cudfoo

Considering the purchase of a TSX Sportwagon. Don't like the idea of no spare tire. How do any current owners feel about this? Have you come up with any DIY solutions?

My concern would be I'm traveling and bend a rim or cut a sidewall. Does Acura Roadside Assistance bring a spare to address this or are you looking at towing the car?

Anyone patched a tire with the provided spare kit?

Don’t want to spend $1k to buy the entire spare kit – why would Acura produce a car without a spare?

I really like the car otherwise…

kitt1126

made my sales gave me a donut, i took care of the jack and wrench.
I don't like the idea either.

cudfoo

Just wondering - what size is the rim and the tire?

Where do you store it?

WheelMcCoy

I wish I bought the 2011 Wagon which had a spare donut. I was too late and got the 2012 Wagon which comes with an air compressor and goo. Acura did this to save weight and improve mpg. I'm getting used to the idea, but if you drive in pot-holed areas with poor cell phone reception, a spare is in order.

I recall there was a thread about a diy spare. Some guys wrote that they scavenged a spare from a Honda Accord in the junk yard. I'm not keen on that idea because rubber in tires degrade; the rule of thumb is to replace tires older than 6 years, regardless of wear.

BTW, there's a well in the Wagon's trunk that's used for storage but it can hold a donut.

turning japanese

Pull out the storage bin and you will see that the 2012 wagon is identical to the 2011 underneath.

There are three button clips on either side. Carefully pop them up. Then grab the metal and plastic striker plate (where the trunk lid hits the bottom of the cargo floor) and pull it up and remove it. Once you've done that, then you can pull out the liner and the storage bin.

You'll see the welded bolt in the bare metal well that is used to attach a wheel. Although I bought a donut, a full size tire/wheel should fit (I measured and the diagonal and height is big enough.)

There is enough space on top of the donut to store a jack and some tools. But without the OEM spare kit, you'll need to improvise and use some material (or even some heavy cloth towels) to keep things in order, keep noise down, and not having stuff banging around.

If you're not buying the kit then you do have to be careful that you get some foam insulation to protect an area that gets exposed after removing the liner and the storage bin. It's towards the front of the storage space and the amp and some other electrical components will be exposed. You need to seal that up with foam liner for safety.

You won't have anything to put on top of your wheel and tools unless you can find a tray from a 2011 model to replace on the top. In fact you might consider finding a wrecked 2011 and just pull out the whole thing: liner, tray, tools and jack (the jack and tools sit in a fitted foam tray), and donut. On the Acura website they used to list the kit as separate items but it looks like now it's just one entire kit. But I'm sure there's a part number to the tray and you can probably get it from a dealer (look online.)

There is also room to keep the original 2012 compressor and goop kit. Either in the well, or if you get the tray it will fit in the tray and the cover will go down fine. (I'd always try the goop first if I get a flat, then head to a tire place instead of changing it out on the road.)

It's all very doable without buying the OEM spare kit. You'll have to improvise and stuff padding in there to keep down the noise, etc..

The original 2012 storage bin that you have to remove is a pretty big piece, so be sure you have a place to store it (you'll need it if you resell the car down the road....) Plus you might need that deep storage space sometime and that way you can just take the tire out and it reverts back to storage only. Having that deep storage well is kind of nice sometimes.

cudfoo

thx - I suppose I could purchase a steel rim and tire on tire rack if the dealer won't give me one.

Anyone know what size the rim and spare tire is on the '11.

Thought I read somewhere that it was 16 x something - the smaller I could get away with the better...

turning japanese

Spare donut with steel wheel is a T135/80D16.
The Acura part number is 42751-BRI-095.
The MSRP is $175.00 from the dealer.
You can find them on eBay: http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_...e+T135%2F80D16

cudfoo

Thanks for the info.

So any 135/80/16 will work.

See them listed on ebay for an old HONDA ODYSSEY?

turning japanese

I only linked that eBay page so you could see the spare size. You need to find a listing for the 16x4 pattern that fits the TSX.

Go search. You have the OEM part number and also the size. The rest is up to you

scheißterhöffer

Has Acura actually made this claim? The 2012 sans spare is rated 22/30, same as my 2011 with that anchor-like spare. I thought they did it to increase cargo capacity...like maybe for a spare tire that an owner might opt to carry with them...

turning japanese

I was told that it was to eke out a slight mpg advantage for cafe regulations across the fleet. This was told to me in person by the regional factory rep for my area (he is out of the Torrance CA office.) When I mentioned cost savings as another advantage for Honda, he smiled and said "yeah, that too."

btw, cargo capacity is increased only without the spare. Once you get the spare in there you've already had to dismantled the factory cargo box. I personally like that cargo box, but I also wanted the peace of mind of a spare tire. At least one can go back and forth (it's a 20 minute switch over.) And owners of the 2011 can get a 2012 storage box and do the same, too (identical bodywork.)

cudfoo

kitt1126 - Do you store the spare donut in the existing storage area or did you do some mods to accommodate it?

turning japanese

I can't answer for what kitt1126 is doing, but the donut will not fit in the existing lined storage bin (note the tray/lid forward of the bin itself where the air compressor is located; it reduces the bin's diameter.) That bin is a complete molded piece (actually two pieces: the felt liner with form shaped plastic and a black styrofoam molded and matched under-unit.) You have to remove the original storage bin to fit the tire.

And perhaps even more importantly, you need to secured the donut properly (there's a welded bolt in the floor pan under the lined storage area for the spare.) In case of an accident, you could have a spare tire flying around the inside of the cabin if it's not secured.

cudfoo

Got it - Thanks for the info.

Ken1997TL

Have your dealer throw it in as part of the transaction

kball

2012 wagon owner myself and somewhat off topic...but it should be noted that the onboard computer (mine at least) consistently OVERestimates mpg by 1-2 mpg compared to the more accurate miles driven/gallons used division method

K100Fran

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun...tires-20110620


Acura isn't the only one. The no spare tire idea is gaining traction.

WheelMcCoy

A disturbing trend, as I prefer a donut. Here's another article:

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars...s-popular.html

As "@turning apanese" mentioned, it's for cafe standards and cost savings rather than any safety improvement. Also, I noticed the recommended oil for our cars is synthetic blend -- another way to meet the cafe standards.

Ken1997TL

The 0w-20 synthetic is also to reduce cold start emissions.

adam prat

I have gone the route of taking a 2009 accord spare along with the original securing bolt and jack- Did have to get creative by removing the styrofoam insert(garbage) and as for the spare tire being old- If I ever need it I figure the extra 3 years of age will hardly matter as long as I drive carefully to my destination. Wouldn't want to cruise 75 mph in it, but am confident it'll get me home, or to the nearest tire dealer.

BobbyC

thats strange. ive never heard of a regular car not coming with a spare.
i know the S2000 CR didnt come with one but this is a station wagon..

does it come with a tire repair kit like the CR does?

mcteague

Yes. It comes with an air compressor with sealant. Would rather have a spare but I have not had a flat in decades. Guess I just jinxed myself.

Tim

BobbyC

see.. i would prefer that over a spare.
i usually just carry a can of fix a flat in the car.

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

heard fix a flat is bad for tires with TPMS. the gunk fucks with the sensor and shit.

cudfoo

I purchased a tsx spare tire at a junk yard for $85.

Also purchased a tire storage cover on Amazon.

Plan to take it with me on any long trips out of the area. Will use tie downs and some bungee cord to keep in place. May eventually get the kit and mount tire like the '11 wagon.

Adam - How exactly did you mount the spare?

BobbyC

hrmm.. im not sure if ive ever used them on a car with TPMS.


did 05 accords have them? i think they did...?
thats the last car ive used fix a flat on and never really had a problem..

gonzo08452

I have access to a '11 Accord spare. Will this fit?

turning japanese

Do you mean just placing the tire in the cargo area and bungee cording it down? That will take up a lot of space and also can be dangerous in accident/roll over (hit in the head with a spare tire could hurt.)

Why not just pull out the molded storage bin (four plastic clips) and then use a standard bolt to mount the tire to the post at the floor bottom. Throw some tools and towels over it and then close the lid. You'll have full cargo space freed up and the tire will be firmly bolted in place. Unless that's what you mean you're doing (although you wouldn't really need a 'tire storage cover'...)

The genuine Fix-A-Flat brand is TPMS safe. It even says so on the label. It's a water based product. The goop that comes with the 2012 and later models of the TSX wagon is a "latex based material" (according to the owner's manual.) It's very likely the same stuff as Fix-A-Flat (which is owned by Shell Oil company.)

From the company:

Fix-A-Flat is 100 percent safe to use with tire pressure monitoring systems revealed a third-party study funded by Shell Lubricants — the tire repair product’s parent company.

The two-week evaluative study involved the tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and sensors used in 80 percent of U.S. market vehicles and aims to educate consumers and retail employees and owners that the water-based Fix-A-Flat product does not hamper, clog or disrupt pressure systems.

“The goal is to educate, to let people know about Fix-A-Flat, a little about the formulation, and what is true and what’s untrue about the product,” says Mickey Burnett, senior brand manager for consumer products with Shell. “It doesn’t dry or harden inside your tires, so it won’t cause balance problems. It doesn’t interfere with the function of tire sensors. It is non-flammable, non-explosive.”

cudfoo

How do you remove the molded storage bin?

Can it be put back in down the road if needed?

You happen to have any pics of what it all looks like when it's removed.

Any issues with noise when removed?

cudfoo

Sorry - never mind.

Just read your old post on this.

dpt48

We recently hit a pot hole in our '12 TSX wagon, got a tear in the side wall, and missed an out-of-town Saturday evening wedding because we didn't have a spare. The inflator kit could not repair the tire, so we called roadside assistance and had the car towed over 200 miles home. Not happy! Now we are in a quandry about what to do. Is there a kit to hold a spare that we can purchase to replace the hidden cargo space? Wouldn't have purchased the car if we'd realized it had no spare. And, btw, I can't remember when I last had a flat tire.

turning japanese

Taking the time to read this thread (i.e., the very first post) and doing a quick search on this forum (type in 'TSX wagon spare tire kit') will answer your question.

And yes, there is a spare tire kit available. It's the whole point of this thread.

wbt3

I drive 50,000 miles a year and have roadside assistance on my Honda... In 30 years I have had to change one tire..that is 1,500,000 miles driven...when I had low pressure I just drove it to service station.. Which I had the option to just get the goo and pump... And the extra space...

I have had Goodyear, Michelin, Firestone, Toyo, etc...over the years.. The only blow out I had was from a screwdriver through the sidewall of my Astro van in 1992...

By good tires and check them regularly..perhaps...

Simba91102

And being the luckiest guy in the world must have helped too....

robpp

iTrader: (2)

had a nail in the tire and realized I still needed to resolve the 'lack of a spare' issue.

I previously bought a spare wheel and tire and all the tools from eBay never used. I spent about a hundo for all of that.
Wheel is 16x4 Tire is 135/80 IIRC.....its an accord spare but same as yours.

So I went to oemacuraparts and did some research as to waht else I needed to complete the spare tire package.......

I needed 4 things

74652-SDA-003 Bolt
74651-S2X-003 Adapter
84523-TL4-G22ZA Lower Floor Cover
84529-TL4-A01ZA Lower Floor Bucket

List Price about 430 - oemacuraparts price = $300 pluis shipping.

SO I went to the stealer and ASKED about matching the price. He said he would match it plus the shipping. I didnt know the shipping so we agreed on a $40 uplift.....plus tax came to 360.

ORDERED!

so that should solve that.......

I am going to look for some sound deadening to put under there when I have it apart










right :that why we have things like insurance.....its all about risk tolerance. some people buy warranty ....some dont.

i go the mountains a lot and gettin help up there could take a while; i have the acura card as well as AAA 100 miles. still feel more comfortable HAVING the spare if something happens. I may let them come and change it LOL but without the spare I MUST GO HOME on the truck/

Novichek

Not to derail the topic, but what do owners of '12+ wagons think about quality of the "factory" compressor? Does it appear sturdy and durable? I always carry a small compressor along with plug kit and several other "emergency" items in my car. My walmart compressor started sounding like it's about to crap out only after about 2 years (used under 20 times total) and I'm thinking about an alternative...

robpp

iTrader: (2)

i can say i never tried mine/

WheelMcCoy

Instead of using the gas station air pump, I've used the compressor to top off my tires a couple of times. It's decent. The hose is braided and you coil it around a track on the unit. The display gauge is lit, and it agrees with the the TSX tpms readout.

The 2012+ TSX Wagon itself has 2 power ports, one up front and one in the back. Presumably, this lets your compressor reach the front and rear tires easily, although I found the compressor's cable long enough to reach all four tires when plugged in at the front.

When stowing away the compressor, put it back into its plastic bag. I found that a naked compressor rubbing against the styrofoam cutouts in the trunk squeak as you drive, and that started to drive me nuts!

GinoDL

I realize that this is an old post, but I wanted to add my two cents to it. Like several others, I experienced a shock when I got the first flat on my 2012 TSX Sport Wagon. It was a cut sidewall so the "nifty" air compressor/tire snot" setup was useless. In addition, it was 8:30 in the morning on Sunday right after early church services, so getting help was a bit of a problem. I finally got ahold of Acura's Road Service, who dispatched a tow. 3 hours later, I was in my driveway, 2 1/2 miles away, without a tire for one wheel.
I resolved not to be caught a second time without resources, so I got on Tire Rack's web site, and ordered a MSW 17x7 Type 19 silver alloy wheel (that's almost a dead ringer for the standard Acura TSX's wheel) for about $140. Mounting a new tire on it and we were good to go.
If you lift up the lid of the storage compartment under the deck of the wagon and pop out a couple of upholstery pins, you can grab the liner and pull it out. Then knock out the styrofoam block filler and discover the spare tire wheel well that Acura provides for when the Sport Wagon is sold in Europe as a Honda Accord. My new full size MSW wheel and tire package fits very nicely into it. Now spend a couple of bucks for a scissors jack and wheel nut wrench and you are in business. My whole setup cost me about $300 and less than 15 minutes of my valuable time. Obviously, I would have preferred Acura to have done this for me before I got the car, but I can see where they might want to save a couple of bucks. I won't pretend that I don't think this is a cheap trick for a high-end car manufacturer to pull.

ceb

Many car manufacturers have replaced the spare with a compressor and a bottle of goop - Mercedes, BMW and others have done this.

It isn't necessarily cost cutting as much as it is weight savings. For MB on their E series diesels, the urea tank is in the area that the spare used to occupy.