So here I am, 2 months and 4200 km's into my 2004 Acura TL Dynamic and I have a few minor complaints and one potential major problem,
first the minor complaints/problems:
1. Those squeaky bloody Brembo brakes...what is up with that.
2. 2 inner door handle guards (plastic covers) have just popped out and landed on the laps of passengers, very cheap, and very annoying.
3. Rattles....far more than I was expecting from a car in this class.
4. The tow hook cap on the front bumper keeps popping out...again cheap.
Now the one that has me worried.
On Friday heading home from the office I came upon a large Transport moving slowly on a steep hill, I slowed and then had to come to a complete stop.
The driver had stalled the rig and was having trouble getting going, Being on a blind hill I was very reluctant to try to pass, but after about 2-3 minutes I tried....all of a sudden the engine surges to about 5000rpm and the car stops moving, yes my foot was completely off both the gas pedal and the clutch, and still the car did nothing, I finally turned off the car and rolled back down the hill to figure what the hell and just happened, did the fly by wire system have a temporary glitch, I called both the service manager and the sales manager but as of 9am Tuesday I have not heard anything (we had a long weekend up here in Canada)
Any thoughts??? I must admit I am having second thoughts about this whole deal............It's a shame because I do like the car.
Cheers, Manumad (United 3, Millwall 0, come on you Red Devils)

 

I have to agree, the brakes piss me off... no car that runs in the $45K (CDN) should sound like a beater... I have had a few rattles as well, but after driving an '02 Mustang for a few years, I cant say they're really that bad (Then again, the rattles in the Mustang were due to a 1200w stereo... herm).

I hope it is not a flaw with the car. I have done it before where the RPMs temporarily skip into the Red due to uneven road surface (Again, in my Mustang, not the TL), and that will usually cause the engine to cut out... but 5 is rather far down for that to occur... keep us informed...

 

your only mistake is being Canadian, but not much we can do about that, eh?



J/K....sort of

 

Hilarious...

 

sounds to me like the drive by wire system(not fly by wire those are in fighter jets) musta had a glitch. i know some of the earlier versions of the ecu software needed to be changed. i thought this was only for the 5AT but i could be wrong. the rattles and poor quality of finish should be addressed bu your dealer. its unaccepable to have quality issues like that.

 

my brembos have never squeaked

 

Just curious, who is your dealer ?

 

You can check for my previous posts where I've complained about the Brembos also.....7k miles and they still squeal loudly.

 

Didn't someone mention the same problem a few months ago with the engine surging to 5000 RPM and the car not moving when they accelerated? I can't remember who it was, but maybe someone will remember the person.

 

No_Remorse... I had an Audi A6 4.2 that cost over $50K U.S and the brakes squealed constantly. It was downright embarassing, but I was told by the dealer that this was a result of the metallic linings and there was nothing that could be done. Unfortunately, that (and brake dust) is what happens with some of the high-performance brakes.

Manumad... I can't address any of your other issues as I have a 5AT and haven't experienced similar problems (including rattles). I hope the dealer addresses your major issues.

 

They called just after I posted my comments, so we will see how they handle this issue, they gave me a Toyota as a loaner for the day?????
And I'm actually British, I just chose Canada because I like to freeze to death for 5 months of the year and then sweat like a pig for another 3....just kidding fellow Canadian TLers, The Service manager I talked to called Acura Head office and they have no mention of this problem on there books, I will wait and see what the dealer says, The brake issue is a bit of funny thing though, I feel like I'm driving a knackered old bus every time I come to a crowded corner and stop....I wish they would offer a cross drilled set of rotors for this car with a better quality pad upgrade.
Cheers, Manumad

 

That sounds familiar to me, too, but I searched and came up empty. It was an older thread, I guess.

 

Yes you made mistake so go sell ur TL, you Canadians are lucky that you got Acura in Canada........ So stop complaining :p

 

Sound like our kind of guy. Move here and freeze for 3 months and sweat for like a pig for 5. Some Brits from the Tower and the Leeds Arms Museum were in town last week for the opening of the local arms museum. Commenting on local weather during May, our best month, "rather like living in a pressure cooker isn't it."

 

I wonder if owners of ultra luxury cars who spend upwards of $80,000+ for a car bitch as much as we do?

 

probably not cause if they bought an 80K car the fit and finish should be damn near perfect.

 

Well, my Brembos also squeal. I have yet to take it to the dealer but I will. And if they don't fix the problem, I'll take it back again. And if they still don't fix the problem, I'll take it back again, and again. Too expensive a car to have to be embarrassed every time you come to a stop.

 

This is true, especially for german cars. My Audi A4 and BMW 323i had break squeal and lots of dust. The softer the break the better the stopping power but the more dust and as a result more squeal.

 

Trust me, I spend TONS of time on the Bimmer.org E65 7 Series board chatitng about my E65. The car was 86K and some guys on there even have the 130K 760Li. And they ALLL bitch, seemingly more than u guys here! LOL.

My 86K 745i had several rattles, interior parts fading and rubbing, ON AN 86K car. Doesnt seem to matter HOW MUCH money u spend on a car these days. :rocketwho

 

DITTO...mine either...(fingers crossed )

 

People who think the price of a car somehow determines its state of "perfection" are in for a rude awakening.

I made a point of attending a large number of car shows as well as going to some high-end dealerships. I've sat in everything from a $450,000 Bentley to a $15,000 Kia.

Memorable moments...sitting in a $150,000 BMW sports coupe and having the arm rest come off in my hands when I moved it...the cup holder fall off when I opened it...and the glovebox refuse to latch despite six or seven attempts, plus another half dozen attempts by the dealer sales rep. Finding out that the Lambourghini Countach's windows don't roll all the way down...that its seats don't fit half the people who sit in the car...that the shifter requires you to put your elbow in your ear to use.

In all the experimenting I've done, I only found a few cars where the dollar value seemed to have a close association with the quality of the car. The Lexus family...the Acura family...and (don't laugh) several models of Jaguar. I'm not talking here about long-term ownership quality (since I haven't owned any of these cars, except for the Acura, over the long term), but in terms of every piece fitting "just so", and everything feeling solid and well built. The Bentley was pretty nice, too, by the way, but at nearly half a million dollars I have no real rational way to benchmark that.

So far, between my wife and I we've owned three Acuras. They have impressed me in every way. Naturally, your mileage may vary. As I think I've said in other threads, I'm sure there are people out there who have had tremendous ownership experiences with Fords and the like- if you are having trouble with Acura, why not try something like a Ford or GM product? Maybe you'll be one of those folks who finds that particular car to be ideal for them.

 

Brake squeal pops up all kinds of cars regardless of the price. My Maxima had brake squeal, my TL has brake squeal, a friend of mine with a Lexus has brake squeal...

 

Have you been in a new(er) S-Class mercedes? Lots of issues for that price range. The TL is probably put together better. The new Audi A8 is pretty sweet though, but you could buy two TL's for the price, easily.

 

My brakes squeeked when they were brand new. But that went away and has never come back. That's what big brakes do. My brakes got a good workout after the car was worked in though, that's probably why they don't squeek anymore.

I've never experienced any other the other problems so I can't comment on those.

 

you made a mistake sell it..... :o

 

-------------------------

and no rattles either; after 10+ years (course it cost $60k when new, too).

Larry
94 740i BMW
71 1800 Volvo

 

I just sold my 528iT and we still have a 330xi in the garage. Fine car.
But if you think you guys bitch and moan, you should read some of the stuff in the Rondel (the bmw cca's) magazine. Talk abouit a bunch of babies....WOW !!

 

A friend of mine had an E46 328Ci, an X5 4.4 and now a Z4. He's admitted that all are rattleboxes but just says, "you just live with it and enjoy it for what it is". If a few slight rattles are going to bug you then, get a Camry and take up a hobby besides cars.

 

SOLUTION ...

1) Turn stereo up

2) Lower Windows or Remove T-Tops(if fitted) or Lower Roof(If convertible)

3) Driver Faster

4) Install better(louder) exhaust

All the rattles mysteriously dissappear when ever you follow these simple steps, I know, as I do this every time I ride in my '99 TransAm