NHTSA Complaint #10701881 — 2009 ACURA TSX

UPON LEAVING HOME ON A COLD MARCH MORNING, I DROVE THROUGH MY COMPLEX TO THE MAIN ROAD. AS I APPROACHED THE FIRST MAIN INTERSECTION, THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED RED. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKE, THE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO DOWN - IT WAS HARD TO THE TOUCH. AS MY CAR CONTINUED TOWARD - AND THEN INTO - THE INTERSECTION, I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO APPLY THE BRAKE, UNTIL EVENTUALLY THE PEDAL RESPONDED, THE BRAKES ENGAGED, AND MY CAR CAME TO A STOP. IT IS NOW A YEAR LATER, AND MY CAR HAS DONE THIS 3 TIMES. ON THE DAY OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, MY BRAKES WERE INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. MY DEALERSHIP CLAIMED TO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE, AND TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGING. A YEAR PASSED BEFORE THE SECOND INCIDENT. AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE COMPANY TECH LINE, MY BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, IT HAPPENED A THIRD TIME. MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP AWAITING REPAIR. I'M TOLD THAT THE COMPANY TECH LINE DETERMINED THAT MY DEALERSHIP SHOULD REPLACE THE SUPPLY LINE/CHECK VALVE, BUT THE PART IS ON BACK-ORDER. AS OF YET, THERE IS NO ESTIMATE OF COMPLETION. NO ONE AT ACURA HAS BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER MY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AS TO EXACT CAUSE. THEY SPECULATE THAT MOISTURE GETS INTO THE LINE AND FREEZES, BUT NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY THE BRAKES WILL WORK SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE SEIZING UP AND FAILING. MY ACURA DEALERSHIP HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS MATTER AND CONTINUES TO CONSULT THEIR TECH LINE TO DETERMINE COURSE OF ACTION; HOWEVER, I AM NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE AT THAT TECH LINE TO ATTEMPT TO GET MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. *TR