2006 Acura Rsx

ACURA RSX 2002 TO 2006 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED A FLOOD IN THEIR REAR TIRE WELL, CAUSING TAIL LIGHTS, IN SOME TO RUST OUT. THIS COULD CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE, PARTICULARLY WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND YOUR TAIL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, YET THE BLOGS ON ACURA RSX WEB SITE ARE HUGE! IT'S AN EXPENSIVE FIX AND NOT ALWAYS COVERED BY WARRANTIES. MY CAR JACK IS RUSTED OUT AND THE SPARE TIRE WON'T COME OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. *TR

WATER LEAKS IN TO THE TRUNK (WHERE THE SPARE TIRE IS KEPT).IT PUDDLES AND CAUSES RUST AND MOLD. IT CAUSES ASTHMA EXACERBATION AND RESPITORY ILLNESS. DUE TO THE WATER, THE TAIL LIGHTS GET FOGGED UP AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS. IT ALSO FOGS UP THE INSIDE OF THE CAR AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE CAR . THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A REAR END COLLISION. *TR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT REGULARLY. ACURA DEALER HAS REPLACED MY HEADLIGHT 4 TIMES WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE REPLACED THOSE 4 MORE TIMES MYSELF. ACURA DENIES ANY FAULTY MANUFACTURING, BUT DO SAY THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN AS THE LIGHT MUST VIBRATE AND THUS BURN OUT. THEY ALSO (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY) ATTEMPTED TO BLAME THE PROBLEM ON NON-OEM HEADLIGHTS, BUT THEY WERE CHANGED (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY) BY THE ACURA DEALERSHIP THEMSELVES 4 TIMES? THEREFORE THIS THEORY OF NON-OEM IS NOT VALID. DEFINITE PROBLEMS OCCURRING ARE: HAZARDOUS NIGHT DRIVING LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT DUE TO POOR LIGHT SOCKET DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. THIS DEFECT APPEARS TO BE A BURNOUT LIGHT HALOGEN LIGHT BULB. 2. THE BULB BURNS OUT DUE VIBRATION, OR ARCHING CAUSED BY THE LIGHT BULB LOCKING MECHANISM ASSEMBLY FAILURE LEAVING THE BULB LOOSE, AND HELD IN PLACE ONLY BY THE PROTECTIVE RUBBER BOOT. THE LAMP SOCKET IS HELD IN PLACE BY A HIGH TENSION SPRING LOCKING INTO A SMALL HOOK PROTRUDING FROM APPROXIMATELY 2 INCH DIAMETER THIN SOFT WHITE METAL CAST DISK ATTACHED WITH 2 SMALL SCREWS TO THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR. THIS TOOTH SHAVES OFF BY THE SPRING PRESSURE AS EVIDENCED BY METAL SHAVINGS PRESENT IN BASE OF THE REFLECTOR. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, AND A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH HAS TURNED UP MANY OF SIMILAR OWNER REPORTS. LOSS OF LIGHT IS OFTEN PRECEDED BY THE BLINKING HEADLIGHT. THERE IS A DANGER OF CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF LIGHTS ON AN UNLIT HIGHWAY. 3. THE SOFT METAL CLIP (SEEMLY NOT AS STRONG AS A PAPERCLIP HOOKED INTO A VERY THIN PLASTIC HOOK) LIGHT SOCKET MOUNT SHOULD BE REPLACED BY A STAMPED SHEET METAL PART- - THAT WOULD NOT CRACK UNDER THE SPRING PRESSURE. THE CHOICE OF A VERY SOFT AND THIN METAL DIE CAST FOR THIS PART IS AN OBVIOUS ERROR. THE STAMPED PART SHOULD BE ALSO MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THEN THE DIE CAST. THE ONLY FIX SO FAR IS A REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. ACURA REFUSES TO MAKE THE REPLACEMENT DIE CAST DISK AVAILABLE AS A REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE NOTED WATER ACCUMULATION IN BOTH TAIL LIGHTS ON MY 2006 ACURA RSX. THERE IS CURRENTLY 1-INCH OF STANDING WATER IN ONE OF THE TAILLIGHTS AND APPROXIMATELY A INCH IN THE OTHER. THE VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 3-1/2 YEARS OLD AND JUST PASTED THE 50,000 MILE ACURA STANDARD WARRANTY. ACCORDING TO ACURA CLIENT SERVICES, THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO CORRECT OR COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY! OUR LOCAL ACURA DEALER HAS NOT PROVIDED MUCH HELP. THIS IN MY OPINION IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE WATER THAT SLOSHES BACK AND FORTH WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE LAMP FAILURE AND/OR LAMP SOCKET CORROSION AND FAILURE. THE FREEZE AND THAW CYCLE OF THE NORTHEAST WILL EVENTUALLY CRACK THE LENSES. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISOLATED INSTANCE. THE INTERNET AND VARIOUS FORUMS ARE LOADED WITH COMPLAINTS OF CONDENSATION AND STANDING WATER IN THESE TAIL LIGHT HOUSINGS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD BE CORRECTED AND COVERED BY ACURA REGARDLESS OF WARRANTIES. *TR

1. HAZARDOUS NIGHT DRIVING LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT DUE TO POOR LIGHT SOCKET DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. THIS DEFECT APPEARS TO BE A BURNOUT LIGHT HALOGEN LIGHT BULB. 2.THE BULB BURNS OUT DUE VIBRATION, OR ARCHING CAUSED BY THE LIGHT BULB LOCKING MECHANISM ASSEMBLY FAILURE LEAVING THE BULB LOOSE, AND HELD IN PLACE ONLY BY THE PROTECTIVE RUBBER BOOT. THE LAMP SOCKET IS HELD IN PLACE BY A HIGH TENSION SPRING LOCKING INTO A SMALL HOOK PROTRUDING FROM APPROXIMATELY 2? DIAMETER THIN SOFT WHITE METAL CAST DISK ATTACHED WITH 2 SMALL SCREWS TO THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR. THIS TOOTH SHAVES OFF BY THE SPRING PRESSURE AS EVIDENCED BY METAL SHAVINGS PRESENT IN BASE OF THE REFLECTOR. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, AND A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH HAS TURNED UP MANY OF SIMILAR OWNER REPORTS. LOSS OF LIGHT IS OFTEN PRECEDED BY THE BLINKING HEADLIGHT. THERE IS A DANGER OF CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF LIGHTS ON AN UNLIT HIGHWAY. 3.THE SOFT METAL LIGHT SOCKET MOUNT SHOULD BE REPLACED BY A STAMPED SHEET METAL PART THAT WOULD NOT CRACK UNDER THE SPRING PRESSURE. THE CHOICE OF A VERY SOFT AND THIN METAL DIE CAST FOR THIS PART IS AN OBVIOUS ERROR. THE STAMPED PART SHOULD BE ALSO MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THEN THE DIE CAST. THE ONLY FIX SO FAR IS A REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH 3 LIGHTS AT $619.53 BECAUSE ACURA REFUSES TO MAKE THE REPLACEMENT DIE CAST DISK AVAILABLE AS A REPLACEMENT PART. ACURA SERVICE STONEWALLS THE WARRANTY REPAIR REQUESTS. IN MY CASE, THE ORIGINAL DEALER HAS CLAIMED THAT THE LIGHT IS NOT ABLE TO BE FIXED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE CAR ?HAD AN IMPACT?. THE ACURA CASE MANAGER HAS ARRANGED OPINION FROM ANOTHER DEALER WHO HAS SAID THERE WAS ?NO IMPACT?, BUT THE USER ?MUST HAVE BROKEN THE RETAINING HOOK DURING THE LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT?, HENCE NO WARRANTY SERVICE. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE LIGHT BULB HAS BEEN FOUND LOOSE IN THE SOCKET, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE REPLACED AT NIGHT. YOU NEED TO REQUIRE THAT ALL LIGHT BULBS MUST BE REPLACEABLE WITHOUT USE OF TOOLS. *TR