2000 Acura TL review from North America

Engine systems defective: oxygen sensors replaced under warranty.

Braking System defective: Traction control system/anti-lock brake warning light has been on as much as off since we bought it, computer module and wiring harnessed replaced under warranty.

Safety Restraint system defective: warning light on almost constantly since we have owned it, computer module finally replaced under warranty.

Transmission defective: replaced under warranty.

Acura TL: the worst car we have ever owned in our cmbined 80+ years of driving.

We bought this vehicle from an Albuquerque dealer in the fall of 2000, not realizing we were embarking on our worst ever experience as consumers and car owners, four years of misery and frustration and inconvenience.

We had had an Acura before and our experience did not contradict their reputation for reliability and service and lead us to expect more. We had no idea what we were in for in our hopeless quest for peace of mind and a warning free dashboard display.

It began small, as these things do. First it was just the "check engine" light. First time was in Dallas (the thing has a nasty habit of failing far from home in the middle of vacation, and if you think they offer you a loaner, think again, plan for a pleasant day at the dealers, the time in Syracuse with two dogs in route to a Thanksgiving weekend was the best). The third time we only had to drive the 125 miles each way to Albuquerque to get it replaced. Three times and holding.

Then there is the traction control/antilocking brake warning light which indicates you may or may not have antilock brakes, or brakes at all. This one has been coming on since day one, and we have noted the problem every time we had it in. Sometimes it would stay off until we were thirty miles north of Albuquerque. Last time, after they finally replaced the control module, bled the system and guaranteed us it was fixed, we were able to make it about two miles, to the expressway entrance. That was 30 days ago. We heard, when we called (they never called us with status) that they were replacing the wiring harness, my suggestion, not theirs, and who knows if it will do any good. Monday, day 28, when I called they told me it was almost ready, so I am in for another pleasant 250 round trip in a Mitsubishi Galant rental (if we wanted to drive one, we would have bought one).

Before that it was the defective transmission. It too was replaced under warranty; are we not lucky. And they rented us a Ford Escape!!! The transmission was defective from assembly, symptoms being the unpleasant sensation that the car had dropped out of gear, re-engaging when you tried to accelerate.

We thought "they were just all like that" (unlike our 1995 Legend) until we saw the service bulletin. They thought it was serious and dangerous enough, that they did not let me drive it home, got me the rental and kept it until they could get the parts. I have forgotten how many weeks.

And then there was the Safety Restraint System light, also on almost from the day we got it. Brought it in I think only three times for that, before they "replaced the computer" (a module actually I think). I am pretty sure that was the third time because I remember the service manager explaining they could not do it until the car had come back the third time for the same problem.

We have to take two cars on these pleasure trips, unless we want to spend the day at the dealers, or in case they want to keep it, 500 miles total driving, wear and tear, on us and our vehicles. See how we got up to 39,000 miles. Our other car has over a hundred thousand (including the "Acura miles"), never in the shop except for scheduled maintenance; it's a suburu outback.

I guess Acura just hopes people will give up in frustration forget about it and ignore their instruments. And that they won't be in a serious accident, or that, if they are, they will be killed and their heirs won't know about the faulty safety restraint system, or the defective brakes and transmission, and won't think to sue.

It's hardly worth mentioning the defective seat heater (It worked for awhile. What do you expect? They did fix it the first time). It did not put us at risk. It was just another example of not getting what you pay for when you buy from Acura.

If we had not been so patient about driving back and forth and working with the dealer on this lemon, I understand we would be in a better position legally. As it is, we are at the mercy of a company and dealer who are basically blowing us off and leaving us in a vehicle patched together from spare parts.

But they are new spare parts, and guess what, under warranty.