2005 Acura TSX automobile was bought as an Acura Certified used car with 15,500 miles on it at the time of purchase. At approximately 16,800 miles, the dealer cut the front rotors, due to grooves in the rotors and vibration in the front brakes. The pads were resurfaced, not replaced, since it was a warranty repair and they did not want to incur any additional cost for new pads. Since they cut the rotors, this service amounts to a front brake job - at 16,800 miles - on an Acura Certified car.
At 23,900 miles, the front brake rotors were again cut, and the pads replaced - at my expense. This is the second front brake job - and the car doesn't even have 24,000 miles on it. The rotors will have to be replaced at the next brake job.
At 29,200 miles, the dealer told me that the rear brakes were 85% worn, and I would need to replace them by the next oil change. Since the car was already in the shop, I authorized the repair. Brakes that are 85% used at 29,200 miles means full rear brake life on the car is approximately 34,000 miles.
Now, I have a car with 29,200 miles on it, that will need a $500 front brake replacement for the next brake service. If the original rear brakes lasted 29000 miles, the car will also likely need another $500 rear brake job - all before the car has even 60,000 miles on it.
I have been a car enthusiast for many years. Having read innumerable test reports of many different cars, I never heard of any car that was not abused, raced, or an exotic, that needed rear brakes at 29,000 miles. When I asked the dealer about it, they told me that it is not unusual for these cars to need rear brakes around 30,000 miles. They also told me that they could not know what abuse (their words - their personnel - their car) was put on my Acura Certified dealer demo car before I bought it. Yet they still Certified it and sold it to me. I have been driving 35 years. I have never had any experience with burning through brakes like my experience with this car.
It is my belief that the brakes on the Acura TSX automobile are insufficient for the car. I believe Acura was negligent in the design of these brakes. This situation unreasonably enriches their dealers, since they make these highly profitable repairs that ought not to be necessary at all.
Two front brake jobs before 24000 miles, and rear brakes at 29,000 - think about that before YOU buy an Acura.
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