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Just discovered this site as my trusty steed blinked up with those scary indicators. Hoping I can get some help!
Yesterday it was storming pretty bad here (speed 3 wiper setting bad). The roads were wet and there were a lot of puddles and small road lakes to cross while driving.
Now just to inform you, I do not try to crash through these small bodies of water creating massive cascades; I try to avoid them, and if I cannot, I slow down and cruise through them. While I was driving through one of these small bodies of water, the VSA, the VSA triangle /!\ and the (ABS) indicators all came on at the same time.
This is the first time this has ever happened to me and my car. Reading online, I found that other people had this problem and that it may be related to the brake fluid reservoir. I checked the reservoir and I see brake fluid around the white circle thing right above the cap. Being a complete car noobie, I can't exactly tell if that means that I have enough brake fluid or not. I know there is the MINIMUM indicator on the side of the reservoir, but I can't see any distinguishable fluid line as of right now (not very bright out, hard to see).
This morning, when I started the engine, the light indicators were no longer there. However after ~7 minutes of driving in normal weather, the lights came back on!
I don't want to take it to the local Acura dealership/car center if possible since I don't know how much it would cost me to get the problem fixed. From what I've been seeing sometimes it is a faulty switch or sensor or something like that... would such a fix be expensive?
If anyone could give me help/advice it would be greatly appreciated!!! And please keep in mind that I know nothing about cars other than how to change my oil/replace windshield fluid...
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately I have no idea how I would go about discerning the true origin of the VSA/ABS lights... plus fixing it myself...
Should I go to the local Acura dealership to get it checked out? I know Autozone can check the "Check Engine" Light symptoms for free, but there is no "Check Engine" light that shows up in the dashboard windows.
Would you recommend going to a local car center instead? I'd rather go to the car center instead of the dealership if they can fix it (maybe it will be cheaper). In that thread you linked the price is around $400!
My guess would also be wheel speed sensor. Probably got damaged from too much water.
If you can find a local mechanic that can diagnose it for you, sure, go wherever you want. It's not like the dealer is the only place that can fix these cars. If you did go to the dealer, they'd probably charge you an hour of labor for a diagnostic and then you'd go from there.
An Autozone should be able to pull the fault codes for you. As pbook4g5 noted, the dealership should be able to diagnose and fix your issue, but it won't be the cheapest route. For that matter a Honda dealer will be cheaper. See if you can find an independent shop that specializes in Japanese autos. Ask some of your friends or neighbors for recommendations.
Do you know if dealerships give fix-up service? In that, if the error still persists after I would go to the dealer, they would not charge me for fixing it again, since they didn't fix it correctly the first time? Is this also true for local mechanics? The car is pretty old with 120k miles on it. My dad did most of the maintenance on it, but I moved out of state this year.
I don't know if Autozone can pull the ABS fault codes or not... one of my local stores could, then the store near where I worked couldn't, so your mileage may vary.
If any shop (dealer or otherwise) diagnosed your car and repaired it incorrectly (as in, it didn't fix the issue), I would assume there would be some retribution in doing it right.
However, the codes should tell a mechanic *exactly* whats malfunctioning, giving them a pretty high probability that they'll get it right the first time. You'd have to ask each shop that same question as they all might have different answers.
Ah, thanks! So I can view the codes in my own car first via the Nav system to try and diagnose it myself...?
From that thread, I'm a little unsure about the terminology. What is an XM module? Do I even need to know what that is? From Morrissey25's pictures and the following replies, I think I just need to press the XM (HIP) into ECU into Option 3 (please correct me if I'm wrong!)
Thanks so much for the kind advice!!
P.S. If I see the codes on my own, the code only states what's wrong...not what is causing it, right?
Some folks have had varied luck with this method. You don't need to know what it is, but believe it has to do with the XM Satellite radio system. Just don't delete any of the codes - not a big deal if you do. If the problem still exists the codes will come back.
The code is a trouble code and should (might?) help with the diagnosis. May or may not tell you what is causing it.
I installed rims without TPMS sensors in them. I got 4 codes telling me each of the four tires had a sensor failure. I knew that because they weren't there, but in your case you aren't sure. See if the process works for you in terms of retreiving the codes and you can go from there.
I'll see if I can upload a few pictures here. Most likely I'll stop by an Autozone that's close to see what they think, if they do it for free. I found some local mechanics as well. Thanks for all the help! Will update later this week in case anyone else is having this same issue (doubt it, but would have helped me in my original google search!).
Well this looks ancient. Didn't see any XM setting either when I entered each setting. Only thing that looked familiar to the other one I saw was in "Navi System" under Navi ECU... but it brought up a flowchart of sorts of just what the Navi system was communicating with in the car. Helps?
Yeah, that looks like what others have posted. No idea why it looks different or what causes that. I've never had an issue in either of my cars. Not sure if having and active XM subscription has anything to do with it.
Go to Autozone and see what they say.
When I signed up on AZ 11 years ago, I had ordered a Black (Nighthawk Black Pearl is the actual factory color name) 04 TL. 4 ME is self explanatory. Had I given it more thought I would have come up with something not as specific as I haven't owned that car in approx 5 years............
Okay, got it checked out yesterday (not fixed), and driving to the Autozone, then home, and then work this morning, there were no lights.
A couple of guys have said that some sensor may have become wet during the puddle drive through, or jostled. If the lights come back on for no reason later, it may mean the circuit was shorted (and will need to be replaced).
I don't know how much of their advice will hold up to the Acura experts here, but right now there are no light indicators and I didn't pay a thing, so I'm happy about that.
Honestly a short in the circuit or a damaged wheel sensor is what I was thinking. In the time since you hit that puddle, the circuit may have had the time to dry out. Lights are out and it didn't cost you anything, so I think you are in good shape for the time being.
10-14-2014, 07:57 AM
VSA/ABS Light Indicator Issue (Acura TL 2004)
