Hi everyone!
Im in desperate need for some help and/or advice on what I should do...
recently, I took my car to a small Local shop to get a few things fixed. On that list are rear struts. Me being a girl and not knowing too much about fixing cars had thought they ripped my car apart and stole stuff. I was so mortified the way I got my car back. But of course I didn’t notice right away because I clearly don’t sit in the back seat. After a few phone calls and a bit of research, I found out you do take out back seats to do the rear struts... okay fine whatever, BUT there are still some things that don’t make sense to me... (pics will be posted plz refer to them)
first, I have a baby seat on the rear passenger side that has been there for over a year, never been moved... and all sudden I find a couple indents that just doesn’t match up to where the car seat has been for the PAST YEAR.... There’s also a couple indents rear driver side that appeared out of no where and
NO ONE sits in the back seat, (besides the baby but in the car seat on the opposite side)...
second... I called up the acura dealership and asked if the tl type s have different part numbers and the guy said yes it’ll be different compared to base model. So I had my brother help me undo the seats and I found some numbers but what I found didn’t match what the dealership gave me..... so if anyone knows about part numbers and where to find them plz let me know if what I found are not the numbers I’m suppose to be looking for or if they really swapped my seats out for base model or something. I wana know if the shop swapped out my seats before accusing them of doing so/and or go to the police..... but those indents... those random indents is whats making me scratch my head.... please help!!! Someone, anyone, please!!
thanks in advance,
sincerely, a girl who’s desperate for answers


Random indents that doesn’t match up to the car seat

Another view of it

Random indents where no one sits

Not sure if these are the numbers I’m suppose to be looking for

 

What year and model TL do you have? Looks like 2007 or 08 TL-S based on 2 tone interior.

Those look like the right back seats and that's the date code from when the seats were made, 10/2007. The part number would have been on a sticker that's long gone by now. Those indents are caused by how the staff/mechanic took care of your seats. They probably put the heavy top seat back on top of the bottom which is way softer and made the indents. The portions on the other side are where a bolt is that is a PAIN IN THE BUTT to remove and put back so I understand why it's there. You can use a heat gun on low or a hair drier or steamer to heat the leather and it'll shrink back or leave in the sun for a few days.

You can google the DIY to remove the back seats and do the suspension and you'll see that the back seats have to come out, and you'll see metal brackets on the top seat back that match pretty well with the indents on the lower portion from improper storage while working in the car.

Are the rear shocks making and noise or a lot better now? Did they do an alignment after putting on the shocks? What other work did they do? How many miles on the car? Hope you and baby are safe and lots of happy and safe miles!

 

It’s 2008 Acura TL-S. I bought it brand new in 08 and am still driving it. I’m pushing 150k miles now. I’d like to say I take great care of it and stay on top of maintenance. I do need winter tires soon though due to New England weather!
But I originally brought it in for a “grinding noise” and come to find out it’s like a bunch of things wrong. They told me it was Front and rear complete struts assembly, rear stabilizer links and bar bushing, right upper control arm, and rear catalytic converter. Not sure if they did an alignment but the car doesn’t pull while I’m driving and no longer makes any noise!

 

And thank you for pointing out what the indents could be from... guess that makes sense... and I’ll try the hairdryer and see if that works. Thank you!

 

The indentation might be cause when they work on coil assembly lay it over something, the whole rear seat has to be removed. Glad to see another TL being well kept, I don't missing the New England winter at all lol. I used to live in CT.

 

Front and rear struts: FCS makes some cheap ones for the front for under $100 each from rockauto.com which work great! I'm running those on my 04TL

Rear stabilizer bar links and bushings should have been done with rear struts, labor is less than an hour to do.

Right upper control arm? The ball joint can be replaced vs replacing the whole arm for way cheaper. Same for lower control arm bushings!

Rear cat: you can buy used ones pre-cat deletes which removes them. But it could be as simple as a bad o2 sensor for the rear cat.

 

I’m in MA. But thanks for pointing out what the indents could be from