NHTSA Complaint #11064775 — 2012 ACURA TSX

WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME OF THE DAY--ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER: SYMPTOM: NOISE DURING START FOR A SECOND OR TWO. INFO: SOUND COMES FROM THE (TIMING CHAIN?) COVER ON THE LEFT TOP SIDE OF THE ENGINE--LOOKING FROM THE BUMPER. CALLED ACURA DEALER AND MENTIONED ITEMS I HAD READ ABOUT---STRETCHED/LOOSE TENSIONER (PRESSURIZED WITH OIL?), STRETCHED TIMING CHAIN, VTC ACTUATOR---HE SAID YES,YES,---TENSIONER AND TIMING CHAIN WOULD BE CHANGED, I CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE VTC ACTUATOR. ANOTHER ACURA DEALER INDICATED IT IS THE VTC ACTUATOR IS THE ISSUE. CALLED ACURA CONSUMER RELATIONS WHO NOTED THEY COULD NOT HELP. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WELL KNOWN AMONG ACURA OWNERS ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. I DO NOT THINK THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING AT 82K MILES. NOTE THE WARRANTY IS FOR 72K. NOTE IT HAS HAPPENED FOR ALMOST A YEAR; BELOW I HAVE NOTED ONE DAY IT HAPPENED.