have a credit card, and they then said, no you don't understand, you have to "pre-pay". Now, I don't know what "pre-pay" means, having used credit cards practically since they were invented, and didn't ask. I was just too shocked to ask. Anyway, that was the end of that conversation. If they can't take a credit card with more credit on it than the parts guy makes in a year, then I'll not truck with them. And, I was willing to try out their service department, in spite of all that I'd heard about them.

The Birmingham dealer didn't even ask for a credit card...

end of rant...for now...and apologies all around, where justified, natchurly!!!

AcuraRLBlue

bluemule:

Sorry to hear of your problems. I think I understand how you feel. The brake noise and the door handles are known problems, and at least the door handle from my personal experience requires replacement. The dealer shouldn't make you make a long trip just for it to comfirm there is a problem. The dealer should have parts at hand to fix this problem. My door handle went out last December, but the problem could not be duplicated the first time I took the car in. I called when it went out again and stayed that way, the service manager was reasonable enough to order the part become I went in. However, he ordered the driver side even though I told him which side was out. His reason was that all the other RL's that had handle problems involved the driver's side.

Due to this and another major surprise I had with my new RL, I was so upset the first few months of owning the car. I concluded that regardless of what I think of the RL, Acura and some of its dealers' handling of the issues are making the actual car problems worst. Now I try to look at the good things about having this car and enjoy driving it. I hope you will get to this stage soon.

vp911

Agreed - very sorry to hear about your problems. It is unfortunate Acura is like this. The make a great bargain car; however, cannot service it worth crap.

Hopefully they will fix it for you and you won't have further problems. Just keep pressing them on it or threaten to call a lawyer and a 3rd party inspector to file a lemon claim. Hopefully something works out soon though.

ilas

I too am having locking problems in the rain with the driver's side door handle of my 06 RL. And, like others, I washed my car prior to this and noticed that the door locked and unlocked when the water jet hit the handle. Curiously, though, the driver's side door handle has always worked properly when dry, even after the washing incident. I guess I need to see the dealer.

jfprl

Went to the dealer and he is ordering a new handle for me. I'll let you know how it turns out.