Well, I took my TL in yesterday because the check engine light came on. The service tech said that there is nothing that can be done because the way that gas is now mixed will indicate to the sensor that the gas is too lean. Until there is new software from Acura for our cars, nothing can be done. He reset the system, which de-activated the light and 20 min later, the light was back on.

I'm really not comfortable with this "non-solution" because what if something does happen to the engine and I am unable to be alerted because of the indicator light already being activated. (??)

 

The gas is too lean? as in lower octane? you mixed regular with super?

 

Did the tech say it was because gas is now being mixed with ethanol instead of MTBE?

 

I think MTBE is in the same catagory as ethanol, it's a oxygenate. The 04 thru 06 TLs are designed to operate on oxygenated gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol by volume and up to 15% MTBE by volume.

 

It sounds like, and is, a load of crap - find a new dealer.

 

That's bullsh*t! I've been getting 10% ethenal gas at my local gas station for what? 3 months now, and no check engine light. Your Acura dealership is retarded like so many Acura dealerships out there. So they expect you to do nothing but constant reset of the check engine light? The vehicle won't pass the inspection with that light on. Who's this retarded service rep? He ought to be fired!

 

I agree. Try another dealer. It is not an acceptable solution.

 

Where are you located?

 

As above this explanation is total crap. If the ECM is reading lean that means it's compensating somehow - like pulling timing - to help avoid knock. What octane gas are you running? Many things can trigger this error code such as a bad oxygen sensor etc. Someone doesn't know what the heck they are talking about and tried to get away with a fast one. Finding a new dealer is some good advice .

 

Bingo. Gas quality has nothing to do with this.

 

Well, I took my TL back to Pohanka (northern va) because, of course, the check engine light came on again (15-20 min after getting it back from the dealer). So now, my TL has been with the dealership in service (almost 2 weeks) awaiting an OK from their Acura rep to replace burnt fuel injectors.

It seems that if your TL is burning gas with more than 10% ethanol, this can ruin your fuel injectors. Now, I'm hoping that the Acura rep will OK the fuel injector replacement and fuel tank drain all at Acura's cost...all at no charge as a "goodwill gesture" as the dealership is putting it.... (??)

I'm starting to get pissed off and do not know what my options are...

 

Ethanol shouldn't have any effects on the fuel injectors. In Michigan, 10% ethanol is mandated in every brand and grade of gasoline. My '03 TL-S and my brother's '05 TL have always been run on 10% ethanol gasoline. No problems at all -- your car just has a defect, that's all and they are blaming it on the ethanol.

Anyway, like others said above, a lean condition has nothing to do with the gas quality. The description "lean" or "rich" pertains to the ratio of air to fuel in combustion. So yeah, it could be the oxygen sensor, or like they are doing now, it could be a defect with one or more of the fuel injectors.

Good luck.

 

anthracite06TLNAV,

I did not see your reply to the question of what brand of gas and octane you are purchasing for the TL?

Do you use the top tier gas?

http://www.toptiergas.com/

DEFINITELY stay away from older/poorly maintained/low-traffic gas stations.

 

I had the same problem about two weeks ago. It actually has to do with the gas station not maintaining there filters and tanks. With the new additive in the gas, the station is required to check and replace the filters on a timely manor. NOt replacing filter will some how allow water to exist in the tank. this will inturn lower your octane level and will reduce performance or trigger a CEL and not allow you to engage in Vtech completely. My buddy is a technition and he said they have had about 12 people come in for the same thing in the last week. I think your gonna hear more about this if some of the gas stations dont maintain there tanks and filters. althought im sure many of them due maintain them, there is going to be that select few to stay away from.

 

Where are you buying gas with more than 10% ethanol? I've never seen E85 around NVA and you shouldn't be using it.

My other question would be, have you been using an octane enhancing fuel additive?

 

E85 is different from 10% ethanol gasoline. E85 is 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline.

10% ethanol gasoline is mandated in Michigan, so to answer your question, you can find it anywhere in Michigan.

 

So what do we do when the E85 is shoved down our pump's!! I uderstand its only a matter of time..

 

Where do you get the gas from?

 

I asked about fuel with MORE THAN 10% ethanol, not EQUAL TO 10% ethanol.

 

There is not enough available biomass to generate the amount of ethanol required for every car to run on E85 with curent alcohol technology. A relatively new company claims greatly increased alcohol yields with bio-engineered formulas, but they are secretive enough to where it may not be much more than the "cold Fusion' nonsense awhile back. Unfortunately, greens and liberal journalists have been using this company's figures to predict our future. Brazil runs its cars on mostly alcohol, but only a minority there can afford cars and Brazil has stripped wholesale areas of jungle to grow biomass.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1938027&page=1

SAO PAULO, Brazil, May 8, 2006 — Amid the samba-pulsed chaos that is Sao Paulo, Brazil, a revolution in fuel efficiency has emerged in the world's fifth largest city.

When Brazilians say fill it up, they're not getting the oily mix Americans see at the pump, which is 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol.

They get pure ethanol, as Brazil now produces 5 billion gallons of the sugar-cane distilled fuel annually. That's enough to power three-quarters of the nearly 2 million cars South America's largest country makes every year.

The production advantages are obvious — with sugar cane the energy source is above ground and can be produced for $30 dollars a barrel. Today a barrel of oil is priced at more than double that.

At the Brazilian pump, ethanol is nearly half the cost of gasoline. It also burns cleaner and is the leading reason this country is now entirely energy independent, no longer buying any oil on the foreign market.

"The empire of oil is coming to an end," said Roberto Rodriguez, Brazil's agricultural minister. "Wherever you go in the world, people are looking for replacing oil."


Pays to Make the Switch

The switch away from oil has been 30 years in the making, as the Brazilian government started its ethanol program during its first fuel crisis.

The changeover took federal encouragement, because the car companies, oil companies and the Brazilian people all needed a nudge.

Gas dealers were forced to offer ethanol at their pumps, and car buyers who purchased flex cars that are built with the technology to run on ethanol, gasoline or a mix of both received tax incentives. Today ethanol outsells gasoline, and three out of every four new cars sold is a flex car.

Once drivers start driving these vehicles, the economics take over.

It would cost $529 in gas to make a cross-country trip from California to New York in a Chevy pickup. To make the same trip in the same vehicle powered by ethanol would cost $218.

And some Brazilians even say their cars have more power when ethanol is pumped into the tank.

"My car has 111 horses with ethanol and 100 horses with gasoline," said Fernao Ciampa.

But ultimately price is the bottom line, even for an eco-friendly driver like Ciampa.

"At the end of the day, if the prices are not good, you are not going to be saving the world," he said.

Could ethanol replace large amounts of gasoline in the United States? The stations selling it in Brazil carry familiar brand names, but American oil companies would have to be convinced it makes sense to invest in distributing it. As for the new car technology, the leading producers of flex cars are Ford and GM.

 

I've been getting 93 octane from different gas stations... and have not used any fuel additives. I'm really wondering about this Sunoco gas station in Ashburn though... I'm just worried that this may have compromised the vehicle in some other way. How do I know that this is all that needs to be done to the car? Damn I miss my TL... I've had this TSX loaner for about three weeks now. Also, I'm telling you, the TSX gas mileage with Auto AC on is no better than the TL's in town.

I hope that I never have to give the TL away for this long ever again.

 

If it were me, I would not call or demand that the car be repair quickly. I would let the car stay at the dealership for greater than 30 days. Then you can invoke the lemon law in VA.

 

Im in the SAME boat as you right now. My '04 TL has been at the dealer (Open Road in Wayne, NJ) for a little over a week now.
I burned out 2 fuel injectors and Acura is not covering this as a warranty issue because they are claiming that the fuel that they tested had 12% enthanol and that is the cause.
So now they want me to foot the bill to the tune of +-$600.00 and have basically told me "too bad - Acura isnt covering it so you are responsible - you have to go back to the gas station you get gas at.
I always run 93 Octane - and flip between 3 stations, depending on the price and never let the car get below 1/4 tank - so how in the heck do I know which station the culprit is!
I am VERY disappointed in Acura on this stand they are taking!
~Lynn

 

I've never heard of any company fixing their respective cars when they were apparently misfueled.

You need to get the report from them. But then you would need to get samples from the stations you go to and have them analyzed. Chances are they got a bad batch during the changover to summer blends and aren't even aware of it.