TLstrat

I know this topic has been mentioned before. I need to tell my story.

My '04 TL 5AT VIN range is 35xxx and the tires are the "new" formulation yet my car has an annoying vibration felt through the steering wheel and pedals in the morning during my 15 mile commute to work at >50mph. It doesn't get much better during the drive to work when the tires have a chance to warm up. I've tried taking different routes to rule out the highway , however I still experience the problem. There's no vibration in my '01 Integra GSR with the OEM Michelins.

I've brought the car to the service dept at my dealer twice.

Service #1 - I was told a wheel weight fell off and they rebalanced the left front tire. This did nothing. I noticed 0.0 miles driven between the time I dropped off the car and picked it up.

Service #2 - Was told the tech and the service consultant didn't feel the vibration. They did nothing except ask me if I wanted to schedule an appointment with the district service manager who will test the car.


I will leave the car overnight and they will drive it in the morning.

I have owned / driven performance imports for years and have never had this problem.

I love my TL, however this vibration is driving me crazy. It just doesn't feel right.

THe service manager told me that the TL's he's seen with the "tire issue" feel like you're driving on triangles"

If the district manager blows me off where else can I turn? Should I rotate the tires and see if that helps in the short term?

Should I just get used to it?

Aquineas

How much tread life do you have on your tires? At 33000 miles in less than a year, you probably have about 3 months of tire left, judging by your mileage... I hate to suggest that it might go away on its own, but it just might when you replace the tires.. In any case, good luck

Lore

The easiest (but not necessarily the cheapest) thing to do is to simply replace the tires with a brand you prefer.

TLstrat

4,500 miles in 3 months. Noticed the vibration issue from day one. Just too busy to bring car in to dealer.

I don't know what Acura can do for me. They'll probably try to give me 1 new tire which wil be totally unacceptable to me. I'll just replace the tires myself and send a note and a copy of the bill to RIchard Colliver, EVP Sales @ Acura corporate and see what happens.

Scott GN231

Check out the comprehensive problem list thread at: http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=62

Some have discussed another vibration that appears to be unrelated to the tires, particularly on AT cars. Here are a few of the threads that I found from a while back:

*Vibration at 55+mph / unknown / Two independent issues here: (i)suggested cold flatspotting of stock tires; (ii) auto transmission programming or TCC solenoid.
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...ight=vibration (discusses both)
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...ight=vibration
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...ight=vibration
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=67438 (on tires)

Good luck, be sure to post results.
-S.

DMZ

Who's your dealer TLstrat?

You paid good money for a supposedly good car, don't get used to anything!

Either raise hell if you don't get satisfatction, or do what many of us did,
DUMP THE BULLSHITSTONES for a set of 'REAL' tires like Falkens!
.
.
.

AcuraTl203

I have an 00TL and on the highway my car had a vibration that kinda felt like u were driving on that sleep strip that makes your car vibrate if you are about to run off the road, Acura replaced the wheelbearings and it was gone, maybe it could be similar for the 04, all i know is i will never buy another acura again

Xerxes480

Definitely raise hell - I (like others here) have already fought this battle - http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77257.

I will tell you now Acura Corp/Customer Service will NOT do anything to remedy this. Can't hurt to call and at least get a supprt # though, so you can use this as ammunition with the dealership. In the end, my dealership came through for me and bought back my EL42 tires, and installed Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. I paid the difference, which ended up being about $300. Problem solved - ride is nice and smooth now. You paid a lot of money for this car, you shouldn't have to put up with vibrating tires in my opinion.

Good luck!

-X-

Tread

TLstrat,

I wish you much luck with the district mgr.

One thing is for sure, don't let them tell you that the vibration is a normal charactoristic of the car, this is the kiss of death, as then you can not work the Lemon Law against them.

I too have issues with a vibration that occurs at 50-60mph, and at the same time makes a low pitched sound. It occurs when maintaining speed, and not accelerating, or slightly accelerating.

I have found this not to be the tires, but what seems to hit a resonance frequency to create this effect. I changed the tires to P Zero Nero, and the dealership changed the wheels with no effect, that is why I belive it is not the tires/wheels.

I checked MDX.org, and there they are having a similar problem, but it occurs at higher speeds and at 2000 rpm, where as mine is around 1400-1600rpms. MDX people say it is the exhaust system, and removing several mounting points eleminates it.

I have not done that yet, but it sounds entirely plausable with the TL as to the cause (exhust being too rigid and vibrating at a certian engine speed causing the whole car to vibrate) with the new cast in headers and all.

For your sake I hope this is not your issue also, as from reading the MDX site, Acura has been working on this for two years on the MDX without releif yet.

I wish you much luck and let us know what they say about your vibration issue.

TLPAPii

Bro Call Acura Customer Service, Make Sure You Take Names From Whomeva Helped You.
See How Quick They Will Slove Your Problem!

AngelR

Did you ever get the issue taken care of?

GTFISH

There is a problem with some 04 models that goes farther than the tire issue. My car is on its third visit for this problem and after the fourth it is eligible for the "lemon law" relief. Hope to meet with my district/regional service manager to get this resolved. I honestly don't think they will be able to fix it and know of the issue.

AngelR

I'm having the same problem, my car has been back there about 5 times, they balanced, rotated, put on a new rims and now they are replacing all 4 tires. I guess they spoke to some regional service supervisor and he said the problem was the tires. So I'm hoping this solves the problem or I'm going to seek legal action. Let me know what happens with you

kevd

Do any of you have vibration problems on the 6mt? I test drove one the other day, 750mi on it, in 3rd doing 53 mph at about 3k rpm and it had an annoying vibration. I was not accelerating, I was just staying in this range between 50 and 55mph. When I told the salesman, he just said "really? I've never heard anybody say that before". Also, the front bumper paint was bubbling and peeling, but that's another story.... I left a little dissapointed. I hope Acura addresses these issues because aside from these quality/design issues the car is fantastic. Unfortunately the vibration alone would prevent me from being a buyer.

AngelR

mine is a 6spd, and the vibration sucks, I'm coming close to getting rid of the car

Road Rage

My VIN is in the 55k range. I had not had any problems with the tires, until I let it sit for about a week at an airport, where it went through number of thermal cycles (hot, cool, hot...). While driving off upon my return, I did feel some flat spotting type vibes at around 40-45 mph, but I just did some "F1 tear warming manuevers" and got the rubber moving, and they went away.

What is amazing is that the RE050 Potenzas on my beloved Khan (the 2004 S2000) may sit for 203 weeks with nod riving, and never flat spot.

Although i did not buy this TL to be a sporty car, the rubber is suspect. I will likely replace well before they wear out with Michelin Pilot A/S's. Rubber is the only thing between you and the road - I do not believe in skimping*, and if the EL42 is indeed a dog, i recommend biting the bullet, swallowing pride, and investing in rubber you can trust. But that is just me.

*Evidence - I will replace the S2000's tires in 4 years, which will be 10k miles, no matter how much tread is left. The heat/cool cycles degrade the rubber, and it is dangerous to assume that the handling is the same as when it was new, since the tires "ossify" no matter what you do.

finishline

I am now up to 10 tires on my 5 month old car.

Sherlock

I have successfully used the lemon law on my current TL (soon to be a new TL) due to the car vibration that they are unable to fix. If the dealers give you hell, call corporate (ACS), if they ignore you, file with the BBB and your State Lemon Law Office.

Once acura got my notice from the BBB, all was solved, I never even formally filed Lemon Law papers.

They can give you all the ignorance they want to, until it goes on their record, which the BBB and Lemon Law does, that shows up in public records.