2003 Acura TL Body & Structure Problems

This complaint is in regards to the 2003 Acura model TL, which is made by Honda and seems to have a notorious car frame rust/rot problem due to designing the AC compressor drain line to dump water directly onto the cars front subframe/engine cradle causing it/them to be compromised to a serious extent that could lead to major injury and or death if not spotted and dealt with. All complaints clearly indicate the problem is on the right/passenger side of certain Hondas and Acuras in the early 2000's. There is no major issues in regards to driver side frame rott. How is that? Because it's a problem created by a variable located there and that is explained here in this complaint. By the grace of God, I had a sway bar link issue making a ticking noise and asked my mechanic to get It onto the lift a take a look. He told me that I should, "Drive it home, park it and start looking for another car. Put it this way, if you were to hit a bad pothole you could have been in a serious situation." Honda has had an innumerable amt of complaints regarding the same issue and it should have been recalled and redirected the drain line, and ppl suffering this issue should have been compensated for the repair (if even possible to do). I will attach photos if permitted to show the extent of the rust on the front frame of the vehicle. Sad nobody has done anything to remedy this. Disgusting.

THE PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME HAS RUST DAMAGE. THE DRIVER SIDE SUBFRAME DOES NOT HAVE RUST DAMAGE. THE RUST DAMAGE IS OCCURRING FROM THE TOP OF THE FRAME, CAUSED BY THE AIR CONDITIONER DRAINAGE LINE DRIPPING ON TOP OF THE FRAME. ACURA DEALERSHIPS ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THE OLDER VEHICLES COMING INTO SHOPS WITH THIS DEFECT. THE 2000 HONDA ACCORD HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND WAS REPORTED IN 2009. SO FAR MY CAR HAS NOT FALLEN APART, AND WILL SOON HAVE PROBLEM REPAIRED. I EXPECT HONDA/ACURA TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND REPAIR/RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. REFERENCE THE CHANNEL 5 INVESTIGATIONS IN CLEVELAND OHIO ON YOU TUBE FOR HONDA RUST PROBLEM.

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE THE CONSUMER PLACED THE REQUEST.*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

SUBFRAME RUSTED OUT. $2600 TO REPAIR. GARAGE KEPT VEHICLE. UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND THE ROOT CAUSE IS KNOWN. UNBELIEVABLE THAT SUCH A LARGE AND SUPPOSEDLY REPUTABLE MANUFACTURER CAN NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DESIGN FLAW. LAST ACURA OR HONDA I WILL EVER PURCHASE.

CLEAR COAT IS PEELING OFF OF THE TRUNK, SIDES OF THE CAR, AND ROOF.

THE PASSENGER-SIDE SUBFRAME HAS MAJOR RUST AND SOME PARTS ARE RUSTED THROUGH. A MECHANIC AND FURTHER RESEARCH HAS NARROWED THE PROBLEM ON THE A/C CONDENSER HOSE DRIPPING ONTO THE METAL. THE DRIVER-SIDE PART OF THE SUBFRAME HAS MINIMAL SURFACE RUST. THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON AMONG HONDA ACCORDS AND ACURA TLS ALIKE, ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. $1500 TO REPLACE SUBFRAME WITH A USED PART, OR $2500 AT THE DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

I GOT MY ACURA 2003 TL TYPE S BACK FROM MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SUBFRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETLY RUSTED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CAR'S A/C DRAIN IS RIGHT ABOVE THE AREA OF THE SUBFRAME RUST. THIS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THE CAR THAT IS CAUSING THE SUBFRAME TO BE ROTTED THROUGH AND UNSAFE. I ALSO FOUND THAT THE HONDA ACCORD 1999-2002 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SUBFRAME RUST FROM THE A/C DRAIN. I NOTIFIED THE CAR MANUFACTURER OF THIS PROBELM AND THEY ARE DENYING THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR'S CRAFTSMANSHIP. *TR

MY CAR MAKES A LOUD CLUNK WHEN I AM BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE OR DRIVEWAY AND TURN THE WHEEL AND APPLY THE BRAKES. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE ACURA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS MODEL AND ALSO THE MDX THAT WAS MADE THAT YEAR. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR, HOWEVER, HOW DO I RESELL THE CAR WITH SUCH A NOISE PRESENT? I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND THE PROBLEM FIXED. *JB

A PLUG FELL OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL HOLDING THE PLASTIC BODY MATERIAL TO THE FENDER. IT FELL OUT AND CAUSED ME TO FIND A METAL SCREW TO HOLD IT IN PLACE, I WENT TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPAIR/GIVE ME A NEW PLUG, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $254,00 & LABOR AND AN AUTO BDY SHOP TO PUT IT ON. HOW LUDICROUS CAN THAT BE. AM I WRONG IT MY CHALLENGE TO THE DEALER.*AK

PAINT ON REAR TRUNK LID EXTREMELY THIN AND PEELING WHEN CAR IS WASHED. DESPITE HAVING 5 COATS OF WAX ON THE CAR, WASHING THE CAR (BY HAND WITH MAGUIAR'S SOFT CAR SOAP AND SOFT TERRY TOWELING) PEELED SECTIONS OF THE PAINT OFF THE TRUNK LID. CAR HAD SAT FOR TWO WEEKS (STANDARD WASH INTERVAL FOR THE CAR DUE TO MY WORK SCHEDULE) OUTSIDE (CAR IS COVERED WHEN FIRST CLEANED). NO REASON FOR THE PAINT TO HAVE COME OFF. NO RESPONSE TO MY LETTERS FROM MANUFACTURER. DEALER REFERRED ME TO ACURA CUSTOMER CARE SO NO HELP THERE. *CB