My 04 TL battery has died. I took it into my local Acura dealer this morning and was told the battery has to be replaced at a cost of $125 (Canadian dollars) plus the cables are corroded and won't fit over the new battery posts. The cables are $75 plus installation of $240. Since the cable have to be ordered I also am stuck with a car rental for 2 days.

I purchased the TL in July 2008 from this dealer and it was a certified preowned vehicle with 66,000 kms (approx 40,000 miles) on the clock. I paid for the extended comprehensive warranty which is supposed to cover everything for 6 years and up to 160,000 kms (100,000 miles). I now have 88,000 kms on the car.

According to the dealer this repair is not covered as it it a wear and tear item (like brake pads). Are they correct or should it be covered? (note that the Canadian warranty might be different from the US one).

 

I say leave the dealer... cut then ends off the cables and upgrade them... then buy a new battery with a good CCA rating since it gets cold up there.

 

why would a 5 year battery be under warranty? and why would you ever pay a dealer $100 hr to do something so simple?

 

Sounds like a good idea, unless I can convince Acura to replace under warranty.

Because I purchased an extended warranty that was supposed to cover everything (bumper to bumper).

 

The Acura batteries tend to be crap. There have been exceptions. If yours is the original battery, then it falls under the exception catagory. But the battery is a wear and tear item and unless it dies within the 1st year is probably not covered under warranty. Batteries tend to fail at around the 3 year mark. Good time to upgrade your cables and battery. Perhaps even your ground.

 

Better get busy reading the items that are not covered under that extended warranty. They are listed in the brochure that was sent from Acura. The warranty is a far cry from bumper to bumper coverage, and items that are wear and tear in the eyes of Acura are not covered, and there are quite a few.

 

So I am finding out.

A local mechanic that I have used before and trust quoted me 1/2 of what the dealer wants to replace the battery and cables.

I am arguing with the dealership that I was mislead by their sales dept. At the time of purchase I specifically asked if the warranty covers everything from bumper to bumper except for scheduled maintenance and was of course told "yes". If they don't offer me some sort of compensation (like splitting the cost), I know where I am going and will not be returning to this Acura dealership again.

 

Whoa! The cables are so corroded that they won't fit a new battery? Yet they were on the old battery just fine (although corroded). How does this happen? Have you gone in the shop to look at the cables? How do they know the cables won't fit on a new battery? Did they remove the cables? If so, why? Maybe they got in a hurry and screwed up the cables while removing them? If I were you, I'd at least get in the shop and look at the cables.

Yep, FTFP on the warranty. You're probably SOL, unless you discover that they FUBAR'd your cables. An original battery that lasted that long is phenomenal. Personally, I would have made them put a new battery in before I bought the car, but hindsight is you know what. Good luck!

 

Were the battery cables pristine or in corroded condition when you bought the car? Hopefully the dealer didn't certify a car with corroded battery cables.

I understand that the battery is a wear-and-tear item, but don't think the battery cables or clamps fall in that category.

 

my 07's batt is on it's way out if it makes you feel better!

 

You do have a responsibility to READ the documents presented to you including both the original and extended warranties. That is why the stuff has to be in writing. The battery has its own warranty as well and it is/was pretty good.

The dealership people might tell you anything if they think you aren't going to read anything. They can then say you misunderstood or they didn't say it.

I agree with Will Y that the cables should not be wear items. Find a copy of the battery warranty and read it for your own satisfaction. Sorry, it's the only way to know your real position.

 

Sorry guys, but in the first sentence as to what is NOT covered:
Wiper blades, battery, cables………………….and to go on:
Steering wheel, belts, radiator hoses, heater hoses and vacuum hoses, spark plugs, timing belt replacement when performed as routine maintenance, exhaust system, head pipes, tailpipes, catalytic converter, mufflers, hangers, heat shields, gaskets (except for the manifold block gasket), and related fastening hardware, fuel system, fuel tank straps, fuel hoses, brake system wear items such as drums/rotors, shoes/pads, clutch disc, clutch pressure plate, throw out bearing, external shift linkages, pilot bearing/bushing, glass, mirror glass, body parts, body structure (except for hood hinges, trunk hinges, door hinges and sliding door rollers), hood fenders, doors, rear hatch, trunk lid, grille, panels, bright metal, sheet metal, paint (except for covered hinges painted to match the original VEHICLR color only), bumpers moldings, lenses, bezels, bulbs (except for instrument panel illumination bulbs), H.I.D. headlamps, sealed beams, fuses, body seals weather strips, (except for window sash and window run channels), outside ornamentation, emblems, tires, valve stems, wheel covers/ornaments, wheel locks, fastening/security hardware for non-covered components, stripped or cross threaded fasteners, body seals, squeaks, rattles, buttons, carpet, dash pad, console, window handles, knobs, boots, pedals, pads, rearview mirror (except for electronic failure of the auto-dimming mirror), interior trim, upholstery, floor mats, electronic/audio accessories and cellular telephones other than American Honda authorized electronic/audio accessories/navigational, DVD entertainment and security systems. Safety restraint system fastening hardware, seat belts and air bag(s) deployed due to collision.

Other than above, its bumper to bumper!

 

^^^

 

X 2

Wow, is anything other than the engine included in the CPO warranty??

 

Yes, transmission, HFL, navi, radio,cd player....

 

Well, most of the transmission anyway, except the clutch, throw out bearing, shift linkages...

 

Thanks all for the feedback. I did read the warranty documents in detail last night and discovered that the warranty is in fact far from bumper to bumper! I don't even think the HFL is covered. Stupid things like the side mirror defrosters are even excluded!!! WTF

I have been passed around from service manager to business admin manager to the general manager at the dealer and they are all saying "sorry it's not covered" BUT, they are sympathetic to some extent and prepared to "work with me" on the cost.

The cables are so badly corroded that they have to be replaced - I did go into the shop yesterday and looked at them. They are basically seized onto the battery terminals nothing has been removed yet.

Next problem: The cables are on back order from Japan and won't be in until Aug. 18th!!! So now I'm stuck with a Toyota Matrix rental for another 10 days and I doubt the dealer will cover that! They are trying to find some from another local dealer or a temporary solution so that I can drive the car until the new cables come in.

The saga continues....

 

At least they are kinda working with you on this issue. So no loaners? That bites.

 

Update:
My faith in the dealer has been restored. They found the cables at a dealer in Vancouver and had them sent overnight via Purolator. On Friday afternoon they got everything fixed and when I went in to pick up the car I had a chat with the General manager who promptly reduced the parts and labor charges to an amount that I felt was fair.

My baby is home and running like new again.