Hi,

I just got an '04 TL. I noticed the side marker lights don't blink when I use the turn signal.

Are they supposed to blink?

 

Nope. Don't understand why they didn't have them blink.

 

It's less expensive to manufacture if they don't blink. Blinking side marker or "repeater" lights are only required in Europe, but I guarantee you, they will be standard in the USA one of these days. (I hope)

 

Cost wise it doesnt take much more to make them blink.......I mean think about it, they are already there........cost wise for a diff relay that would have them blink in sync with the turning signal won't cost a penny more.

It is not required, they are there more for the European look than function.

And there was a post somewhere about modding them to blink.

 

In case you weren't aware, the 3rd Gen TL IS THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD that has front fender side markers that don't blink with the turn signals. What we should have is what Acura put on the models above AND below, the TSX and RL, TURN SIGNAL MIIRRORS!

There have been some here who think this all Bling Bling. Nothing could be further from the truth as this is clearly a safety issue. On today's heavily congested roads, side turn signals may be the only way some other drivers could see your turning or lane change intensions. Why do you think side signals in the form of front fender markers or side mirrors are mandatory in Europe? Just last week, I was in front of a late model SUV whom without his turn signal mirrors operating, I would have not have known he was about to do.

This is just 1 example of how Acura cut corners on the assembly line to put a car out with all the TL has for the kind of $ they charge. What's more amazing is how many TL owners out there just assuming they do blink. Look at any European car made in the last 10 years.

... on this one.
Acura

2 relays and 2 diodes on each side with just a few feet of wire .... at about a volume cost to Acura of no more than a few dollars per side had they included them

Did mine, they work great, but can be hard to see in straight direct sunlight.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t=side+markers
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...9&page=4&pp=25
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It has nothing to do with cutting corners..............it is not a requirement by the US government.....only reason the TSX has it, is because it is just a Euro Accord........unchanged. So it is cheaper for them to keep the same assembly lines, without changing things like fenders and mirrors to not have the blinking feature.

And in congested areas like NYC, probably one of the most congested areas in the US, the markers wouldnt do much, because people don't even use the turning signals and most accidents are driver error, not lack of safety features on the cars they are driving.

 

I think for the most part the front turn signals are pretty visible from the side, aren't they? I'd still feel better with side turn signals though for sure.

 

Of course it has to do with cutting corners. Why do you think Acura did not install switches to extinguish the lights in both the glove box and center console when their respective covers are closed. It's just a way that the bean counters can save a few cents here and there. Still, the TL is a great bang for the buck.

 

No one in Atlanta uses turn signals anyway. If they did, the amber on the headlight assembly can be seen from the side pretty easily, making blinking side markers unneccessary.

 

There's no point to make it blink since it's so dim because of the dark colored lens. I wish someone can fab. a clear lens so it's more brighter.

 

It has EVERYTHING to do with cutting corners. Last week I worked with my best buddy from high school who owned an auto parts store for 28 years who helped me with the dreaded cabin filter change. He used to help customers install stuff all the time and swore that for $35,000 the interior guts of this car were cheaply made & put together and that Honda Motor Co. should be ashamed of themselves. When we had it all apart, he made comment after comment like "Look at how the hell this was put together, look how this was assembled, look what kind of quality they used for this or that", etc. This from an auto parts store owner whose owned Hondas almost all his adulthood. They could have put an access door behnid the glove box, but didn't. They could have given US models the same low windshield wiper fluid indicator they put in Canadian models.....and on and on and on.

ACURA CUT CORNERS LIKE CRAZY TO BUILD THIS CAR !!! ........ NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS!!!

PROOF:


Body Integrity ----> RATTLES, squeaks, and hardware !!!


As for the side signals, I never said it was a requirement by the U.S. Gov't, I said it's a requirement in Europe. And in case you weren't aware, the 1st 3000 or so 2004 TL's produced had turn signal mirrors listed on the window sticker, though the cars came without.

The only drivers in NYC that don't use turn signals are the out of towners from NJ, PA, and CT. True most accidents are from driver inattention, but if 1 other driver sees your side signal that wouldn't have otherwise and that saves you from just 1 accident, isn't it worth it ?

 

hmmmm.. I saw this too.. does this have anything to do with the TL being built in the US?? Its seems that the older TL's 98 & 99 have less problems.. If I can recall these were built in Japan. Hopefully the '06 models will improve

 

The 2007 Type-S WIll have turn signals dont worry

 

Consumer Reports rates the car better than average. Explain to me again how this proves the car is cheaply put together?

 

I hope you're kidding.

 

Why you say that?

 

Hmmmm.......let's see........

What's the #1 complaint by owners on this forum ?

 

I dont know where in NYC you live, but about 80% of the people on the road by me dont use signals at all, especially on the highway (belt parkway).

Selling cars is a business, if you are not required to do something by law, why would you spend money or effort on doing it?

I suppose some of the members who frequently complain about the TL never owned a really unreliable car. I do admit that I expect a bit more from honda, but moving their business to the US means no tarrifs or restrictions on how many autos to import on certain models. And if you didn't know already labor here is more expensive.

Aside from petty complaints like rattles or lack of drop down rear seat, or access for the filter blah blah........the car is very solid. Most cars will not be as regid as the day they were made, its called wear and tear, maybe the 3rd gen TL gets some of these rattles sooner than some others, but at least your sunroof doesnt just open during a rainy day and refuses to close in a 50k car (5-series BMW) at least you can put 100k+ miles on a honda motor without doing anything but oil changes (unlike the 2001-2003.5 M3, which had 5+ recalls, some needing new ENGINES)

 

I live in Manhattan

My TL had 10 (TEN) service dept visits for roof rattles in the 1st 15 months.


Anything else ?

 

Type-S??

 

DMZ, if you hate the car so much sell it, move on..............you obviously made up your mind.

You could have solved the rattles yourself, better probably than what any dealer will do, they dont have a "fix rattle" page in their manuals. Best they can do is reuse new clips.........which will rattle again soon enough.

 

DMZ, 10 service visits for the same problem? Wow, thats insane - kinda hard to believe but insane. I would lose my mind if i had to go to the dealer for the same problem 10 times within 15 months.

 

Those visits were between 2 dealers and the last 2 visits were to put the car in the dealer's body shop because the the 1st mechanic at Acura of Manhattan that worked on it scratched and gouged up my roof forcing them to have to repaint the whole roof of the car. Since then, only one of their "A" mechanics are allowed to touch the car when I bring it in.

As for the rattles, I got through to the right 'powers that be' at Acura's regional office. Not only has my problem been solved, but I received the externded warranty, 7 yrs/100,000 miles at no cost.

Deadlock, you seem to keep misinterpreting what ever I post here. I don't hate the car. The rattles and those assorted sounds of plastic rubbing together throughout the interior at times are all that's driven me crazy.

 

You do know theres a Type-S Coming out in 2007 Right?

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...highlight=2007

 

The Side markers on the G35's dont blink either

 

I read through page 11 that you posted the link to. I didn't find anything about the Type-S. I'm not about to read through the other 13 pages to find out. Please post link to the post/page?

 

Okay, I got bored and read the other pages.

You're relying on rumors? That Jason guy has no idea what he's talking about.

First, he's quoting a salesperson. Salespeople often don't know any better than the consumers as far as upcoming models are concerned; especially with Honda who is very tight-lipped about new models until the last minute.

Second, he says the production of 2007 TL has started. Sorry to say, Honda's Marysville, Ohio plant production cycle starts in August, not April or May.

Third, he refutes 03CoupeV6 by saying that there is a Type-S on the RSX. Well, no shit, it's a carry-over model. But on other models, Acura has already killed the Type-S variant. The CL Type-S is gone, the 3.2TL Type-S was gone, and now with the end of the RSX's production, the RSX Type-S will be gone. Honda/Acura has already said that their newest performance-oriented variant will be A-spec and HFP (Honda Factory Performance).

Fourth, I'm sick of people talking about the SH-AWD making its way into the 3G TL. These people obviously don't know shit about chassis architecture, global platform sharing strategy and market position strategy. It just isn't going to happen. MAYBE, just MAYBE, it will be on the 4G TL.

 

The side markers you're referring to on the G35 are on the bottom of the front bumper where no one would see them anyway even if they did blink.

I was specifically referring to the FRONT FENDERS. That's where the TL falls short versus any other car on the road that has does have side markers.