shag

Thanks for the help

fbvc

New to this forum.


I have a 96 2.5TL. Have similar problems like everybody else. Love the car though (going on 7th year of ownership and ~240,000 miles)


The key is stuck in the ignition switch about 4 months ago. The key was unstuck once when the battery was dead (don't know if the two are related).


The tranny shifter is stuck in 'P'. Must insert backup key in manual override slot (just to the right of the shifter) to shift shifter out of 'P'.


Don't know if stuck key and stuck shifter are related problems.


Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

-----------------------------
'96 2.5TL, black exterior, paint job just like new (always park car out of the sun).

Cornflake

My FIRST reaction would be to say it is the ignition switch. All of these items can be related back to it. Could also be some problem somewhere with the shift-interlock mechanism. I would try the ignition switch first tho.

fbvc

Thanks, Cornflake for the suggestion.

racerock

Has anyone had what appears to be transmission shudder between 65 & 70 MPH with little load on the car. Just cruising, and maybe going up a slight grade? Have done a ton of searches on this trans, and found very few problems.

97 3.2 TL with 108K, trans & eng fine otherwise

Going through some steps as part of maintenance - just bought it, was maintained really well by Acura - replaced plugs when I did the Timing belt, no difference. Have a Honda fuel filter which will go in.

I have Acura Trans fluid, ready to do a flush - I'm hoping that will do it.

cali2.5tl

change the transmission filter... it probably has never been changed in my case thats what it was and my car had about 108K when i happened to change it. most people even auto parts stores i went to told me my transmission didnt have a filter. well it did and after i replaced that puppy its been smooth sailing. me and my pops actually did it ourselves and i havent had any problems as of yet. do a search for transmission screen (thanks hrtworms) thats where i finally found out the truth , you should be able to find any possilbe info there... good luck

racerock

Thanks. Yep, planning on doing that. From what I've seen, it is truly a screen, and you can actually clean it out. Talked with the guy at the Acura parts counter, and they rarely change them (I don't think they stocked it), but figured I'd do it myself.

Did you have shudder in yours? Mine has the same mileage (108K). Was your screen clogged up?

cali2.5tl

my car shuddered like no tomorrow. it was really bad. i was thinking there was something sereiously wrong with the transmission because i had already doen the flush and i believed that would have helped teh shuddereing in fact it made it worse for some reason. probably when they flushed it, all the gunk went down to where the filter was and clogged it up.cause when i took it out, least to say it had a very thick layer of gunk in and around the screen. replaced it put in honda transmission oil and it has been good ever since.

racerock

Thanks a mil for confirming, cali2.5tl. Been hard to find any transmission shudder problems on this trans. Seems like a pretty reliable transmission. Will update when it is done.

98_2.5_TL

NEVER NEVER NEVER slam your door in the first place. Good Point.

NyRider

Thought I was the only one frustrated by lack of parts and stubborn problems. Im in Rochester, NY riding a 96 premium 3.2 TL With 110,000 on the dash. Scratched windows, Hard bumpy ride, Humming noise when I hit a constant speed, slow windows, bad mpg, crappy stock cd player. But the amount of pussy That I have gotten ever since I bought the car evens it out for me putting here up for the winter and planning to bring it out next summer problem free.

98_2.5_TL

What kind of gasolione do you you use?

phirenze

Just wanted to say that it's now been almost 6 months since I removed both of the front doors and lubed the window tracks. The windows still glide up and down gracefully. Well worth the $50 of labor.

shaynegomes11

which one's the D4 light...the only problem w/ my car is...windows slow..and makes a noise when pushin it Up/Down..

shaynegomes11

yea..the yellow lense in my right fog light..i think either fell off or moved out of position because the right 1 is bright yellow and the left 1 is amber..anybody know how da hell i can fix that..please let me know...ppuhh..leeaaseee!!!!

UnsanePyro

What kind of noise?

My back ones make a noise from time to time, a screech/squeek as they near the top coming up. I'm still trying to narrow it down.

Altitude

whats a D4 light?

Altitude

Nevermind............

racerock

Hers's the update - Just after the above post, dropped the pan, changed the screen (filter), and flushed.

Sure enough, the filter screen was what I would call saturated with the grey "dust" from all the miles put on it. After removing it, took some cleaner to see how bad it was, and while it was not that bad, enough to limit the flow through the screen.

Drives like a champ now. As anticipated, took care of the shudder. Have seen this on 2 other make/model vehicle. It seems to me that due to the advancement of how the torque converters lock up, a good flush (with exactly the fluid manufacturer calls for) and filter seems to be important on all cars.

TexasHonda

Did you have any CEL (P0740) or other dtc set when this occurred? I have been having a very intermittent P0740 w/o any apparent symptoms. I had a flush at Acura and it went longer w/o the CEL set, but it set again last week. From the manuals, the problem could be low hydraulic pressure at speed causing the Torque Converter Lockup to drop out. I think I'll try cleaning the inlet screen. Did you clean or replace the filter body? What about pan gasket?

thanks

Altitude

Racerrock
How long did it take you do do this flush?
Can it be done without a hoist? easily accesable in otherwords??

Thanks

racerock

Did not have any codes set when it occurred. Symptoms appeared to be a torque converter shudder right around 55-60 ish with light to very light load.

Are you sure Acura did a flush? Their norm is to drain pan, and refill - that's it, and what is called for in the factory service manual. When I talked to my parts guy at the dealer, he said he rarely sells the screen/gasket, typically only the aluminum ring for the drain bolt.

If the problem is linked to low pressure at speed, doing what I did could definitely help.

Personally, for about $20 - $25 aftermarket with the gasket, it is not worth risking cleaning the screen. I started to consider cleaning mine, but with all that fine metal/stuff in there loosened up, was worried that something would get clogged up in a ball/piston in the throttle body, etc. causing significantly more damage than a whopping $20.

So, yes, I replaced the screen (filter), and the gasket. As always, wipe out the pan while you are there, and clean off the magnet on the plug.

racerock

Really easy in my book, but as I've learned in life - unfortunately can't speak for you. Complete time is like 2 hours with clean up of tools, jacking car, waiting on wife (girlfriend, friend) to help you out by sitting their buns in the seat and turning the key. I believe that I posted in a thread on how to do this in more detail before. Basically:

-buy screen/gasket and like 13 quarts Acura trans fluid - before starting
-Raise front of car on jack stands safely
-Drain fluid
-drop pan, clean out
-replace screen - don't overtorque the bolts!
-put pan on, and put like 3 qts in
-here is one key - find the trans return line from the radiator. As I recall, it is the one on the drivers side.
-disconnect it, and put a hose from the radiator into a big pan - you will end up with like 9 quarts of trans fluid in it
-start the car up, and run it for a little bit to confirm you have the right line.
-What I do is have a second person in the drivers seat in case I need to have the car shut off.
-basically refill the pan, as you see the trans fluid coming out. you don't want to really overfill, or underfill.
-what I do is stop after adding another 3 quarts and check to see if I'm refilling o.k. then start it back up and continue until I have about 2 quarts left of the new fluid.
-At the end, you are basically running the vehicle until you feel you have enough fluid handy to top off.
-reconnect the trans line at the radiator, and you have now basically removed almost 100% of the trans fluid and replaced with new. Some cars/trucks nowadays have plugs on the torque converter (like my Expedition) to really help assure you get all the old out.

Run out? Park the car and go get more Acura fluid. That is why I like to get about 2 quarts extra - with the price of gas nowadays, it is cheaper than an extra trip.

If you are thinking ahead -

Now go do the same to your power steering system before cleaning out the pan you used to catch the fluid - Remember to get the fluid. While you have the PS reservoir empty, take some time to clean it out.

TexasHonda

Yes, Acura shop did a complete flush and exchange of fluid.

I will perform the screen replacement during the upcoming Christmas holidays. I don't have any shudder, but this randomly intermittent P0740 and no detectable transmission symptoms or faults. It could be a problem w/ the torque converter lock-up solenoid, but it would have to be a hydraulic problem, not electrical since none of the electrical problem codes for the TC lock-up solenoid are presented.

thanks for your help. I'll post when I've performed the service.

Regards

AGregson

97 3.2 TL (105,000 miles)
Great car - new to this forum, same common minor problems as everyone else until now. I have a vibration that was first noticeable only while the car was in gear but stopped. Put it in neutral or park and the vibration would almost disappear. As time went on, I began to have vibration while driving and accelerating, even slightly.

The vibration is noticeable in the steering wheel and gas pedal to some extent.

My mechanic (who is very good) consulted with the Acura people and thinks it is a torque converter and/or fly wheel out of balance. I initially thought it was a bad motor mount - but he says they look fine and Acura says this is a very rare problem with 1st Gen 3.2 TLs.

I had my transmission flushed at about 75k and it did wonders. I also just replaced the timing belt, H20 pump, etc. Would another flush and cleaning of the screen help?

The vibration seems to be getting worse. Any help would be appreciated. By the way this is a great forum, I have learned a lot. Thanks in advance.

DJRamzy

front wheel alignment?

wildinjungirl

Bought my Ac 2 months ago with 100k...commute 100 miles a day to pay the bills...So far probs are....2cd cylinder not firing...the check engine lite came on...changed spark plugs...seemed to work..lite remains...this morning let the car idle, 15 min or so...check eng lite now blinking....feel the engine running on four not five cylinders..unless i gas it up...over 2.5- 3 rpm's...then all five....ok...have to go to work...so i park do my 9 to 5 bid...check engine lite solid again...no hesitation...drive an hour home...fine...its about 30 degrees out or colder...any correlation?
oh yea..how do i clean the drains for the sunroof ( is there such a thing? cuz my spare was floating in a pool of water the first rain storm after i bought it....popped out da plug...but it still gets wet in the trunk if theres heavy precipitation....and yes the windows are slow....hey...how much a tranny flush go for anyways???

UnsanePyro

Did you do the wires too? Just a thought.

I don't know if we have drains for the sunroof or not, I have never heard of them being there, and never had an issue to make me think about it.

The windows can get sped back up, I think there is a sticky somewhere aboutit.

Tranny flush, I'm not really sure, I believe I had mine done at the dealership for $60-80.

TexasHonda

Your Acura is covered by extended emissions warranty and Acura will perform an ignition tuneup (plugs, wires, rotor, and rotor cap) and oil change free of charge, if it's never been done on your Acura.

Make sure your auto trans maintenance (fluid changes) are performed.

There are drains at each corner of the sunroof. Use a small container of water and check to see if they drain to the wheel well area for respective corner. Most likely reason for water in the trunk well is faulty tail-light gaskets. Foam gaskets get old and leak. New gaskets are fairly inexpensive.

It's usually better to post individual problem under your own thread for best attention and response.

good luck

racerock

Good point on the individual post...

Good point on the emission warranty, but he may be over the mileage???

On the trans, check out the previous page. Personally, I'd not just do what the dealer does, and drain the from the pan and refill - do a flush and screen change.

Blow compressed air in the sunroof drains if they are clogged. My brothers Mazda got clogged up with 17 year locusts! he said it was pretty gross.

wildinjungirl

juz ordered wires...checked the arc where they connect to the distributor when it got dark and all five were arcing so that is the synopsis...WIRES..not a mechanic, but quite interested...hung around a few shops..etc....thanks for the response...doin tranny next...seemed like the foam gaskets were cool...maybe i should investigate more...

Adam_Schwartz

Here are the problems I've had or have with my car:

* bad brake switch ($150 repair job at the shop) - I could not shift out of Park, so look out for that symptom.
* return springs on both front door handles broke, so I have to push the handles down after opening the door
* D4 bulb burned out (what's new)
* leaking around rear tail lights, which I fixed with some clear silicon on the factory seal

Current problems:

* oil leak - not sure where it's coming from
* some high pitched whine - does not sound like belt whine, but more of a bearing whine
* car won't shift out of Park sometimes after starting - have to move shifter into Neutral to start. Not consistent problem though. Not the brake switch because I have brake lights
* tranny problem - hoping it's the speed sensor

That is all I can think of now - not too bad for a car with 150K miles on it.

Adam_Schwartz

Quickest update ever:

* whining noise was the tranny fluid pump not getting enough fluid, which is now fixed
* not shifting out of Park is due to 1 of 2 things - the relay from the brake switch is bad or the actuator at the actual shifter is bad. If you cannot shift out of Park and have no brake lights, then it is your brake switch that is bad.
* tranny problem was a clogged filter - was cleaned and replaced. Tranny shifts like a dream again. Speed sensor is still not 100%, but will replace it later.

NyRider

Interesting my 96 3.2tl makes a humming noise when im driving at a constant speed lets say I stay at 70 mph I will hear the noise but if I accelerate or decelerate it stops the humming. Sounds similar to the tranny fluid pump problem you had . Did you replace the pump or fix and if so can you tell me how you did or what you paid.

Adam_Schwartz

The sound I heard was more of a high pitched whine than a hum. Also, the sound was always present and would change pitch as I accelerated or decelerated.

But just to give you the info, it was the filter in my tranny that was clogged. This was preventing the pump inside the tranny from getting the proper amount of fluid, so it made a whining noise (maybe better described as a weezing noise?). So all that was required was a clean filter, not a pump replacement. After diagnosis and a complete tranny service and testing, the bill was $175.

As for your problem with a hum noise, that might be related to a wheel bearing, some types of gears or an axle.

For instance, I drove an old Camaro in HS and college. At certain speeds, I would hear this noise coming from the gears in the rear differential. But at other speeds, there would be no noise at all. So perhaps your sound is coming from some gears? Have you had the differential gear oil replaced in your TL? Perhaps that needs to be done, which is not hard to do at all. There may be some viscosity breakdown which is keeping the gears from properly meshing at certain speeds. Acura actually recommends the gear oil be changed every 15K miles, for whatever that's worth.

NyRider

Thats very interesting thank you for the info. At first I thought it was the bearing also so I took it to the shop for diagnostics they told me nothing was wrong with the bearings or bushings. Although I have not changed the differential fluid I will do this immediately when I bring her back out. I live in rochester ny but bought the car in georgia so I put her in storage for the winter to avoid the harshness of city salt laying. Will add this to my to do list following spring. Thanks again

e084726

1997 3.2 TL w/104,000 miles

Slow Front windows.
Where is the D4 light?

Adam_Schwartz

D4 pertains to the DRIVE position on the gear indicator panel located between your odometer and tachometer (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, aka D4, Drive 3, Drive 2, Drive 1) The D4 bulb burning out is a common problem for 1st gen TLs.

Adam_Schwartz

Glad to help - if you change the differential gear oil yourself, post again so I or someone else can give you some tips. Basically, the drain plug is on the bottom of the housing and the fill plug is on the side and requires either some tubing or some other special tool to re-fill the differential. Not a big deal though.

e084726

Thank-you for the 4d info. I dont know why I thought it was something more than that., feel silly