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Sassysmama
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We bought an 04 Acura TL in March and have had nothing but trouble with the tires. We have experienced vibration, road noise and specifically hydroplaning,fishtailing on minimally wet roads with less than 10,000 miles on the car. We have been back to the dealership more than three to four times regarding the problems since March and have heard every excuse in the book. We took a trip in Sept. and experienced a severe lack of control of the car, back end sway at only 40 mph. Upon further examination, the tires were worn to the wear bar, and looked like racing slicks. There was tire dust/pieces all over the back of our car and the wheels. Brought the car into dealership upon return from the most dangerous road trip ever and had to leave car for several days until Acura rep could look at car/tires. Rep looked at car and after much discussion, decided to offer four new premium Bridgestone tires. We refused and told them we will not drive the car with Bridgestone tires ever again. We went back and forth and told them we would only accept Michelin tires. We are from upstate NY now living in Florida and our driving experience includes many many years of driving on ice and snow and we have never experienced a ride in a car like we had in September. It had to be the scariest ride our family ever had experienced, enough so that we will not take this car on a road trip until something is done about the tires. Finally, our Acura dealer/service manager agreed to put brand new Michelin tires on the car but explained it would take three weeks before they came in as they were waiting for the 05's to come in. They put two new Bridgestone tires on the back in the meantime. Those two new tires have done the same thing as the first two, leaving tire dust/pieces all over the car and are wearing poorly. We waited a month for them to call, they never called us so we contacted them and were told that they will not put Michelin tires on the car as they are not the original equipment and will only put the same Bridgestone tires on them. Despite our complaints to Acura Client Services in California, they have refused to do anything about this problem. We have contacted the State of Florida Attorney General's office and if necessary, will have this car taken back under the lemon law. What a shame that Acura doesn't have the wisdom and courage to admit that they made a mistake putting such an inferior tire on such a good car and make things right by replacing them. We have read numerous statements about the Bridgestone tires and almost all are negative. Is it that they just don't listen or care or both? My husband has always purchased American made cars and it took alot to convince him to even try out an Acura. Guess this will be the last Acura we buy.
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golf nut
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It's not the tires, it's the car. There's a rear suspension problem thar causes the rear toe in to dramatically change when the rear suspension is compressed. This typically happens when you carry passengers. Mine is back at the dealer for it's fourth set of rear tires in 12,000 miles. Acura does not have a solution. My dealer has been very good about providing new tires...two sets of EL42s one set of BS RE030s and now Michelin Sport A/S. I think they're going to set the rear alignment to toed out in an attempt to find a comprimise setting.
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Acura TL Driver
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Hold the phone! You have a mechanical problem with the alignment! Potholes and curbs damage the rims and the suspension. Yes the EL42's are horrible, but it is not fair to rule out all Bridgestone products. I bought my 04 TL 11/03 and at 16,000 miles replaced the OEM tires with Bridgestone RE750 tire size 245/45/17 WR speed rated. The slightly larger sidewall protects the rims from damage, and the car handles like a champ! I have traveled 8,000 miles more with little signs of any wear at all. I have not experienced any tire issues since the new tires were installed. Yes the OEM tires were a bad choice, wear, handling, etc did not do the car justice, but the new ones are simply awesome! Get your car aligned properly because you may have suspension damage.
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Sassysmama
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We have had a wheel alignment done, at least a couple of times. Nothing they have said or done has made things better. It may be a good car but it is only as good as the service. And right about now the service is horrible, given the fact that they went back on their word to us, i.e. replacing tires with four new Michelin tires. This is the second new Acura our family has purchased in the last 7 months, in addition to a used Honda from the same dealership. We are still without new tires on the car and have filed our complaint with the Attorney General here in Florida and formally filed the same complaint with Acura Client Services. In the meantime, until a resolution is found, we may just put a big lemon sign on the car and drive it around the Ft. Myers/Cape Coral area for all to see!
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Richie_A
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i am having a suspension problem with my honda accord ex-l. the dealership also cannot find the problem and refuses to do so. the honda case worker refuses to do anything but get it fixed. i have filed a lemon law complaint with the state of ohio. honda will not respond to the complaint. i also bought my car in march and know that tl's and accord's are made in the same plant. sorry for your problem and good luck with the lemon.
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BOOMER
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Independent suspension cars require a 4 wheel alignment, not two front or two back. Any changes to the alignment on one axle changes the alignment on the other axle. If your dealer is doing a two wheel alignment, they are doing it wrong. Also, very few dealerships have full time alignment specialists because its not economical to have a tech sit around until business picks up.
If your dealer refuses to do the 4 wheel job, take it to a specialty tire/alignment store. They have a lot more expertise. I would change dealerships too.
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Acura TL Driver
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Here are some things to do to fix your alignment problem:
1. Fire your dealership, and go somewhere else who knows what they are doing.
2. Go to a tire and alignment specialty shop. They know the alignment machines better than anyone.
3. Assuming that you did not hit any really bad potholes, or bump into any curbs while parking, alignment settings do not change by without something helping them (the driver). I'm not saying that you are a bad driver, but it seems that you are not considering that you could have contributed to the problem. It is possible that the toe was not set properly from the factory, but the dealer should have been able to fix that very easily. Cars are not moody, they are machines. Tires don't wear down abnormally without something causing it to happen.
4. It is true that the Bridgestone EL42's which were OEM stock were a horrible choice from the factory, but I would encourage you to not make an assessment that the whole car is a lemon.
I have owned 9 Honda products over the years, and put a LOT of miles on every year. I have never had your experience with the alignment issue EVER! For the most part, I get the alignment checked every 50,000 miles, and rarely are the settings out by much. I have had very even tire wear with all cars including my 03 Accord EX-L, and my 04 TL.
After the alignment is completed, go to the Tire Rack and buy the Bridgestone RE750 245/45 WR 17 tires. The extra side wall will protect your rims from the curb, the car will handle better than stock, YOU WILL NOT HYDROPLANE in the rain, and your problems are solved. Trust me, I'm the first one to bitch about a manufacturer when I'm getting the short end of the deal. But your situation is fixable. Just take your car to a knowledgable repair facility, and buy these particular tires!
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BOOMER
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I have to disagree with your choice of tires. I have bought 2 new cars with Bridgestones as standard and they are both crap. I will never buy another Bridgstone tire ever. Also, the 750 is an Ultra High Performance SUMMER tire that will be useless in winter. If he lives in a sunny, mild climate, or uses dedicated snow tires, it won't matter. I live in between so all season tires are necessary, summer tires have 0 traction in snow.
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JeffX
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I'm about to release an article on this topic, but I highly recommend the Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2s over the Bridgestone RE750s. In terms of performance specs, the two are very close in the dry, with the PE2s holding an edge. In the wet it isn't even close. The PE2s blow away the RE750s. And the performance endures. We tested the PE2s against RE750s and yoko AVS ES100s - all with the treads shaved 50%. The Yokohamas and RE750s were virtually undriveable while the PE2s retained nearly the same level of grip as at 100% tread depth. I couldn't have been more impressed with that one test alone.
The PE2s also have rim protectors.
Acura TL Driver wrote:
Here are some things to do to fix your alignment problem:
1. Fire your dealership, and go somewhere else who knows what they are doing.
2. Go to a tire and alignment specialty shop. They know the alignment machines better than anyone.
3. Assuming that you did not hit any really bad potholes, or bump into any curbs while parking, alignment settings do not change by without something helping them (the driver). I'm not saying that you are a bad driver, but it seems that you are not considering that you could have contributed to the problem. It is possible that the toe was not set properly from the factory, but the dealer should have been able to fix that very easily. Cars are not moody, they are machines. Tires don't wear down abnormally without something causing it to happen.
4. It is true that the Bridgestone EL42's which were OEM stock were a horrible choice from the factory, but I would encourage you to not make an assessment that the whole car is a lemon.
I have owned 9 Honda products over the years, and put a LOT of miles on every year. I have never had your experience with the alignment issue EVER! For the most part, I get the alignment checked every 50,000 miles, and rarely are the settings out by much. I have had very even tire wear with all cars including my 03 Accord EX-L, and my 04 TL.
After the alignment is completed, go to the Tire Rack and buy the Bridgestone RE750 245/45 WR 17 tires. The extra side wall will protect your rims from the curb, the car will handle better than stock, YOU WILL NOT HYDROPLANE in the rain, and your problems are solved. Trust me, I'm the first one to bitch about a manufacturer when I'm getting the short end of the deal. But your situation is fixable. Just take your car to a knowledgable repair facility, and buy these particular tires!
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Sassysmama
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Nothing would make us happier than to be rid of the dealership we bought the car from and their lousy service but to do so would rid them of any responsibility they have in this particular situation. They made a verbal agreement with us and broke it. Not to mention, Acura has a real problem on their hands and someone in that organization really needs to start listening to the owners of their products. We cannot all be wrong. As for the part the driver may or may not play in the problems with the tires, handling, etc., I agree but again in our particular case we have not hit anything with the car i.e. curbs and potholes. The problem seems to be a common problem experienced with this particular car and maybe others. We paid a great deal of money for this car and it has only been on the road since March 04. We should not be having this problem and because we are, it should be rectified to OUR satisfaction. We have many more car buying years ahead of us and word of mouth can make or break a dealership and company. The "lemon" signage is Iin the works as we speak.
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Acura TL Driver
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I can apprecate your feelings and frustrations. We paid approximately $35,000 or so for our cars, and we expect a certain level of performance and refinement for our hard earned money. Beleive me I'm not trying to criticize you and defend Acura or the TL model. It is clear to me that the dealer needs to make things right for you. If I were in your shoes, I would fix the problem elsewhere, and send them the bill, via my attorney out of principle. I personally know 8 people that have the 04 TL and have had none of the problems that you have encountered. If you do get the lemon law enforced, please get another car just like it. I'm sure lightening will not strike twice.
FYI. I have had two issues covered under warranty that you have not had to deal with:
Headliner falling down from the roof
Seat memory control module that went bad
I still love the car, and I hope that you will to someday. I wish you the best of luck.
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BOOMER
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Acutually, you may have done the right thing. Most Lemon Laws give the manufacturer a certain period of time to repair your car to the extent you are satisfied. Often, they will send an expert to diagnose the problem and try to get it fixed by a date set in the Law's provisions. It may be simple, when you have a tech who isn't a simpleton, do the diagnosing. Dealerships have a large range of techs with various levels of knowledge, some seem not to care if their service is lousy if they are making money on sales. These are the ones who usually have to sell their franchises to avoid bankruptcy. Your dealer may be one of those poor businessmen.
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Rick.
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What exactly is your suspension problem? I have experienced a few hairy situations myself...especially in windy conditions...car seems to wonder. Very vague steering feel is my biggest concern!
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Richie_A
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Rick,
Ours is making a popping sound that was diognosed as a sway bar link. we had it in twice with no avail. Third time, dealer said it was fixed (wasn't). To this day, the car floats on the freeway. the best way i can explain it is that the front end feels like a cadillac (i owned one, can make this comparo.) Really sad, otherwise I LOVE this car. Leather, XM, 5mt, etc.
My wife doesn't want another Honda, its that bad.
Richie A
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Rick.
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Richie_A,
That tends to be the same sensation I have exeprienced when cruising at highway speeds. Have you added anything to the stock set-up.....eg. 20mm TL bar or better tires? I also love the car, it just seems to get faster as the engine settles in and I enjoy the interior lay-out but find a remedy for the floating experience....Honda please!!!!
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BOOMER
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I empathize w/you, but going back to an incompetent dealership is not a solution. I found my own by and discussions with other members o the website I belonged to. My 350Z was delivered completely out of alignment and the tires were so soft, they wore fast and even with a 4 wheel alignment once the damage is started, around 3-5000 miles, the OE tires would NOT wear evenly.
I changed tires at 1600 miles, saw the wear pattern beginning and got a 4 wheel alignment the next day at my dealer who has a competent alignment specialist and have never had the wear issue. There were several dozen of us who discussed the problem, decided on a solution to keep the car, and fixed it ourselves.
Some opted for the Lemon Law, not keeping their cars, and got rid of them. I didn't and many others went outside when Nissan's bandaids for the problem didn't work. I did and the car is fine. $80-100 for a 4 wheel alignment is money well spent for piece of mind and solving the problem. We persisted for many months raising hell all over the internet w/Nissan, but it took 18 MONTHS to get them to admit there was a widespread problem just giving owners new tires wouldn't fix. If you take your car to a good alignment shop, they may be able to diagnose the problem and fix it. Life's too short to argue with an incompetent dealer whose techs haven't a clue about your problem. Not all dealerships are created equal.
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Richie_A
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Rick,
1. No additions, everything is stock.
2. Car definately gets faster, and the whole time getting better gas milage. And, have you tried synthetic oil yet? Makes the engine even smoother. I wish I could keep it, it is just my wife's car (I have a 2000 Civic EX) and I want to be able to not worry about her in it. Really disappointing, because the Accord is, in my opinion, the best in the class.
Richie A
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Rick.
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Richie_A,
Here's an idea, give her the Civic and you take over the Accord? I am sure that with some Honda assistance, we'll get the car to where we want it!
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GregD17
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You might also try Potenza RE950's. I don't know how they compare to the RE750's, but I absolutely love mine, especially in wet conditions. Best of luck to everyone with Accord/TL suspension problems!
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Richie_A
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give up my baby? NEVER! lol
Richie A
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akal50
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I replaced those god awful Bridgestones with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. They're terrific. No vibration, less road noise, smoother ride, and terrific wet and snow traction.
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pilotct
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Is this true for the '05 as well, or did Acura fix the issue?
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BOOMER
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I can vouch for the Michelin A/Ss, I had a set on my 350Z. They aren't cheap, however, and I went with the Pirelli P Zero M&S recently and they are excellent on the TL. Bought them through Tire Rack, one of several sets of tires, including the A/Ss.
When you choose these tires, remember they are Ultra High Performance, not Touring like the EL42s. Anyway, they ride better than most Touring tires I've owned, including some Michelins.
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MonsterToe
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Same here. Spent the money, got Michelin Pilot Sport A/S also.
LOVE THEM!
They stick to the road in the summer, handle water and snow excellently, and they wear very well.
The Bridgestones had me all over the road last winter. I even put 200 lbs (4 50lb bags) of gravel in my trunk just to try to get back to Detroit from Chicago with some snow on the road. As soon as I got back, I got the new tires and they cut right through the snow.
-Tony
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