phatratpak

(note to moderators: PLEASE do NOT kill this thread, thanx).

Well I thought I'd make my first thread a chronical of my 2003 ABP TL type-S w/out navi.
One month old today with a shade under 2000miles on it. I love the color, engine and suspension of this beaut.

Problems:
-center consol replaced
-squeeky driver side window, lubed
taking car in this week for:
-squeeky driver side window (again)
-squeeky driver's seat
-threads poking through leather perforations
-odor when A/C is turned on

Any of these problems familiar to anyone? Other than those, the car is wonderful and I am very with my choice. Looking into getting polarized/reflective tints. Well I'll keep everyone posted, if you care; your input is greatly appreciated.

accordv6

the odor of the AC if fairly normal.....when you have the AC blasting and its hot outside the moisture stays in your vents when you turn the car off and hence the musty smell.....I'm not really sure how to get rid of it...I've heard people spraying lysol or something similar into the vents.....but I've never tried this myself

wiggingboy

Just spray a lil wd40 on the where seat belt clicks in at. And the noise will go away. Same thing happen to me. But i dunno about the rest.

phatratpak

you guys are fast, thanksa bunch already...

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Why was the center console replaced?

kcroberge

My 2003 TL-S is close to 3 months old and 2800 miles. I have had no problems with it. No squeaks or rattles at all. I have a couple of minor indentations on the hood from some hail during a June storm, but there is not much I can do about those. You can only see them if you are looking for them and the light hits them just right.

phatratpak

my center console was replace because....

The pop-out compartment above the cd-changer, has a small swing-down door that flips down whent he compartment is fully out. This little spring-loaded door had come unhinged and was loose. And in order to replace this one little thing, they needed to replace the whole console... i hope this is descriptive enuff..

sssick

Oh...I thought you meant the center console as in center armrest.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Me too.

FTM-1

The odor from A/C (kinda pissy or musty smell) is most likely from you having the system set to the RECUCULATING MODE (REC)yellow light is on. The only times that the yellow light should be on is when you need MAX cooling of the car. When you get MAX cooling needed of the car push that yelow REC light OFF. Also if you are behind a smokey bus, truck , toxic fumes form outside air ect push the REC button ON yellow light ON. The system should be set to the FRESH AIR MODE at all other times the yellow light should be OFF. The AUTO CLIMATE CONTROL will also turn on the yellow light if the TEMP set is set lower than the inside air temp. But that yellow light should not be kept on except for the reason I stated above. If the yellow light is constantly on you will get a pissy musty smell when you start the car up again.

kennelm

Me three.

phatratpak

Well, sorry bout the confusion, but everyone knows what I'm talking about...

I know about the REC feature for climate control and notice it turns on automatically when I start up the A/C high. The smell does only seem to happen after first turning on the a/c...

side note, did some testing last night and this morning with turning the VSA OFF... pretty fun, def. can feel the difference. A lot of fun, but for the most part, I enjoy the security of having VSA on...

phatratpak

so the other day I filled up and got attrocias MPG, 16.2 or so... anyone heard of stuff like this, and yes, I do only fill it with 93...

oh yeah, any opinions on aftermarket GPS nav. systems?

AndrewBochenek

hey.. i like to see your enthusiasm on your new car but you should try to do a search on most of those questions

i'm not trying to be an a$$hole or anything but we've covered a lot of these topics before and it might be a lot faster to just do a search

take it easy
-Andrew

phatratpak

So for those of you that know DC, I was flying up Mass. Ave. and almost slammed into a poorly marked circle. With the VSA off. I slammed on the brakes and steered to the right and quickly cut back to the left to stay on the road. Very scary, I admit I was going to fast... I wonder though if I would have made the cut with the VSA ON cuz it would have tried to guide me straight perhaps... any comments?

phatratpak

I already posted this but thought i'd give it another shot... any ideas on whether or not it's feasible or inexpensive to get the driver's side window controls to auto up/down for all 4-windows... I've heard the control option is in the switches which are only like $.05 a piece... any comments?

phatratpak

So brought my car in today for the following:

-blistering paint
-creaky driver's window
-creaky driver's seat
-odor eminating from A/C
-threads pulling through leather perforations
-streaking from windshield wipers

I know this are minor things but on a one month old $30k car, this is B.S.!!!

any comments or advice is appreciated...

btw, bought a $15 turtle wax bundler, includes carwash, carwax, tirecleaner, wheelcleaner and interior treatment... seemed decent enuf for me, what do you all think????

lastly, anyone know anything on cleaning windows w/windex & newspaper? thanks

Strannik

Stoner Invisible Glass - at www.moreshine.com - I got it at Salvo Auto Parts in Baltimore - GREAT stuff, and safe for tinted windows.

JetJock

Don't believe that post about not using the recirculate button. If you live in a humid area you will get more odor's from using the fresh air mode. I know that sounds strange but consider:
The hot humid air has to have more moisture removed than recirculated air.
There is still plenty of air infusion in the car on recirculate.
The moisture is what causes the odor's.
If the air outside is clean,dry,and "fresh" use the normal mode.
When the outside air is not ideal use recirculate.
I've been doing this for over 1 year and my car still smells like new inside and I've never had any odor from the AC except the usual "clean AC smell" that is refreshing and clean.
I will use the outside air mode if the air is fresh but where I live this is not during the summer. Leave it on recirculate unless you are driving in area's where the air is fresh. (not here on the east coast in the summer)
Try it for a while and see for yourself.

phatratpak

Well after being loaned a GMC Sonoma (only other option was geo metro) I will take back my car tonight.
I was told there was tree sap on the paint and windshield which caused streaking and clumping of the sap. Any ideas on how to protect against this? just clean and wax the car?
They could not replicate the A/C odor so I'll try leaving car on reciculate more often...
I'll have to bring the car back in a week to have the window motor in driver's side door replaced because of excess squeekiness...

Hope this is the last of it, I miss my baby so much... btw, poll:

Best name for my ABP 2003 tl type-s, finalists are:

Bart
Sampson
M.J.

thnx,
-Mike

mike_snyder

I'm with JetJock's post. I almost always use the A/C with the recirc. The air in MD in Summer is humid and I'd rather smell my intestinal gas recirculating in the car than the sh&*% air outside :yack: anyday. (my passengers may not like it. ) I've never had any funky odors in the A/C vents from using recirc.

FTM-1

JetJock I live on the east coast also. I am about a 120miles or so to the south of you in Washington D.C. I think its a lot more humid here than there. I just posted to what I know about this situation. I have had my car for over 2yrs. This is by the way not my first HONDA product as I have been drivng them for 22yrs now all brand new cars purchased by me.The bacteria I know can grow in the system. But as I have had the same ordor with my 90 ACCORD some years back & my 94 ACCORD the car that I had before my 2000 TL I can say what I know. I always take my cars to the dealer for service except tire work. When I had my 94 ACCORD I went in for service one time & picked up some HONDA TECH TIPS from the dealer One of them was HOW TO USE YOUR CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM. A common problem in the FAQ was that ordor musty ordor from A/C . It stated that this was stale air trapped in the system. The solution was to use the system in the fresh air mode & not keep it in the REC mode all the time. When I started doing this on my 94 ACCORD I never had that problem again. I had been using the REC all the time & then turn the car off with it set in that position. When I restarted the car I would get that stale air ordor. I had that car for 6yrs & had this problem when I 1st got it & wondered why. This was not all the time but it never happen once I folowed that tip. I have never had that problem with my TL. But it was sure a common FAQ by HONDA owners. If you read the owners manual it will telll you how to use the A/C climate control. It states after the car cools down switch back to FRESH AIR MODE. I don't know if anyone else uses their A/C more than me not even some of the FLORIDA guys. I have allergy conditon & I start using mine when it hits 60 here in D.C. I hardly ever have the widows down & use the sunroof. I am not saying do not use the REC just don't keep it there all the time. This came straight from HONDA. Trust me guys on this one I would not tell you wrong. I use my REC but only when the air is stinky or fumes like bus smoke or foul ordors. I ofcourse use it to cool the car down quickly. Like I said it is a very common problem know by HONDA & I am sure other automakers. This was a tip I read from HONDA as to a problem that was a FAQ.

phatratpak

thanks a bunch FTM-1 for that lengthy and informative response. GUESS WHAT GUYS!!!! got my permanent plates today!!!! Hope they'll be on my car when I pick it up from teh dealership tonight, I'M SOOOOOOOOO excited!!!

-peace&love

BTW, where do you live in DC, I'm in suburbia MD...

FTM-1

I live in the city N.W. part off 16TH STREET by ROCK CREEK PARK

phatratpak

oh nice area, I had friends who were staying off of Connecticut Ave. by the zoo... I work in chinatown at Atlantic Video Inc.

phatratpak

I picked up my car and it's looking good, now with perm. plates... nothing makes me appreciate my tl type-s more than driving that f***in truck for a day...

phatratpak

I know it might not mean a lot to you guys since most of you have much sweeter looking cars, but here's mine! I'll post a better pic once I do a thorough cleaning...
[IMG]C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\Mike\mycar.jpg[/IMG]
btw, that ugly maroon P.O.S. was my old car...

rock

Blowing the fan on high at the hottest setting for a while seems to always work for me. I'm thinking that the hot air might kill the bacteria/mold that may be causing the smell. While on the freeway, I just open all the windows and keep the heat on high for a bit.

phatratpak

hi guys, so I finally washed my car but ended up with a s*** load of water spots, how do I prevent this in the future? did I wait to long before drying? thanks

phatratpak

So I"m getting 17-18mpg in the city and 24 when I'm lucky on the highway. Any ideas as to why? The heat &humidity of DC this time of year? Anyway still waiting for the dealership to call me with replacement motor for my squeeky driver-side window... when they do I'll complain about the fuel economy plus the center arm-rest that continualy spontaneously flies up and the STILL squeeky driver's seat....

phatratpak

Do you bring mudguards to a body shop or just paint them yourself?

phatratpak

Firstly, I'm still only getting between 20-24.5 mpg no matter what kind of driving it is (even sole-highway driving)...

2. I'm thinking of getting the moon visor (too much wind noise) but I want to see a pic. of one to decide if it is aesthetically pleasing... so someone please post a pic. thanks all...

-Mike

Strannik

Went to NY this weekend, was getting more than 29 mpg. Mostly going 65 with cruise control on. I only wish the car could steer itself, could have taken a nap. My baby is smooooooooooth...

Strannik

I don't beleive it's $.05, but will it really work - just replacing switches? Would love to do that! Any ideas?

miwa

to ftm-1:

you mentioned:
I don't know if anyone else uses their A/C more than me not even some of the FLORIDA guys.


I resent that!!! j/k .. anyway, thanks for the interesting post about 'how to use your climate control' Unfortunately, its so darn hot here in miami that.... without recirc, the fan doesn't blow hard enough to cool u down ..especially if you're stuck in traffic. at least that's 'my' take. Some people are probably not as tolerable to the cold and they're fine with it. I drove an intrepid for a week while my TL was in the shop and .. let me tell you, if nothing else, that intrepid was COLD. the wind was like a brisk breeze and it got icy cold really fast. I have YET to see that in my TL.

samkws

sunroof rattle
armrest rattle
both seats rattle....

phatratpak

samkws
seats - i don't know, mine squeek sometimes but I was told to WD40 where the seatbelt buckle locks in...
armrest - bring to dealer have them fix & replace if necessary...
sunroof - no clue

samkws

not the sunroof itself...but that sunroof curtain rattles if it is pulled down...

i have to closed up whenever i am not using the sunroof...

phatratpak

no problem with the curtain either, sorry

phatratpak

So I just made a trip to Ithaca (upstate NY) and man did it take a toll on my car, driving at 70-90mph and then the ****ty roads and constantly going up and down a monster hill.... but my baby made it through brilliantly, apart from getting so dirty (wet leaves all over)... And I did get about 23mpg for the end of that trip and some city driving. Have appointment for my first oil change (which I have a free coupon for from Acura) next Wednesday and I'll have them look into why I get such poor fuel economy.

I finally did a good pefromance test on my car and got up to ~130mph, and it was as stable as at 90mph, I LOVE THIS CAR....

ps. my g/friend made fun of me cuz I kept apologizing to my car for it getting so dirty...