TL Stef

Hi everybody, I'm new here and loving my new car, except for one thing: the brakes.

I bought an 07 TL about three weeks ago and it now has about 700miles on it. From the beginning the brakes felt soft, but I didn't think too much of it as the car was brand new. However, after three weeks of driving it, they've barely improved. Also, there seems to be a greyish-blue film on the rotars. I've spoken to the service department and they will take a look at it, but that's not for another week.

So my question is, do any of you feel like your brakes are mushy/not very responsive, or at least when the car was new? I have driven an '06 and the brakes were fine. Also, what's the normal break-in period for brakes?

My second question: do any of you find the ABS overly sensitive on this car? In all my years of driving only once have I had ABS come on, yet the other day I barely touched the brake pedal and it kicked in. Now it's possible I braked on black ice since there was a fresh accident straight ahead of me, but that incident combined with the unresponsiveness of my brakes under all other driving conditions I'm loosing confidence in this car!

Thanks for any input.

Bob289

While I was test driving my 06 TL before I bought it I notice the brakes a little soft for a new car. I asked the sales person and he stated thats how the TL is. He also notice it when he bought his TL last year. After a while I guess Ive gotten use to it I dont notice it anymore. And for your ABS thing, Ive never came across an ABS problem. It take some hard braking for ABS to kick in. As you stomp on your brakes your brakes will tap your rotors really fast so they dont lock in and you lost control of your car. If you have ABS problems I would take it up with the dealer.

Welcome to the fourms.

lusid

Brakes - I drive the 06 TL, and personally I think the brakes are pretty touchy. Then there is a engine type slow down from 45 - 20mph. So who knows if it's normal or that's how it's suppose to perform. I've gotten use to it by now so it doesnt bother me too much.

ABS - If there is snow to any degree, the ABS is very touchy. I live in MN and snow comes and goes but if there is even 1cm of snow on the ground accumulated i'll notice my ABS coming on frequently. So I do think it deals with where you live.

What state are you from Stef? How cold was it that day?

driver87

The brakes on my 06 Anthracite have always been pretty fairly mushy, even from day 1.

Will Y.

Welcome to Acurazine.
Brakes are supposed to be "broken in" or bedded pretty quickly- certainly within the 600 miles general break-in period for the TL. My '05 brakes are firm. The ABS also very rarely kicks in, but I do drive like granny and am in SoCal traffic anyway.
See your dealer service. It sounds like there is air in your brake fluid which must be bled out. A couple of members had bad master cylinders or proportioning valves-- rare, but it happens.
G/L.

terminex

Your brakes should not be "mushy". Do a search and you will find several threads regarding how to change the pedal pressure required for the brakes.

Desert_TL

I think the brakes in my 06 TL are VERY sensitive and VERY touchy. There shouldn't be any mushiness in the brakes.

lusid

I'm going to have to agree on this statement, it's so touchy that i barely have to hit it to see a response.

twinair

I bought a brand new 06 TL in November 06. I did notice that the breaks were a bit soft and shed a hell of alot of break dust for about 600 miles. After that not much brake dust and the breaks feel normal - actually very sensitive and responsive. I feel break force if I just touch my foot on the break pedal. Your breaks should improve as mine did after about 600 miles. If they do not improve by 1000 miles definitely have them looked at.

6spMike

When my 06 was new, the brakes were great, then within 1000 miles, they got mushy. The pedal travel went from under an inch to around 3 inches. It took a while to get the dealer to realize it had a problem, but they ended up replacing the ABS accumulator, I think (under warranty). They are still perfect now with 15k on the car. I posted the whole story in a thread in the July time frame.
Mike

TL Stef

I live in PA. Don't know how cold it was that day...probably around 25F or so.

TL Stef

That's how the brakes are on my other car...an '06 BMW. That car stops on a dime, which is probably why the brakes on the Acura are bothering me so much. There is so much of a difference between the two cars that whenever I get into the BMW I'm nose-diving every time I brake!

csmeance

brkaes on 06 and o4 tl's are very touchy, the 05 i had is as well. I really don't know the color of the brake fluid, but it could be possible that it is leaking onto the rotors

binTL

Yeah be careful when u move from the bmw to the tl. I do this all the time but i dont drive the tl that much since it is wife's car unless we go long distance and i dont feel like shifting gears that much.

binTL

and oh yeah, you got to bed the brakes in, it wont happen by normal driving.
google bedding brakes and you will get a fair idea and be safe and dont get tickets..

BLACKURA_NY

iTrader: (6)

bottom line... TL brakes are pretty bad, on the automatic of course. Mine suck. i bought an 06 , complained the 3rd day. they replaced my master... i still didnt like it.... finally they told me, the brakes are very very mushy on the TL/MDX and alot of people complain. Its normal.


as for the ABS? in my experience..... it kicks in toooo often. If im braking, as i go over a bump, it responds and the brakes lose most of their stopping power. 1 year old, im finally really used to it.


still wont drive her in the snow =)