Ben B Fdw
map-marker Hoffman Estates, Illinois

What happens when Acura sells you a Lemon? What happens after you sign on the dotted line and things go....wrong?

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So, since June 7th (when I purchased my Certified Pre-Owned 2016 Acura MDX) have been dealing with repeated bi-weekly trips to the dealership at Muller Acura of Hoffman Estates and Muller Acura of Merrillville in an attempt to get the car repaired. The car is supposed to be a "certified pre-owned" vehicle, meaning its been through extensive tests and checks to make sure its meets Acura's so called "cream of the crop" ratings. Mine didn't, in fact, I think most other auto brand and premium auto brand manufacturers would be embarrassed to have this on their lot.

As a disabled American worker, reliability is one of the most important parts of the purchasing decisions I make, my vehicle is my lifeline, not just to get to work, but many different aspects of my life that are complicated by a vehicle that is now essentially a paperweight, now complicated by the fact I cant have my children in it out of concern for their safety.

I have tried extensively to engage both Acura and Muller Acura of Hoffman estates to rectify the problem (2 calls and an email each to the service manager, general manager and owner) to no success. In fact I had to trigger the arbitration clause to force Acura to the table in an attempt to lemon out the vehicle, that request under arbitration was denied (needs one more failed repair attempt). Acura sent a representative to the arbitration hearing, the dealership again failed to show. Since arbitration I have not heard from Acura or Muller Acura (the dealership)

So, I have tried to engage them on social media (Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn) and still no response from Acura client care or Muller Acura (see my letter below)

The dealership and Acura make a great story about taking care of its customers during the sales pitch, they talk about being a premium brand. What happens after you sign on the dotted line? what happens when things go.....wrong?

This has been my horror of an experience, and I am curious to know how many Acura/Honda customers are experiencing the same dangerous 9-speed transmission issue that I am, but also, the lack of customer service at both manufacturer and dealership level. I don't think its an isolated case (judging by the dealers social media pages)

If any of you know someone who can get the manufacturer to the table I would welcome a sit down with them, I don't think anyone should have to go through this much to get a dealer to deliver on their promises, or the manufacturer.

This is the letter I sent to them via social media on 12/30/18, no response as yet.

Link to Facebook post

Acura,

I am both disgusted and gravely concerned at what you pass as acceptable in your customer experience standards. I have purchased and owned 6 Acura’s over the last 8 years, 4 MDX’s (2004, 2006, 2011, 2016) and 2 TLX’s (both 2015's). The 2016 MDX I currently own is the one I am writing about since you refuse to enter into any and all dialogue regarding the serious safety hazard within the transmission and history of this vehicle. Having done a lot of research through government reports, i'm not the only one reporting the failure of your 9 speed transmission as a problem, but, just as Honda/Acura did so back in 2014 when the DOJ confirmed Acura/Honda lied to the government and fined them millions for doing so after the shoddy airbags it installed into its cars injured or killed people, the truth about the faulty transmissions will come out eventually.

Firstly your dealership Muller Acura of Hoffman Estates have lied, misrepresented and failed to properly certify the 2016 MDX in question. Then, after multiple attempts to reach the service manager Mark Dettlo, the general manager Chris Eugenis and the owner Scott Muller via phone and email I was forced to begin arbitration in an attempt to get one of them to man up and come to the table, even in arbitration they didn’t show their faces, they sent Jeff Phillips your district parts and service manager. I get that Acura cannot control the dealership experience however Acura’s branding on the front of their building is a direct representation of Acura, and there is a consumer charter that the dealerships are expected to adhere to.

Now on the certification paperwork that was sent to you from the dealership, Muller lied, they signed that they provided a “valet” key, they did not (part of the “certification paperwork”), they signed that they provided all weather floor mats, they did not (part of the “certification paperwork”), they signed stating the windshield was free of chips and cracks, it was not (part of the “certification paperwork”), the windshield was replaced at my expense. All of these were denied by Chris Eugenis despite them having me sign prior to taking delivery of the car, they were not provided to me, that is breach of contract. Acura/Muller have not provided the “certified” car as described in the paperwork.

Secondly, there are major mechanical flaws with that this car, now I want you to stop and use “common” sense for a moment, each “Certified” car is supposed to go through a 182 point inspection, anything below 50% is to be replaced, all maintenance, open recalls etc are supposed to be completed, the consumer is meant to have 100% faith that your dealer has examined and corrected everything with that car so that they dont have to return for maintenance, that is the whole purpose of “certified pre owned” as your website states “Every Acura Certified Pre-Owned vehicle is meticulously inspected, inside and out, to create the ultimate luxury experience.” so when your customer has to return over and over again to the dealership to repair the same problem over and over again, at what point does Acura step in? at what point does anyone in management at the dealership step in?

LL1 The car has dropped between $6000 and $12000 in the first 180 days of ownership (significant drop in value, equates to around $1.00 per mile to $1.40 a mile cost to own before gas and insurance, roughly 22-40% of the cars value based on Acura's numbers at arbitration)

LL2 The car has been out of service for 37 out of the 180 days of ownership (out of service greater than 30 days under the “Lemon law”)

LL3 MDX has a substantial defect (transmission shifts erratically, lunges/lurches while sitting still, loses power while at speed on highway) which poses a safety hazard to the occupants and general public.

LL4 The car has to of had 4 failed attempted repairs (most recently I was at the dealer and was refused service as Acura has now added additional criteria before I am allowed service on the car (not part of the warranty, just Acura’s illegal attempts to prohibit the car being declared a lemon) however denial of warranty service by the manufacturer is a crime itself

The last time Acura/Honda failed this badly was in 2014 when it lied while under federal investigation into the airbag fiasco that injured/killed people because of faulty airbags it installed. Looking at the sheer number of reports to the NHTSA of transmission issues identical to mine, I believe Acura/Honda is well aware of the dangers its transmissions pose (based on the number of reports and the level of detail those consumers reported their interaction with Acura to be) but dont want to intervene until a court order is issued or the media catches the story.

So I want to know WHY Acura hasn’t stepped in to make my experience better,

I want to know WHY Acura hasn’t delivered “The ultimate luxury experience” that I paid for when I purchased a certified pre-owned vehicle.

And I want to know WHY the owner/general manager and service manager are to spineless to pick up the phone, act like adult grown business men and take care of the customer. The car was not properly certified (which is the fault of the general manager and the technician, not the consumer) its a lemon, get the car off the road and take care of the customer. Its common sense!!!!

Acura, you have failed miserably on many levels, looking at Muller Acura of Hoffman estates Facebook page you can see that this is a ongoing problem with customer service, but you are Acura the so called “premium” brand, why are you not engaging your customer to make it right?????? Look at your company mission statement "Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction." and ask yourselves if you have provided that to your customer in this case

View full review
Loss:
$35000
Pros:
  • Ease of access
  • Product selection
  • Cleanliness of dealership
Cons:
  • Lack of follow through to serious issues
  • General managers ability to follow through
  • Customer service
Reason of review:
Warranty issue

Preferred solution: Replace the vehicle and deliver your guarantee or purchase the vehicle back at what I paid for it and ill go to another manufacturer

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