chefdave415

Hello...I am new to this site and look forward to being apart of the community. I am experiencing a frustrating issue with my 2012 TL with 74,000 miles. I am getting a mushy brake pedal that seems to be intermittent, but now seems permanent. It started a few months ago with a sudden braking in some sand (was at the beach in the parking lot). It was mushy for a day. I went to a mechanic who bled the brakes. It was fine for a week or so until i had another episode of braking on an uneven surface. Mushy brakes for a few days. This has gone on for a month. Mushy brakes, then the next day, fine. Now it is here to stay. The mechanic told me he thought the MC is failing, but was surprised at the low mileage. I have recently been reading about how the VSA might be causing this issue by letting air into the system. I also noticed that the VSA button will not turn off the VSA. I have no error codes or anything. The brakes are mushy, but improve with pumping. Also, the pedal is mushy even when the car is off, but a few pumps makes it rock hard, then as soon as i start the car, brake pedal almost to the floor. The question is, how can I tell if its the MC or the VSA causing my issue? I assume if the VSA had an issue, an error code would be activated? Please help, as I am getting totally frustrated. Thanks in advance !!!

Reorge

I have heard of Acura/Honda MC failure at low miles. It's not common but it does happen.
The VSA modulator can fail sometimes (by allowing air into system) without DTC codes but there isn't a method to diagnosis that I'm aware of.
Certain Odysseys had this VSA modulator issue.
The MC is inexpensive and much easier to replace than the VSA modulator therefore, I would have the MC replaced and reevaluated after the repair.

chefdave415

Thank you for your reply. I have heard of a way to isolate the MC from the VSA to see if the MC holds pressure, just not sure how to do it. Also, its possible to get a used VSA for under $300. I have read of a few TL and TSX owners who had the same issue and replaced the MC, only to find it was the VSA. Just wanting to know if there is a way to diagnose a little before i replace the MC. The other thing is, its wierd that nothing happens when I hold down to VSA button to turn it off. What does that mean?

RadioActive

Can't help with the brake issue but...

There are cases when you can't turn VSA off. Had a very frustrating time trying to turn it off when stuck in snow at the end of my driveway... With low tire pressure.

https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-p...le-vsa-873302/

csmeance

you have to hold vsa button until you hear a beep!

Did you try flushing the brake fluid and then bleeding the brakes for improvement? Does your pedal sink to the floor very quickly after stopping at a redlight (1-2 seconds) or longer (10+)?

Check your brakes and make sure that they are operating smoothly. Sand can get into the slide pins and cause them to move in an erratic manner causing weird braking feeling.

When is the last time brake fluid was changed? It should be changed every 2-3 years depending on how cold/humid it gets in your area.

Reorge

I would think that any procedure you can find to isolate an Acura/Honda modulator would work for our TL. The basic designs are mostly the same.

Angel_1561

Curious, did you ever get this issue fixed? My girlfriends 4G just started with these issues in the same sequence as yours.