AcuraRLBlue

I had the misfortune to have to use the spare tire/wheel due to a tire leak from hitting a large pothole.



The following are what I observed when changing the passenger front wheel/tire with the spare wheel/tire:



1. The tire pressure reading for this tired dropped to the low 20’s before the “Low Tire Pressure Indicator” showed up. The manual doesn’t say at what pressure level for the “Low Tire Pressure Indicator” to come up.



2. The “CHECK TIRE PRESSURE” message didn’t show up in the MID (to the best of my knowledge).



3. There are four jacking point tabs by the four wheels to place the jack, and the rest of the car doesn’t come in contact with the jack.



4. The “wing bolt” holding the spare wheel is extremely tight. I attempted many times to loosen it and was going to give up until it finally gave loose. I suggest that you try loosening and tightening the bolt before you really need to use the spare.



5. The manual tells you to turn off the VSA system (p. 282 and 336) when using the spare wheel, but it was impossible. I found later in page 280 that the VSA will stay on when the “low tire pressure indicator” comes on. I was a bite frustrated by this conflict in the car’s design.

Fabvsix

What happened to simplicity ? Even with all the high tech, its a pain in the ass !

chuck abbott

I wish thy had made the spare wheel well big enough to hold a standard sized tire. They could still have provided the emergency spare, but this would have given buyers the option of purchasing a full sized replacement.
It would be a good point for the salesman to have in selling the vehicle. I realy don't think the extra depth and an overall diameter of say 28" would cost anything at all and it would make such a difference to people like me.
Come on Honda, be the first to do this.

neuronbob

A few months ago, while I still owned my TL, I was coming home from our usual long trip to Colorado. I was 50 miles from home when I hit a big pothole in a construction area on the freeway and immediately had a flat tire. Limping home at only 50 mph was PAINFUL for 50 miles. We (wife, baby, and I) would have really suffered had we just left Colorado (e.g. still had 1300 miles left in the trip) when the blowout happened.

Full-sized spare is an option I would be willing to pay for in a new design. I understand auto makers want weight and money savings and cost efficiencies, but this feature should be common sense.

I shall step off my soapbox now.

getakey

My experience was different.
I got a huge warning to check tire pressure almost immeadiately. I switched to the Tire Pressure screen and watched the pressure go from about 26 psi down to below 20 relatively quickly (ran over nail).
I'll agree that the jack is not good. You must be on very level ground or is very unstable.

Didn't know about the VSA thing.

gavine

The car is AWD which takes-up space under the rear end of the car. Would you be willing to take a smaller gas tank in leiu of a full-size spare? The SH-AWD differential isn't exactly small.

backfire

I am not sure, but I believe most cars come with donut spare now. I know my 2003 MDX did and I bought a extra rim and put a real tire underneath the back.

lland

...and some cars don't even have a spare at all!

LL

chuck abbott

Thats the problem, we are heading towards no spare tire. BMW is already doing it and thats one of the reasons I have switched back to Acura. When style and the bottom line start to take the place of practical use then it's time to start yelling about it.
There is no excuse for not providing a real spare wheel other than saving a nickel. If they don't want to spend that nickel then at least leave enough room to put one in later. As to using up gas tank space? I don't consider that a problem. That's what good design engineers do for a living, they find a acceptable answer to any problem.

chuck abbott

We are heading to "run flats" only, and that worries me a lot. Try running on one of these for a few hundred miles in the middle of the night at 50 mph. What's that? Your not supposed to run on one for more than 60 miles. OK try this senerio. So I get off the interstate and stay over night at some crummy motel and the next day find that the local garage can not fix a "run flat" (Not recommended by the manufacturer), and he can not get your make or sized tire until the following day. How's that sound. I tell you guys, we are heading there and we need to start thinking about the practical side of vehicles beside how good looking they are.

Ken1997TL

Excellent points and I share all those concerns. A full size spare is a MUST for any Acura.

Benush

Okay, so I am addicted to this site and all the great people on it even if I don't have an RL anymore (though thinking about getting an '07 with PAX now that Michelin has a PAX snowtire called X-Ice made for the RL) and abandoning the idea of an '07 MDX (since I have a 4x4 Tahoe and 4x4 S10 so winter driving is less of a concern)

Anyway, I think this testing of a new tire by Michelin may eliminate any need for a spare of any kind.

Meteor06RL

Damn; those are so ugly they're almost beautiful.

Also, I want to see what happens to those deformable spokes when you stand on the brakes. Based on the example they show of going over the imperfection, I could see the car losing an inch or two of ground clearance from the tire alone, plus what happens with the suspension. I'm guessing that the suspension would have to be tweaked (stiffer than usual) as a result.

Chas2

Not only that, the price for snow tire is signficantly less than the all seasons. Look in the Acura e-store, under parts, and you will see two PAX assemblies there, one winter and one regular.

chuck abbott

God, they are ugly. Need I say more?

Chas2

...like my 2006 Acura RL!