2003 ACURA TL Complaints

HAVE TAKEN MY 2003 ACURA TLS INTO THE DEALERS APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER STATES THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK WHILE DRIVING THE GAS PEDAL SELF-DEPRESSES AND LOCKS, BUT THE CAR FEELS AS THOUGH IT HAS SHIFTED ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL--LEAVING ME NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO CRUISE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE GAS PEDAL 'POPS' ITSELF UP AND I REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR.

VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING AT A CONSTANT SPEED. *MR THIS HAPPENED RANDOMLY. THE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO FIX THE UNIT THEY COULD VERIFY THE PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHERE HE/SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE BERM WITH NO INCIDENT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM. *SCC *JB

VEHICLE'S TIMING BELT BROKE RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE. WHEN TAKEN TO SERVICE DEALER FOR 15,000.00 MILE CHECKUP THE DEALER DID NOT MAKE THE CONSUMER AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED SINCE AND OFFER A 22,000.00 MILE CHECK UP FREE OF CHARGE. THE CONSUMER FELLS THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH COMPENSATION FOR THE ANGUISH POSSIBILITY THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*MR *CB

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS WITHOUT WARNING WHEN TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND CAUSES OCCUPANTS TO BE JERKED BACKWARDS. PROBLEM OCCURS RANDOMLY, AND ACURA REFUSES TO FIX WITHOUT DEALER DUPLICATION - DESPITE ISSUING A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THE TRANSMISSION.*AK

HIGH BEAMS REFLECT LIGHT TO VERTICAL OBJECTS AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SUCH AS TREES, STRUCTURE, ETC, CAUSING DISTRACTING FLASHES OF LIGHT, AND MOMENTARY DIVERSION OF DRIVER'S ATTENTION. LOW BEAMS DO NOW SEEM TO GO OUT FAR ENOUGH TO GIVE A GOOD VIEW OF THE DARKENED ROAD WITHOUT USING HIGH BEAMS. THE HEADLIGHTS ON 2001 AND EARLIER MODELS WERE EXCELLENT AND DID/DO NOT PRESENT THE SAME PROBLEMS. I DO NOT KNOW OF HEADLIGHTS USED ON 2002 MODELS WERE THE SAME AS MINE. DEALER STATES PROBLEMS NOT CORRECTABLE IN THAT LIGHTS OPERATE AS DESIGNED BY MANUFACTURER. *AK THERE WAS A RATTLE IN THE FRONT SEAT BELT HOUSING, THE CENTER CONSOLE WAS HARD TO OPEN, AND THE SILL PLATE WAS LOOSE. *SCC *JB

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT AIR BAGS STATED THAT HER SON WAS DRIVING AND WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY. THE ONLY AIR BAG THAT DID DEPLOY WAS THE FRONT PASSANGER'S SIDE.MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL.DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WILL SEND SOMEBODY TO SEE THE CAR ACCIDENT WAS ON JULY 6, 2003.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A "WHIRRING" NOISE AND ASSUMED IT WAS ROAD NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAD FAILED. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $26 FOR REPAIRS. *AK *CB *JB

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, BUT CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH FOOT APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONSUMER HAD TO PLACE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. DEALER DIAGNOSED FAILURE OF "IAC VALVE", PART NO. 121187.*AK *TS *JB

TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE MADE A "GRINDING" SOUND WHEN DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TENSIONER. *AK THE DEALER THOUGHT AT FIRST, THE PROBLEM WAS THE A-PIPE AND REPLACED IT. THE SECOND TIME THE DEALER THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND IT WAS REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS REPLACED, WHICH SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE RUPTURED AFTER IT STRUCK A SHALLOW POTHOLE. THE REPLACEMENT TIRE RUPTURED 2000 MILES LATER WHEN IT HIT A MANHOLE COVER. MICHELIN AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE ONE TIRE. THE CONSUMER PLANS TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. *AK *CB *SCC *NLM