Acura TSX 2004–2008: wet carpet, road salt and ECU corrosion

From footwear to controller damage

Honda describes moisture/deicing chemicals carried on driver footwear into carpet touching the ECU housing. Housing corrosion and excessive internal corrosion could damage electronics and stall the engine. Whole-vehicle submersion is not required.

Honda / NHTSA repository: Honda Part 573 notification: TSX ECU Corrosion / 13V-093

What investigation did and did not establish

Returned ECUs/carpet were physically examined; sodium/chlorine were identified in some samples. Honda expressly could not attribute all ECU returns to this cause without examining each unit. Claim counts are not a verified defect rate.

Honda / NHTSA repository: Honda Part 573 notification: TSX ECU Corrosion / 13V-093

Full material about the model

Moisture near the engine controller and why cabin corrosion alone does not establish flooding.