Gang, have a new 2013 AWD TL - had a bad rattle in the dash, they took car back for 4 days, fixed the rattle , but the dash is not on correctly. The new car also has a spot on the back seat, looks like glue and they say they will replace the seat cover. Sounds like too many problems with a NEW TL (this is my Forth). Dealing with their Cust relations dept and sent a letter to their Finance Mgr David W Paul. Want the car replaced. They are fighing every inch of the way with this new car - any Ideas on what to do ? thx, John

 

you want the car replaced because a spot on the rear seats?

lol.

 

Let them try to fix those problems. They do not sound major or would interfere with the car safety. Read over the lemon laws for your state.

 

Usually, auto makers will only buy back the "new car" after repeated attempts still fail to fix the same problem.

 

They had car in Shop for 4 days (new car $40k) to fix bad rattle - I Beam prblem, they cannot get the dash to fit back in correctly.....this is not too funny as you make payments. This is my 4th TL.....the spot on the seat is just poor Acura Quality Control......only funny if its not u new car

 

damn hurt my eyes just trying to read what you post..

but if i were you id fight with acura..you got nothing to lose.. your dash is all jacked up because they didnt install it properly.

 

I had a similar issue where I had repeated problems with noises shortly after buying the car. I asked that Acura buy it back and was turned down. They sent their regional rep out to look at it, but at the end of the day, I was stuck with it.

 

^^^^^

Noise issues don't affect the operation and safety of a vehicle.

But if one insists, a lawyer will definitely help in this case.

 

Have any pictures to show the dash fit issues?

 

Oh I should also mention that Lawyer or not you will not get a replacement car over a rattle.

 

true, that I DID NOT spend the $40k for the car.

but seriously, re-read your Original post. its pretty silly that you want a new car over a stain. a stain.

let me repeat that... a stain.


that is not a "MAJOR PROBLEM"


now, over on the RLX side, a bolt backed out and a support arm sheared off. THAT is a major problem, not to mention a safety hazard putting the occupants of the vehicle and any one on the road at the time it sheared off IN DANGER.

please tell me how a stain is dangerous?

 

I had a similiar issue with a rattle on the dash. Particularly the "roof" on the navi screen. Finagled with it and it just disappeared. It appears that the foam material from the dash was rubbing on something. I would only hear it when it was hot too.

I was too afraid to bring it to a dealer and have them look at it though because I didn't want to run into incorrect installation. I would at least have them reinstall the dash or get a new one? They should get it reinstalled correctly though. I'm not sure why they are giving you a hard time about it since it's under warranty and not up to factory specs. Either way, it's kind of extreme to demand a new car over a rattle and glue.

 

The Stain is the 3rd problem
1. rattle - 59 times on the way to work - fixed ( car 3 months old)
2. Dash not in correctly
3. I am a repeat Acura owner - all 4 new cars (thought Corp Acura would treat us better)
4. Now have email that the Airbags may not be working ( Problem 4)
5. Must be something wrong with me - don't want Corp America to take advantage of me

 

owned a new car that had problems with the transmission. After 5 times with it locking up in 2nd gear (automatic) and numerous sensors and other parts being installed they finally replaced the transmission when the car had less than 5,000 miles on it. Yes we could have tried for a replacement but we had use of a loaner car and they went out of their way to fix the problem.

 

 

It's not the stain that's dangerous, it's his misaligned dash. How is he supposed to stay focused on the road when his dash is all fucked up?

OP, in all seriousness...you're never going to get a new car out of this. Have them attempt to re-align the dash then ask for a few free Acura accessories for wasting your time. Or better yet, ask for one big free accessory (rims, aero kit, etc.). I know the chances are slim to none that it'll happen but trust me, IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK!

 

FUC Bronco, in all seriousness...you have lost your mind. ^

They are not going to give him a set of rims for a "fucked up" dash. Even if they did give him some free goodies, he'd never see the benifit because he would always be looking at that crooked dash.

 

^^^ I got a free aero kit from my dealership due to a paint issue.

Granted my car was re-painted and I was without it for a month, but I had the "never hurts to ask" mindset and it paid off.

 

This is a vicious circle. Acura (well, Honda) knows that if customer is not happy with the service then they won't buy another Acura ever again. Then they put pressure on the dealerships to fix their own factory quality control problems. The dealers, operating with low budgets and quotas and huge expenses, are there with their hands tied behind their backs and "push back" the customers when issues like these come up on new cars.

If Acura wants to improve their image and products, well, the RLX or the new MDX won't do it. It is the good old Honda quality control from the 80's that will. Flashy LED lights or rear wheel steering? Screw that!

One thing for sure its not the dealers to be blamed for quality control problems at the factory, AND should they be responsible fixing them. Especially since they have a quota on how much warranty work they can do regardless if they get an entire fleet in a month that is messed up at the factory!!

A car that appears to have left the factory with quality issues, should go back to the factory. Otherwise we all be driving infinities soon...

 

Don't body shops and stereo shops remove dashes on a daily basis? Why don't you cut a deal with a dealership to have the dash reinstalled by a competent shop and have the dealership pick up the tab?

 

Not quite true.

Even if a couple of unhappy Acura owners who are not going to buy another Acura ever again, a whole lot other new buyers are gonna fill their place, provided Acura continues to churn out nice vehicles.

 

Guys/Girls - here the pics have some empathy

 

^ Cant see much from that pic, But what does the other side of the dash look like? Are you concerned about the gap?

I dont see how this is a ACURA issue as much as it is a DEALER issue. ACURA didnt take your dash out, the mechanics at the dealer did. To ask for a new car because A). your car rattled 59 times on the way to work and was FIXED, B).You claim its not in correctly, I would beg to differ, i would say its not ALIGNED correctly,C). Because of a spot of glue on the seat, D). and because you are a repeat owner I get it. You spent a lot of money on a car, and you want it to be perfect. Just take a step back, take a couple deep breaths and go at this logically. Go back to the dealer, Ask to talk to the Service Manager, Owner, And see if you can get a Acura Rep there. Keep a COOL head, dont threaten, dont yell, just get them to correct the MINOR issues.

 

at wanting a new car over a stain.

 

hahaha +1 hilarious

 

So you have a stain on the rear seat of your new car.

The dealership says it will replace the seat cover for you.

So, problem solved. Are you still not satisfy with the arrangement ?

 

I'm willing to bet the dealer would fix the dash as well.

 

This is hilarious!

I feel your pain but you have no idea how far this shit goes before a car is a lemon. My friend's new Mustang... about 8 show-stopper problems. Car just won't start. Gas pedal FALLS THE F OFF. Door handle for driver's door FALLS THE F OFF! 5 more I can't remember all equal in WTFness.

Oh yeah, and he's a lawyer and has already bitched all the way up to the CEO. No dice on a replacement so far.

 

4th TL owner has legitimate complaints.
Maybe not worth labelling the car a lemon or enough for an exchange vehicle, but certainly enough to cause frustration and disappointment to someone who has paid good money for a "luxury" vehicle. The proper way for them to manage this from a customer service and satisfaction perspective, is to reassure the guy that they will continue to work with him to solve the issues. It is very poor business to treat customers as if they are an annoyance. Most modern corporations and their leadership have accepted the position that their long term success is directly connected to making all their customers happy.

 

You have a point. One can only hope the marketing gurus at a corporation the size of Honda where strategy errors are not acceptable, have figured out all that stuff. If they haven't and they are just throwing darts on a board with no justifications, then they are in trouble.

 

I wouldn't do that. Acura dealerships have access to the shop manual that shows step by step the procedure to remove/install all kinds of stuff. A body shop or stereo shop doesn't and if there are any specific steps that they missed then wht they do may create more damage. Now, if the Acura dealership actually followed the shop manuals they have, well, thats another story...

 

I've never heard a rattle in my TL... something about that ELS stereo makes it impossible to hear such things.

Seriously, though, that spot on the seat sucks, but they can fix that easily. I wouldn't sweat it much. Seat covers come off.

 

Yes he does have legitimate complaints, well 1, the dash not being put back to his satisfaction. But Judging by his post here one can only assume that he got some/this type of attitude with them. That will get you no where. Wanting a new car because your car spent 4 days in the shop, fixing one issue and not resolving another issue as a result is not grounds for them giving you a new car.

 

Your logic doesn't make much sense, anything an Acura dealer does wrong is a problem for Acura. Those mechanics are trained by Acura to work specifically on Acura vehicles.

OP take the car back in and get the seat cover replaced, tell them the dash is misaligned and the rattle issue still hasn't been resolved, give them the opportunity to fix the issue. Forget about getting a new car because it isn't going to happen.

 

But this dash fitment problem is not caused by Acura, it is caused by the mechanic who is hired by the privately-owned Acura dealership.

The new car didn't have the dash fitment problem when it left the factory. So one can't blame it on Acura.

As a result of the incompetent dealership mechanic trying to fix a rattle/noise, the dash is pulled apart and put back together improperly. So it is the dealership that is responsible for the dash fitment problem.

 

Oh but it does make sense. Blaming the Manufacturer for something done by a privately owned dealer doesnt make sense. Instead of getting pissy demanding stuff from acura, he should be trying to settle things with the DEALER OR find a more competent dealer. One who is willing to go above and beyond to fix the issue.

Exactly.

 

Your right, my eyes go to the DASH

 

Gang:
1. i appreciate the commetns even from JNS
2. The Dealer gets the car back next week (Wed) and I get a loaner
3. I try not to have an attitude, but I have had sever new cars (Coralla, Two Vettes, BMW 5, and the 4 Acuras and never had problems with a new car)
4. I don't work hard so I can have NEW cars (my Hobby) and problems - I have 2 many other problems - married.
5. Its still has a SMALL rattle - sht

 

huh I thought mine had some rattled cause i bought it wrecked. Most of them are fixed still haunting one down somewhere in a dash but ill find it. Replacing the entire car because of some rattle seems insane. Dash being installed incorrectly is another story and something dealership should take ownership for.