2005 Acura Tl

I WISH TO REPORT THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH OF A 6-SHIFT STANDARD 2005 ACURA TL [XXX]. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES AND LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF MODERATE USE. WHILE GOING UP A HILL IN A THREE LANE EXPRESSWAY, I LOST THE TORQUE TO THE WHEELS AND THE CAR ENDED ON NEUTRAL, FORCING ME TO MAKE A DANGEROUS MANEUVER TO PARK THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER OF THE EXPRESSWAY. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE CLUTCH HAD BURNED OUT. I UNDERSTAND THAT FAILURE IN MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. I REPORT THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN KEEP A RECORD OF THIS DEFECT OF THE 2005 ACURA TL (6-SHIFT STANDARD). *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

VEHICLE HAS A VIBRATION BETWEEN 52-64 MPH. FEELS LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS. THE DEALER AND FACTORY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR 4 TIMES AND OVER 19 DAY IN SHOP AND STILL THE VIBRATION IS PRESENT. MY FEAR IS THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION, DRIVE TRAIN, STEERING OR BRAKES COULD FAIL AT ANY MOMENT DUE TO PART FATIGUE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO REPAIR IN PLAN TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM CAN YOU PLEASE HELP. *NM

IN SPRING 2004 I PURCHASED AN ACURA TL WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL 42 HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES. AFTER 6,500 MILES ONE OF THE TIRES HAD A FLAT. ALTHOUGH THE GARAGE ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE FLAT, IT CONTINUED TO LOSE AIR AND I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED A NEW TIRE. IT SEEMED ODD THAT A TIRE WOULD NOT BE REPARABLE AFTER THAT SHORT A USE, BUT I WAS ADVISED THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE LOCATION OF THE PUNCTURE AND WAS NOT A DEFECT. IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AFTER PUTTING 14,500 MILES ON THE CAR I HAD A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH ANOTHER TIRE. ON THIS OCCASION, WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND STOP. THE TIRE SIDEWALL HAD DISINTEGRATED AND WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE RIM. THE FOLLOWING DAY I TOOK THE TIRE INTO A FIRESTONE SHOP WHERE THE SERVICE MANAGER, TOM CURRY, ADVISED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A ROAD HAZARD AND WAS NOT A DEFECT. HE INSPECTED THE TIRE FOR A PUNCTURE, AND AFTER NOT FINDING ONE, ASSURED ME THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN THE DISINTEGRATED SIDEWALL. I THEN ASKED HIM IF HE HAD EVER SEEN A TIRE THAT WAS DAMAGED IN THE ABSENCE OF A ROAD HAZARD, AND HE TOLD ME HE HAD NOT. IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND THAT BRIDGESTONE REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR PRODUCTS. *NM

BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY DO NOT WORK. USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN TURNING AND SLOWING DOWN OR GOING DOWN A HILL AND STOPPING. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES. THE THIRD TIME IN THE SHOP THE ABS WAS REPAIRED DUE TO AN INTERNAL LEAK. APPARENTLY ANOTHER CAR HAD THE SAME ISSUE. HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CAR IS BACK IN SERVICE CENTER FOR LACK OF BRAKES AFTER APPROX. A MONTH AFTER REPAIR. *JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 ACURA TL IN AUGUST 2005. MY CAR IS A NON-NAVIGATION 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODEL DELIVERED WITH BRIDGESTONE EL42 TIRES. THE FIRST TIME I DROVE THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN, I NOTICED THAT EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS ON WET ROADS, THE TIRES DO NOT HAVE ANY TRACTION AT ALL. ON RAMPS AT 20 MPH THE FRONT TIRES LOOSE GRIP. AS OF TODAY, THE WEATHER IS GETTING COLDER AND THE TIRES ARE FLAT SPOTTING ON TOP OF THAT. THESE TIRES ARE ALL SEASON RATED AND DELIVERED ON A $35,000 VEHICLE. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY UNSAFE IN ANYTHING BUT DRY WEATHER, BUT ARE RATES ALL SEASON. I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY ON THE HIGHWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND EVEN MORE FEAR THE FIRST DAY OF SNOW. ACURA HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING AND REFERRED ME TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. THEY DO DELIVER OTHER TL MODELS WITH MICHELIN TIRES THAT ARE RATED BY CUSTOMER MUCH MUCH HIGHER. WHILE THE EL42 TIRES PRESENT A BIG PROBLEM FROM WET WEATHER TRACTION, OVER FLAT SPOTTING TO PREMATURE WEAR, ACURA HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT YET. HOW SHAMEFUL FOR OTHERWISE SUCH A GREAT CAR, PUTTING ON TIRES THAT WILL LAND THEM A LAWSUIT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS AT ALL! IT IT THEIR CHOICE TO PUT THESE TIRES ON SOME OF THEIR CARS, SO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM!! *JB

I OWN A NEW ACURA TL WHICH HAS BRIDGSTONE TURANZA EL 42 235/45-17 TIRES AS OEM. FROM THE BEGINNING IT BECAME CLEAR THE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS. THEY HYDROPLANE ON WET SURFACES, SKID EASILY ON RESIDUAL ROAD SAND. THE RIGHT FRONT AND REAR SIDEWALLS FAILED--ONE WITH AN EGG SHAPED BUBBLE AND THE OTHER WITH A DEEP CUT--DESPITE NO EVIDENCE THAT I STRUCK A CURB OR POTHOLE ETC. BOTH TIRES WERE LIKELY TO BLOW OUT WITH CONTINUED DRIVING. SURVEYS BY TIRE RACK INDICATE THESE TIRES ARE ALSO VERY DANGEROUS IN THE WINTER, WHICH IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN HERE IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE I LIVE. THESE TIRES ALSO "COLDSPOT" AFTER BEING PARKED FOR A WHILE, SOMETIME CAUSING THE CAR TO STEER POORLY. THE DEALER COULD ONLY REPLACE THE BAD TIRES ON A "ROAD HAZARD" WARRANTY, DESPITE MY MANY COMPLAINTS TO BOTH ACURA AND THE PARENT COMPANY HONDA USA. *NM

I'M VERY UPSET ABOUT THE OEM TIRES ON MY 2005 ACURA. I'VE HAD IT SINCE MARCH OF THIS YEAR AND COMPLAINED FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THE TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE FLAT SPOTTING AND VIBRATION. I COMPLAINED TO ACURA IN CALIFORNIA WHO HAD MY CAR IN TWICE SO FAR. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE VIBRATION IN MANY OF THEIR TLS BUT WON'T REPLACE THE TIRES. THEY PLACED A SMALL DAMPENING RUBBER BY THE ENGINE MOUNT BUT IT'S STILL VERY OBVIOUS AND VERY ANNOYING. WE AS CITIZENS COME TO YOU AS A LAST RESORT MANY TIMES TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS OVER SAFETY ISSUES. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW ABOUT THESE TIRES FAILING, VIBRATING AND VERY PREMATURE WEAR FROM NEW CAR BUYERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, NOBODY THERE IS DOING THERE JOB! ACURA AND BRIDGESTONE SHOULD BE MADE TO REPLACE ALL BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 TIRES IMMEDIATELY.*JB