2002 ACURA TL Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 IN MARYLAND, ON A SMOOTH STRETCH OF ROAD, THE SCREW HOLDING THE MASTER CYLINDER BRACKET ONTO THE ROTOR CAME OFF OF THE BRACKET AND THE ENTIRE BRAKE UNIT CAME WEDGED INSIDE OF THE RIM PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STOPPING PROPERLY. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A SLIDING STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE IT WAS INOPERABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED TO INVESTIGATE THE DAMAGE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THREADS ON THE INSIDE OF THE BRACKET THAT HOLD THE SCREW WERE GONE. THE ONE SCREW THAT DID STAY ATTACHED TO THE PIECE HAS THE INSIDE OF THE THREADS ATTACHED TO IT. *TR

Mileage: 103,000

SUDDEN, LOUD GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM REAR DISC BRAKES. AT SAME TIME, SRS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. CONTACTED ACURA DEALER, CLAIR ACURA OF WALPOLE MA, UNABLE TO SERVICE FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, DIDN'T APPEAR CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES. TOOK CAR TO TIRE/BREAK SPECIALIST WHO IMMEDIATLEY DIAGNOSED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, CALIPERS WERE LOCKED FROZEN. CALLED ACURA DEALER, STILL UNCONCERNED, KNEW NOTHING ABOUT OTHER VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. HAD CAR REPAIRED IMMEDIATLEY BY BREAK SPECIALIST - REPLACED CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKE FLUID, COMPLETE BRAKE PACKAGE.

Mileage: 41,470

SUDDEN, LOUD GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM REAR DISC BRAKES. AT SAME TIME, SRS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. CONTACTED ACURA DEALER, CLAIR ACURA OF WALPOLE MA, UNABLE TO SERVICE FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, DIDN'T APPEAR CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES. TOOK CAR TO TIRE/BREAK SPECIALIST WHO IMMEDIATLEY DIAGNOSED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, CALIPERS WERE LOCKED FROZEN. CALLED ACURA DEALER, STILL UNCONCERNED, KNEW NOTHING ABOUT OTHER VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. HAD CAR REPAIRED IMMEDIATLEY BY BREAK SPECIALIST - REPLACED CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKE FLUID, COMPLETE BRAKE PACKAGE.

Mileage: 41,470

BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH SUCH LITTLE USAGE. THE FRONT AND REAR DISC BRAKES WERE REPLACED. *BF THE BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY WORN OUT PREMATURELY WHICH PROGRESSED TO METAL TO METAL CONTACT. THERE WAS SEVER PULSATION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *SC

Mileage: 18,000

THIS INVOLVES MY 2002 ACURA TL TYPE S AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAVE APROX. 22,000 MILES ON MY CAR. ON A RECENT TRIP FROM LOS ANGELES TO LAS VEGAS I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL AMOUT OF VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING THE CAR FROM HIGH SPEEDS (70'S). I HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME EARLIER AND THE DEALER TURNED AND RESURFACED THE ROTORS AND REPLACED THE PADS WITH "NON DESTRUCTIVE" NEW ONES. THE EARLEIR EVENT HAPPENED AROUND 15,000 MILES OR SO. LAST WEEK MY TRANSMISSION FAILED (HONDA IS NOW RECALLING) AND I INFORMED THE SERVICE TECH OF MY RECURRING BRAKING PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD TODAY, BY KEYS ACURA VAN NUYS, CA THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO FIX THE BRAKES AND I SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THE NOW WARPED ROTORS REPLACED WHEN THE PADS WEAR OUT! I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS! THIS IS THE FIRST CAR I'VE OWNED THAT HAD 2 MAJOR BRAKING FAILEURES IN LESS THAN 20000 MILES AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. I BELIEVE THIS IS OF GREAT SAFTEY CONCERN AND NOT AT ALL NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR! I DON'T LIVE IN SAN FRANSISCO WHERE THE HILLS CAN TEAR UP YOUR BRAKES. I KNOW OTHER ACURA OWNERS HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE BREAKS AND I PERSONALLY THINK THEY ARE ENDANGERING PEOPLE BY NEGLECTING TO SERVICE THIS DANGEROUS FAILURE. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP GET THEM TO ACT RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

Mileage: 22,000

BRAKES FAIL EVERY 15,000 MILES ACCORDING TO HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION. *AK

Mileage: 15,000

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM. DEFECTIVE ROTORS ARE CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHIMMY.*AK THE ROTORS WERE RESURFACED NO NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REPAIR OR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. *NM

Mileage: 40,000

CRACKED DRIVER'S SIDE FOG LENSE ON 2002 TL (LIGHT STILL WORKS). DEALER WILL ONLY REPLACE ENTIRE UNIT INSTEAD OF LENSE AT A COST OF OVER $220 - RIDICULOUS! OTHER PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED UNDER WARRANTY - CUP HOLDER LID WOULD NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY, BAD SHUDDER WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, LOOSE SUNROOF. *LA

Mileage: 20,000

INTERMITTENT CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE RADIO SYSTEM. NO PARTICULAR PATTERN EVEN WITH CD PLAYING OR RADIO PLAYING. DEALER DID NOT DETECT SOUND AND REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE. HAVE HAD OTHER WARRANTY ITEMS CORRECTED BY DEALER, INCLUDING WARPED ROTORS. *LA

VEHICLE IS 2002 ACURA 3.2TL WITH 21000 MILES. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES FRONT ROTORS ARE WARPED YET WILL NOT FIX UNDER WARRANTY . *NLM

CAR SHAKES & SHIMMIES WHEN I BRAKE, DEALER REPLACED BRAKES AND RESURFACED ROTORS 3 TIMES WITHIN 2 YEARS. NEVER HAD THAT PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER CAR. DEFECTIVE ROTORS OR BRAKING SYSTEM. *JB

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND REPORTED AT 14823 DEALER SAID THAT THEY DID NOT FIND A PROBLEM, ROTORS WARPED AT 14823 MILES REPLACED PADS AND RESURFACED ROTORS, CD PLAYER REPLACED AT 14823 MILES, SQUEAK IN REAR SUSPENTION DUE TO A LEAK IN THE REAR RIGHT STRUT AT 18933 MILES, BOTH FRONT SEAT BACKPANELS LOOSE, TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 20322 MILES CAR WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 25 DAYS, VSA AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER TRANSMISSION REPLACED. REPLACED LOCK UPSHIFT SOLENOID VALVED ECU RESET, TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AND SLIPS AT 23583 MILES, DOOR FRAME PEELING AT 23583 MILES REPLACED DOOR FRAME. CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING AT 23700 MILES, FONT SUSPENTION OR STEERING COLUMN MAKING SQUEAKY NOISES AT 23700 MILES. DT

DANGEROUSLY FAULTY TRANSMISSION CAUSED ME TO CRASH VEHICLE, SLIPPED INTO "PARK" AT HIGH SPEEDS ON FREEWAY LOCKING-UP TIRES. FAULTY ROTORS/BRAKE PADS CAUSE STEERING WHEEL TO "SHIMMY" AT BRAKING.*AK

I HAD A REAR END COLLISION IN MY ACURA 3.2 TL. I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 20-25 MPH AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS I WAS PREPARING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN WITHIN 400 FEET. WHEN MY VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED BUT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WENT SLACK AND DIDN'T RESTRAIN ME. UPON EXITING THE CAR, THEIR WAS A POOL OF BELT ABOUT 5 FEET IN LENGTH THAT HAD COME OUT OF THE SEAT BELT HOLDER UPON IMPACT. ONCE I SAW THAT, I QUESTIONED THE DULUTH POLICE OFFICER ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF SEAT BELT HANGING OUT MY DOOR. HE ASKED ME TO PULL BACK THE SHIRT I WAS WEARING TO CHECK MY NECK FOR MARKS THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD HAVE LEFT HAD IT HELD ME IN PLACE. I HAD NO MARKS ON MY NECK TO INDICATE THAT THE SEAT BELT IN ANYWAY RESTRAINED ME. UPON IMPACT I WENT FORWARD AND INTO THE AIR BAG. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO TAYLOR'S COLLISION CENTER IN DULUTH, GEORGIA AND THE NEXT DAY I WAS ASKED BY THE OWNER IF I KNEW THAT MY SEAT BELTS HAD NOT ENGAGED DURING THE ACCIDENT. I SAID I REALIZED IT AND HAD NOT MARKS FROM BEING RESTRAINED. I HAVE CALLED ACURA/AMERICAN HONDA AT THEIR CLIENT SERVICES LOCATION IN CALIFORNIA BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION FROM THEM. I WAS TOLD BY ONE REPRESENTATIVE THAT IT IS "NORMAL AND COMMON" FOR THEIR SEAT BELTS TO GO SLACK IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOT RESTRAIN; THAT'S WHY I HAVE AIRBAGS. I DON'T THINK THAT IS CORRECT. ACURA WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE SEATBELT FROM ME FOR INSPECTION. I WOULD PREFER SOMEONE INDEPENDENT OF ACURA, EITHER THE NTSB OR AN INDEPENDENT LAB THAT YOU SUGGEST TEST THESE FOR ENGAGEMENT. I REALIZE THAT I HAVE A 2002 AND ONE OF THE FIRST ON THE STREET. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND ADVISE ME TO THE COURSE OF ACTION? MY TWIN SISTER DRIVES THE SAME CAR AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE SEATBELTS WORK PROPERLY. THE BODY SHOP TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE AIRBAGS; BASED ON THE IMPACT I WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT SINCE THE SEATBELT DIDN'T HOLD ME BACK.*AK