This article is being written to express the concerns that the members of our technical staff have involving the consideration, that some car owners have,  in selecting the correct tires for their Honda and Acura vehicles as outlined by the manufacturer. This is not wise. The tire size and tire speed rating on all Honda and Acura automobiles, trucks and SUVs  has been determined by Honda engineers and is based on several variables. These variables include the weight of the vehicle, the performance capabilities of the vehicle and the average driver’s ability to operate their Honda and Acura vehicles safely in all weather conditions, including here in Middle Tennessee.

When you were younger, you probably tried out the merry-go-round at the local playground. As you were spinning around on that equipment, if you were going fast, you were holding on for dear life because the natural tendency was to fly outwards in the same direction as the merry-go-round was rotating…This is one example of G-Force and it is consistent with a vehicle’s tendency to skid off of the road while going around a curve.

Whether dry or wet, the faster you go around a curve, the more G-force will always be applied on the inside of the vehicle pushing out. When a road is wet or icy, the precipitation on the road simply acts as a lubricant between the tire and the surface of the road.  This is one reason tire selection is so critical. When shopping for tires, always consult your owners manual or the label inside the driver’s door of your Honda or Acura automobile. Never deviate from the tire size or speed rating indicated, regardless of tire price.  It simply isn’t worth it. If your brand of tire is not available in the correct size or speed rating, select another brand. If the price of your brand of tire is more expensive than you want to pay, change brands or pay more……But please, do not risk the lives of you, your family and everybody else on the road, not to mention possible collision damage to your vehicle, just to save a few bucks on tires.

At Accurate, our customers can be confident knowing that our Service Department here in Nashville, TN always install tires that are the the correct size and speed rating. This includes not only our service customers that come to our shop for repair and maintenance but also the patrons that purchase Honda and Acura automobiles from our dealership.

For many years the Acura car owners had only one choice when buying, servicing, maintaining and repairing their Acura automobiles in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area. This is because there is only one franchised Acura dealer in the Nashville, TN area.

On May 25, 1997, Accurate Automotive, Inc. opened it’s doors, under the name N1 Accord. The goal was to provide an “oasis” for Honda and Acura car owners. At that time, if you owned an Acura vehicle in Nashville, you had a couple of choices for professional maintenance and repair. You could go to the one franchised Acura dealer in the area or you could go to a Honda franchised dealer. The problem with the Honda dealer option was there are some differences in the Honda and Acura line of automobiles. Choosing a generic garage (even the national chains) for the Acura vehicle was not and still isn’t an option.

In 1999, N1 Accord changed it’s name to Accurate Automotive, Inc. The ownership did not change. The personnel did not change. The name was changed because a local franchised Honda dealership wanted to slow down the growth of N1 Accord and convinced American Honda to step in and claim the word “Accord” to be trade-marked. This “oasis” was doing something right and Honda and Acura car owners knew it and so did the local franchised dealership service departments. Even though the word “Accord” is not trade-marked, KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) came to mind and the ownership of N1 Accord simply amended the Tennessee Corporate Charter, changing the business name  to Accurate Automotive, Inc.

The technicians that make up Accurate’s Service Department are former technicians that were employed at local Honda and Acura franchised dealerships in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The majority of the parts that are incorporated into the repairs and maintenance are either Genuine Honda parts, Genuine Acura parts, or OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). The level of expertise that Accurate’s technicians bring is unsurpassed in the franchised dealership service department. The reasons for this are simple.

1.   The quality of the technical staff at many franchised dealerships has declined because the management of these dealerships have chosen to take many of their “seasoned” technicians for granted. The newer technicians can be paid less money but do not have experience and knowledge in the event that troubleshooting goes beyond the trouble tree chart in the Service Manual. This means if you have a vehicle that involves “thinking outside the box”, your car may be at the dealership for a REAL LONG TIME.

2.    The Factory Warranty now goes up to 100,000 miles on many vehicles. While this may seem like a good thing for the customer, it really may not be. Warranty coverage on a vehicle  does not mean that the vehicle will not break down. It simply means that if and when it does, the repair will be performed at a reduced or no cost to the owner. This effects the technicians income. The same repair under warranty pays far less to the technician than if it paid by the customer. Because warranty coverage has increased, the technicians income has declined and many of the most experienced Honda and Acura technicians have gone on to greener pastures.

If you live in Nashville or Middle Tennessee and own or interested in an Acura vehicle, relax. You do have a choice. Whether purchasing, servicing, repairing or maintaining Honda or Acura automobiles, Accurate is the best choice. The right parts, and the high level of expertise makes Accurate’s Service Department the best place to bring your Honda and Acura automobiles.

For over a decade, the technical staff at Accurate has been servicing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing Honda automobiles.

Their exclusive commitment, devotion, and focus on automobiles produced by American Honda Motor Company started when every one of their technical staff worked as a service technician at local Honda and Acura franchised dealerships in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Three members of the Accurate technical staff  have been both service writers and technicians.

Members of our technical staff were working at the franchised Honda dealerships when the 1988 Honda Prelude was introduced with the throttle stop issue and the power steering hose that leaked on the same car. Our technical staff remember the introduction of the 1993 Honda Del Sol and the TSBs (technical Service Bulletins) that addressed the water leakage around the targa top and the rattle that it had as well. They remember the introduction of PGM-Fi (Programmable Fuel Injection)  that came out in 1985 Honda Accord SE-i model….The 1985 Honda Accord SE-i was also the first Honda Accord in America that had factory leather seats.  They remember the 1986 thru 1989 Accord variations…The ‘86 thru ‘89 Honda Accord was available as a fuel injected unit (LX-i or SE-i) or carbureted (DX or LX). Our technicians remember the introduction 1990 to 1993 body style Accord. This Accord had a completely new engine design that incorporated a balance shaft and balance belt that had to be replaced during the timing belt replacement procedure. They remember the update that had to be performed on the 1990 and 1991 Honda Accords that involved the retention nuts on the main and countershafts in the automatic transmissions. They remember the introduction of the first Honda 4 cylinder engine that incorporated a timing chain instead of a timing belt, which was the 2000 Honda S-2000.

My point is the technical staff at Accurate has several decades of combined experience working on Honda and Acura automobiles. When some of them began their career working with Honda automobiles, there were only three; the Honda Civic, the Honda Accord, and the Honda Prelude….And the Acura side of American Honda was in it’s infancy with their only two models being the Acura Integra and Acura Legend.

In the rare instances when your Honda automobile requires a diagnosis and repair….take it to the professionals. The last thing you want to do is entrust your Honda car and your wallet to a “technician” that wants to guess at your car issue and at your expense.

Anyone can replace a part…..The art is in the expertise and patience to correctly indentify the problem and then fix it. Always use a professional that specializes in Honda and Acura automobiles.

First of all, my disclaimer….I have no vendetta against the manufacturer of Fix-a-Flat. Furthermore,  I will also remind our readers that the manufacturer of this product does not recommend the use of Fix-a-Flat in vehicles equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) and they also market this product as a temporary remedy to be used in emergency situations.

With that said, At Accurate Cars and Automotive, our Service Department specializes exclusively in Honda and Acura automobiles. All of our service technicians  are former franchised Honda and Acura dealership technicians in and around the Nashville and Middle Tennessee Region.  In our Service Department, we perform all types of maintenance and repair on Honda and Acura automobiles. This maintenance and repair includes, but is not limited to, major engine overhauls, transmission replacement, brake system repairs (including ABS), A/C Repair and tire / alignment issues.

For over eleven years, our technical staff has warned our valued customers against the use of this product in their Honda and Acura automobiles.

First, Fix-A-Flat is flammable. There is a risk of a flash fire when a service technician breaks the old tire down to install a new tire on the wheel. If you have put this product in one of your tires, be sure to tell the service technician when you go to have new tires installed.

Second, this product leaves a liquid residue in the bottom of the tire. This puddle of liquid prevents the tire from staying balanced. You cannot balance a tire that has Fix-A-Flat in it.

Third, Fix-A-Flat has deteriorating and corrosive effects on the wheel (especially alloy rims), the inside of the tire, and the Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor.

If you feel that an emergency tire inflator is needed in your vehicle, then let me recommend the purchase a 12 volt air compressor that you can plug into the power port / cigarette lighter of your vehicle. This type of compressor, which can be purchased for around $30.00, is capable of inflating a tire to 32 psi and is compact enough that it will easily store in the trunk of your Honda or Acura automobile.

About the photos: The two photographs show the damage that results from using Fix-A-Flat with late model Honda and Acura automobiles . The top photo shows the damage to the Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensor. The sensor in the front is the original sensor and it is trash. The one behind it is the new replacement. The lower photo was taken to show the corrosion to the alloy wheel.  As you can see in the lower photo, our Service Department had already installed the new Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensor on the wheel. This wheel is from a 2005 Acura RL with 30,000 miles on it. The actual amount of time the wheel and sensor were exposed to the Fix-A-Flat is unknown.

Everyone knows that lubrication is critical in all internal combustion engines. Because of this, motor oil companies spend millions of advertising dollars each year to convince you that their products are superior to their competitors brands. Regardless of whether you prefer to buy your oil in a yellow container, a white container, or a gray container; regardless of your thoughts about conventional oils vs. partial or full synthetics; the most critical thing is the weight of the engine oil.

Honda and Acura engines are machined at very tight tolerances.This is one of the reasons they are known for their longevity and are legendary for their ability to accumulate high mileage over the vehicle’s lifetime. It is extremey important to always have adequate lubrication. If you have a Honda or Acura that calls for 5w20, then only use 5w20 motor oil. It doesn’t matter what your hot-rodder buddy says about 5w20 being too thin. He isn’t a Honda Engineer. If you choose to use 5w30, 10w30, 10w40, or 20w50 “racing oil”, in a Honda or Acura that calls for 5w20, you will literally starve the internal engine parts of adequate lubrication.

The engineers at American Honda Motor Company know what they are doing. For maximum fuel efficiency, maximum engine life and dependability, always adhere to the recommended weight of motor oil. This information can always be found in the owners manual and usually on the oil filler cap of many Honda and Acura automobiles.

Here at Accurate Automotive, every member of our Service Department’s technical staff has been previously employed as a technician at various franchised Honda and Acura dealerships in and around Nashville, Tennessee. Because of their dedication and passion involving the care and maintenance of our service customer’s Honda and Acura automobiles, our technical staff is adamant about the use of the proper fluids. This includes the correct application of engine oils, automatic transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and engine coolant.

We often tell folks to come in and see why we are the best place in Middle Tennessee to purchase and service your Honda and Acura automobiles. We personally invite you to come in and view our inventory of Honda and Acura automobiles. While you are here, ask us to show you around the Service Area as well. We seriously believe that after you see the quality of our inventory cars, our drive-thru (write-up) Service Bay, and the 8 bay Service Department; you will agree that Accurate is the best place to purchase and service your Honda and Acura automobiles.

Below is a list of engine oil weight applications:

Honda Accord (both V6 and 4 cyl.) 5W30 (’92 thru ‘97) 5w20 (’98 thru present)

Honda Civic Hybrid 0w20

Honda Civic Si 5w30 (’99 & ‘00) 5w20 (’02 thru present)

Honda Civic (all others) 5w30 (’92 thru ‘95) 5w20 (’96 thru present)

Honda CRV 5w30 (’97 thru ‘01) 5w20 (’02 thru present)

Honda Del Sol (DOHC VTEC) 10w30 (’94 thru ‘97)

Honda Del Sol (all others) 5w30 (’93 thru ‘97)

Honda Element 5w20 (’03 thru present)

Honda Insight 0w20 (’00 to present)

Honda Odyssey 5w30 (’95 thru ‘01) 5W20 (’02 thru present)

Honda Pilot 5w20 (’03 to present)

Honda Prelude (DOHC VTEC) 10w30 (’93 thru ‘96) 5w30 (’97 thru ‘01)

Honda Prelude (All Others) 5w30 (’92 thru ‘01)

Honda S2000 10w30 (’00 to present)

Acura CL (V6 and 4 cyl.) 5w30 (’97 thru ‘99)

Acura 3.2 CL 5w30 (2001 only) 5w20 (2002 and 2003)

Acura Integra (includes GSR) 5w30 (1992 thru 2001)

Acura Legend 5w30 (1992 thru 1995)

Acura MDX 5w30 (2001 and 2002) 5w20 (2003 thru Present)

Acura RDX 5w30 (specifically calls for “Mobil 1 or equivalent”)

Acura NSX 10w30 (1992 thru 2005)

Acura 3.5 RL 5w30 (1996 thru 2004)

Acura RL 5w20 (2005 thru Present)

Acura RSX (Type S) 5w30 (2002 thru 2006 Type S only)

Acura RSX (except Type S) 5w20 (2002 thru 2006)

Acura 2.5 TL 5w30 (1996 thru 1999)

Acura 3.2 TL 5w30 (1995 thru 2001) 5w20 (2002 and 2003, includes Type S)

Acura TL 5w20 (2004 thru Present)

Acura TSX 5w30 (2004 thru Present)

Acura Vigor 5w30 (1992 thru 1994)

Periodically wildlife and birds, especially hummingbirds, will fly into Accurate Automotive Auto Repair area when the Shop doors are open.

The big problem with this is that the birds then fly up to the ceiling, which is 33 feet above where we service and repair our customers Honda and Acura Automobiles. Once they fly up there, they do not have the sense or vision to fly down to see that there are 8 bay doors that are 14 feet high that they can exit the shop area through.

In the past 3 or 4 weeks, we have found 2 hummingbirds that had died overnight. As you probably know, hummingbirds have a very high metabolism and they must feed frequently. Last night we had our third hummingbird in the shop. He was flying around the top of the ceiling and would not come down.

We went and obtained a hummingbird feeder and some nectar and then hung the feeder about 20 feet off the ground. He flew all around the feeder but never ate. This hummingbird was in the shop for over 18 hours before finally coming down. We found him at the base of one of the bay doors, and almost dead.

Quickly, we mixed some more of the nectar in a small glass and began to spoon feed him. Check out the pictures below. You can see that in the first picture, the birds eyes are still closed…he was very weak. After about 20 minutes, the sugar water was working well.

After about 30 minutes, he was ready to go and we set him free…..Another satisfied customer from the Accurate Automotive Service Department.

On January 28, 1986, I was sitting in my 2nd period high school Spanish class when the principle announced, via the intercom, that the space shuttle Challenger had just exploded, killing the 7 crew members aboard. In the days to follow, it was discovered that because of o-ring deterioration, fuel was able to leak from the booster engines, which resulted in the catastrophe. What compounded this terrible incident came just a few weeks later, when investigations uncovered that prior to the launch, there were warnings that the booster engine o-ring sealing capabilities could be compromised, due to cold temperatures, which would cause fuel leakage. The warnings were ignored, the shuttle was launched, and as a result 7 people died.

Fast forward to present day. As a result of the annual fuel consumption and emissions standards of this nation, the powers that be, whether right or wrong, mandated the additive of ethanol alcohol to all gasolines on the market today. In addition to the ethanol laced gasolines, there is also another type of vehicle fuel coming more and more available. This new fuel is 85 % ethanol alcohol and it is sold under the product name E-85.

Most vehicles on the road today can operate on E-85. However, there is a very real danger involved with this.

IF YOUR VEHICLE IS NOT A FLEX FUEL VEHICLE, THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED TO SUPPORT FUELS CONTAINING CONCENTRATED AMOUNTS OF ETHANOL ALCOHOL.

Even if you do not use the more concentrated ethanol mixture of E-85, the fuel system of older vehicles has seals and o-rings that will deteriorate over time due to the exposure to ethanol alcohol and those seals and o-rings will eventually leak fuel. This fuel leakage will be in the engine compartment of your vehicle around the fuel rail and injectors, where it has approx. 40 pounds per square inch (PSI) of fuel pressure behind it. Fuel leakage in the engine compartment is in a perfect enviroment for a flash fire; tight quarters with a internal combustion furnance (engine) that produces plenty of heat for the ignition of alcohol and gasoline.

For this reason. it is very important that a periodic fuel system inspection is performed on your Honda and Acura vehicles. Even if you do not use E-85, you are still having to burn gasoline with at least 10% ethanol in it.

This blog post is not a scare tactic, or a way to get more customers into our service department…It also involves all vehicle makes and is not confined to Honda and Acura vehicles only. This is very serious, just ask your local fire department. Ethanol is a “polar solvent”, which means it will mix with water. There have actually been tests performed where E-85 was dilluted with 500% percent water, and it was still flammable!!! As I am writing this post, I am reading a warning to the owners and managers of automotive shops. This warning pertains to the increased possibility of fire in repair shops from ethanol gasolines and the fact that the current fire fighting foam, known as A-FFF, doesn’t work on burning alcohol-based liquids such as ethanol. To battle alcohol-based fires, fire fighters need an alcohol-resistant aqueous film-forming foam, known as AR-AFFF, which most small fire departments do not have because it is about 30% more expensive then the currently used aqueous film forming foam (A-FFF), which was originally designed by the U.S. Navy to combat jet fuel fires aboard aircraft carriers.

Because of the re-introduction of ethanol to all gasolines, unless you drive a vehicle that is a flex fuel vehicle, specifically designed for E-85 and ethanol-laced fuels; have the fuel system inspected every 3 months.

Again, feel free to check out this information with your local fire department representitives…They are equally concerned.

A wise man once said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. How many people were personally affected as a result of not listening to the warnings prior to January 28th, 1986? Protect yourself….Protect your family. Have the fuel system on your Honda and Acura vehicles inspected by a professional as a part of the routine maintenance proceedure.

With the introduction of the new body style Acura MDX in 2007, there are some new terms to know. While American Honda from 2001 thru 2006 categorized the MDX as a Premium or a Touring; in 2007 they introduced the new Acura MDX as a Base, Technology, or Sport.

Below is a quick review of the major differences between the Acura MDX models mentioned above:

Base Powertrain
3.7-liter V6 engine, 5-speed automatic transmission w/manual-shift capability, all-wheel drive (which Acura refers to as SH-AWD), traction control.

Safety
Dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags w/rollover deployment, anti-lock 4-wheel disc brakes, anti-skid system, front-seat active head restraints, TPMS (tire-pressure monitoring system), and daytime running lights (required by law in Canada), theft-deterrent system, xenon headlamps, fog lights.

Passenger Comfort and Convenience
Front and rear air conditioning w/tri-zone automatic climate controls (including rear controls), interior air filter (which is currently standard on all Acura automobiles and SUVs) , power steering, power tilt/telescope leather-wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front bucket seats, 10-way power driver seat w/lumbar adjustment, 8-way power passenger seat, memory system (driver seat, mirrors, steering wheel), center console, cupholders, 2nd- and 3rd-row split folding seats, heated power mirrors w/tilt-down back-up aid and turn signals, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, power sunroof, AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD/MP3 changer, digital-media player connection, satellite radio, digital clock, tachometer, trip computer, outside-temperature indicator, variable-intermittent wipers, illuminated visor mirrors, universal garage door opener, automatic day/night rearview mirror, map lights, rear defogger, intermittent rear wiper/washer, and auto-on headlights.

Additional Factory equipment The Technology Package adds to the Base:

Comfort and Convenience Features
Navigation system w/voice recognition and traffic information , back-up camera, AcuraLink assistance system (requires monthly fee after 3rd month), upgraded sound system.

Additonal Factory Equipment Technology w/Entertainment adds to Acura MDX Technology:
RES (Rear Entertainment System / DVD), heated 2nd-row seats, power rear hatch.

Additional Factory Equipment the Sport Package adds to Acura MDX Technology:
Perforated Leather Seats, Automatic and driver adjustable suspension, different alloy wheels (appearance only)

Sport w/Entertainment adds to the Technology Package w/Entertainment:
Perforated Leather Seats, Automatic and driver adjustable suspension, different alloy wheels (appearance only)Automatic and driver adjustable suspension.

Since 1996, all Honda and Acura automobiles are on an OBDII platform. What this means is that the vehicle’s on board computer monitors all systems that keep your Honda and Acura vehicles operating at their peek performance. If a problem arises, the “check engine” light will illuminate. When this light illuminates, it indicates an operational fault. This could be a problem with the emissions systems, fuel delivery, ignition system or the transmission. The operational fault may not cause the vehicle to perform differently

Many automotive parts stores offer “free” OBDII diagnosis. They offer to connect a generic tester to your Honda or Acura auto and pull the numeric trouble code. The big problem is that nothing in life is “free” and in most cases the diagnosis is inconsistent and incorrect.

Inspection and diagnosis of your Honda or Acura automobile is more than just pulling a trouble code out the computer’s memory bank. A well trained Honda and Acura auto repair technician will tell you that a trouble code is an aid to finding the problem. The trouble code tells the auto technician what system the computer is finding a fault in, but does not necessarily indicate that the system itself is faulty. For instance, a misfire trouble code can be caused by a vacuum leak, bad spark plugs, fuel pressure that is too high, a bad tank of gas or several other things. In other words, it isn’t as easy as pulling the code and immediately replacing the part that the code is related to. In many instances of doing this, you will be replacing expensive parts that are not the root source of the fault, and will not turn off the “check engine light”.

In closing….Accurate Diagnosis is key. If you have a problem with your teeth, do you go to the store that sells toothpaste, to diagnose your problem or do you seek the knowledge and training of a dentist?

At Accurate Cars and Automotive, all of our technical staff are former Honda and Acura dealership technicians. In addition, we use the most accurate diagnostic equipment to correctly indentify trouble codes on your Honda and Acura automobile. We will never replace a part or recommend a component that your Honda or Acura Car does not need. Our diagnostic service is not free, but is cheaper than buying non-returnable auto parts that your Honda and Acura vehicles do not need.

Yesterday I wrote a post on how to identify the various models of the 2001 thru 2006 Acura MDX and the Factory equipment associated with them.

This article is written to assist consumers in the shopping and purchasing of the newer body style MDX which Acura introduced in 2007.

From 2001 thru 2006, the Acura MDX was divided into 2 categories. There was the Acura MDX Premium and the Acura MDX Touring.

Currently, Acura separates the MDX into some additional categories. There is the Acura MDX Base, Acura MDX Technology and the Acura MDX Sport.

Below is the vin chart:

The serial number (VIN) on all 2007 and 2008 Acura MDX units start with 2HNYD

The next 3 numbers after 2HNYD are the critical ones.

2HNYD 282 This is the Acura MDX Base model. This is the entry level.

2HNYD 283 This Acura MDX is the Base model with Technology Package.

2HNYD 284 This Acura MDX is the Base model with Technology Package and RES. ***

2HNYD 285 This entry level Acura MDX Sport model with Technology Package

2HNYD 288 This is the Acura MDX Sport with Technology Package and RES

*** The best value for the amount of Factory goodies is the 284 vin.

Technology Package Mainly refers to the Factory Navigation System and Back-up Camera

RES Refers to Rear Entertainment System or DVD system.

For a list of equipment on the various models of the Acura MDX visit our blog entitled “2007 Acura MDX Equipment Overview”

At Accurate Cars and Automotive, whether buying an Acura MDX from us or somewhere else, we want you to be as familiar with the vehicle as you can. We hope you agree that as a potential MDX owner, this information is helpful to making a purchasing decision that is right for you.