My 1999 Acura 3.2 TL suddenly seems to be having a lot of problems.

Last year the car would not pass emissions. It showed a check engine light and felt somewhat sluggish. The vehicle inspector said the problem was the catalytic converter. I took the car to two different Midas shops, and they both confirmed that the catalytic converter needed replacing at 98,000 miles. I paid the $300 and got a new converter. The car passed emissions the next day. Two days after that, the check engine light came back. (Please note: I always screw on the gas cap very tight.) The car still felt sluggish.

The check engine light has been on and off for about a year now. Recently, the TCS light started coming on as well. It won't go off by pressing the TCS button. Only turning off the car will turn of the TCS light. Eventually, the light comes back on, but it never comes on unless the check engine light is also lit.

I know I should probably take the car to the dealership, but they've tried to rob me numerous times before, and they never stop trying. I've already resolved never to buy another car from them again, and I'm reluctant to give them any money to service my TL.

My low beams have also gone out, almost simultaneously. (I do tend to drive with my headlights on during the day—habit, I guess.) The driver-side HID is completely out, and the passenger-side is extremely dim. I've ordered replacement bulbs, but I've got a bad feeling that it might be an electrical problem.

Any advice on the TCS/CEL lights would be greatly appreciated. Also, I'm hearing scary things about Acura transmissions after 100,000 miles, and wondering if that's why my car doesn't seem to pull very well. It'd be nice if you could convince me that this is still a good, reliable car, but I'm wary of purchasing another Acura (as much as I love the new TL and TSX), and I want you to give me the straight truth about what you think is going on.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Welcome to the forum!

If you could bring your car to autozone to get the codes read we can tell you why your check engine light comes on. It could be an easy fix like EGR for example which you can fix yourself.

As for the HID. The bulbs are 7 years old, it quite possibly could be the bulbs. You should switch bulbs and see if your drivers side is still out. If it is then it could be your ballast.

 

go to ur autozone and get it scanned, my guess, symptoms of a coilpack going bad. that cat change, just temp fixed it and for ur hids, why drive with them in the day? thats just stupid. switch the good working bulb to the other side and see if it works, if it does its ur bulbs. and i suggest getting 2 bulbs, compared to just getting 1.

 

ok well for starters any time a cel comes on you should get it checked. The cel is a dummy light that doesnt mean any thing. and dealers arent bad, they just point out every thing that needs attention. The TCS being on with the cel is common. Its the way the computer is programed. I would atleast bring it somewhere like autozone or anyplace that does free diagnostics to see what code is coming up. as for being sluggish have the plugs ever been changed?

driving with the HIDS on will shorten their life and being a 99 its not unreal for them to be going out. you will find out if there is a electrical issue when you get the new bulbs in

 

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll definitely run down to Autozone and have them hook the car up to a computer.

Forgive my ignorance (I'm not exactly an auto mechanic), but what exactly is a coil pack? I thought a coil pack had something to do with the distributor, but how would that affect my catalytic converter? And are you implying that my catalytic converter might not have been bad?

If the problem is my coil pack, how expensive are they to replace?

 

We dont have distributers. we have individual coil packs on each cyl. if one were bad it would result in sluggishness. There could be many things that are causing it and all we can do is speculate. Thats why its always a good idea not to ignore the CEL especially since by doing so could lead to larger problems down the raod

 

Where are you located? We have several shadetree mechanics here that would be happy to give you a hand. I'm in Jersey if you're close, let me know.


Neil