acuratl26

Hi all,

I have a 2000 TL with about 147K miles on it. I am due for the following maintenance and am looking for guidance on the best choices for them:

1. Tires : I currently am running Yokohoma Avid Touring-S (205/60/16's). I plan to stick with the same specs. Would you recommend any other brand for replacement? The car is used for daily commute to work (about 12 miles one way) and is driven carefully (no peel offs). Also, I am looking for best gas mileage and lowest road noise.

2. Oil: I need ot get the oil changed. I was planning to go with Mobil 1 High Mileage. Is this recommended? Or should I go with Honda Genuine?

3. Power Steering Fluid Flush: I was asked to get a PS Fluid flush done when I had bought the car. Is this necessary? What are the symptoms I need to watch out for, in order to take a call on whether I need to do this or not? Can I do this by myself?

4. I am seeing that the Emergency brake light on the dash is acting funny. It comes on when I am driving and hit the brakes, and goes off as soon as I hit the gas a SECOND time after I had hit the brake. This is not happening regularly, but just occasionally. What could be the cause for this?

5. The outside temperature reading on the dash is WAY off when I am in my garage. It seems to be ok when I am on the road, but gets messed up in my garage. It never did this before.

Any thoughts/suggestions on these points would be appreciated.

ndoghuntsville

If money isn't an issue, put some michelin primacys on it (if they make them in that size, I would think they do) I put a set on my 02 tls at costco for $651 out the door. And they are great now they have 13k and are pretty darn quiet.
Otherwise if you want some budget tires ive heard kumho isn't to bad. But I know michelin primacys are rated at 55k for my type s
Oil: I highly recommend you use vavloline maxlife full synthetic. I found it at walmart for $25 and it has some of the best additives for higher miles. The synthtic blend maxlife would be second choice if full syn version isn't available.

Only use honda ps fluid! I changed mine. And it made the steering just a little smoother. But the real benefit from changing it would be that it will proling the life of the pump and rack.
So its really required just like an oil change is(lol just not as much) if you city drive the car alot my general rule of thumb would be 50k miles otherwise maybe 100k. But maintaining the steering fluid will prolong the system just like changing oil prolongs the engine. If its not done eventually something will break down.

And the outside temp wont be correct because you are in the garage. And it works most accurately when going over 15 mph(well thats what chevy said about another car I have) but I assume it's the same idea.

Can't say much about the brake problem other than make sure its not engaged at all and the sensor is functioning properly

Skirmich

1.- The AVIDs are a High Performance tire not meant to last.. Im using the Yokohama YK580 Long Lasting Thread and Im very happy with it, It is not marketed as a High Performance tire yet it can handle some rough corners easily when I step on it..

2.- Never use a "High Mileage" anything those oils are a Scam! If you want the very best stick to Mobil 1 Extended Performance syn Oil..

3.- A full flush is recommended every 4-5 years it is recommended to use Honda Genuine Power Steering fluid but you can use most off-the shelf oils with no problems.

4.- That light works in 2 situations: When you use your E-Brake Pedal or when your Brake Fluid is low! You should check your brake fluid.

5.- The temp gauge can be off the moment you start the car, when you move the reading becomes more accurate since the sensor is on the front bumper it needs airflow to work.. To adjust the reading hold both buttons on the dash (Trip and Reset) for 5 seconds and the number should fluctuate from -3 and +3 which is your range for adjustment.

01tl4tl

ck craiglist for a tire place with odd names like Forceum and countries of origin.
MY 01 sports some summer performance tires with a tread design right off the Kuhmo line - per the installer, made by kumho under a different name
Only for 80 bucks each 225/18s mounted balanced taxed and out the door!
Fine for every day use!! I wont buy name brand again!

RONE

The brake light means your brake fluid is low.

I only run Mobil 1 full synthetic in my vehicles. I previously raced motorcycles (road courses), and Mobil 1 kept my bike's motor running like the day it left the assembly line - even held up to running at Daytona! An oil that can handle full throttle runs to redline in 6th gear, and then stay at redline in 6th gear for 15 seconds per lap, is a great oil.

acuratl26

Thank you all for your responses.

I am looking to replace all my 4 tires with the Falken Ziex ZE-612. The reviews seem to be good on them and they are costing me about $390 out the door with taxes.

Also, The Mobil 1 that I use is Full Synthetic. It is this one: Mobil 1 5W-30 High Mileage Full Synthetic Motor Oil, 5 qt. - Walmart.com
Would you all recommend me to change it and use something else?

Finally, for the Brake fluid, can I top it up myself? OR will it have to be bled out and replaced?

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

Don't use that high mileage crap..

Just get Mobil 1 EP Mobil 1 5W-20 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil, 5 qt. - Walmart.com


I had Falkens on my car and it rode like shit, noisy as hell. I've learned to spend money on tires that are rated good and/or that people recommend from experience.

Skirmich

^^ Agree my last Falken Ziex were real noisy and a Hankook tire I had to send back because it was intolerably noisy I didn´t even put 100 miles on it. OP, You gotta test the YK580.. I can only swear by them.

If you are already using Mobil 1 EP then there is no other oil to recommend, you are already using one of the best. And yes you can top the brake fluid yourself.. No need to bleed out unless you feel a spongy brake pedal.

Ernest72

Skip the Mobil one and get motorcraft 5w20 sync blend. It's 17 bucks for 5 qts at Walmart. I have 185k on a 02 TL and 96k on an 05 MDX using this oil with No issues. These engines are rock solid. Maybe if you were racing than full synthetic for the heat, but normal driving almost any oil will do provided it's the correct spec.

01tl4tl

IF the brake master res is low = you have a worn brake pad issue!
ck them immediately
Also the cap for res has a problem with the slider/float inside- it gets sticky and moves or doesn't move when its supposed to
Flip cap upside down and ck warning light
New caps are ~35$

What color is the brake fluid? grey, brown, general ugliness?
anything but nearly clear-- is old and ready for a flush- should be flushed-changed completely every year, MAX between flush is 2 years!
or bad things happen in the brake system
A bottle of DOT4 brake fluid is $5, get 2 for the job

acura_fantacy

I had yoko avid as last set, no real complain but they got noisy when wore down. I have Pirelli P7 currently they seems quieter and handle snow better. Have 12k on them now, they are great.
Oil I use regular mobil 1 5w-20 from costco, 5-7.5k change interval, no issue at all.
I recommend stick to genuine Honda ps fluid, it doesn't need change often, id rather spend a few more bucks for peace of mind.

Timski

1. I have 2 Acuras. 2003 CLS and a 2003 TLS. I put Pirelli P7 on the TLS - not a performance tire and I think they are kinda loud. Then for the CLS I went with the Primacy MXM4 - quiet and much more of a solid feel over the Pirellis. Would buy the Mich again. Go to Costco.

2. I run Mobil 1 synth. No issues.

3. PS fluid - just go Honda. I had to flush it twice to get the old black looking crap out. Get a couple bottles.

4. I had my TLS in for the airbag recall and I told the dealership to see why the BRAKE light was on. They said they changed the bulb. Huh? Ok whatever. 2 weeks later - BRAKE light back on. Res is full and brakes look good. Just keep driving. Ha

thoiboi

Falken Ziex came with my TL and I really don't like them. Can't wait to replace them to be honest..

Second the Costco/Michelin route if you got the moneys for it, nice quiet every day tire with decent tread life. I had them on my old Accord for years and when they went out, replaced them with another set.

Seconding OEM PS fluid and Mobil 1 EP

acuratl26

Thank you all for the responses. I have gotten all the maintenance items taken care of. Here is what I did:

1. Went with Pirelli P7 Cinturato AS Plus. I had planned to go with the Yokohama YK580s originally. But DiscountTire tole me they will take 3 days for the order to come in. I almost had 2 accidents due to the poor grip on the previous ones. So, had to get it done ASAP. I am liking the tires for now. They seem super quiet and seem to have a nice grip. But then they are still very very new. (I am not too inclined to spend for the Mich Primacys - so went with the P7s)

2. Used the Mobil 1 High Mileage Full Synthetic, which I had bought a while back. Guess I will stick with it.

3. Did a PS flush using the Acura PS fluid. It took 2 bottles.

4. Did a Brake fluid flush using the Acura brake fluid. Surprisingly it only took 1 bottle. Both the PS and Brake fluids were dark and begging for replacement.

5. Looks like the temperature reading seems to be ok now.

Thanks to all those who gave their recommendations.

Next on the list is the headlight replacement. I have already bought the 6K D2Rs from HID Extra. I think I will replace them this weekend.

acuratl26

Update:

I replaced the headlights, and everything looks well. However, the headlights I replaced with are the HIDExtra D2R 6K ones. Just out of curiosity (since one of the bulbs was turning on only occasionally), I only replaced the headlights and NOT the ballasts. With the OEM ballasts, the headlights seem to function perfectly well. When I checked with a mechanic (who also incidentally has the same car), he said that these OEM ballasts are pretty reliable and there is no need to replace them unless they are also shot. Also, replacing the OEMs will mean replacing the OEM housing OR resealing the bulb wire opening with silicone. This was not recommended.

Is this a fair observation? Any thoughts.

On a different note, I am on the second transmission for the car. The transmission as it is does not have any problem. However, when I am in the tiptronic mode, whenever I upshift from 2nd to 3rd, I can feel the standard jerk, which I dont feel in other gear upshifts. Is this normal? Any recommended RPMs at which I need to upshift? I see that at about 2750-3250 RPM, the jerk is not as bad (in fact sometimes it is pretty smooth too).

VietxGunna

Saw some really nice TL last week at the Sumospeed Nightmoves meet. Any of the owners here on the forum?

01tl4tl

26= your buddy may own a TL but he doesnt know about them!!
In here, you find actual gurus of each area of the car to assist you and keep from
blowing money on bulbs... when you need a replacement KIT to fix the problem

Buzzman996

Plus 1 on vote for Yokohama YK580's, quiet and can dance when they are called on. I just got Pennsoil Platinum 5W-20 on sale for 32.99 & choice of oil filter, so I got K&N. Also a $10 dollar mail in Pennzoil rebate till Nov. 30th. So $22.99 for full synthetic w/decent filter. Of course I will fail on mailing in the rebate, but I think you can do it online and email your receipt.

Chojun

What procedure did you use to flush the PS fluid? I need to do that to mine. I've heard of putting the front up on jack stands, attaching a hose to a bottle from the PS pump outlet and starting the car, walking the wheels side to side until empty. Is that right?

Skirmich

^^ Pretty much... Just don´t let the PS get dry for too long, Put 1 quart of ATF as your first flush since ATF has cleaning additives..

Once the reservoir gets empty keep refilling with PS Fluid until you are done.