Nomad346

I've had my WDP for about three months now and I've been loving every minute of driving it. The major issue I had was some peeling paint on the front bumper near the headlights. But the dealer offered to repaint it for me so I decided to do it.

I want to get some feedback from the community regarding a rather odd issue that's a bit hard to describe. First, is it just me or is the steering on the TL just too sensitive. I mean a small divet in the road causes the wheel to shift either to the left or right. The really odd issue I've been having is that if you apply the brakes hard when the car is coasting over uneven or rugged lanes, the steering wheel again seems to pull to a certain direction. At first, I'm thinking maybe my brakes are warped, but there is no vibration or any pulling on even surfaces when I apply brakes. I mean, I can even take my hands off the wheel for brief instances and the car keeps going straight. But on uneven or slanted roads, pushing on the brake seems to cause the steering wheel to pull.

It's indeed weird, anybody have suggestions? I really don't want to take it back to the dealer unless I absolutely must. You are always gambling taking the car to the dealer. I've heard too many horror stories. They just don't care like us owners do.

wrooni

See the following Detroit Free Press review>

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/Detroi...4/04/22/453022

In June, the guy retracted the review because there were a bunch of suspension-related problems with that particular car. perhaps yours, too?

Road Rage

It is not the steering, it is primarily the effect of bad roads and large low profile tires. For some folks, this is the first time they have really been exposed to this combo - my car tracks just fine. I must have a lemon - I do not a fraction of the "issues" some report here.

pettydw

Do not believe anything you read in the Detroit Free Press about "imported" cars, since they want to sell papers to folks largely employed by the domestic industry. Ever been to Detroit? You won't see imports, but you will see tons of slow selling, unusual domestics (Aztecs, etc) offered at fire sale leases to employees to clear inventories. The roads in Detroit are the worst I've seen in the USA and especially bad for low profile tires. They are concrete with years of scabby patches.

Even on smooth roads, low profile tires tend to tramline the worn tire paths and other irregularites. It's the tire and wheel combination, not the car. On smooth, flat roads, the factory setup is awesome.

Eduardo

For me this was the 'deal breaker'. For *me* the TL's steering and handling was not to my liking. It felt too overboasted and 'floaty'; hence me buying a 330i ZHP. Just my opinion.

Nomad346

I tend to think it's a combination of the large wide tires and the poor roads too. Coming from a second generation Altima, the TL is really my first exposure to a performance oriented sedan. I'm already use to the steering wheel sensations, and outside of that am really enjoying the car and it's wealth of amenities.

e46m3

The car's steering is overboosted and that is a bad mistake for Acura, IMO. What bothers me is that it is very un-Honda like especially that I've owned more than 7 Hondas so far including a 2nd Gen TL. It's mind boggling why they over boosted the steering.

It is not the low profile tire that causes the over boosted steering feel as I've driven and owned so many low profile tires including my current E46 M3 with 275/35 series tires.

Tram-lining depends on tread design as I've found out so many times.

IMO, the power goes to waste because the over-boosted steering fails to inspire confidence on spirited driving.

Road Rage

The NSX and S2000 have numb EPS, so Honda has plenty of precedent. That the cars are awesome to drive anyway suggests man does not live by steering alone. Sure, I'd like 911-feel steering on all my cars - but then one has to deal with the 911's other irritants.

Eduardo

[QUOTE=e46m3
...It is not the low profile tire that causes the over boosted steering feel as I've driven and owned so many low profile tires including my current E46 M3 with 275/35 series tires.

Tram-lining depends on tread design as I've found out so many times.

IMO, the power goes to waste because the over-boosted steering fails to inspire confidence on spirited driving.[/QUOTE]
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very well said as my 330i ZHP also has the large 18 inch rims and low profile tires. I have yet to see the tires and uneven road conditions cause difficulties driving.

aGenKa

[QUOTE=Road Rage] That the cars are awesome to drive anyway suggests man does not live by steering alone. QUOTE]

haha if only that was in the bible

Ted Johnson

I spent a couple of months in Detroit last year (Southfield area and commuting to downtown about half the time) and I was amazed at the number of imports on the road (simply because it is the home of the American auto industry). The only thing different about the mix (from another large US city such as Philly which is the area where I live) that I noticed was that there were a larger number of cars of new models that had not penetrated in volume to my home town. (The number of Chrysler Pacificas, for example, was very noticeable.) I didn't see many Aztecs at all -- but it rained a lot and, as you know, Aztecs are water soluble <G>!

Regards,
<TED>

awood

Agree with all these comments.

I said something similar when I first started looking at the new TL...

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89937

wrooni

pettydw,

good point about the Detroit Free Press. Nonetheless, the guy must've gooten beat up by his readers because a couple of months later he printed a retraction, blaming his impressions on problems with that particular car. He said that the handling was greatly improved after the car had been repaired.