2005 Acura RSX Problems

I PURCHASED A 2005 ACURA RSX TYPE-S ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AROUND 4/20/05. I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND I STARTED HEARING A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM MY SUSPENSION, I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW STRUT. THE NEXT MONTH THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STRUT. THAT SAME WEEK MY CAR STARTED DRIFTING TO ONE SIDE AND MY STEERING WHEELING WASN'T ALIGNED, I BOUGHT IT BACK AND EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. THE NEXT MONTH I STILL HEARD THE SAME CLICKING NOISE BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE DEALER. THAT SAME WEEK, I HEARD A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS SO I KEPT DRIVING. NEXT DAY, IT GOT WORSE AND I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG, I CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL ON A SLOPED HILL BUT DIDN'T REALIZE IT, AND IT DIDN'T READ PROPERLY. SO, I ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT IT STILL HAD THAT SAME TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD DESTROYED MY ENGINE(CONNECTING RODS ARE BENT, PISTON #4 WAS DAMAGED) AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE WARRANTY WASN'T GOING TO COVER IT BECAUSE I ADDED EXTRA OIL. SO, I IMMEDIATELY GOT A LAWYER, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE IN A YEAR IM STILL IN THE SAME BOAT AND I'M MONEY. I HAVE SPOKE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FROM VARIOUS DEALERS AND SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THERE'S NO WAY ADDING OIL COULD DAMAGE A ENGINE IN JUST A MATTER OF ONE DAY. IM RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS AND MY LIFE IS AT A STAND STILL IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO PLEASE HELP. *JB

I BOUGHT AN 05' RSX AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE A RATTLING CAB, HAS A TERRIBLE SUSPENSION AND MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX SINCE I GOT THE CAR ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THEY HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT RUDE AND CONDESCENDING, AND ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT CAPABLE OF SELLING A CAR THAT IS FUNCTIONAL, NOR FIXING IT CORRECTLY. I WISH I NEVER BOUGHT IT. *JB

TAKATA RECALL MY AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS ON COMING ON FOR MANY YEARS. THE ACURA DEALER DOES NOT KNOW THE ISSUE AND WILL NOT REPAIR THE AIRBAGS UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL OF THE AIRBAGS. THE LIGHT HAS COME ON PROBABLY ONCE PER YEAR (I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR 7 YEARS).

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON - I HAD A MECHANIC RESET IT BUT IT CAME BACK ON FEW DAYS LATER. I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT HONDA IS RECALLING HONDAS & ACURAS FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM , IS THIS ONE OF THEM ? AM I EXPECTING A RECALL LETTER FROM HONDA IN THE MAIL SOON ? REGARDS *TR

THE ISSUE I AM HAVING IS NOT A ONE TIME PROBLEM BUT SEEMS TO BE ONGOING IN THE WINTER MONTHS. WHEN IT GETS COLD OUTSIDE, THE WINDOWS OF MY CAR, INCLUDING FRONT AND BACK WINDSHIELDS, FOG AND ICE UP SIGNIFICANTLY. I HAVE THE DEFROSTER GOING AT FULL BLAST ON HIGHEST HEAT, BUT I STILL HAVE THIS ISSUE. THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS IS THAT I CANNOT SEE OUT OF MY WINDOWS WHEN I NEED TO CHANGE LANES OR LOOK FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN MAKING A RIGHT/LEFT TURN. I NEED TO ROLL DOWN MY WINDOWS TO ENSURE THAT TRAFFIC IS CLEAR. I WASN'T SURE IF THIS IS THE TYPE OF COMPLAINT THAT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS BETTER TO SUBMIT, THAN NOT. THANK YOU. *TR

THE HVAC (AIR CONDITIONING / HEATING SYSTEM / DEFROSTER) STARTED SMELLING BAD WITH A TOXIC MILDEW ODOR THE VERY FIRST DAY WITH A BRAND NEW AUTOMOBILE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DENIED ANYTHING WAS WRONG. HOWEVER, THEY PUT A CITRUS SMELLING CHEMICAL INTO THE VENTS THAT ONLY PARTIALLY MASKED IT. IT SMELLS BAD AFTER RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONING FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND TURNING IT OFF, LEAVING THE FAN RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES, WHILE DRIVING. THEN, IT DISAPPEARS AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR OR CYCLE THE AIR CONDITIONING. AGAIN, THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR WITH LESS THAN 500 MILES ON IT. IT STARTED OCCURRING WITH 100 MILES ON IT. I RENTED ANOTHER (DIFFERENT BRAND) CAR FOR A WEEK WITH NO PROBLEMS. *JB

The transmission it’s going bad

I BOUGHT A VEHICLE LAST YEAR AND NEVER RAN THE CARFAX BUT NOW I HAVE IT AND IT APPEARS THE MILEAGE HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH

The transmission it’s going bad

I PURCHASED A 2005 ACURA RSX TYPE-S ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AROUND 4/20/05. I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND I STARTED HEARING A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM MY SUSPENSION, I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW STRUT. THE NEXT MONTH THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STRUT. THAT SAME WEEK MY CAR STARTED DRIFTING TO ONE SIDE AND MY STEERING WHEELING WASN'T ALIGNED, I BOUGHT IT BACK AND EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. THE NEXT MONTH I STILL HEARD THE SAME CLICKING NOISE BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE DEALER. THAT SAME WEEK, I HEARD A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS SO I KEPT DRIVING. NEXT DAY, IT GOT WORSE AND I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG, I CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL ON A SLOPED HILL BUT DIDN'T REALIZE IT, AND IT DIDN'T READ PROPERLY. SO, I ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT IT STILL HAD THAT SAME TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD DESTROYED MY ENGINE(CONNECTING RODS ARE BENT, PISTON #4 WAS DAMAGED) AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE WARRANTY WASN'T GOING TO COVER IT BECAUSE I ADDED EXTRA OIL. SO, I IMMEDIATELY GOT A LAWYER, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE IN A YEAR IM STILL IN THE SAME BOAT AND I'M MONEY. I HAVE SPOKE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FROM VARIOUS DEALERS AND SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THERE'S NO WAY ADDING OIL COULD DAMAGE A ENGINE IN JUST A MATTER OF ONE DAY. IM RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS AND MY LIFE IS AT A STAND STILL IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO PLEASE HELP. *JB

ALL THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ON MY 2005 ACURA RSX-S ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF EARLY CORROSION DUE TO BUBBLING & EROSION OF THE PAINTED SURFACE. ONE IS PARTICULARLY BAD AND IS LOSING PRESSURE AT A RATE OF ~3LBS/SQIN PER WEEK. THIS WAS FIRST DISCOVERED ON NORMAL MONTHLY PRESSURE CHECK WHEN THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS 12LBS/SQIN BELOW SPECIFICATION. ON INSPECTION NO PUNCTURE OF THE TIRE WAS FOUND AND THE LEAK WAS TRACED TO CORROSION AT THE RIM AND VALVE SEAT. ON COMPLAINING TO THE ACURA DEALER UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS TOLD THAT WHEEL DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BUT THIS IS NOT "DAMAGE" - IT'S CORROSION DUE TO POOR MATERIALS AND ESPECIALLY PAINT FINISH. THE WHEELS ARE ALL COMPLETELY FREE OF ACCIDENTAL DENTS OR NICKS AND THE LEAK IS ENTIRELY DUE TO CORROSION AND I NOW FEAR THAT IT WILL SHOW UP IN ALL THE OTHER WHEELS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND I NOW HAVE TO CHECK ALL TIRE PRESSURES WEEKLY AND RE-INFLATE THE CURRENTLY AFFECTED SINGLE WHEEL. MY ONLY REMEDY HERE IS TO HAVE ALL FOUR WHEELS REFINISHED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2005 ACURA RSX TYPE-S ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AROUND 4/20/05. I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND I STARTED HEARING A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM MY SUSPENSION, I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW STRUT. THE NEXT MONTH THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STRUT. THAT SAME WEEK MY CAR STARTED DRIFTING TO ONE SIDE AND MY STEERING WHEELING WASN'T ALIGNED, I BOUGHT IT BACK AND EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. THE NEXT MONTH I STILL HEARD THE SAME CLICKING NOISE BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE DEALER. THAT SAME WEEK, I HEARD A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS SO I KEPT DRIVING. NEXT DAY, IT GOT WORSE AND I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG, I CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL ON A SLOPED HILL BUT DIDN'T REALIZE IT, AND IT DIDN'T READ PROPERLY. SO, I ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT IT STILL HAD THAT SAME TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD DESTROYED MY ENGINE(CONNECTING RODS ARE BENT, PISTON #4 WAS DAMAGED) AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE WARRANTY WASN'T GOING TO COVER IT BECAUSE I ADDED EXTRA OIL. SO, I IMMEDIATELY GOT A LAWYER, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE IN A YEAR IM STILL IN THE SAME BOAT AND I'M MONEY. I HAVE SPOKE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FROM VARIOUS DEALERS AND SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THERE'S NO WAY ADDING OIL COULD DAMAGE A ENGINE IN JUST A MATTER OF ONE DAY. IM RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS AND MY LIFE IS AT A STAND STILL IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO PLEASE HELP. *JB

The transmission it’s going bad

I PURCHASED A 2005 ACURA RSX TYPE-S ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AROUND 4/20/05. I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND I STARTED HEARING A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM MY SUSPENSION, I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW STRUT. THE NEXT MONTH THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STRUT. THAT SAME WEEK MY CAR STARTED DRIFTING TO ONE SIDE AND MY STEERING WHEELING WASN'T ALIGNED, I BOUGHT IT BACK AND EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. THE NEXT MONTH I STILL HEARD THE SAME CLICKING NOISE BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE DEALER. THAT SAME WEEK, I HEARD A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS SO I KEPT DRIVING. NEXT DAY, IT GOT WORSE AND I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG, I CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL ON A SLOPED HILL BUT DIDN'T REALIZE IT, AND IT DIDN'T READ PROPERLY. SO, I ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT IT STILL HAD THAT SAME TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD DESTROYED MY ENGINE(CONNECTING RODS ARE BENT, PISTON #4 WAS DAMAGED) AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE WARRANTY WASN'T GOING TO COVER IT BECAUSE I ADDED EXTRA OIL. SO, I IMMEDIATELY GOT A LAWYER, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE IN A YEAR IM STILL IN THE SAME BOAT AND I'M MONEY. I HAVE SPOKE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FROM VARIOUS DEALERS AND SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THERE'S NO WAY ADDING OIL COULD DAMAGE A ENGINE IN JUST A MATTER OF ONE DAY. IM RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS AND MY LIFE IS AT A STAND STILL IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO PLEASE HELP. *JB

ON 11/20/12, I DROVE MY 2005 ACURA RSX TO ACURA OF MANHATTAN (AOM) IN NY, NY. THE SERVICE INCLUDED 4 NEW TIRES -- MICHELIN 215/45/17. ON 12/01/12, AFTER 40-50 MILES WITH NEW TIRES, THE VEHICLE STARTS VIBRATING. I STOP AND NOTICE A BLOWN-OUT FRONT RIGHT TIRE. EMERGENCY ROAD ASSISTANCE PUTS ON THE SPARE TIRE, NOTICES THE OTHER 3 TIRES ARE UNDER-INFLATED AND ADDS AIR. I RETURN TO AOM ON 12/03/12, MENTIONING THE VIBRATIONS, BLOWN-OUT TIRE, AND 3 UNDER-INFLATED TIRES. AOM GUARANTEES THAT ALL REMAINING TIRES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND REPLACES THE BLOWN-OUT TIRE. ON 12/14/12, ON A DIVIDED PARKWAY THE CAR AGAIN STARTS VIBRATING. I SLOW DOWN TO STOP, BUT THE REAR OF THE CAR YANKS TO THE RIGHT, THE CAR SPINS WILDLY, I SMASH HEAD-ON INTO THE MEDIAN DIVIDER, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY, THE CAR SPINS AROUND, THE REAR HITS THE MEDIAN, I COME TO A STANDSTILL. NO OTHER CAR IS INVOLVED. I AM UNHURT. I LEAVE THE CAR; I NOTICE ONE REAR TIRE OFF THE RIM AND THE OTHER ONE FLAT. THE POLICE WRITE UP AN ACCIDENT REPORT. THE CAR IS TOWED TO A GARAGE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY RAPIDLY DETERMINES IT IS A TOTAL LOSS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT A CAR OF MINE VIBRATED -- NOT ONCE BUT TWICE IN TWO WEEKS. THE FIRST TIME, ONE TIRE BLEW OUT; THE SECOND TIME, BOTH REAR TIRES WERE EITHER OFF THE RIM OR FLAT. AND THIS IMMEDIATELY AFTER AOM HAD REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. I SENT A CERTIFIED MAIL LETTER TO [XXX], PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF AOM, ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION. I GOT 3 NON-EXPLANATORY E-MAILS FROM A [XXX]; NONE ADDRESSED THE QUESTIONS RAISED IN MY LETTER. I REPORT THIS TO NHTSA TO PREVENT FURTHER ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY IMPROPER SERVICE BY AOM. WERE THE TIRES DEFECTIVE? DID THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR PROVIDE OLD TIRES WITH REDUCED ELASTICITY? DID THE TIRES PROPERLY FIT MY CAR'S RIMS? DID AOM CORRECTLY INSTALL, CALIBRATE AND BALANCE THE TIRES? AS OF THIS WRITING, NO RESPONSE HAS BEEN GIVEN BY AOM WHICH IS AVOIDING THE ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND A CRASH. THE CRASH CAUSED MAJOR FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE AND DAMAGED THE WHEEL OF THE BLOWN OUT TIRE TO THE POINT WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FURTHERMORE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AS AN OVER REV CODE, PRESUMABLY AT THE POINT AFTER WHICH THE TIRE BLEW OUT. *NM

TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR, POPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR, OR IS HARD TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR. THESE SYMPTOMS CAN BE INTERMITTENT ANDSOMETIMES MORE NOTICEABLE IN COLDER CLIMATES. *TR

MY 05 ACURA RSX TYPE S WITH A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM WHERE DURING SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR (WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY ENGAGED DURING THE SHIFT) IT POPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ABOUT ONCE EVERY 7 HOURS OF DRIVING FOR ME. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CAR SHIFTS EASILY INTO THIRD, LIKE IT NORMALLY WOULD, THEN POPS OUT WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED. OCCASIONALLY THERE IS A POP SOUND WHEN THIS HAPPENS BUT SOMETIMES IT CANNOT BE HEARD. THIS HAS LEAD TO SOME FRIGHTENING INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR HAS BEEN IN NEUTRAL, WHEN I THOUGH THE SHIFT WAS SUCCESSFUL. ON MY COMMUTE THIS OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN TURNING LEFT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND WHEN MERGING ON TO THE FREEWAY. I HAD ONE INSTANCE WHERE I MERGED ONTO THE FREEWAY IN SECOND GEAR ON A SNOWY DAY, ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT TO THIRD, AND HAD THE CAR POP OUT OF GEAR TWICE, SLOWING ME DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF BRAKE LIGHTS. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE OTHER LANE TO AVOID BRAKING HARD IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN 12 TIMES TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED AND IT STILL IS NOT FIXED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A GROWING ISSUE WITH HONDA 6-SPEED TRANSMISSION. *TR

THE NEW BRIGHT BLUE HEADLIGHTS ARE AN OUTSTANDING INOVATION WHEN THEY ARE PROPERLY AIMED, HOWEVER THE AIM OF THE HEADLIGHT IS AFFECTED BY VEHICLE LOADING AND MANUFACTURE AND BODYSHOP/DEALER MISALLIGMNMENT. THIS ALLIGNMENT IS CRITICAL. WHEN TOO MUCH WEIGHT IS PLACE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THE PORTION OF THE HEADLIGHT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE POINTING DOWN ON THE ROADWAY IS NOW DIRECTED AT ONCOMMING TRAFFIC. IF MANUFACTURERS CANNOT CONTROL THIS PROBLEM BY AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING THE HORIZONTAL TILT OF THIS LIGHTING SYSTEM, THEY SHOULD BE BANNED! *NM

THE CAR FAILED TO STOP FOR AN INTERSECTION. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CROSS TRAFFIC, SO WE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM: POWER BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED TO KEEP VACUUM, MAKING BRAKES WEAK. I SEE THAT THIS EXACT FAILURE WAS RECALLED FOR THE NEXT MODEL YEAR (2006). BOTH MODEL YEAR CARS USE THE SAME BOOSTER, SO IT IS LIKELY THE SAME CAUSE AND SAME RISK TO ALL 2005 ACURA RSX MODELS. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED TO MAKE SURE NO-ONE HAS AN ACCIDENT DUE TO WEAK BRAKES, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED FOR THE SAME MODEL CAR ONE YEAR LATER, THAT USES THE SAME PART.