NHTSA Complaint #10368928 — 2005 ACURA TL

I HAVE A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY 2005 ACURA TL. IN APRIL, 2010, THE ACURA DEALER REPLACED BROKEN COMPLIANCE BUSHINGS DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE (82,000 MILES). AFTER THE SERVICE, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED MY CAR FELT UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HAD A VERY ROUGH RIDE. AFTER NUMEROUS DEALER VISITS, THEY REPLACED THE REAR STRUT ASSEMBLY. NONE OF THIS IMPROVED THE HANDLING OR RIDE. AT THIS TIME, THE DEALER STATED I HAD THE WRONG TIRES AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM WITH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MICHELIN PILOT MXM4 TIRES. I HAD NEARLY NEW MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS TIRES AND NOT EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BUSHINGS. I CHECKED AT COSTCO, WHERE I PURCHASED THE TIRES, AND THEY INDICATED THAT MICHELIN PILOT SPORT PLUS TIRES WERE AN ACCEPTABLE UPGRADE FOR MY VEHICLE. THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT MENTION THAT THE ACURA SUSPENSION REQUIRES TIRES ONLY PURCHASED AT THE DEALER. ON NOV. 8, 2010, DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE VISIT, THE DEALER NOTED FINGERNAIL SIZE CHUNKS OF RUBBER PEALING OFF MY 2 FRONT TIRES. THEY RECOMMENDED I IMMEDIATELY CHANGE THEM SINCE THEY WERE UNSAFE. COSTCO AGREED TO PRORATE AND REPLACE THEM WITH THE DEALER RECOMMENDED TIRE. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER OF THE PURCHASE AND THEN WAS TOLD THAT MICHELIN MADE SPECIAL TIRES ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE ACURA DEALER. UNTIL TODAY, THE DEALER NEVER STATED THAT MICHELIN PILOT MXM4 TIRES MANUFACTURED ESPECIALLY FOR ACURA WERE THE ONLY TIRES THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE ACURA SUSPENSION. I HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS. NOWHERE DOES IT SAY YOU MUST BUY REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM THE DEALER TO HAVE A SAFE CAR. ACURA SHOULD NOT SELL A CAR THAT CAN BE SAFELY DRIVEN WITH TIRES ONLY PURCHASED FROM THEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT HAD I NOT TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE, I MAY HAVE HAD A MAJOR TIRE FAILURE CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE NTSB INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND DETERMINE IF OTHER ACURA DRIVERS ARE AT RISK DUE TO THE PURCHASE OF TIRES FROM ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ACURA DEALER. UPDATED 01/20/11 *BF