I was washing my 2007 Acura TL today and I noticed that the black stuff inside one of my TL's exhaust tips was peeling/coming off. Is this black stuff a type of paint or is it just buildup that is supposed to come off? If so, how can I get the rest of it off? If it is peeling paint can I just take it to the Acura dealership and have them fix it? Thanks!

 

Anyone?

 

Yeah, that doesn't look good. You have a few options:

1) take it to the dealer to get it fixed. Lose the car for a day.
2) get some high temp flat black paint and do it yourself. Keep the car.
3) wait 'til it builds up with carbon and you can't tell the difference. Keep the car.

I...personally....would go with #2

 

So it's paint and not buildup peeling/coming off? All I did was spray some water down towards the bottom of the rear bumper to wash off the car wash and it starting flaking once the stream of water hit it. Anyone else experience this? Will the dealer replace the exhaust tip or just paint it?

 

that doesnt look good...looks like peeling paint. I would peel em off and have the look of stainless exhaust.

 

I'll head over to the dealership on Monday and have them fix it. It's complete crap that this is happening to a new 2007 Acura TL that's only four months old. Furthermore, it's even worse that a stream of water made this happen. At first I thought that the exhaust tips were originally silver and maybe the water had rubbed off the black buildup, but I guess they were finished with black paint.

 

since you are going to have them fix it anyway, try to get some more off so you can see what it would look like all chrome

 

While at the dealership, I suggest you check out the other 07 TL's on the lot. Go see if the other cars have this same issue.

 

S L I C K: i happened to have a left exhaust from my 06 TL sitting in my garage. i was planning on asking anyone here if they would be interested in buying off of me. If the dealer don't want to fix the problem for you, i'll sell you mine. My exhaust is only about 6 months old. PM me if you're interested.

 

I took a closer look today and it seems that the exhaust tip on the passenger's side is starting to peel also. The pipe connecting to the exhaust tip on the driver's side is also starting to peel. WTF?! No one else is experiencing this?

 

nope, the exhaust on my 05 is not doing this.

 

There are a few people in this thread that seem to be experiencing the same problem. Also, how would I go about cleaning the chrome exhaust tips and making them look all shiny and new? Thanks!

 

Same issue in this thread.

 

Well, it just keeps getting better and better. Now my damn moonroof doesn't work! The dealer is going to look at my moonroof and the peeling paint from the exhaust tip on Thursday. I'm so mad because the car is only four months old! How does NJ Lemon Law work?

 

the lemon law is a bitch to have work. you need to have the same thing happens 3 times in a certain period of time.

 

I agree with rbf351. In most states, the lemon law can be difficult to trigger and probably not worth your time at this point--but it may not necessarily require the same problem to occur three times. In Maryland, for instance, it is an either/or thing. Either 3 times with the same problem within a certain period of time or your car being out of service for a certain number of days, even if it is the result of a series of unrealted problems. At this point, I would suggest that you make sure the work order is clear, so that if the moonroof problem (or other problems) do turn-out to be chronic, you will have proper paperwork. You may already have done this, but I would also make sure (in a pleasant way) that everyone at the dealership--from your sales agent to the GM--knows that you are unhappy.

I have some experience with these types of dealings with service issues. I purchased a 2006 TL in November. After a series of problems, I negotiated a buy-back by Acura, and they put me in a comparable 2007 TL. My car had not yet qualified under the lemon law.

 

I set up the appointment for Thursday on the phone today. I spoke directly with the service manager and he said that he would take care of it on Thursday. I'll make sure I get the paperwork on Thursday. I love my car, but this is ridiculous.

“In order to qualify for Lemon Law protection, the new car in question must be less than two years old and have fewer than 18,000 miles. The defects complained of must materially impair the use, safety or value of the car.” ( NJ Division of Consumer Affairs )

 

As you found, it looks like NJ lemon law is quite similar to Maryland.

According to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs website, "A new motor vehicle is presumed to be a lemon if it has one or more defects that continue to exist after three attempts at repairs, OR after the vehicle has been out of service for a total of 20 cumulative calendar days. The Lemon Law requires that the consumer write to the manufacturer giving notification of one last chance to repair the defect (see page 3 for more information about this process). To qualify under the Lemon Law, the defect must substantially impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle."

 

just out of curiosity which NJ dealer are you going to? someone of them suck

 

DCH Montclair Acura.

 

I don't have a type S but I think I have the same issue. Just like the member, LkLD said, either take it to the dealer or DIY.

It is the heat resistant paint that comes off when you spray the muffler with water. I sprayed water on the muffler and the damn paint came off, not looking too good with small areas of silver on the mufflers if you were driving behind the car and pay attention to the mufflers.... which not too many people would do but I do it...... I hate looking at those SUVs and see a huge ugly looking muffler hanging at the back underneath the car...

You can take the car back to the dealership to have them look at it. I've seen some posts that dealerships replaced the mufflers for people... but the paint will come off again in time.... so I say if you have a bottle of spray rust resistant paint at home, do it yourself, because you can take the time to do it right....

1) clean and clear the dirt and rust...
2) mask type the chrome part
3) spray reasonable number of layers on so it does not come off that easy....

I brought my 06 in and told them about this issue.... one service advisor told me that they could touch up the paint again the first time I brought my car in. Second time I brought my car in and I asked them to touch up the paint, another service advisior just typed, "paint will come off when muffler is hot!!" and gave the car back to me!!! That pissed me big time as what kind of stupid comment the advisor put down there???!!! I wanted to question him why did the factory put the paint on the mufflers while the paint was meant to come off........???!!!! But I figured that advisor would be too stupid to talk to me so I will talk to his manager next time when I go to the dealership. I better stop typing or I'll tell the whole story of the unpleasant experience I had with that stupid service rep......

Peace

 

I'm definitely going to have the dealer fix it because it's their problem. I'm worried that the dealer might scratch/scuff up my TL when they try to fix the moonroof. If this happens someone is getting a beat down.

 

Suggest you take pics of your car, especially around the moonroof area, if you are not confident with the competency of the dealer's techs (Hell, i know im not!).

 

Yep. My 06 is also doing the same thing now. No idea why.

 

Will do!

 

Has anybody tried removing the paint? I've been thinking about doing that, but I'm a little scared

 

I know I am probably setting myself up for ridicule by saying the following, but I am quite used to it and we all need a laugh; was this paint used on 04+ Tls and what is the purpose? By the way, CaliDood, if you want pictures of the removal, pm me because I spent an hour yesterday removing what I thought was carbon buildup.

 

After owning my '04 Aspec TL for over 70,000 great miles -- i've learned one thing --> if you want it perfect, or at least done to your standards (re: issues like this .. ) do it yourself.

If it was flaking BODY paint, i'd say take it to the dealer asap -- brand new car -- shouldn't happen. However, it's something that they'll refuse (likely) to replace the entire muffler component, and they'll just spray some high-temp flat black engine paint into the exhaust tip.

I'd just do it yourself -- still worth taking it to the dealer to possibly get a brand new muffler.

 

I've written letters to Acura Client Services and the dealership where I bought my car expressing how my new car experience has been ruined. This (i.e. peeling exhaust paint and the broken moonroof) shouldn’t be happening to a 4 month old car that only has 1,500 miles on it. Hopefully, they'll do the right thing and try to make me a happy Acura customer again. Anyone have experience dealing with Acura Client Services?

 

LMAO. Sorry ...

 

I went to DCH Montclair Acura today to have my moonroof and peeling exhaust paint fixed. I waited at the dealership for three and a half hours because they didn't have any loaners available and no one was free to give me a ride. After all that waiting, the service manager tells me that the motor for the moonroof is broken and they need to replace it. I said, "OK" and he informed me that they don't have the part and I would have to come back Monday. I said, "OK" and walked outside to my four month old 2007 Acura TL with only 1,600 miles. To my horror there were scratches all over the roof, driver's side rear door, center console, trunk, and one of the rear pillar panels was dangling out of place. Furthermore, the TL was dirty on the inside and the exhaust tips still weren't fixed. They returned my TL back like this?! At this point I was furious so I got the service manager and flipped out on him for about thirty minutes. He took back my TL and informed that he'd fix all the scratches and the moonroof by tomorrow or Saturday. I'm so pissed off right now. Time to call Acura Client Services. Bastards ... !

 

Damn...Sorry to hear what happened...Hopefully theyll get it right and somehow make up for their fuck up. Best of luck!

 

Yeah, those bastards F'ed up my TL. I called Acura Client Services and complained about everything (the quality of my vehicle, poor service, etc.). I also wrote letters to Acura Client Services and DCH Montclair Acura. We'll see what happens because as of now, I'm not a happy Acura customer and I probably won’t every buy an Acura again due to this crap. My whole new car experience has been F'ed up by them.

 

I went with number 2. I took me a while to decide which look I liked better, but the temptation to paint something was too powerful. I just newspapered the bumper, put some scotch tape over the the lip of the tip (the part you want to still be shiny), and blasted away with some flat black high temp spray paint about 4 bucks at your local superstore. I think I like it better, but more importantly, no worrying about rust.

 

Like This:

 

Yeah that is mine in the photo. I restored it since that pic.

 

I actually kind of like that look. I almost want to do it to mine.

 

I don't recommend it. It makes the exhaust look less intimidating due to the tiny hole that is the exhaust pipe. One of the few cases where a big hole looks better.

 

Sorry to hear you're having problems with your new car...that sux. I have had some minor issues with my '07 TLS as well. But I must admit the dealer is bending over backwards to resolve them so I really can't complain.

As for your query about shining up the 'Chrome' exhaust tips. First, they aren't chrome, they're aluminum. I use "Met-All" Aluminum Polish (meant for aluminum and stainless steel). This is great stuff! Costs about $12.00 for a 16 oz. can, but I think you can get it in smaller tubes as well. You can find it at Menard's and Home Depot, or other hardware stores. It's made for marine usage, I bought it for my boat several years ago, still have almost the whole can left...a little goes a LONG way! It will even remove minor pits in the aluminum if you're patient. I apply this stuff regularly and my tips never even begin to look crappy. Best of all if you're like me and don't wash your car in the midst of a nasty winter, this stuff will bring back the shine when it thaws out.