Hi all:

I would like to have the km/h (dark blue) display turned off entirely. I want to do this is to fix the only issue I have with my great 2006 TL an otherwise outstanding and a perfect car for and my first Acura/Honda. The dealer has no idea how to fix the problem I have and I am trying to get help from Acura Client Services. I could solve my problem by turning this part of the speedometer display off.

I hope someone out there knows if this can be done and how to do it. Appreciate the help

 

Sure, remove the gauges and put some tape over the back of the KM/H markings so they don't receive any light. Or maybe there're individual LEDs over the KM/H markings so you can just take those out.

 

Thanks

I was hoping for something less drastic like a firmware change or program change that would dissable the light for that part of the display. As you stated though I have no idea if its a single lamp backlighting this or individual LED's but looking closely it looks like a single lamp (of other light source) possibly illuminating the entite speedometer. Maybe I need to get the shop manual so I can see how hard it is to do what you said and then maybe get the dealer to do it so I don't have warranty issues. When I trade or sell the car I can undo the change myself.

Again appreciate the advice !!!

 

Firmware change or program change? It's just a circuit board with a bunch of LEDs on it. You have to either change the circuit stop light from going throuhg the clear KM/H markings. Buy a manual from www.helminc.com

 

Try not looking at it

 

My TL is a 2005. I find that if I do not turn the dash brightness up to maximum level, I do not see the inner concentric kph markings.

 

Lawrence Coppar:

Thanks that is what I do now and during the daytime no problem. At night I have to turn it down so far that I can not read the buttons for the radio and such but guess I will just have to get used to it. Until late fall and winter here I do not do much night driving so until then it will be easy to live with.

For the record. I set up a meeting with the help of Acura Client Services between myself, The service manager, the general manager and the district manager. They finally saw (admitted to) the problem and could not figure out what was wrong and what modification could be made to fix or at least block the light to the km/h display. I made a mistake and showed them that the problem was with the other cars they had there (TL's that is) They looked and verified I was correct. Two days later Acura client services called me and told me "since the problem is on ALL Acura TL models it is a characteristic of the design and they will not do anything to fix it nor would they authorize any modification to the car sorry but you just have to live with this characteristic" I won't say what I am thinking but I wont you fill in the blanks but I call this a characteristic defect unfortunately I am stuck with the car the way it is. Could be worse I guess since I really like the car and without the speedometer issue it is just what I wanted

The good thing is that the TL is quite a wonderful design from all respects and I love to drive it so I guess in time that will overcome my dissapointment, anger and outrage at acura and I will get used to the defect excuse me characteristic in the car.

If interested this was the problem description I sent Acura Client Services after being told to do so by the dealer:

If you look at the km/h blue number dial on the speedometer it moves around visually with respect to the MPH number indicators. Although this appears like a minor issue once a person sees this it attracts their attention easily when driving and is quite a distraction and in my case it has other issues. I can’t tell how you why this is visible but however it is being lit the blue km/h numbers and tick marks do not hold steady and appear to be moving around relative to the fixed characters used for the MPH dial. It is easiest to see the issue at night with the display set at maximum. The car does not have to be moving to see the issue and it is easier to see when driving at night so viewing the speedometer in a garage or at night will show the problem easily.

 

Holy Crap, just live with it.

 

totalimmortal:

I should not have to live with it so I guess we disagree. I even offered to pay for the mods.

If you had a buzzing noise in your stereo on your car and all TL's had it and they told you it was a "characteristic of the design" would you accept that. If you would then that is great you have alot of tollerance. The speedometer issue is bad enough Acura dealing with me has been horrible so that amplifies the issue.

For me this is a big issue for others may not be an issue.

Guess we have differences of opinion but then again thats what makes life interesting...

Maybe I will get used to it and then again maybe not.

I still feel this is a great car I am not saying it isn't....

 

This really isn't that hard. Wanna be creative and finally fix this to make your car perfect? Buy a Helms manual for $80, take the gauge cluster out, and either take out the LEDs behind the KMH markings or if those LEDs are shared with the MPH markings, put some black electrical tape behind the faces. Problem solved If you're really careful and take your time to not scratch anything it'll come out perfect.