1997 Acura RL

CAR WILL NOT CRANK EVERY TIME. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY AND PUT A NEW BATTERY IN AND IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. I TALKED WITH ACURA OF MEMPHIS AND THEY SAID IT COULD NOT BE FIXED. THEY SAID THAT THE 97 3.5 RL DOES THAT SOMETIME AND THAT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED TO ANY OTHER ACURA VEHICLE. THEY SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. IT MAY NOT CRANK AT FIRST, BUT IT WILL ALWAYS CRANK EVENTUALLY. THAT IS ONE HELL OF A WAY TO DEPEND ON YOUR CAR. I PUT UP WITH IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THIS UNTIL ONE DAY MY WIFE GOT STRANDED FOR A LONG TIME AND WAS VERY UPSET. SO AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR THE CAR FINALLY CRANKED AND SHE GOT HOME. THIS IS VERY UNSATISFACTORY. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT ACURA OF MEMPHIS AND TOLD HIM WHAT THE MECHANIC HAD TOLD ME ABOUT IT NOT BEING ABLE TO BE FIXED AND HE SAID THAT WAS NOT RIGHT. HE KNEW THEY COULD FIX IT. SO, I TOOK MY WIFE'S CAR TO THEM AND THEY KEPT IT FOR THREE WEEKS. AFTER THREE WEEKS, THEY CALLED AND SAID THEY TRIED IT EVERY DAY AND IT CRANKED FINE EVERY TIME. WE ASKED IF THEY DROVE IT AROUND BECAUSE IT LOOKED TO US AS IF IT HAD NOT BEEN MOVED. THEY SAID YES, BUT WE DID NOT REALLY BELIEVE IT. MY WIFE PICKED THE CAR UP YESTERDAY, LEFT MEMPHIS AND DROVE TO A SHOP IN BARTLETT. WHEN SHE CAME OUT, IT WOULD NOT CRANK. FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, IT CRANKED. WHAT IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN TRYING TO ASSAULT HER AND SHE COULD NOT GET THE CAR CRANKED TO GET AWAY. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN OUR MINDS. WE HAVE DRIVEN ACURA'S FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND HAVE SENT MANY CUSTOMERS TO BUY ACURAS BECAUSE OF OUR SATISFACTION WITH THE VEHICLES. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND EITHER FIX THIS CAR OR GIVE MY WIFE A NEW CAR THAT WORKS. I KNOW THAT MAY SOUND RIDICULOUS, BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT THIS SMALL EXPENDITURE ON ACURAS PART WILL SERVE YOU MUCH BETTER THAN THE BAD PRESS WE WILL GIVE ABOUT ACURA AND ITS FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO ITS WORD THAT THE CAR CAN BE FIXED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA RL. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO FOUR PARKED VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE ACCELERATION FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WITH THE CONTACTS 1986 ACURA LEGEND, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A STUCK BUTTERFLY VALVE. POLICE REPORT NUMBER 08-007317 WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104,000. UPDATED 02-19-08 *BF UPDATED 02/19/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE DID NOT HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 143,000. UPDATED 01-29-08. *KB UPDATE

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 75 MPH, WHEN ONE HALF OF MY TIRE EXPANDED, CAUSING THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, AND ALMOST FORCING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN OFF, AND REPLACED WITH THE DONUT. I WILL ATTEMPT TOMORROW TO HAVE ALL 4 OF MY TIRES REPLACED, AS THEY ARE FAIRLY NEW (UNDER 10,000) AND I NO LONGER FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THESE WERE COOPER LIFE LINER, TOURING SLE TIRES. SIZE 215 60R16 95T M+S. *JB

1) WHILE EXITING A SHOPPING MALL PARKING INTO THE STREET I HEARD A SUDDEN LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. MY VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. WHEN WE PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE CURB SIDE, AND PUT IT IN PARK IT STARTED ROLLING DOWNHILL TILL I PULLED THE HAND BRAKE. 2) THE FAILURE WAS IN THE SAME AREA FOR WHICH MY VEHICLE WAS RECALLED PREVIOUSLY. (99V227000) THE SPLINE OF THE SHAFT THAT CONNECTS THE DIFFERENTIAL TO THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. 3) THIS SHAFT AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE THE PARTS. NOTE: THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING DUE TO SUDDEN AND UNANTICIPATED FAILURE AND LOSS OF POWER. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY OR MAIN STREET. *NM

WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING VEHICLE STOPPED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT BALL JOINT STUD HAS BROKEN OFF FROM THE LOWER BALL JOINT. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 4/12/2006 - THERE WAS NO NOISE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AXLE ALSO FAILED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED HONDA CANADA FOR ASSISTANCE BUT THEY REFUSED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED IN THE UNITED STATES IN ADDITION TO THE VEHICLE BEING OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PARAMETERS . *NM

ALTHOUGH UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SPECIFIC RECALL, I UNDERSTAND THAT HONDA RECALLED SOME VEHICLES FOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS. MY 1997 ACURA HAS LOST OVER HALF OF ITS' DASHBOARD LIGHTS, BUT SEE NO RECALL ON IT. IS THERE A WAY TO SEE IF HONDA/ACURA WILL EXPAND THEIR RECALL TO MY VEHICLE?*AK

TURNING IGNITION KEY, FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN NO ACTIVATION OF THE STARTER. THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE, BUT THERE IS NO STARTING. HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO "OFF" POSITION, AND RE-TRY..SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES TO GET CAR TO START. CHECKED BATTERY TERMINALS..CLEANED, WITH NO CHANGE.*AK

WHINING NOISE - DIFFERENTIAL NEEDS REPLACING

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END DROPPED WITH NO WARNING AT ABOUT TWO MILES PER HOUR TURNING A CORNER. PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AS BROKEN AXLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT A DEFECTIVE PART WAS INVOLVED.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION, IT WAS HIT FROM THE REAR.THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH DRIVER FEET ON THE BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WHEN IT IMPACTED A HOUSE, AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING. TS