I purchased a new 06 RL last week with ipod musiclink. I listen to audiobooks on the ipod downloaded from audible.com via a monthly subscription. I thought the promise of being able to use my ipod through the radio via musiclink was very good when I purchased the car. Big mistake.

The interface for the musiclink has to be the worst consumer product I have ever encountered. The ipod loses all functionality and you must rely on this ridiculous "text to Speech" (TTS) software that does not work and cannot be searched in any logical fasion sufficient to allow operation of the ipod. You are expected to listen to the alphabet and locate the tune you are looking to hear. If (like me) you have thousands of songs on your ipod this would be an impossible task EVEN if it worked (it does not work as advertised.)

I think the press release on the Acura website announcing the musiclink product is misleading. It describes functionality that even if the musiclink worked, the product would simply not have.

The musiclink system is being slammed all over the internet and when I called the dealer, I was immediately offered a full refund and removal of the equipment. I was told that the GM of the dealership had a musiclink system installed in his car and he could not get it to work. I called Acura customer care (800 number) and the rep essentially agreed with everything I said and tacitly acknowledged that Acura is getting plenty of negative feedback about this product.

I am having mine taken out and the dealer is giving me my $347.00 back. Does anyone have a good hard wired aftermarket solution to listen to the ipod in the RL? I have used an FM transmitter but that is less than ideal. Because there is no cassete player, I no longer have the option of listening to the ipod through a cassette adapter.

thanks,

Stephen

 

To date, there has not been a single, good, solid, trouble-free solution that integrates perfectly with the factory headunit. So for now, you're stuck.

 

I totally agree. the only way I found to use it was to access the menu on the ipod after it was charged in the car, and then I could actually change songs on the fly... but talk about distracted driving trying to navigate an IPOD interface.
Just my .02, I absolutely HATE the ipod interface even when I am just using it by itself

 

I love mine, you can search the site to find my other posts that might help those having problems.