1996 Acura TL problems

POWER TRAIN

I WAS HEADED UP A HILL WHEN I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO LET AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE PASS. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REENTER TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, SOME GRINDING NOISE, AND A JOLT AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS. I WAS STARTLED WHEN I IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT IT CONTINUED TO ROLL DOWN HILL. THEN I ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE, (I NEVER USE THE PARKING BRAKE DUE TO AN UNFORTUNATE HAPPENING IN THE PAST WITH A DIFFERENT VEHICLE). I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THINKING THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED ONLY TO RESET ITSELF WHEN A LOUD GRINDING NOISE BEGAN TO EMANATE FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, ALONG WITH SMOKE COMING FROM MY HOOD. AT THAT POINT, I LEFT THE VEHICLE THERE AND HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD SOMEHOW BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA complaint #10637525 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE REPAIR SHOP FOR A DEAD BATTERY. THE REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 99V227000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,569. RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 07/24/07 FAILED. *LJ ,

NHTSA complaint #10200900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

GOT ESTIMATE FROM DEALER FOR 2600.00 DOLLARS FOR MECHANICAL REPAIR ON A FREE 41 POINT INSPECTION. TOOK CAR TO ANOTHER SHOP AND HAD REPAIRED FOR 119.00 DOLLARS.

NHTSA complaint #10154565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2.

NHTSA complaint #10138534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE PROBLEM IS: AT CERTAIN COMBINATIONS OF RPM AND SPEED, THE ENGINE LABORS. IT CAUSES EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS, WHICH CONTINUE UNTIL EITHER THE SPEED OR RPM IS CHANGED. IT IS NOT RELATED TO TRAVELING UP OR DOWN AN INCLINE. TAKEN TO ACURA DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM BUT NOTED THAT IT SHIFTED HARD ON 1-2 UPSHIFT AND FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THIS DID NOT FIX THE VIBRATION. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR SAME PROBLEM THEY STATED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REPLACED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP WITH SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND THE TIRES WERE THEN BALANCED. PROBLEM CONTINUED SO I DETERMINED THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM AND GAVE UP.

NHTSA complaint #10135757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

1996 ACURA TL WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED ON THE VEHICLE.*MR THE WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THIS WIPER FAILURE RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10124751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

OUR 1996 ACURA 3.2 TL HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. ABS LIGHT CAME KEPT COMING ON. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED, WHICH RESOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL ACURA DEALER, JERRY DAMSON HONDA/ACURA AND WAS CHECKED OUT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPT., THE ABS MODULATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2100 - THEY DID DRAIN AND BLEED THE ABS SYSTEM BUT THAT ONLY SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER IS NOT INCLINED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM TO EVERYONE'S SATISFACTION, AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AS TO ITS AGE, NOT NECESSARILY MILEAGE. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE, AND A PRODUCT THAT MUST BE REASONABLY DURABLE, AND THIS FAILURE OCCURRED LONG BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE. AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE, AND THE ABS SYSTEM IS TIED TO THE TRACTION SYSTEM, ITS FAILURE TO OPERATE PROPERLY MAY HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. OUR RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT MOST OWNERS SIMPLY DISCONNECT THE SYSTEM AS THE COST TO FIX IT IS EXORBITANT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SEE THE FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEMS ON THIS YEAR OF CAR MORE IN CARS THAT ARE DRIVEN IN A REASONABLE MANNER.

NHTSA complaint #10086449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND COOLANT SPILLED INSIDE THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10079289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO ACURA: HAVE A 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL THAT WAS PURCHASED AT RADLEY ACURA. MY VIN # [XXX]. I NOW KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND SAW THAT AN ACURA 2.5 TL VIN # [XXX] COLLAPSED DUE TO THE LOWER JOINT BREAKING ON MAY 22, 2003. I HAD TO REPLACE MY LOWER BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT OF MY CAR ON 11/19/2003. AS I DROVE INTO THE CAR DEALERSHIP, I WAS NOT DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE. I MENTIONED NOTHING ABOUT DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE. MY CAR WAS MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE WHEN I DROVE INTO THE SURFACE AREA. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS I TOLD THE RADLEY DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE NOISE IN MY PASSENGER FRONT SUSPENSION. EACH TIME THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD LUBRICATE THE AREA BECAUSE THE BUSHINGS NEEDED LUBRICATION. NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE BALL JOINTS. PAM VAUGHAN (ACURA SERVICE ADVISOR) SHOULD REMEMBER THAT MY VEHICLE WAS LUBRICATED BECAUSE I TALKED WITH HER EACH TIME I HAD THE PROBLEM. AT THIS TIME MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTRA 3-YEAR WARRANTY ON THE CAR. I DID HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A NOISE IN MY FRONT SUSPENSION AS EARLY AS 7/22/96 (SEE RECEIPT). RADLEY SAID THEY JUST TIGHTENED THE SUSPENSION. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AND THEY DID NOT HAVE A LOANER CAR TO GIVE ME SO THAT I COULD LEAVE THE CAR. NOT UNTIL I READ THE RECALL NOTICE AFTER THE REPAIR THAT 124,875 CARS WERE RECALLED THAT I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE DRIVEN THAT CAR HOME BECAUSE THE BALL JOINT COULD HAVE SEPARATED CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE AND STEERING CONTROLLABILITY TO BE REDUCED. THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME OF THIS.*AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #10052562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

I PURCHASED AN 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL IN OCTOBER OF 1998 AND I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE OF ANY KIND FOR THIS VEHICLE. MY ADDRESS HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR THE LAST 9 1/2 YEARS. THE ONLY PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT HAS CHANGED IS MY LAST NAME, FROM WASHINGTON TO GORDON WHICH CHANGED JULY 13, 2002.

NHTSA complaint #10025426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

I OWN A 1996 ACURA 2.5TL. A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING MY PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED DUE TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT BREAKING. I CONDUCTED RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THAT PART ,AND IN FACT THERE WAS. THE PROBLEM IM FACING IS THAT IT ONLY COVERED CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS([XXX].... THROUGH [XXX]...)MY VIN # IS [XXX]. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY VEHICLE DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THOSE NUMBERS BUT I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY IF IN FACT THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE OTHER VEHICLES. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10019211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THERE IS A LOUD GROWLING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGING COMPARTMENT OF MY 1996 ACURA 2.5 TL. THE DEALER INFORMED THAT IT IS A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND HE HAS SEEN IT MANY TIMES BEFORE. HOWEVER, THEY STILL DID NOT OFFER TO SUBSIDIZE THE REPAIR IN ANY WAY. I WOULD THINK THAT AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD SHOULD NOT CRACK THIS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE CAR. WHAT IS EVEN WORSE, IS IT IS KNOWN PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE MANIFOLD IS THE SAME AS THAT FROM THE OLD ACURA VIGOR'S. I WOULD THINK THE MANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM BY NOW. I SINCERELY HOPE THE MANUFACTURER CORRECTS THIS PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY AS IT MAY POSE A FIRE HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #10000110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER 35 DAYS AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED, BUT WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE DEALER NEVER LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER MADE THAT DETERMINATION BASED ON OUR DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS: AT CERTAIN COMBINATIONS OF RPM AND SPEED, THE ENGINE LABORS. IT CAUSES EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS, WHICH CONTINUE UNTIL EITHER THE SPEED OR RPM IS CHANGED. IT IS NOT RELATED TO TRAVELING UP OR DOWN AN INCLINE. WE'VE HAD THREE SEPARATE DEALERS LOOK AT IT, BUT NONE WERE ABLE TO FIND WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY ALL AGREED, THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. WE WOULD LIKE THE ORIGINAL DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, SINCE WE IDENTIFIED SO SOON AFTER PURCHASING IT. THANK YOU. DT

NHTSA complaint #769998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHUTDOWN, AND LOST CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #8011637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO IMPACT, AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER

NHTSA complaint #844633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE DEFECTS. EVERY EIGHT MONTH OR LESS CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE BRAKE REPAIRS DONE. EVERY REPAIR WORK WAS DONE BY THE DEALER AT COST TO THE CONSUMER.

NHTSA complaint #824786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #603579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.