NHTSA Complaint #11256672 — 2012 ACURA TL

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE FOR 8 MIN AT 70 MPH ON A 70 DEGREE MORNING WHEN I LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. MY CERTIFIED MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE ENGINE LOST ALL COMPRESSION. THE CAR HAS 98,000 MI. I CALLED ACURA CLIENT SERVICES AND THEY STATED IT HAD TO BE DIAGNOSED BY ACURA DEALER. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A BLOWN ENGINE AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT HAPPENED. I CALLED ACURA AGAIN AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I STATED SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAS HAPPENED AND IT SHOULD BE RESEARCHED TO UNDERSTAND WHY. ENGINES SHOULDN'T JUST FAIL. ACURA STATED THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS BEFORE THEY WOULD REVIEW THE CLAIM. I PAID THE DEALER TO TEST. THE DEALER FILLED THE SYSTEM WITH FLUIDS AND SET THE VEHICLE OUTSIDE. HE CHECKED FOR LEAKS EVERY FEW HOURS. I TOLD HIM IT WAS A SLOW LEAK AND HE HAD TO MONITOR IT CLOSELY. THE DEALER STATED HE COULDN'T FIND ANY ISSUE. I CALLED ACURA AND TOLD THEM THE TEST WAS NOT CONDUCTED PROPERLY. ACURA STATED THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE AND NO MORE INVESTIGATION CAN BE DONE. I ASKED ACURA WHY THEY ARE NOT HAVING THEIR FIELD TEAM REVIEW THIS INCIDENT. ACURA STATES IT'S A CUSTOMER ISSUE NOT AN ACURA ISSUE. WITHOUT CONDUCTING THE PROPER TESTING & DIAGNOSIS THAT CONCLUSION CANNOT BE MADE. ACURA REFUSES TO AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE THE DEFECT PROPERLY. ACURA REFUSES TO HAVE THEIR FIELD TECHNICIANS, WARRANTY GROUP, AND SUPPLIER REVIEW THE DEFECT, ASKS THE CUSTOMER TO PAY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. ACURA'S POLICY TO NOT REVIEW MAJOR FIELD ISSUES WITH THEIR VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY IS A DANGEROUS POSITION ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH A BLOWN ENGINE. ACURA'S CORPORATE STRATEGY TO SUPPRESS AN INVESTIGATION UNTIL A MAJOR INCIDENT HAPPENS CREATES A POTENTIAL RISKY PRODUCT LIABILITY WITH ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS.