I've got a question for those of you who are really familiar with the innards of the Acura TL. I was in a minor accident a couple of weeks ago, where I rearended another vehicle. The damage would not have been so bad if not for the tow hitch of the Jeep I struck. The radiator was punctured and pushed back into the cooling fan.

Anyway, my real problem is this: Upon impact with the other car, my electrical system completely shut off. The engine shut off, along with the radio, power locks, and essentially everything else. The only thing that worked (fortunately) were the hazard lights.

So is this a safety feature of the Acura TL? If so, how do I go about getting the electrical system turned back on? The body shop is just about done with my car, but is currently baffled by the electrical system... no broken wires, no blown fuses, no dead battery.

Any advice on this one? Thanks!

 

Well, if the battery & cables are indeed good, it sounds to me like a problem in the underhood fuse block, or a damaged wiring harness of some kind.

 

I know of several older cars that had shock sensors that killed the electric fuel pump given a substantial impact. Actually had a reset button under the dash that most customers never knew about.. Anyway, maybe the TL has an even more advanced "cutoff" for after accident safety etc.....
Interesting..

 

Thanks for the brainstorming, guys...

I'm pretty sure the battery, fuse box, and the wiring harness are all fine. That's why I'm so baffled. I heard that some BMWs have an electrical cutoff, and that in an accident, the interior lights and hazards automatically turn on. That's not exactly what happened in my case, but that's why I thought I'd inquire here.

Hmmm....