Acura TL Hoods
Your Acura TLs hood is an essential component when it comes to the protection of your engine compartment. However, the hood can occasionally become damaged or dented when debris hits it or if it exposed to harsh weather over an extended period. When you decide it is time to replace the hood on your TL sedan, you will find that there are many options available.
What types of car hoods are there?Five main types of hoods can be used on the Acura TL.
- Flat hoods: These hoods protect the engine compartment but do not have any additional features.
- Louvered hoods: These hoods have thin openings, called louvers, that run vertically on the sides of the hood. This helps to provide airflow to the engine, which improves performance. These hoods can also give vehicles an appearance of luxury.
- Air extractor hoods: These are similar to louvered hoods with the exception that the openings are wider, allowing more heat and pressure to be released while the TL is being driven.
- Ram air hoods: These types of hoods have a scoop, or an air intake opening, that sits on the center. These types of hoods are often seen on vehicles used for racing.
- Cowl induction hoods: These hoods also have a scoop on them, though the scoop faces towards the windshield instead of the road in front of the TL.
When looking for a replacement hood for your Acura TL, you may find hoods that have an OEM label and hoods without an OEM label. While both types of Acura hoods are similar, there are a few differences.
- OEM hoods: Acura TL hoods that have the OEM label were made by the original equipment manufacturer. Essentially, this means that these hoods were made by the same manufacturer that made the original factory-installed hood for Acura.
- Aftermarket hoods: Hoods that are compatible with Acura cars are considered to be aftermarket parts if the company that manufactured them was not involved in making the original parts. While you will need to ensure that the hood is compatible with your Acura TL sedan, you may also find options and features that are not available on OEM Acura hoods.
Hoods are generally made from four different materials.
- Aluminum: This material is durable and weighs very little, meaning your TL will not experience a loss of performance due to unnecessary weight.
- Carbon fiber: This strong material is often used to make hoods for sports cars.
- Steel: This material is extremely strong and is often used to make hoods for Acura sedans and other vehicles. However, it can be heavy.
- Fiberglass: Aftermarket hoods for the TL are often made from this material as it can be molded to fit a variety of car models.