NHTSA Complaint #10295490 — 2004 ACURA TSX

ON NOVEMBER 28, 2009 I NOTICED THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE MOTOR OF MY 2004 ACURA TSX. WHEN I RAISED THE HOOD, I FOUND LIQUID LEAKING ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF MY MOTOR. I HAVE A 4 CYLINDER TSX. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED MY OIL AND FOUND I WAS LOW SO I THOUGHT THE HOSE WAS PART OF MY OIL DELIVERY SYSTEM (BECAUSE I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE MOTOR AREA OF MY VEHICLE). I IMMEDIATELY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY SERVICE GARAGE (NOT AN ACURA DEALER BUT WORKED FOR ACURA FOR MANY YEARS) AND HE TOLD ME MY OIL WAS NOT A PROBLEM, THAT IT WAS THE POWER STEERING HOSE THAT WAS LEAKING FLUID ON MY MOTOR. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE TLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM UPON HIS RECOMMENDATION, I CALLED MY LOCAL ACURA DEALER AND TALKED TO THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE JIMMY THOMAS ON DECEMBER 1 AND HE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO FOR ME OTHER THAN ORDER THE PART AND REPLACE IT CHARGING FULL PRICE OF LABOR AND PARTS. MY ACURA IS ONE OF HIGHER MILEAGE THAN USUAL (126,000) BECAUSE IT WAS USED BY A PHARMACEUTICAL REPRESENTATIVE BEFORE I OWNED IT BUT ANYHOW I STILL BELIEVE MY HOSE WAS PROBABLY MADE FROM THE SAME DEFECTIVE MATERIAL THAT THE TLS WERE. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FOR ACURA AND TALKED WITH ANDREA (WHO ALSO TOLD ME SHE WAS THE MANAGER ON DUTY) AND SHE KEPT REPEATING TO ME THAT SINCE MY MODEL WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, I WAS FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS RELATED TO THIS REPAIR ESPECIALLY SINCE MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WAS A "HIGH MILEAGE" CAR. I OWNED A 1997 ACURA 2.5TL BEFORE THIS ONE AND TRADED IT IN ON THIS ONE WHEN IT HAD 230,000 MILES ON IT AND I NEVER HAD ONE DAY TROUBLE OUT OF IT SO I DIDN'T NOT TAKE THAT AS A CORRECT RESPONSE. I ASKED HER WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER FOR ACURA TO PAY A SMALL FEE NOW INSTEAD OF LARGER FEE IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND SHE KEPT REPEATING TO ME THAT MY MODEL HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED AND IT WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. SO I AM REGISTERING THIS COMPLAINT. *TR