2005 Acura RL Suspension Problems

BOTH STRUTS APPEARED GOOD ON SMOOTH ROAD, BUT ARE ESSENTIALLY ROCK SOLID ON POTHOLES OR BUMPS. IN 60 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD A FAILED SHOCK SO NEVER CONSIDERED IT AND BOUGHT THIS 10 YEAR OLD CAR. SCANT AND INCOMPLETE DATA RELATED TO ALL BRANDS ON THE INTERNET BLAMES THE ROUTINE LIFTING OF THE CAR FOR TIRE ROTATION AND BREAKING OF INTERNAL PARTS THAT BLOCK THE OIL FLOW IN THE SHOCK. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE SINCE MANY EVENTS OCCUR IN PAIRS (IN FRONT; I DON'T KNOW ABOUT REAR) . I EXPECT THAT A SINGLE FAILURE COULD CAUSE OBVIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS. MANY MILES OF GOOD OPERATION ARE CUT OFF FOR OWNERS BY THIS DIABOLICAL DESIGN ERROR IN ADDITION TO THE ADDED REPAIR EXPENSE OF APPROXIMATELY $1000. (+ AND -) I BELIEVE THAT THE DEALER (BRAND NOT IMPORTANT) DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM, INDICATING THAT MORE EXPOSURE AND TRAINING IS REQUIRED. PARTS PEOPLE AND MECHANICS SEEM TO BE AWARE BUT THERE IS NO CONCERTED EFFORT TO SOLVE IT. (A CONFLICT OF INTEREST?)

I HAVE A 2005 ACURA RL. I BELIEVE THE VEHICLE HAS A FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN FLAW. THE CLEARANCE BELOW THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS INSUFFICIENT AND FURTHERMORE POSSIBLE THE SUSPENSION IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE ENGINE. WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT I USED THE CAR UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS AND IT GOT DAMAGED. I HAD THREE NORMAL SIZE ADULT PASSENGERS AND A NORMAL SIZE 9 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE CAR. NO LUGGAGE. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AT NORMAL SPEED AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTICED BEFORE THAT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HITS CURBS WHEN YOU PARK AND SCRAPES WHEN YOU GO UP SIDEWALK RAMPS, SO I WAS AWARE THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE AMPLE CLEARANCE AND/OR SUSPENSION, BUT IN THIS CASE WITH THOSE PASSENGERS ON BOARD IT WAS WORSE, THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE BUMPER GOT BADLY DAMAGED. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND ACURA CLIENT SERVICES AND THEY DENIED THERE IS ANY DESIGN FLAW. BUT I DON'T BUY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE HAD A SAAB AND A LEXUS AND NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENED (IN FACT THEY DON'T EVEN SCRAPE LIKE THIS ONE DOES). IT'S MY VIEW THAT THIS CAR DOES NOT MEET THE BASIC REQUIREMENT OF AN IMPLIED WARRANTY, WHICH IS THAT IT SHOULD BE USABLE UNDER THE OPERATING CONDITIONS FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED.*JB

AT LOW SPEEDS ON ROUGH STREETS, ALL 4 WHEEL SUSPENSIONS MAKE A VERY METALLIC NOISE. I HAVE BEEN LEAD TO BELEIVE THAT IT IS DUE TO MIS MANUFACTURED BRAKE COMPONENTS. ONE DEALER DID "BEND" THE BRAKE "CLIPS" AND THE NOISE SUBSIDED FOR ABOUT 1000 MILES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS BACK AND THE DEALERS ARE SAYING IT IS A MFGR PROBLEM AND THEY CAN'T FIX WITHOUT FACTORY TECH SUPPORT WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FORTH COMING. I ONLY KNOW OTHER 2005 ACURA RL OWNER IN THE SMALL TOWN OF VISALIA (100K POP.) AND HE IS BEING GIVEN THE SAME RUNAROUND. MY CONCERN IS BRAKE FAILURE OR MY SERIOUSLY SUSPENSION FAILURE SUCH AS BROKEN WELDS OR DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THEY KEEP SAYING THE PROBLEM IS ELSEWHERE, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT HAS MADE THE NOISE GO AWAY WAS WHEN THE DEALERSHIP (SUPERIOR ACURA IN BAKERSFIELD, CA) SUPPOSEDLY BENT THE BRAKE "CLIPS". MYSTERIOUSLY THAT ACTION WAS NOT LISTED ON THE SERVICE REPORT WHEN MY WIFE PICKED UP THE CAR, BUT IT IS IN THEIR SERVICE RECORDS. ACURA IS HIDING AS SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM AND I AM ABOUT TO ENACT THE CA LEMON LAW AND YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE WHY HONDA/ACURA IS BEING VERY MYSTERIOUS ABOUT THIS ISSUE - THEY ON ONE HAND SAY THERE IS A FIX ON THE WAY AND THEN IN THE NEXT BREATH SAY THAT THE NOISE IS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE???