Issues with my CPO 2009 TSX
 

Hi All,


So I have had my 2009 6-speed TSX for almost 5 years now. I purchased it as a Certified Pre-Owned with 26k miles in July of 2010. The warranty is 7 years from manufacture or 100k miles, whichever is first. Currently, it has 92k miles, so I am worried that they will keep stalling on this until the warranty expires.
For the past 6 months, I've been hearing a strange noise at start up which the service department and I think is the VTC actuator having issues at startup. I took it in about a month ago and they found another oil leak in the engine, but after fixing that, they could not reproduce the noise at start up. Before the fix, at a standard oil change that I always do right at 3000 miles, I had been seeing very low oil. The tech at the dealership said that high oil consumption is not covered by the warranty and is considered common.


Here is a sample of the noise (not my video, and the noise in mine lasts longer)):

Fast forward to about a week ago, and only 750 miles after the oil change/leak repair.
Now, going around the slightest corner the low oil warning beeps, the noise is louder and longer at startup, and going above 2.5k rpms in any gear I hear what sounds like a really loud metal fan buzzing until I change to the next gear or the car warms up (maybe 15 minutes or 5-10 miles of driving). Like I said before, high oil consumption is not considered anomalous to them, but having low oil after only 750 miles!?
The previous oil leak was covered by the CPO warranty, as is the VTC actuator problem which is apparently not uncommon.


My question from the forum: Has anyone had any similar issues with their TSX or any advice on how to handle it?

Many people have had oil consumption issues

Few people would go to dealer monthly get oil level checked and eventually got new motors
If you search you will find plenty of threads here and in canada with that problem

You need to find a new dealer before warranty runs out

My last oil change was with them when they topped it off after fixing the oil leak last month. I'm dropping it off again in a few hours and I asked them if they can use that as a basis for the oil consumption test. He tried to talk his way around it, but I insisted that it's what they would do anyways. Really trying to cover myself here. Don't want them to stall until it's out of warranty like you said.

The (industry) standard is that a quart of oil every 1000 miles is "normal".

I've not had any of my cars burn oil so I don't really think that a quart every 1k is "normal" but that IS the standard.

Low oil after 750 miles seems more than a quart.

While you should get a new dealer t look at the problem, make sure that it is well documented by the dealer before your warranty runs out. In that case it will be covered even if the repair comes AFTER the warranty expires - although it is obviously less of a hassle to get it fixed well within warranty.

Thanks ceb. Yeah in the past the low oil warning MIGHT come on right at or past 3k miles between oil changes. This one is under 1k. The dealer said the light comes on if the oil is anywhere from .5 to 1 qt low. Just in my experience, that seems to be totally not true.

Do you find the low oil warning to be reliable in Acuras? Is there a certain threshold where it's activated?

Thanks again.

If dealer gives you run around get the regional manager involved

Update: They just called and said they have no record of changing or topping off the oil when they fixed a leak last time so they can't use that as a basis for the oil consumption check. There is nothing in the service records they claim. I specifically remember them saying any time they find an oil leak they also fill the oil. They even gave me a sticker in my window!!

Basically, I have to start a new oil consumption test with them so they have it on record in case there is a repair or issue that requires CPO warranty coverage.

These dealers are winners

Good luck

Makes sense to me. You always fix oil leaks without at least topping off the fluids. That does bring up the question of how they fixed the oil leak in the first place.

Pick up the phone and call Acura corporate and open a case. That dealership is clearly staffed by a variety of people whose description you find in my signature block. Dealing with them is useless because they think you are one of them.

Not sure about Acura but in most cases you have to be well under a quart low to trigger the light.