gainful

DOes the 04/05 TL really have more build quality problems than 03- ? I have seem half of the customer ratings on edmunds reporting rattles, broken CD changers and other things that shouldn't happen to Honda.

ranberndt

I have an 04....23k miles....I have had no problems....nada...ziltch...

o.k. my seat memory module was clearing, but it was replaced very quickly.

I also had an 03 TLS.....no problems there either.

RB

TLer

You can visit any car forum and you'll see there are numerous problems so it is no surprise that the TL suffers from the same fate. But all in all this does not mean it is not a great car - it's TLERRIFIC!!

r10apple

I had a rattle in my door and dash: fixed first time each
I had warped my rotors at 12k miles: replaced rotors and changed pads under warranty
I had a new tranny at 35k miles: no biggie, 4 day repair w/ Cadi rental
I had a new throttle body at 70k miles: under warranty, 1 day repair w/ loaner
and have had ZERO problems with anything else at all...

As far as the CD changer, my wife and my kids cannot figure out how, no matter how many times you tell them, to properly change the disc in this auto loading system. The same for the Toyota--they simply try to force the disc into the unit. I've probably seen someone complaining about the changers every time I go to my dealer for service. I bet it is user error 90% of the time...

gainful

The "customer rating" section of edmunds website is a place where people usually praise their car and express their excitment about the purchase. It is not a forum like "problems and solution", where people tends to look at the bad side of the car more.


Since I have seen 50% of the posts reporting problems in a forum where the majority of posts are supposed to be accolades, should we say there is really sth going on with the build quality?

I admit 4gen TL is a blast to drive, but the build quality is another thing. Just like you got a gorgous girl, and it doesn't mean she is necessarily faithful, right?

ONAGER

just over 10k on my 04 without 1 issue....

LessisBestmakingendsmeet

I read this forum for awhile before joining and read about all the problems. A friend had his tranny replaced out his TL-S and told me to stay away. I didn't, I like the features. Yes my car has problems but I want nice NAV and audio. And I like how it looks.

leeherman

I can't compare to other Acura models and years, but I'm very satisfied with my 04 TL.

I only have two complaints:

1) The Bridgestone EL-42s. They're fine in the dry, and I don't have experience in the wet or white stuff, but the flat-spotting is annoying.

2) The 55-60 MPH/@1,500 vibration. It's there, and a bit annoying, but not too bad.

Other than those relatively minor issues, everything is as it should be. Leather creasing and stretching isn't news. It's what leather does. My car has slight creases and stretching as I would EXPECT. My '99 Toyota Solara has the same thing. I haven't had to return to the dealer for any repairs, and just did my first oil change myself.

Based on overall performance/comfort/amenities, the TL is the best car I've ever owned. That award previously went to my '93 Toyota Camry, and I'll be very satisfied if the TL holds up anywhere near as well as the Camry did.

Happy holidays!

Dkrudop

Closing in on 11K here.......no problems at all. I'd buy another TL in a heartbeat!

leeherman

If there's one law of human nature, it's that people don't go out of their way to say something when they're satisfied, but they get very vocal when they're not. This is exemplified no better than at this forum.

I spent several months reading the various threads at this site prior to buying my car. I wouldn't have bought my car had I not taken into account human nature and weighed the various things I'd read here. There were certain issues that came up repeatedly that seemed relatively minor, such as drooping headliners and tire complaints, and the only real cause for concern as I saw was the potential for transmission trouble.

I discounted my fears of transmission trouble based on the relatively small number of complaints. I chalked up most of the other nagging issues to anal owners (sorry!) or early production issues.

If you REALLY study this forum, you'll see that 99.9% of the complaints are repeated by a few members, and they're "relatively" minor. Those of use who don't have complaints have shown "blinding enthusiasm" as you put it, because the cars meet or exceed our expectations.

Regardless of the product or source, it pays to carefully weigh the nature of the comments carefully to make an informed decision.

Happy holidays!

Flippie

04 TL. Purchased in Aug 04. Currently 8500 miles on od. I have had none of the problems that have been reported in this fourm. Lucky ???

Flippie

And I love this car. Best car I have ever owned.

Novice

9500 miles on my 04 TL. I like my car. But:

Glove box malfuction (replcaed by the dealer).
Front driver seat sagging (dealer fixed but the pannel pops out occasionally).
Front driver seat bolster vinyl on leather peeling (cover replaced).
Rear deck rattle (I fixed it).
Driver side window frame rattle (I fixed it).
Sun visor rattle (I fixed it).
Glove box rattle (I fixed it).
1500 rpm vibration (I hate it).
Flatspotting (tire replaced-it is better now).
Butt prints on both front seats (oh, well, what can I do?!).
Occasional popping (doesn't bother me that much).

MR1

Well Stated!

I had a '94 Legend prior to purchasing my TL. We also have an '02 MDX and a 1993 Delsol so I am familar with AHC products. There were also a few other Hondas dating back to 1978. Counting on the forums only, I might not have purchased the TL. My personal experience with Honda has been 95% positive. My TL experience so-far has been 100% positive, 0 problems.

Minor things have gone wrong with the various cars and most have been taken care rapidly under warranty if it applied. There have also been some minor disappointments. Overall, I'm very happy with my TL and Honda in general. I have a much higher opinion of them then GM, Ford, DC, and VW. I have no direct experience with Toyota, Nissan, BMW or Mercedes.

neuronbob

Click on the "1 year review" in my signature at the bottom of my post. It has a list of my reliability reviews, which I update every three months. It gives a pretty unvarnished view of the strong and weak points of the new TL. I hope it helps you, gainful.

gainful

2K2SilverTL-S

My 04 is definitely of better build quality than my 02 TLS. It really is a gem of a car for its price.

Xpditor

I have had my TL since April 04. My third brake light in the back window did not go back tight after tinting. I will have it replaced under warranty when I go back to the dealer for the first time. It's not a major bother. Just about a 1/4" gap that lets the light thru.

No other issues. Tires are OK. I can duplicate the slight rumble at 1500 RPM in 5th if I try (to see what people are talking about), but it does not bother me in day to day driving. If it does, I just shift to 4th.

If this car is as good as my 1990 Maxima that was problem free for 14 years, I will be happy.

clocks

I only have about 3300 miles. So far I have a few rattles and the butt prints. Nothing major, but a little disappointing considering how new the car is. I have read a lot of great things about Acura before my purchase, so maybe my expectations were too high. I guess if I can stay away from any mechanical problems, I will be happy.

To balance my feedback, I am happy with how the car drives, performs, the layout of the interior etc. It is a very nice car in that respect.