2004 Acura Tl Base Sedan 4-door 3.2l on 2040-cars

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Honda, Acura recall 450,000 cars for seatbelt issue

Honda is recalling nearly half a million Honda and Acura vehicles to address an issue that can prevent passengers from latching their seatbelts. The campaign covers most of the mainstream brand's popular family cars, including the CR-V, Accord and Odyssey. Per the company's report, normal wear and tear can cause the driver and passenger seatbelt release buttons to bind, preventing the latches from properly engaging.  "The seat belt buckle channel [sic] for the driver and front passenger seat belts were manufactured out of specification, causing interference between the buckle channel and the release button,"  Honda's report to NHTSA said. "With continuous use, the buckle channel surface coating may deteriorate over time, and the release button may shrink against the channel at low temperatures, increasing friction. This can result in issues with the seat belt buckle latching." Here is the full list of cars and model years included in the campaign: 2019-2020 Acura RDX  2018-2019 Honda Accord/Accord Hybrid  2017-2020 Honda CR-V  2019 Honda Insight  2018-2020 Honda Odyssey Honda said that the problem first surfaced back in 2019 and that the company has received more than 300 warranty claims related to the problem. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. Owners will have replacement parts installed free of charge. Honda says notices should be distributed to owners starting in April.  Related video: Recalls Acura Honda Ownership Safety

Acura announces 2021 TLX Type S on-sale date and approximate price

Acura is clearing up a few nagging questions we had about the 2021 TLX Type S today. The company’s latest announcement spells out both the starting price and a precise on-sale date.  YouÂ’ll be able to drive a 2021 Acura TLX Type S home in May this year, and pricing starts “in the low $50,000s.” We wish Acura could be a little more specific on exact pricing, but apparently itÂ’s not ready to divulge that information yet. Regardless, this price point makes perfect sense when you consider that the regular TLX with its 2.0-liter turbo can be optioned up to about $50,000. ItÂ’s likely going to come in under the BMW M340iÂ’s price (starts at $55,695). On the other hand, the Audi S4 will most likely undercut the Type S with its $50,945 base price. Do keep in mind that both the BMW and Audi will likely need a heavy hand in the options list to equal the AcuraÂ’s equipment, just as the non-performance models require. As a reminder, the TLX Type S is getting a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that spits out 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque to the standard SH-AWD system. The 10-speed automatic is “sport-tuned,” and the car has a new Sport+ driving mode that isnÂ’t on the regular TLX that notches everything up to another level of aggressiveness. You can get NSX-inspired lightweight wheels that hide big Brembo brakes and can be wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero summer tires. The Tiger Eye Pearl exterior paint pictured here is a Type S-exclusive paint option, too. WeÂ’ll be looking forward to May this year, when we'll finally get behind the wheel of the Type S, which is the first Type S weÂ’ve seen in America for 13 years. Related video:

Acura may go all AWD in bid to mimic Subaru's success

Acura's struggles have been well publicized. The Honda-owned luxury brand doesn't seem sure of where it's going or what it's trying to accomplish, with its cars and marketing lacking a coherent theme. Now, a new report from Automotive News claims that the brand could follow the success of Subaru and (to a lesser extent) Audi, and adopt all-wheel-drive as standard across its model range.
"I think that's the way we should go," Acura boss Koichi Fukuo told Automotive News.
Acura already offers some form of all-wheel drive on every vehicle in its line aside from the lamentable ILX sedan. That could change as Acura begins rolling out next-generation versions of its still relatively new stable of sedans and crossovers.