Please list any issues or problems you have had with your TL and miles. I am thinking of buying one soon. I cannot decide on the 2004 or 2005. One is close to me and 300 dollars less. The 2005 is 900 miles from me. Another question, Is there a huge difference between 2004 and 2005? The 2004 has navigation; the 2005 is grey on grey. yuky color but one year newer and less miles.

 

I've only had mine for about 2 months but at 78k I had a door lock actuator go out on me but it was covered under an extended warranty I have. My mom has had her 04 since it was brand new and the only major issue was the air conditioning unit went out around 80k miles. Other than that, hers is going strong at 120k, mine at 80k.

 

Some "major" (cost-wise) problems with my 04 I bought in April 2010:

Starter failed - Replaced for free by previous owner

Rear right caliper froze - Replaced caliper + both rear pads at dealer = $720

Other than that, everything seems to be running fine.

I'm at 88k miles.

The differences off the top of my head is the steering wheel logo is changed, how the seat belt is anchored has changed, the bottom portion of the 05 has an extra stitching (04s have huge butt prints), and the emergency blinker on the 05 has the side airbag cutoff.

 

^Hit the nail on the head. Only minor changes. 06s got TPMS though, which is nice.

 

no major difference between 04 and 05. i have an 04, bought it last year at 103k, its at 122k now, no major issues that i've run into (knock on wood).

minor issues:
-rattling noises (center console, rear speakers, and my passenger visor mirror)
-my heat doesnt get really hot, just warm (looking to get this fix soon as its starting to get cold in michigan! lol)

 

OP, if your referring to Anthracite Metallic bein a yucky color then shame on you!!!

I've got the "gray on gray" as you call it and couldn't be happier with this color combo.

AMFTMFW!!!

 

I have a 04 Tl with about 145,000KM on it now.
- I blew my stock subwoofer (probably my fault for having it set to high, i was young then)
- 3rd Led Tail light problem (which is a pretty simple cheap fix)
- a few rattles that come and go (I actually think its fully gone now, knock on wood)
- battery died at about 80K and then again at 120K (both replaced under extended warranty I had)
- front rotor were warped at about 100K
- 3rd gear tranny has a hard time shifting at the moment which im going to get diagnosed at the dealer very soon

Overall I would say get the 04TL since it has a Navi built in..looks a lot better

 

Only problem i've had has been very minor stuff.

The handle on the inside of the door is starting to pull out, so I'll eventually need to replace the door panel.

The side-view mirror motors tend to lock up, and don't always return the mirror back to their original spot when using the reverse tilt.

The cup holder cover totally broke

The car uses a ton of windshield washer fluid....

I get alternator feedback or something to the radio which causes a high pitched whining sound....fairly annoying but intermittent.

The door handle caps commonly pop off, I've had it happen three times. But you can get them at a dealer for about $20 and they're incredibly easy to install.

 

Did they at least take you out to dinner before violating you?

 

I hear tpsm has issues due to heat and other things that affect the tire pressure and depending on which mechanic you take it to, they might not reset the tpsm when they rotate the tire and cause more problems. Is this true?

 

our cars have the reverse tilt on the mirrors? i have an 04 and have never noticed it going down....i wonder if something is wrong with it. is there any way to turn the feature off that i may have done by accident?

 

^The switch is to the bottom left of the steering wheel near the VSA button. You probably have the switch in the middle now. Move it either side for the desired mirror

 

wow i feel like an idiot. i've seen that switch chilling there before but never bothered to mess with it. will check it out when going for a drive today, thanks

 

haha dont feel so bad. There is a little button there that controls the heater for the mirror, make sure that is not always on. I learnt the hard way by burning the shit out of my mirror

 

I bought my '04 TL with 68K miles and it had some problems when I bought it that I knew about. Most are minor, although not necessarily cheap:

- Driver side HID igniter was bad; I spent $250-ish on parts to replace the ballast, igniter, and headlights and did the work myself.

- I have an A/C problem where the driver side blows cold and heat randomly, the passenger side works. The car reports an error code for the driver air mix controller, but I haven't diagnosed further or fixed yet.

- My driver seat lumbar adjustment doesn't work; I'm not fixing it

- My Hands-Free system will not work; It partially works, but I cannot hear anything I should hear through the speakers (voice prompts or the caller on the other end)

- I get static while listening to the radio when the rear window defroster is on

Nothing major - far fewer problems than most cars.

 

^ hey I get the same problem. Static when the resr defroster is on. Not a huge deal though, still in love with my TL!

 

thats the whole point of monitoring your tire pressure!!!
the ambient temperature outside dictates your tire pressure. Colder air will drop pressure. every time the temperature changes so will the air pressure.
you will never run under inflated tires

 

Uwish, need more info. Same tranny? Mileage difference? Maintenance logs? Has one had the Timing Belt/Water Pump done and the other due for it? (Roughly an $800-900 bill.) Having had my near-8-yr-old TL since new with minimal problems (at least up to now with 117,000 miles), my vote is for the one that was given the best TLC (i.e maintenance ahead of schedule) and driven gently. As to driving 900 miles one-way to get one...I guess that depends on 3G TL availability (or lack thereof) in your immediate area.

 

Got the car with 52,000 miles on it.

Around 54,000 Had to replace an o2 sensor which was not a big deal, car has a warranty.

Someone broke handle on passenger side got it fixed by small cover is still loose.

^ same day around 55xxx miles battery died, replaced it with an interstate battery again covered by warranty.

other then that, mirrors going down when reversing are kind go sticky maybe thats the word for it? Sounds stuck, ill look for a thread later to see if theres a quick fix.

another issue i had when buying the car was the driver mirror has brown almost brown marks, looking like water or even burn from the heated mirrors.

 

^ burn from heated mirrors

 

+1 "yucky"? i think not. AM...CLASSY

if you're looking at an 04-05..dont' need to worry about TPMS, it isn't available on those years. started in 06.

i have an 05. orginal owner. i have just under 56k mi. no major issues, but some of the notable things i've had to deal with:
-both front axles replaces at 50k mi (bad inner CV on one and bad out CV on the other-went bad around 42k mi)
-i've had the rear view mirrow get cranky with tilting down in reverse...intermittent at best, but dont' really use it
-the same rattles and ticks everyone else has
-battery going bad after 3 years
-...regular maintenance (fluids, brakes, tires).

very few issues really...then again i'm really anal about making sure the car is happy.

we need details on your choices in order to better help you.

 

What he said.

 

'04 TL that has about 179,000 miles on it. I bought it with 25 miles on it, so I'm the original and only owner.

80,000 - replaced a power steering pump under warranty.
120,000 - replaced 2 engine mounts (this is apparently somewhat common)
150,000 - SRS light came on. Dealer replaced a sensor for free.
170,000'ish - Lumbar support motor or switch stopped working. This is when I noticed it anyway.

That's all I recall. Outside of that, I have a couple of lights that are out (cruise control button cluster has one out and a seat heater. I had to replace my front brake pads once due to a defect in them around 5-10,000 miles. After that, I didn't replace them until 150,000 miles. I'm about to replace my rear pads for the first time at almost 180,000 miles.

 

What is typical warranty period for a brand new 04 TL bought as original owner in 04? I am curious whether you have extended warranty to cover the PS pump?

 

My 04 TL seems to have more problems than everyone posted here. Some minor and annoying, others are costly.

Battery dead in less than a year.
Front brake and rotor replaced under warranty twice in first year and again around 38kmiles.
Front right speaker replaced under warranty.
Front right door lock acurator replaced at own cost.
3 months after replacing PS pump hose under recall, PS pump leaked and replaced without warranty. Ouch !
Engine mounts replaced early this year.
PS pump rack leaks now and try to figure out what to do without break the bank.
Rattles here and there like everybody else but mostly corrected under warranty.
Still love the car with 87000 on it now but wish it was less visits to the dealer.
Today replaced front brake pads again after last warranty replacement in 07 and again in 05 when it was done along with new rotors under warranty.

 

Yes, I had the extended warranty.

 

I've had other things worked on/replaced due to TSBs that weren't giving me any problems. However, the following things were necessary to fix (in my mind anyway):

• Faulty turn signal relay (I had to pay for this, but it was inexpensive to fix). Turn signal made a God awful noise until I got it fixed.
• Cracked dashboard forming perfect outline of integrated passenger side airbag (dealer replaced dashboard for free ... Acura paid dealer over $2k I believe).
• Red airbag light would stay on (dealer fixed free of charge due to TSB ... something to do with drivers side seatbelt lock sensor).
• Intermittent check engine light (tightening gas cap did not fix problem; dealer fixed free of charge due to TSB ... something to do with reprogramming due to O2 sensor readings needing to change over time).
• A/C compressor clutch and coil had to be replaced.

 

2005 NBP/Ebony MT purchased used in 8/07, 36,000. Currently 92,000. Sutatami1110, I may have you on repairs.

Replaced both axles
Front rotors and pads
Rear pads
Clutch master cylinder
New Nav unit
Motor mount
Rattles
Replaced both side mirror actuators
PS pump recall
Battery
Broken interior brake lever cap
Alarm didn't work yesterday and wouldn't lock all of the doors. Today everything is fine.

I really like this car, however I have had more issues than my old 92 Accord and the car has been in the shop mainly due to parts not being readily available. Thinking about trading it in, but i don't know!

 

i will go with the 05, which is what i have right now

 

I'm at 155k on my 04 and it has been pretty trouble free. I am extremely pleased. Here's my list of non-standard-maintenance issues. Nearly all of it has been scheduled maintenance with the following exceptions:

• 37,258 Bluetooth mic making crackling noise for listener on other end. Fixed under warranty. Cost: $0.00
• 67,000 Battery died when car was 3 years old. I consider this too soon. Cost: $69.70
• 121,711 Replaced 3rd & 4th gear transmission sensors to cure transmission shudder. Cost: $129.69
• 123,000 Battery died again only 2 1/2 years after previous replacement. Again, I consider this too soon. Cost: $53.02 (1/2 year of proration applied from the 3 yr battery warranty.)
• 132,108 Timing Belt Tensioner was causing a loud noise upon startup in the cold. Replaced tensioner. Cost: $250.87
• 151,000 Replaced front LCA bushings since they were cracked. Cost: $180. (I also took this "opportunity" to replace my suspension with an A-Spec suspension. There was nothing "wrong" with my original suspension, but it wasn't performing like new and I figured 150k miles was a good run for a suspension.)

I also began babying the transmission around 80k. These cars do have transmission issues if you don't take good care of the trans.

 

I have a 2004 Acura TL. Yesterday The GPS display and top radio display stopped working. Anyone else has the same problem on any Acura?

 

Just letting you know, there are little to no differences between the 04 and the 05.

The 05 comes with a passenger airbag off switch and the seat belt is mounted to the floor, not the seat. Those are like the only differences.

Same car, just saying.

 

The 04/05 don't have TPMS - which is a cool , but not necessary feature - Seat stitching changed, Emblem on steering wheel ( 05+Emblems chip and peel unlike 04, not sure why it was "upgraded" )

Mine 06 Anthracite Metallic , " yuky grey on grey " , has had :
- New Starter $90
- New Timing Belt/Water Pump/etc $226 for everything
-New Fan Belt $20
-Rear interior door handles starting to peel , yet to be fixed
-Needs power steering pump ( are all TL's entitled to this recall? )

 

If you do a simple search for some of those search terms (especially in the Audio, Bluetooth, Electronics and Navigation sub-forum) you will find an answer.

Please don't bring back threads that are four years old. This car has been around for over a decade now, so there IS an answer out there, but it requires you to put in some simple effort to find it.

To answer your question simply: yes, plenty of people have had this problem. The issue is that the navigation unit will malfunction after a period of time. Same happened to me. You need to call Alpine (the manufacturer of the unit) and they will charge you a flat rate of $385 to send it in and repair it for you. I just did that two weeks ago and although the price is steep, consider that getting a new navigation unit costs well over $2,000.

Do a forum search for your problem and you will find details about what to do specifically.

 

I don't believe there's much of a difference between the 2004 and 2005 TL.
I have a 2004 which I love with almost 200,000 miles. Have the original clutch, just had front end work usual wear and tear.
Had the A/C serviced a couple of years ago. Really no major problems.

 

I own 2 TL's...2000, and 2004.
2000 TL:
Purchased in 2011 with 160000 miles. Main problems: 2 transmission failures 178000, 188000. First time tranny was just wore out...I went in unknowing how poor Honda transmissions are...esp on TLs and Odysseys (per my transmission guy)... I will say car had unknown fluid care history...if I ever have another Honda I got religion on changing tranny fluid yearly! Key point, however...2nd tranny failure occurred because the tranny heat exchanger in the radiator failed and dumped engine coolant in the tranny! If you replace tranny recommend replace radiator at the same time... known problem on 2000's I guess...save yourself 2+ grand! I re-replaced the timing belt (full kit) because the replacement water pump failed after 30000 miles...replaced rear wheel bearings, 2 power steering pumps... here again second failure caused when the pressure line from pump leaked and low fluid caused 2nd pump to fail (I know, right!). Rear brake line leaked and had a mechanic splice in a new line. Had a rear window motor fail, replaced most of the dash lights, replaced brakes, the windshield wiper linkage got worn and noisy, replace arms. The oil drain threads got stripped (aluminum pan!)... recommend install aftermarket (fumato) quick drain plug so you never have to remove plug again. Replaced front axles - they are cheap and I was in there replacing front right swaybar link. Replaced ECT sensor, PCV valve.
2004 TL
purchased in 2008 with 60000 miles. Key problems: Parking brake cables were frozen from lack of use by previous owners. Had some transmission issues early and dealer ran a box of ATF through tranny, seemed to help. Replaced brake pads (twice) and (eventually) rotors (rotors got warped from I say non OEM pads... recommend only OEM pads from now on). Changed timing belt (full kit) at 105000 on schedule. Transmission failed at 140000 miles. Power steering pump started making bearing noise at 147000 so replaced it. Frozen rear caliper at 147000 so replaced both wheels. Replaced master cylinder & flushed fluid to address soft brake pedal that brake bleeding could not fix. Currently passenger airbag light comes on when passenger seated... I am told its a sensor and not under warranty. The top center console with clock has an issue... back lighting flickers... seems to be a poor connection issue as I have tweaked it to improve the issue. The day after a buddy asked if my dash had cracks... it cracked!
In summary, old cars wear out... but I did not expect the tranny issues... probably won't buy another Honda, although I loved the drive of the 2004 TL. Both cars still drive very well. Lesson I learned is become religious about tranny fluid replacement!

 

I used to have a client with a 2003 Civic that killed his transmission because he never thought of changing the fluid either.
He certainly learned his lesson too after that $3000 fiasco!
.
.

 

Donna (my 04 TL) has been stuttering lately. I don't know if that's the proper term but it seems like she's having problems revving up. The engine light came on after I pumped gas (probably because I didn't tighten the gas cap enough.. Stupid me) and the air bag light just came on. It's got 190k km on it. I'm new to cars and my mechanic is slammed this week (only guy i trust) so if you guys know what this all is it might help me sleep at night. Thanks.

 

Engine shutter could be cause by alot of things simple as engine need spark plugs and coil replacement (tune up) to major item such as torque converter shutter which can be costly anything from $500-$1000 or more. However we can't give you exact answer for your car problem via internet as someone will need to test drive it and determine the root cause. Your mechanic will let you know why the airbag light is on as he has the scan tools.