ryanstheman

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

What type of tires are you running? Also, you can upgrade the rear sway bar to something thicker, like Progress's RSB. The car might also feel unsettled as compared to your last car. What did you drive previously.

ryanstheman

Well I'm running some of the best rated bf goodrichs they sell. I already have the upgraded sway bars because I have the 6 speed. Before I drove an audi A4. I just don't understand...ugh granted I did have 4 people in the back seat too

Ken1997TL

What year is your TL?

If anything my '05 was too stiff especially around town.

ryanstheman

Its a 2004

YeuEmMaiMai

lol man get the fatties out of the back seat :P

check your suspension and struts especially those in the rear

Yonkers914

iTrader: (1)

Yea he's ^ right def. check your suspension in the rear and check your SHOCK'S (there not struts) lol

Will Y.

There was a TSB for replacement of the rear suspension bump stops on the '04s-- the rear tires developed excessive camber when heavily loaded, IIRC.
Check the 3G Garage for the exact TSB.

Welcome to AZ.

powerflow

If you don't know when the alignment was checked last, It's a good idea to get one done.

One pot hole, or curb bump can through it off.

ryanstheman

well i noticed later on that the tires were really low on pressure (nitrogen). So i took it in today and had them refilled and its a little better but its still their. I'm just used to such a firm suspension from my audi that i sometime feel like my acura is like driving a lincoln. BUt when i take it into acura in the next few weeks i'll have them do a checkover on the suspension although i'm sure i'll get the usual "we couldn't find anything"

ryanstheman

so question: i know their are struts up front but haven't looked at whats in back. Are they shocks? If so i may replace them myself if thats the case. What else should I check? I know that if I take it into the dealership they are gonna tell me the usual "we couldn't find anything" buts its getting more noticeable.

Bender

If the shocks have not been replaced yet I would bet that they are the problem. Also TL drives like a boat fully loaded. No pick up and squishy feel. Getting to the 100k mark on shocks and it is time for new ones in my opinion.

nfnsquared

I'm not sure that will do you any good. There are plenty of complaints here about the 3G handling with a load in the back seat, especially a "hopping" effect after going over bumps or imperfections in the road. The bump stop TSB may be the best thing you can do. I'd start with that and see if it helps before shelling out $$ for new rear shocks.

ryanstheman

well as stated earlier it has the upgraded suspension and it seeming to get worse. It obviously gets MUCH worse when it does have people in the back seat. I can watch peoples heads bob side to side when we hit a dip.

Bender

How many miles?

Joe Foe from Buffalo

My 05 with 22k miles I just purchased used also feels boaty. May be me though not knowing the car and coming from a RSX and before that a Gen3 Integra and before that a CRX. This is the biggest car I have owned so may be me.

ryanstheman

My car has 80,000 miles on it. If my car rides like it does when people are in the back i'm selling it. But where are the sway bars located and how can i check to see if it needs to be fixed.

Bender

I doubt you will find a used car in the same class for the price that will be better. If you load 5 people in most any car it will feel like that. that's like 700lbs extra on the conservative side. And the MT has stiffer suspension(bumpier), bigger brakes and a slightly larger diameter sway bar. I would also check the bushings.

Bender

To put this in perspective, thats like carrying this guy around in your back seat.

KamoteQ

iTrader: (1)

Hello everyone. New to the forum.

Have you checked out the history of the car? I used to have a 98 intergra that I bought used and the car used to sway around then I found out that it had a "bent frame" from previous accident.

nfnsquared

Keep in mind, you had the back seat over loaded and if you had 2 people in the front seat, you probably exceeded the max load for the car (850lbs, includes passenger and cargo/accessories). No car will handle well when you exceed load limits and/or load distribution limits.

Bender

LOL 5 people in the back and he is complaining about handling issues hahahaha. Call Acura corporate and file a complaint lol.

ryanstheman

i see where all these comments are going....look at it this way. yes I had 4 count em 4 people in the back seat and two in the front. Thats like having a normal load of 3 (5 total people) with luggage in the back.

ryanstheman

And i'm noticing this "effect" when only two people are in the back seat. Its just extremely obvious when there are three people in the back seat with luggage. I'm in college here people.

nfnsquared

Dude, I'm not ragging on you, but you can't very well validate your claim when the car was overloaded. Unless the avg weight of each person was less than 142 lbs, then the car was overloaded.

Put 4 people in the car and a bag of cement (or someone you don't like) in the trunk and drive it.

ryanstheman

o i know...and i don't expect it to handle well but it drove like a 1970 caddy that has never had any suspension maintenance. I drive alot of different cars including fords which handle better under load then this car. I'm not ragging on Acura i'm just new to it and i just got off the Audi train.

05BlkTL

I'd suggest climbing under the car and look at the sway bar. Make sure it hasn't cracked or one of the endlinks failed. Check the bushings also. Maybe the shocks are getting worn, it will be bouncy with nobody in it too but more so with a full load. I agree it was overloaded for sure but check everything out to eliminate possibilities. By the way we have shocks all around not struts.

ryanstheman

i'm beginning to wonder if its the shocks too because it feels like the car isn't on the chassis or is independent of the chassis. I thought they were struts but are they coil over shocks? I just recently heard of those too.

Bender

For all intents and purposes the car is meant for 4 people really. It isn't clown car. Coil overs are optional after market parts. You have springs and shocks.

subinf

I've never experienced any issues when there are four or five people in the car.

Thomasv

iTrader: (2)

wow this thread had me cracking up ...rofl!

BradE

4 people in the back seat? Did they have eating disorders, or were they 10 years old? The TL ain't what I'd call roomy in the back.

subinf

Not sure who that was directed to...driver, passenger, and three in the back.

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

bender- what value are you adding to this thread? move on. some posts have been deleted. play nice.

Inaccurate

I feel like i'm driving a tank, 2006 5AT (click here)

Surprised: By the WEIGHT factor (click here)

wasupdog

iTrader: (2)

that thread "i feel like i'm driving a tank" is hilarious.

i swear the a-spec suspension takes away the nose-heavy feeling of the car and tightens up the ride...by a ton. i also have the comptech rear sway bar too so that's part of it. it's been too long since i've rolled on stock suspension so i don't exactly remember what that feels like but i felt like when i had teins it accentuated the nose heavy feeling.

subinf

I had some issues with the stock suspension when it had about 65 or 70k on it. I switched to the ASPEC suspension and it tightened everything up. I'm very happy with the improvement

Majofo

sell it and buyback your audi..