Is the repair shop trying to rip me off???
03-06-2014 | 08:17 AM
#122
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From: NW Ohio
Nope I hadn't given up. Its done and its running strong. My parents are driving it down tonight to pick me up for midterm break. i don't the exact cost for the job but the engine was $550 lifetime warranty, $650 for labor, $170 for ASIN timing belt/water pump kit, $8 for oem rear main seal, and another $60 or $70 for fluids and spark plugs. So around $1438 total. Still unsure on what exactly caused the engine failure... Now for the bad news. Sometime in the 8-9 weeks I've been without my car the rear bumper was punctured. 
I haven't seen it yet but I know it wasn't damaged by the police officer pushing me through the intersection the night it happened or when it was towed the night it happened. After that point it was the last time my parents or I saw the car until they picked it up a few days ago. Its been towed two more times since the night it stopped working and its been to two other shops and the dealership. My parents have called all parties and no one is owning up to it. Apparently the second towing company that picked up the car from the dealership didn't grab the key so they towed it on wheel lifts. Also another possibility is that the plow company that plows the lots at tireman or the lots at the dealership could have hit it. We are going to call the dealership tomorrow and ask them to check the cameras if they have them... It seems like its one thing after another. The only thing positive that could come out of this is possibly getting lucky and finding an a-spec rear at a salvage yard. 
I haven't seen it yet but I know it wasn't damaged by the police officer pushing me through the intersection the night it happened or when it was towed the night it happened. After that point it was the last time my parents or I saw the car until they picked it up a few days ago. Its been towed two more times since the night it stopped working and its been to two other shops and the dealership. My parents have called all parties and no one is owning up to it. Apparently the second towing company that picked up the car from the dealership didn't grab the key so they towed it on wheel lifts. Also another possibility is that the plow company that plows the lots at tireman or the lots at the dealership could have hit it. We are going to call the dealership tomorrow and ask them to check the cameras if they have them... It seems like its one thing after another. The only thing positive that could come out of this is possibly getting lucky and finding an a-spec rear at a salvage yard.
03-06-2014 | 08:26 AM
#123
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From: New Berlin, WI.
Your radio code is missing? It should be in the glove compartment or you might have to actually go to the dealership to get a new one.
The a-spec rear bumper is actually the not the bumper but a lip kit that you add on to the bumper. a-spec is also the rear spoiler of the car.
Shown here a-spec front lip and rear spoiler.
The a-spec rear bumper is actually the not the bumper but a lip kit that you add on to the bumper. a-spec is also the rear spoiler of the car.
Shown here a-spec front lip and rear spoiler.
03-06-2014 | 08:37 AM
#124
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From: NW Ohio
Your radio code is missing? It should be in the glove compartment or you might have to actually go to the dealership to get a new one.
The a-spec rear bumper is actually the not the bumper but a lip kit that you add on to the bumper. a-spec is also the rear spoiler of the car.
Shown here a-spec front lip and rear spoiler.
The a-spec rear bumper is actually the not the bumper but a lip kit that you add on to the bumper. a-spec is also the rear spoiler of the car.
Shown here a-spec front lip and rear spoiler.
And I know what the lip kit is. Bad wording on my part but I was saying maybe I would get lucky and find a rear bumper with a lip kit already installed from a wreck at the salvage yard.
03-06-2014 | 08:47 AM
#125
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: New Berlin, WI.
Radio Code
If you have the code you enter it into the head unit and it will unlock the radio. No need to do anything else. You probably have 3 or 4 chances before it locks you out. The code is in the glove compartment box on the side facing the radio. If you don`t have the code the dealership can give it to you. And no you don`t have to remove the antenna to put in the code.
If you have the code you enter it into the head unit and it will unlock the radio. No need to do anything else. You probably have 3 or 4 chances before it locks you out. The code is in the glove compartment box on the side facing the radio. If you don`t have the code the dealership can give it to you. And no you don`t have to remove the antenna to put in the code.
03-06-2014 | 08:49 AM
#126
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: New Berlin, WI.
Also finding a rear bumper with the a-spec rear lip on is improbable but not impossible. If you find one like that buy a lottery ticket that same day, you never know you might get lucky twice.
03-06-2014 | 12:12 PM
#128
It's an OEM kit, not Aspec.
The car code is either inside Ur manual (should be written on a card) and/or a sticker in the glove box. It's a set of 5 numbers.
Luckily for me i don't have the 6 disk changer and the code was written on the radio itself.
The car code is either inside Ur manual (should be written on a card) and/or a sticker in the glove box. It's a set of 5 numbers.
Luckily for me i don't have the 6 disk changer and the code was written on the radio itself.
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TLer trash (03-06-2014)
03-06-2014 | 04:27 PM
#130
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From: NW Ohio
The sticker was no longer in the car, there was only the smaller sticker i mentioned earlier... I called the dealership, and then they referred me to the original dealership in new jersey to get the code and then the original dealership had me call the acura Corporate offices to generate the code by using the serial number of the radio. So the radio is working now. Two more minor issues and then more bad news. The auto up/down feature for the drivers window is no longer working the dealer said it has to be reprogrammed. They said it is a way to do it manually does anybody know how? And the same for the mirrors tilting down when in reverse. Is there anyway to manually enable the features without taking it to the dealership? Now for the bad news. Not only is my bumper punctured but the body work by the wheel well on the passenger side is damaged as well with chips dents and scratches. I feel like i'm just having the worst luck and the dealerships, shops, and towing companies supposedly have no idea how it happened. I'm thinking it was the third towing company that damaged my car, They took my car from the dealer as if it was a repo, they went in to let them know they were taking the car but they didnt even grab the key. Their whole process of towing my car just seems sketchy.
03-06-2014 | 04:34 PM
#131
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Joined: Feb 2006
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As I recall, push the window switch down, and hold for 3 seconds after it stops. Push the up button, and do the same. I think you have to re-do the mirrors as described in the owner's manual, and which I have forgotten.
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cant_TL_me_nothing (03-06-2014)
03-06-2014 | 07:47 PM
#132
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From: NW Ohio
Ok windows are reprogrammed. Now I just need help with the mirrors. I dont have the owners manual to follow so does anybody know the process to manually reprogram the tilt function when placed in reverse.? Also since no one is owning up to damaging my vehicle and we don't have any or much evidence pointing towards any party we are just going to call the insurance company and try to get it covered as an act of vandalism since the vehicle was not involved in a collision or being driven at the time.
03-07-2014 | 07:53 AM
#133
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From: Indianapolis
Ok windows are reprogrammed. Now I just need help with the mirrors. I dont have the owners manual to follow so does anybody know the process to manually reprogram the tilt function when placed in reverse.? Also since no one is owning up to damaging my vehicle and we don't have any or much evidence pointing towards any party we are just going to call the insurance company and try to get it covered as an act of vandalism since the vehicle was not involved in a collision or being driven at the time.
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cant_TL_me_nothing (03-07-2014)
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cant_TL_me_nothing (03-07-2014)
03-07-2014 | 09:19 AM
#135
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From: NW Ohio
03-07-2014 | 03:19 PM
#137
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I talked to the mechanic and he said the fan belt was not replaced. He said to spray some WD-40 on it while the car is running so that's gonna be me first step. I'll have to check to see if the belt will need to be replaced.
03-07-2014 | 04:14 PM
#138
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Considering that our TL's are getting older with over 10 years and 100k driven miles of wear......things like rubber belts and hoses tend to wear with age. It's rather cheap insurance to simply replace these items when it's convenient. The idler tensioner and accessory pulley bearings can be checked by the WD40 method or removing a belt. Check the simple stuff first. Try turning the wheels to see if the noise changes. Turn the AC on/off, etc.
03-07-2014 | 06:41 PM
#139
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From: NW Ohio
WD-40 on the hose stopped the squealing, i'm gonna drive it around later tonight to make sure its gone. I'll replace the belt eventually. So Everything besides the additional damage is taken care of. Here is the situation with that. Sometime between the 31st of December and last weekend my car was damaged. The rear bumper is punctured and there are scratches, chips, and dents above the passenger side rear wheel. There are traces of white and gray paint. on both areas. The insurance adjuster came out and looked over the car took pictures etc... Now for the tricky part. My mom had place The car in storage jan. 14th in the midst of trying to figure things out and repairing the vehicle. Since it was not being driven and we "had" trust in the companies working on my car it was placed in storage until it was finished. The car is now back under full coverage... the insurance adjuster says they are in a holding pattern until they work out my coverages and see what I am covered for. He said it looks as if it was most likely a collision in one of the parking lots with another vehicle. So this is what i'm dealing with now. The damages could be covered or they could not be covered depending on their ruling.
03-08-2014 | 07:20 AM
#140
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Replacing the bumper cover with a used one from a salvage yard and painting it shouldn't cost much. More than likely, less than your insurance deductible. If ya could afford storage, ya can afford to repair this out of pocket.
03-08-2014 | 08:04 AM
#141
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Not literally in storage, but storage with the insurance company, so comprehensive only... since it wasn't being driven. I've searched local salvage yards and i'm coming up with nothing, I've been checking craigslist for part outs and cant find anything either.
03-08-2014 | 08:50 AM
#142
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From: New Berlin, WI.
Looking for a bumper from the salvage yard for my TL was impossible. I ended up finding one on Ebay. A salvage yard owner is a customer of mine and he basically said when certain items (bumpers, trim and panels) show up they are already sold the minute the car shows up at the yard.
Check Ebay look for free shipping, primed is less expensive and painted more. And if there is a used one on there really go over it as much as you possibly can with the posted picture. Most of them are in harsh shape.
Check Ebay look for free shipping, primed is less expensive and painted more. And if there is a used one on there really go over it as much as you possibly can with the posted picture. Most of them are in harsh shape.
03-08-2014 | 09:44 AM
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I didnt find all too much on ebay, there was a white Bumper for $89, the matching oem lip kit was being sold separately as well FYI if anyone is looking for the rear lip kit it was under $100... I'm gonna wait until monday when i hear back from the insurance company before I do anything.
The squealing is still there im thinking its the serpentine belt which probably just needs to be replaced. Anyone have an idea of where i can get a good belt from?
The squealing is still there im thinking its the serpentine belt which probably just needs to be replaced. Anyone have an idea of where i can get a good belt from?
03-08-2014 | 04:53 PM
#146
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I didnt find all too much on ebay, there was a white Bumper for $89, the matching oem lip kit was being sold separately as well FYI if anyone is looking for the rear lip kit it was under $100... I'm gonna wait until monday when i hear back from the insurance company before I do anything.
The squealing is still there im thinking its the serpentine belt which probably just needs to be replaced. Anyone have an idea of where i can get a good belt from?
The squealing is still there im thinking its the serpentine belt which probably just needs to be replaced. Anyone have an idea of where i can get a good belt from?
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3.2TLc (03-09-2014)
03-09-2014 | 08:35 AM
#147
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From: NW Ohio
So I got the gates aftermarket belt and its installed now. The squealing is completely gone. And now I can say she runs strong and quiet as can be. Looking forward to this 2hr drive in a few hours.
I have the back end stitched up with zip-ties so i can bare with the damage for a few days. I'll check car-part.com to see what I can find.
I have the back end stitched up with zip-ties so i can bare with the damage for a few days. I'll check car-part.com to see what I can find.
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