2003 Acura TL Brakes Problems

BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A STICKY FLOAT IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH ANEW DESIGN THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA TL. WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 0-35MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING AND MAKING A CONTINUOUS LOUD NOISE. WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, HE HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN SHAKING RAPIDLY ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE REVERSE GEAR BOX AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 96,400. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01-11-08. *KB THE DEALER STATED VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

MY '03 ACURA TL IS HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 50,000 MILES. ALSO THE ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND WARP CAUSING ME TO HAVE THEM RESURFACED ALL THE TIME.

MY 2003 ACURA TL CURRENTLY HAS 3500 MILES ON IT. THE OTHER DAY IT STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE - NO NOISE WAS PRESENT PRIOR - TURNS OUT THE REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE BAD (THE FRONT ONES WERE FINE). *AK

"YAW RATE SENSOR" FOR THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VDS) SYSTEM MAY BE IMPROPERLY MOUNTED. THIS CAN CAUSE EITHER OF THE FRONT WHEEL BRAKES TO BE SUDDENLY AND FIRMLY APPLIED WITHOUT WARNING FOR UP TO ONE SECOND. A POSSIBLE RESULT IS LOST OF CONTROL OR REAR END COLLISION (BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT ACTIVATED). IMPROPERLY MOUNTED SENSOR WILL ALSO CAUSE THE VDS TO DEACTIVATE UNTIL ENGINE RESTART, ACTIVATE VSA SYSTEM INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ON THE TACHOMETER FACE, AND SET A YAW RATE SENSOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE. HONDA HAS STARTED SUPPLYING YAW RATE SENSORS WITH A LOCATING PIN WHICH PREVENTS IMPROPER MOUNTING. BUT THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT HONDA HAS RECALLED TO CHECK THOSE VEHICLES BUILT OR REPAIRED WITH UNITS LACKING THE LOCATING PINS. THE UNIT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO CHECK FOR PROPER MOUNTING. THIS PROBLEM PERTAINS TO 2003 & 2002 TYPE-S VERSIONS OF BOTH THE 3.2TL AND 3.2CL MODELS. *LA

TOOK DELIVERY OF NEW ACURA 2003 3.2TL TYPE S ON MAY 10, 2002. WITH ABOUT 7,000 MILES ON VEHICLE STARTED TO NOTICE SLIGHT "SHIMMY" / "SHUTTER" WHEN APPLYING BRAKES...GREATER IMPACT AT SPEEDS 40 - 70MPH. THIS INDICATES WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. FINALLY INSISTED THAT DEALER ADDRESS ISSUE. DEALER FIRST OFFERED TO "TURN" ROTORS; I DECLINED AND ASKED THAT THEY CONTACT HONDA FOR REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS. HONDA AGREED ON, "GOOD-WILL ONE TIME BASIS." FURTURE WARRANTY COVERAGE WILL BE BY "TURNING" ROTORS. ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED AT 9,675 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CAUSE IS "OWNER DISTINCTIVE DRIVING HABITS." WHEN ASKED FOR A DEFINITION, I WAS TOLD THAT I MUST LIVE ON AND OR DRIVE ON LONG - STEEP HILLS WHICH NECESSITATES EXTENED USE OF BRAKES. THIS IS TOTALLY INCORRECT AND THEY WERE ADVISED OF THAT. IF NORMAL USE OF THE BRAKES WILL CAUSE WARPING, THEN THE BRAKES ARE NOT FIT FOR THEIR IMPLIED USAGE AS DEFINED UNDER THE UNIFORM COMMERICAL CODE-IMPLIED WARRANTY MECHANTABILITY. IN DISCUSSION WITH A MEMBER OF THE ACURA STAFF, IT WAS DISCLOSED THAT ABOUT 50% OF THE VEHICLES EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. HONDA/ACURA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN MADE UNAVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS; HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE TSB ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE CALLS FOR ROTOR REPLACEMENT OR "TURNING" ROTORS. IT IS CLEAR THAT HONDA/ACURA IS IN IT'S NORMAL MODE OF DENIAL OF A PROBLEM. A PROBLEM WHICH IS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT AND/OR IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT/HARDENING OF THE ROTOR MATERIAL IN CONJUNCITION WITH THE COMPOSITION OF THE BRAKE PAD MATERIAL. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD.

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, A CAR SUDDENLY CUT INTO CONSUMER'S LANE. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER CAR AND USED THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY. VEHICLE SPAN OUT OF CONTROL, MAKING 2 COMPLETE ROTATIONS AND THEN HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES, BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED. CONSUMER FEELS THE ABS AND TRACKING SYSTEM FAILED TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. *TT