There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters.
We try to boil down it to the most important bits and pieces -- the recalls, service bulletins, and lawsuits that can help you solve you car problems. Interested in getting these quick story bits as an email? Signup over at CarComplaints.com.
The pumps have a defect that'll cause them to stop pumping fuel to the engine. You don't need to be a mechanic to see why that's a problem.…
keep reading article "Acura Recalls More DENSO Fuel Pumps That Are Really Bad at Pumping Fuel"with an offer so low it's borderline insulting. A 2009 lawsuit says 5-speed automatic transmissions in some 2002-2004 Honda and Acura vehicles have a defect in the 3rd clutch. That defect can cause the transmission to suddenly downshift from 5th to 2nd gear. That's one way to reach your heart rate goal on your FitBit.…
keep reading article "5-Speed Transmission Settlement for Some California Acura Owners"The 9-speed ZF transmission has numerous acceleration defects and can even throw itself into neutral if the throttle malfunctions while interpreting messages from various input modules.
The lawsuit points to TSB #PU-15-34 where Acura says a driver may not be able to select any other gears until the vehicle is restarted due to an open circuit in the actuator supply. Acura said a simple software update would fix the problem.
But according to the plaintiffs it didn't work.
keep reading article "MDX and RDX Owners Sue Acura Because Their Transmissions Keep Shifting into Neutral"Once deformed, the impellers can disable the pumps and cause a sudden shut down of the engine. The recall is expected to begin at the end of July 2020.
keep reading article "Recall Announced for Acura Vehicles with Denso Fuel Pumps"The plaintiff argued that Honda, parent company of Acura, installed window regulators that are insufficiently strong and insufficiently durable to withstand the forces required to perform [their] intended function. Functions like making sure the dang window doesn't fall into the door, for example.
The lawsuit originally included the 2000-2011 Acura MDX, Acura TSX, Acura RL and Acura CL but those vehicles were dropped in a last-ditch effort to save the suit.
It didn't work.
keep reading article "Window Regulator Class-Action Lawsuit Stopped in Appeals Court"I emphasize reluctant because the automaker says they're closing the book on this case to "avoid the time and expense of ongoing litigation" and says only a small number of customers have filed complaints.
Despite that rousing show of support for its customers, the settlement will provide relief for out-of-pocket expenses related to consumption issues if the owner can show documentation like oil change receipts. Honda has also agreed to extend its powertrain warranty. CarComplaints.com has a great breakdown of the settlement details in further detail.
keep reading article "Acura Agrees to Oil Consumption Settlement for J37 Engines"The alleged problems are caused by miscommunications among the computers and software which control the engines, throttles and transmissions.
Sounds like a joy to drive.
keep reading article "MDX and RDX SUVs Suffer From a Number of Acceleration Issues, According to Lawsuit"NADI inflators are similar, but somehow even more dangerous to previously recalled Takata products. Both may explode on deployment due to excess moisture build-up, but non-azide inflators can also fail to fully inflate the airbags in a crash.
It’s a worst-of-both worlds situation and you’ll want to get them out of your vehicle as soon as possible. According to the recall that’ll be sometime in March of 2020.
keep reading article "Acura CL Part of Larger Recall to Replace Dangerous NADI Airbags"And proving it to a mechanic is nearly impossible as the power almost always comes back on and the vehicle acts like nothing ever happened.
The plaintiffs believe Acura should expand the scope of previous fuel injection engine control unit software updates.
keep reading article "MDX and RDX Lawsuit Says SUVs Can Suddenly Lose Power"The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.