hyh

I recently got a 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 5speed AT with around 30k miles on it?

A few days ago I started noticing that when upshifting in D I can feel the car jerk forward a little bit especially at low speeds 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. It is slightly better at higher gears but still noticeble. No weird noises, just my body can feel the car is shifting definitely. I don't remember if it has always been like this or just came up recently.

This feeling become more obvious if I use the paddle shifters in S especially when shifting late at low speeds and high rpm.

There has been a transmission recall on this car and the dealer did a software upgrade.

Is this normal?

TC2010shawd

Take it to the dealer. There is a service bulletin for a computer reflash I think. If that doesn't fix it they will check the torque converter which might need replaced. Do a search and you will see some threads. it's a fairly common issue.

hyh

That recall was a different issue I think besides dealer already did the software upgrade on mine around a year ago and said the torque converter was OK.

My problem only happens at shift points. Should the shifts be smooth and unnoticeable or is it normal to feel it? I probably exagerated the problem a bit but I definitely feel the car shift in my back besides hearing the engine tone and seeing the rpm drop, but it's not like a violent shudder or anything just feel it a little bit.

TC2010shawd

Maybe there wasn't an issue with the torque converter the last time but there might be now. Hopefully you still have some warranty left so it won't cost you to take it in again and have the dealer check it.

hyh

Thank you. I'll give it a try. Although it doubt that's the same issue as the recall and replacing the torque converter fixes it.

jim_c

It is perfectly normal to feel the car upshift at moderate throttle.
It should be a quick transition from one gear to the next, it should not be harsh, it should not be mushy. It is not really desirable to have shifts so soft that you cannot feel them. My 2010 has firm upshifts and I think they're perfect.

hyh

Hope what you said is true. I do have some impressions that the car was never glass smooth. Does your shift feel even more noticeable in sports mode?

Sandro

same stuff with one of my ZDX. change the tranny oil to see if there is any debris on the drain plug
as far as i found out if you stress the tranny too much during hot weather it can slightly overheat and friction discs wear off faster which may over time result in jerky shifts

jim_c

Hi there.
The shifter position "S" is not officially referred to as sports mode, but due to your post I did look this up in the owner's manual, so thanks! I think they - Acura - call it sequential shift mode now. (Many cars have had an "S" position just below Drive and it originally meant "second" gear. Auto transmissions were mostly 3 speeds for a long time.) When in "S" mode, you control the shifting with the paddles at the steering wheel. The indicator lights up with M2, M3 etc. and the car will stay in the selected gear until you shift it up or down. It will only go up to 4th gear while in S mode. Cool. (I did not know this and had not figured it out on my own, so call me a dumbhead.) As my buddy says, RTFM.
To answer the question, my shifts may be slightly firmer in S but there's not much difference versus shifts in D. I think they are all good quality shifts which means noticeable but not objectionable. Shifts should be firmer when accelerating briskly and less firm when coasting or accelerating very gently. To be considered a bad quality shift, it would be very harsh and jerky, or too soft with a brief neutral in the middle of the shift.

hyh

Thanks! I think this is very close to what happened to my car. I used the S mode somewhat to frequently this summer which may cause excessive wear. Are the friction discs replaceable? Or a tranny oil change will do?

KarKraze

Replacing friction discs would mean rebuilding the tranny,try changing the fluid.The Acura tranny is not known for its smooth shift quality.Personally i think yours is fine unless it feels harsh and abrupt.

hyh

It's not too bad. As a passenger I barely feel it in D. As a driver under moderate throttle sometimes it's not that noticeable, either. I'll just keep driving for a while see if it worsens. At 30000 miles it's still a bit early to do a tranny flush, I think.

mynameisjacob

Just as a note, you're not supposed to do a FLUSH with acura transmissions. Just drain and refill... or a "virtual flush" where you drain and refill 3 times with driving in between. Power flushes are no-nos.

hyh

By the way I'm just curious wouldn't replacing torque converter require taking apart the transmission as well? I know maybe I wouldn't do that now, just curious. Thank you for helping me to almost eliminate that factor.

jim_c

The torque converter is between the engine and the transaxle proper.
It is possible to change the TC without disassembly of the trans but it's still a fairly major job. The transaxle has to be separated from the engine since the TC resides in the bellhousing. My experience in these types of repairs is not up to date. I worked in the industry 30 years ago. The policies and practices at the Acura dealers would be dictated by the talent of their technicians and their arrangements with Honda/Acura. For example, some repairs are relatively easy for a skilled and experienced transmission tech, but if there is none on staff the dealer probably just does and R&R (remove and replace) with a complete replacement unit. It is probably still true that very few general technicians are familiar with all the ins and outs of an automatic transmission/transaxle.

jim_c

Debris on the drain plug is not a reliable indicator of transmission health or lack of it. There are usually small bits of metal and clutch material in the pan from the original build and break-in. Of course "small" is very vague. A transmission rebuild or replacement is very expensive so no one wants to do that until there is reliable evidence that it's necessary. It is true that heat and misuse/abuse will reduce the lifespan of a unit. Getting stuck in snow or mud or racing for extended periods in hot weather are examples of abuse. Racing starts or full out acceleration from a stop is just dumb. But driving normally in S mode should not be harmful.

Dronjon

Did you ever get to figure it out? I have the same car, same year and same model, and it's doing exactly the same thing as you have described. If you did figure out what happneed can you share plz?

andrewcjduong

My car shifts extremely rough during the cold. In the morning, I'll get in my car and let it warm up for about 30 seconds to a minute then start moving. I literally get thrown back into my seat from first gear to second. My Jetta doesn't even do that nor did the C63 AMG 400+hp car I drove last weekend have that issue.

One thing I will always be disappointed about is Acura's lack of knowledge with their transmissions.

Mr Marco

Folks, the number one thing that causes poor tranny performance is the fluid. If you are having issues, such as shifts that are hard or slow, CHANGE THE FLUID.

MED

Should the filter be changed at the same time? I understand it's hard to access. If the fluid is changed but the filter isn't, doesn't that mitigate the value of the fluid change?

andrewcjduong

I've had my transmission fluid changed 3 times already (as that what's considered a full overhaul. 8.2qt) and I still feel this rough jerkiness.

For the automatic, the filter isn't accessible without dropping the transmission (at least that's what I heard) which is a major design flaw. Bur apparently the filter is suppose to last the life of the vehicle.

Mcbp1875!

I had the same problem with jerky shifting and loss of pep in higher gears when I hit it. Thank you for all the information here. They just replaced my Torque Converter and it shifts and drives beautifully again! Also had the computer updated so my "gas cap loose" message would stop. FYI, that is a common problem also.

WildBill!

mossman77

Mine has this brief neutral between shifts. Super annoying. Any fix for this?

jim_c

That does not sound good but it is difficult to say anything for sure with regards to the Acura transmission.
The brief neutral between shifts usually means there is a loss of adequate pressure to the clutch controlling the upcoming gear.
Does this happen during all shifts or just one or some shifts?
It may be a problem with a shift solenoid, or it may be more serious.
If it is a very obvious and repeating symptom then you should have the behaviour analyzed by an experienced tech.

mossman77

Another thing I am experiencing is when coasting then decelerating/braking to slower speeds (for example when entering a right turn), the car stays in the current gear then as soon as I press the accelerator pedal again, the transmission downshifts at the exact same time. This causes the car to slow down abruptly and causes me to lunge forward from the force. It isn't too extreme, but enough to be extremely irritating. I found that if I mash the accelerator harder, it isn't as bad, but I shouldn't have to do this. Anyone else have this problem? Seems to me like the car should be downshifting based on the current speed, not waiting for when the accelerator is pressed again.