LOL ... welcome to Acura quality ....

minus the paint issue under the hood... i have ALL your quality control issues

 

That IS why you pay more for a Lexus, Audi, and bimmer .. at least part of the reason.

 

boy, some of you are going to be VERY surprised if you do make the jump from Acura to one of those German brands. Lexus has enough problems with their new 6sp transmission so i won't even bother going there.

 

LOL!

I had a Audi 2003 A4 1.8t Quattro loaded. It was a nice looking car, but it was plain unreliable. Electrical issues are very common.

 

Guys, is it making sense to send all my pictures to Acura USA/Canada and ask them to comment on these issues, or even better send CC to my favorite “Consumer Report” magazine. Maybe I’m so naive that it would be a waste of time.
Do you have any suggestions or advice for me?

 

The TL build quality is pathetic. It doesn't even deserve an Acura badge. I had an '06 TL and a lot of the body panels had uneven gaps from the factory. I brought it to a body shop and the people there laughed. They said that nowadays even Dodges come from the factory with even panel gaps. The rattles were worse than any car I've ever been in. This was definitely the last Acura for me. If I wanted a $hitbox, I would have bought a ford.

After 3 months I traded it in for an '06 Infiniti G35x. The interior materials may not be as nice but at least there are no rattles or uneven panel gaps (built in Japan).

I think everyone that has these quality issues should write letters to Acura or at least complain to the dealer. Owners shouldn't have to put felt everywhere in a car that sells for over $30k to get rid of rattles caused by poor design/manufacturing.

 

take a look at your steering wheel cover on the G and build quality will be apparent to you. Next, play around with the vents on the dash.... need i say more. Most of the "build quality" issues with the TL are un-noticeable for the average buyer. Though unfortunate, Acura's smart enought to hide their cost savings relatively well. As far as the G, from the cup holder cover to the sun classes holder all screams cheap (and those are things you touch almost everyday). A lot of us TL owners came from Infiniti products expecially the G. after owning one, i couldn't be happier with the TL's smart effective measures of cost cutting.

 

Ummm, I had two G35's, 2004 and a 2005. Both the build quality was crap. Creaks from the rear windows they could never fix, leather would wear/tear easy, rear diff clicking noises, and so on. The car was not built as good as my TL that I have now which has had 0 problems. There are a lot of people complaining about the quality on the G35. Reason why everyone loves the new 07 G35. The 07 truthfully wasn't better than my TL. I wasn't impressed. But was impressed over the 05-06 G35 it replaces.

I think your just stiring up trouble since you don't actually own a TL.

 

I hope that somebody could help me with the rattle inside the rear right door of my TL.
After driving on the heavy ice road something has gotten loose inside the rear right door. When I open the door and shake it a little bit, I can hear that something is loose. It is not the window because the same sound happens when the window is opened or closed. I do not want to go to the dealer (have no time). I would really appreciate it, if somebody could give me the steps to take the rear door panel out or any other useful advice.

 

sorry acealka i dont have an answeras to how to take out the rear door panel cuz i just got the car a week ago hahaah.

But back to the comment about the G35's ... before I purchased the 06TL last week, I was deciding between the 06G35 coupe and the TL ... well the thing was that I'm a fan of nissan engines, very reliable, powerful and moddable ... but then again, the interior was below average compared to that of the Acura and for some reason when I test drove the G it felt "plasticky" ... I'm not sure how else to describe it ... the car wasn't as satisfying by touch as I thought it would be ... NEVERTHELESS, i was still determined to get the G35c for its exterior appearance and engine (very good-looking car imho). However, the final decision-making factor was the mere fact that a G35c with navi would cost me nearly 5k more than an 06TL w/ navi ... the G35's come with separate options that are included as stock amenities on the TL so the prices just stack up. In the end, I purchased my 06TL w/navi for 29.9k before tax, etc. All in all, the ridiculous price of the Infiniti just because it's considered a luxury version (not entirely luxurious if you ask me) of nissan, is what led me to purchase my TL in the end ...

 

Well, I dont really know how to respond to many of these posts. I will just have to accept the fact that I was ........lucky I guess. I have 7.5K miles on my 06 TL and I have not one problem complaint or rattle to date. I have never had to return to the dealer for anything other than my A1 service: oil change and tire rotation last week. I make my living as a problem solver and look at everything with a critical eye. This is the first vehicle that I have owned, both foreign (italian, german, and japanese) and domestic (ford, and honda odyssey) that did not need to be returned to the dealer days after purchase for some reason or another. I am completely satisfied with this purchase and ownership experience to date.

 

no car is perfect guys. heck, even the million-dollar McLaren F1 isnt perfect. it doesnt have a radio. ive seen one up close several times at a local car watering hole here; its build quality is impeccable (it doesnt appear to have been built by mere mortals) and even shames the build quality of the current Ferrari Enzo, but there are always things that someone will eventually nitpick.

I take thes build quality issues with a grain of salt. there is always a compromise with any car - be it an expensive Italian supercar or a mass-produced Japanese luxury sedan. the TL is not immune to this fact.

 

you think it could be the fact that its made in America, not japan?

 

Guys I just want to share with you that I fixed the rattle in the right rear door.
Look at the picture, the clip which holds the skin shoulder was loose . I changed the clip but it was not holding in the panel because the hole in the metal panel is a little bit bigger than normal. I put around the clip a few laps of Teflon tape and now the clip is holding.

 

Who At Acura Thought Of Putting The Fuel Door "release" Right Under My Left Foot?!?!?!?

What A Pain!!!

Those Of Us With Long Legs Like To Drive With Our Left Knee Bent Up... So We Can Rest Our Left Wrist On Our Knee While Holding The Wheel. The Fuel Door "latch" Is Right Under Foot, Eating Up Valuble Space In An Already Tight Cockpit Setting. I Notified The Dealer, So Maybe It'll Change In The Future...

 

Audiophiles: In Case You Hear Rattles When Jammin' The Stereo Real Loud: Check To See If The Leather Trim On The Doors Aren't Vibrating Against Any Metal Trim. I've Found That The Lack Of A Spacer Between These Two Can Result In A Buzzing Sound When The Bass Is Turned Up...

 

TL's without rattles do not exist. They are built to rattle. Honda put lots of money, time and effort to make sure that each TL rattles. The poor design and quality of work is evident everywhere you look. The TL is still one of the nicest cars in the price point, but going on the 4th year in production and Honda has not fixed a single rattle since day one.



List of rattles that are standard on every TL

- Subwoofer

- Rear deck

- center speaker

- front side pockets

- glove box

- front doors/windows

- center console creaks etc



List of other rattles some might experience

- sun visors

- dashboard

 

I LOVE THE US OF A, but this is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TRUE!!!

 

Hi Guys,

Women are always saying we don't share our inner most feeling and thoughts. Well here is how I feel about my TL. Don't get me wrong, I like my TL. But it definately was not engineered and built as well as my Intergra was.

This is my first time so be nice:


Sometimes when I am alone in my TL, I become sad and wish I would have gotten a TSX. I can only imagine the tranquility I could have been experiencing in my TSX. Oh, the solitude. The only noise I would hear would be the rev of the engine and ever so subtle thuds of the tires as they hit a bump in the road. And don’t forget the whispering of the wind as it passes by without looking back, knowing that I will be back some day in my quiet car where all I can hear is the rev of the engine; the subtle thuds of the tires; and the wind as it passes by. But instead I am in my TL, sexy as it is; it never shuts the hell up and stops its whining, creaking, and rattling.

So to you TSX owners, I envy your fortress of solitude on wheels. However, it is not that the grass is greener on the other side, but rather that cars are assembled with lower tolerances and better TQMs in Japan.

 

Kudos....IMO...you hit the nail on the head...and I will come right out and say it. Guys...its BECAUSE its made here in the USA. We are NOT a manufacturing nation anymore....or one thats good at it by any stretch of the imagination. And I am as red blooded american as anybody...trust me. But the fact is...there is HUGE cultural differences in Japan and the US. For example...do you think that ONE union worker....or typical US worker for that matter feels responsible for what their company produces....do they feel shamed if the company does not perform well or up to projected numbers? Nope....they are gonna say....pay me more money...pay me more money.....and in all actuality not really feel responsible for production or performance at all. (typically anyway) We have a HUGE gap to cross there before we are gonna be up to Japanese Mfg in automotives.

Case in point....

My Acura...and I love it....filled with rattles, shakes, misalignments, ect and it is only a 2005 model? The 1999 Lexus GS400 I have had for a number of years....still outclasses it in quality of build by MILES....at its current condition and its 6 years older! Ok...now I will give you...that Lexus was more than 30,000+ when it was new....(actually..I bought it used...so it wasnt that bad when I bought it) but it was made in Japan and the Acura was made in Ohio....and trust me....it shows in ALL the areas that we mention are lacking with the US made TL. American workers are lazy and irresponsible in comparison...and again...I am American....Irish/German....one of our most popular combinations...lol. When they start steppinig up to the plate and taking responsibility for part of the problem...we may be getting somewhere....but in order for that to happen....our culture needs to take a stance on reponsibility...which is a FAR stretch when you have presidents splitting hairs on the definition of "it" to shy away from responsibilies of HIS own actions. Not to get political...but that speaks VOLUMES on our American Culture. Its called....nobody saw anything.....I didnt do it...you cant prove anything. Compare that to a guy that, if his company as a whole fails in some regard, would go home and feel a sense of responsibility and shame and return with newfound vigor - to the American worker who is gonna go home and blame EVERYBODY but themselves...cause they do their job! Its more of a look at the self....than a look at the system as a whole...and how you might play a part in the betterment of it and how you may have been responsible for part of it.

 

Well I must have lucked out and got a crew of new union members who were gung ho and proud assembly line workers who put my TL together as I have said I have had zero problems and no rattles as yet. Except the subwoofer when my kids have maxed it on the hip hop and the door pockets which is a design flaw that was easily overcome with a felt dot. Actually our Odyssey which was Canadian assembled I believe is more apt to rattle, but part of that is the cavernous nature of the body.

 

The G35 is made in Japan and the quality on those vehicles is below an American made TL's.

 

Your buying a PRODUCTION made car... not one car is perfect.... take it to a dealer and get it fixed and stop ******...

 

Just because TSX is built in Japan it does not mean the car will be rattle free. Acura uses the same design for windows/doors/panels etc and trust me – it will rattle. I had 06 TSX loaner with only 1000 miles and it rattled more than my 06 TL. Seeing that, I am really happy that I got TL.

 

I just replaced my 04 TSX with an 06 TL and I can tell you that the TSX is no better assembled or less prone to having rattles. I will say that I have had an issue with a bad tire on my TL with only 2000 miles on it, but that has nothing to do with the build quality. Actually, the TL is much quieter than the TSX was and so far I have not heard a single rattle. So far the only thing I miss about the TSX is the handling on back roads. My TSX squeaked and rattled in the sunroof, dashboard, door panels and may other random locations.

 

After 3500 km (2200 miles), I found that when the engine warms up, the left exhaust pipe makes a puffing sound; it appears to be coming from the left muffler connection. I have tried to tighten the flange bolts but it did not help until I changed the gasket.

 

I also had a 95 gsr 4dr and the quality was better than tl 07 tl-s I drive now. i do see things under the car that my integra never had, like the crappy weld job around the aluminum engine support. Mismatch bumper color and many other things. I still love my car though. But I do see the diff of american made and jap made. Prime example, the RL

 

On the 07 tl-s already changed the headliner and seat tracks. Many of you will say its a fluke, This is my third tl. Had a 05 less than three months the dealer damaged it when I took it in for defective windshield. Got an 06 and after 5 months changed the abs, powersterring rack, two struts and powersteering pump. tradered that in have the tl-s.. Agian love the car but wished the quality on some things were a little better. I guess three times a charm

 

Hey Kobi...my 07 typeS steering wheel feels very tight. I am coming from a 03 accord which feels much looser. I don't know if this is normal for the typeS. But I am getting a bit uncomfortable with it. Is your steering wheel too tight as well?

 

I think it must have something to do with Murphy's law, or maybe karma, but I just added a used 04 TL with 50k on the clock to my fleet and the only rattle I've heard in the 1200 miles I've put on her is a CD case I had in the door pocket. The TL replaced a Nissan Titan as my daily commuter car, and even though the Titan was pretty well put together, the TL doesn't have near the rattles or interior noise. Rattles and squeeks have never really bothered me that much, and I think the lack of them on the my TL bothers me more.

Maybe I can convince the wife to drive it for a few days and I'll see what she thinks, she is anal about rattles and squeeks.

So far I'm loving the TL and I think I made a good choice for a Daily Driver. With a little work, it might even make a fun weekend car.

 

What are seat tracks?

 

Just wondering if these problems are resolved in the 07 model? I had an 05 TSX for a year and had only one rattle in the right hand side of the dash. It would pop up every now and then yet drove me nuts when it did.

 

My TL must have been built on a Tuesday -- it's tight and trouble-free. I've never visited the dealer for any work on the TL.
I did have a minor and very intermittent driver's window squeak last spring that's disappeared without me having to see the dealer or do anything to the window. I haven't had any extraneous noises in my '05 for a few months now, other than a specific coffee mug causing a rattle in the front cupholder.
By the way, Hondas aren't supposed to rattle. Our '04 Odyssey has no rattles or noises, nor did a '95 Civic when we sold it in '04. My 1988 Integra developed an intermittent steering column rattle after its 8th year or so; probably a clip or loose wiring tape that I would fix if I weren't so lazy.

 

I guess I didn't check that option package...

 

THAT is what the seat slides on when you adjust the seats

 

actually the marysville plant doesnt have a union. My car came from an associate that got to see it built. The things I notice are the 1500 rpm noise in 5th gear which does make other things rattle and I have a rattle around the auto gear shift.
From what I understand the tl is made on the accord line

 

Can we just let this thread die?

 

I can tell you from experience that build quality of cars built in Japan are defenitely the best. Ohio still has a long way to go. The difference is here we work for the paycheck, in Japan its a motto. Its a psychological thing that cannot be transferred to workers aboard.

Why am i saying this ? I used to work for a Japanese Auto Plant here in the US, they just couldnt match or keep up quality and production numbers at the same time. So what happened ? Japanese came and took couple vehicle models back to Japan for production and are going to shut the lines down here in US. I cant mention which plant or what models since i used to work there.

I met with several Japanese engineers during that time and they said that the quality was appalling, but they were trying to improve all the time and thats all they could do. if the workers didnt feel like doing a great job then no matter, what system you have in place, quality will suffer.