| socalJD |
(sounds like a bad country-western song)
So I'm on my way home from work around 7pm last night when all of a sudden the engine dies, all my warning lights lite up like a Xmas tree and here I am in the #2 lane trying to COAST across a congested I-5 fwy to get over to the shoulder. Long story short, I make it across to the shoulder to a relatively safe spot and give Acura TLC a call. For those unfamiliar, I have an '02 Touring (no Nav) with just over 29k miles. The engine is dead, won't turn over, all I get when I try to start the engine is a clicking sound with all the idiot lights flashing. 'She left me on the side of the road to die . . . '
Prelude: This morning, the X would not start - same symptons, won't turn over, clicking sound - flashing lites. Called TLC, within 30 mins they show up, jump the battery, X starts, idling fine, tow guy says it's probably the battery - should be fine now. (famous last words) Drove in to work, 20 mile trip was uneventful, engine running fine, so I figure it must have been the battery and everything is fine now.
Fast forward to the evening - 6:00pm, ready to leave the office, X won't start again - must definitely be the battery. Call TLC, within 30 mins tech shows up, jumps the battery and the X is running again. OK, This time I got it figured out and will drive straight to the dealer or Sears and get a new battery, enough of this playing phone tag with Acura TLC - which brings us to the title of this thread.
Aftermath: X is at the Acura dealer and I now await the prognosis. I figure that they'll tell me that the alternator AND battery are shot and will need to be replaced. Good thing is its under warranty. Bad thing is I've gotten to be more intimate with TLC then I cared to and the whole episode is leaving a bad, bad taste in my mouth. I know most of you will say it's an isolated incident and not symptomatic of all MDXs - BUT I can't say that I enjoy being a statistic for a vehicle with less than 30k on the road in less than 22 months of service . . . to be continued . . . |
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| Pauls MDX |
| Did you recently have a stereo or alarm installed? That's sounds odd for a battery and alternator to go bad at the same time? Maybe the is a dead-short in the system? Maybe someone left the interior lights on overnight? Very wierd? |
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| DocWalk20 |
I'm sorry for your troubles. Luckily haven't experienced anything similar. However, if it's any consolation from reading other's opinions about Acura TLC, it sounds as if your experience with them is by far one of the best posted. Most have had only bad things to say on here. Granted the disgruntled ones are more likely to post than the satisfied ones but at least from your story it sounds like you at least got a prompt response from TLC each time.
TLC |
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| MDX4now |
My car hasn't started twice, but I've only been stranded once (the first time I was in my garage). I had been driving the car all day, and I left my 19 year-old son in the car as a I went in to get a Starbucks as our last stop of the day.
He stayed in the car, listened to the radio, played with the navigation screen etc. for maybe 6 minutes max. Long story short, everything in the car worked and lit up fine EXCEPT the car wouldn't start when I got back into the car.
Mind you I had been driving it all day. All Acura told us was to possibly not do functions like listen to the radio with just the accessories on. I don't think 10 minutes of radio and navigation screen input would make my car totally die but whatever.
Anyway, the TLC, jump started it, and we were on our way....funny how I never worried about my wife's old Town & Countrys' not starting...and they were Chryslers.... |
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| Mr. Mom |
I think it is standard for most new cars to have a two year battery. One would think in a “luxury SUV” that they would have a five year one.
Was it Senator John McCain who said “University of Spoiled Children”?
:2: |
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| bonniep |
| I have had to have my MDX (2003 with RES) jump started 3 times since last June. The last 2 incidents were within one week of each other. My dealer kept insisting that a door must have been left open draining the battery; I had to inform him that the interior lights automatically turn off after 3 minutes. In any event, the 3rd time this happened, last week, I had it towed (by TLC) directly to the dealer even though they could jump start it no problem. They did find some sort of electrical going to the battery that was not a tight connection; they fixed it and hopefully this will not happen again. However, now that I hear other people have had this problem I am concerned! |
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| socalJD |
Paul's MDX: Have not installed stereo upgrade, alarm or any other item that would affect electrical. Latest upgrade was wood steering wheel some 3 months ago.
DocWalk20: TLC was used 3 times. Each time the techs showed up within the estimated time given by TLC. I have no complaints with the techs, which are local 3rd party contractors - however the actual TLC call-in operators are another story. I believe they are also an outside service contracted by Acura and they probably service several other Carmaker's roadside assistance programs as well. The last operator I spoke with had a difficult time pinpointing where I was stranded since she obviously was base in another state. I gave her accurate descriptions of which Fwy I was on, between which offramps I was stranded and between which Fwy interchanges I was near - took nearly 15 mins before she finally figured things out. Was very tempted to hang up and call AAA and have the bill sent to Acura . . .
Mr. Mom: Easy now, don't get me started on McCain. And yes, THAT U.S.C. - be sure to smile when you say that. We are not to be confused with the other wanna be 'usc', the one in south carolina . . . |
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| mash |
| I ride a motorcycle (Honda VFR) with a history of charging system problems. The m/c community found out that once the battery discharges to less than 8volts, it usually never recovers. If you continue driving by jumpstarting, other components will go down with it (alternator for one). If you are out of warrany, the best course of action is to take the battery to a tire shop and ask them to load test it. If it doesn't pass, its time to replace the battery. I would think the same holds true for cars as well. |
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| sgtglok |
something is wierd about that (not the whole battery/alternator thing - I've had similar experience with my previous ride), but 2 times (isolated by 1-2 years), I could not start the engine.
first time, i had a radio playing while i was detailing the 'X. all of a sudden, it stopped and the battery went dead, to my total surprise. called AAA (TLC is crap). truck came in 10 minutes (benefits of living in a city) when the driver got out, i decide to give it one more shot - all worked, battery fine, engine started. had to appologize, the guy told me that maybe a computer initiated an auto-shutoff.
second time, had a trunk open for 20 some minutes, while replacing the tires. a single tiny light on the lift gate. couldn't start the engine for 5 minutes. waited a while longer, and she started just fine. no problems after that again.
there are numerous posts about this. i wonder, if 2004 models still have the same problem, as i don't beleive these be isolated incidents. |
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| XStatic |
Why would it be strange for another electrical component such as the alternator to go bad at the same time as the battery?
The battery has to recharged on every use, if there is something wrong with the alternator or a poor ground etc. The battery won't get charged and won't start the car. Beyond that the battery will suffer from the deep discharge cycles and need to be replaced. |
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| Warzau |
| I think most likely it the alt, and since the alt charges the battery, well the car uses the power from the battery and discharges it. So hence bad alt not working car is drawing all power from battery, so both are bad after a while. |
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| rene.b |
socalJD- what was the final prognosis?
My '01 MDX is doing the same thing, almost immediately after the Dealer serviced the vehicle. Something about a service bulletin stating the Alternator not giving out the correct amount of voltage constantly. |
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| barndg00 |
| Actually, its pretty common in my experience for alternators and batterries to fail together due to the fact that on many cars (not sure about the X) the alternator has an internal voltage regulator which regulates the charge. If the battery gets deeply discharged and then jumped, but not fully charged again, the voltage regulator can start regulating at lower voltages, never fully charging the battery. Results - when tested, both alternator and battery fail and are replaced. Again, this may not be a problem with the X, but I have seen it on another vehicle of my own and other family members vehicle. |
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| socalJD |
Sorry folks, not checking in to the site as often nowadays . . .
Conclusion: Dead battery. Alternator & rest of the electrical system checked out. Fortunately, since battery expired within 24 months of service, warranty covered full cost of replacement. Interesting to note, replacement battery is more robust than OEM, and carries 60 month ltd warranty, so I hope that it will last longer than 24 months this time. :rolleyes:
Very disturbing to know that a dead battery can leave you on the side of the road for dead. This vehicle did not behave like past cars when the battery expired - usually you can get more than 2 jumps to confirm a dead battery as opposed to a drained battery and I certainly would not have suspected a dead battery in less than 2 yrs . . . |
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| Jim03MDX |
I had a battery die on me (not in the MDX) a few month ago that acted the same way. One minute it's fine and the next minute, warning messages of all sorts. I pull over to the side of the road, turn the car off and the car won't start up after that. The battery was so dead the horn wouldn't even honk. Called AAA to get a jump. Finally got it started after about 20 minutes and I "limped" home. Got a new battery the next day and no trouble after.
Like you described no indications before that the battery was on its way out.
quote:
Originally posted by socalJD
Sorry folks, not checking in to the site as often nowadays . . .
Conclusion: Dead battery. Alternator & rest of the electrical system checked out. Fortunately, since battery expired within 24 months of service, warranty covered full cost of replacement. Interesting to note, replacement battery is more robust than OEM, and carries 60 month ltd warranty, so I hope that it will last longer than 24 months this time. :rolleyes:
Very disturbing to know that a dead battery can leave you on the side of the road for dead. This vehicle did not behave like past cars when the battery expired - usually you can get more than 2 jumps to confirm a dead battery as opposed to a drained battery and I certainly would not have suspected a dead battery in less than 2 yrs . . .
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| Oh_My_Baby |
| If the car is still in warranty, call Acura 24 Hr Roadside Service. Acura doesn't want its car sitting duck on the road. |
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| srpbep |
Hey Oh_My_Baby:
If our MDX dies I don't care (GAS) what Acura wants or doesn't want and it is not their vehicle it is ours.
Sorry, but I have had a real problem with a Honda and "they" kept talking about "their vehicle". Well, I obliged them and they were able to buy it back from me with some help from Lemon Law Arbitration. In fact, "their attitude" helped me because as I explained at artibration, I was having a problem with "my vehicle" which "I had purchased". Honda seemed to think that "their vehicle" was truely great inspite of the problems. Soooo, everyone agreed that it should become "their vehicle" once again and everyone was happy EXCEPT Honda. Seems they didn't really want their vehicle back!! |
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| Oh_My_Baby |
quote:
Originally posted by srpbep
Hey Oh_My_Baby:
If our MDX dies I don't care (GAS) what Acura wants or doesn't want and it is not their vehicle it is ours.
I just want to say Acura honors the warranty with 24Hr Road Assistance Service. Of course, all manufacturers want to save their namesake brand. The difference is how far they really want to keep their words. Lexus is one of the best. So far I don't have any problems with Acura service. |
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