squash

I'm sure many others have gone through this, but I thought I'd share anyway.

I bought my 2015 TLX V6 in late 2014. Afterwards, I did notice a hard shift between 2nd and 3rd as well as "surges" when downshifting while "coasting" to a red light or something like that, but I didn't think TOO much of it. At least not enough so that I forgot to mention it when I went in for my first oil change.

I read around online and saw that there was a service bulletin regarding the surging while downshifting (16-012), so in April of this year I brought it in to do the TCM software update which took an hour or so. I felt NO difference at all in the upshifting or downshifting. Later that month I brought it in again. This time I demonstrated the issue with the service guy who basically said that's just how the car drives. To further demonstrate that, he pulled out a newer model TLX (2016. he mentioned it was the same as the 2015 in every way) out and drove me around in it and it was experiencing the same issues. He told me that if there were any new software updates covering this issue that he would call me. That never happend.

A few weeks ago, I looking to see if there were any new service bulletins and indeed there was one describing my issue of the hard shift between 2nd and 3rd (15-040). I took it in to a different dealership this time. When I was describing the issue and the service bulletin to the service guy, he insisted that it was just how the car drove and that was that. I pushed a little further about how the service bulletin suggested that in some cases a transmission replacement was in order. He then actually read the bulletin and had me take a drive with a service tech. While walking to the car and chatting with the tech, he immediatly knew what I was talking about and how he's delt with it many times before. He confirmed my issue after ~30 seconds in the car. He mentioned that in some cases the software updates solved the problem but not all cases.

The bulletin suggests doing another TCM software update, but they found that I was already on the latest software from the update in April. They kept the car (and gave me a loaner, an RDX) to do further testing to get approval from Acura for a transmission replacement. A couple days later, the told me that the replacement was approved and the transmission was ordered but would take at least another week to recieve the transmission and do the replacement.

I got my car back a couple days ago and the shifting from 2nd to 3rd is a lot smoother. Yay!

Hopefully I'm not speaking too soon as I have read that some people have had it revert back to its old ways... regarding software updates at least.

P.S. I like driving the TLX over the loaner RDX and was happy to get it back regardless of the shifting. TLX felt quieter, had better handling better (duh), better feeling steering wheel and brakes. Oh and the little scrolly wheels on the steering wheel. Love those things compared to just having all buttons.

9SpeedTran

Wait til they do the replacement, you will be even more delighted. There is a massive thread on this here: https://acurazine.com/forums/5g-tlx-...-2-3-a-919230/

squash

Sorry, I wasn't clear there. The replacement was completed and feels great!

9SpeedTran

Excellent. As you drive it more, it will get even smoother. :-)

youngTL

Sounds like your service guy probably brought out another 2015 (lying to you), especially since he never called back and said that's how the car drives. None of the 2016 owners reported those issues (I have a 2016 myself as well).

samsausage

I had the replacement in my 2015 TLX that I purchased CPO only 50 days ago. Been in the shop 31 days and still in there today. Honda has now offered to compensate me for my inconvenience. I can't say how much, but I suggest you document everything and contact Honda Client Relations and raise a stink.

HattoriHonda

What the...? That makes me irritated for you. I hope they clear it up and take care of you.

samsausage

Yeah, me being upset about this is understatement... I have only put 700 miles on the car in 50 days, and over 300 of that is driving to and from the dealership... I think they realize it's messed up and that may be why it was fairly easy to get some $$ out of them... Also, I documented everything very clearly and made it easy to review. My documentation speaks for itself.