I have been a member for a while, but just got my first TSX (2005 automatic with 53K miles). As I am new for TSX (used to drive prius), something unusual for me and worried about it:
1) when gear shift from 1st to 2nd, I feel some jerk, not very abruptly but you can definitely feel it (as prius is CVT, it is super smooth). Should I flush my transmission or just drain and refill for 2-3 times? I heard bad things for flush transmission.

2) steering wheel vibration at 70 mph. I think it is because of wheel balance. Any mechanics can fix it, right?
Also, previous owner use different rims and different size tires (225/50/R17) hx mxm4. Do they have bad effect on performance, mpg? They may still have 30% life there. Considering change other tires, any recommendation?



3) when i get out from parking lot and go straight, the car seems accelerate by itself. Maybe i am not say it very clearly, en.. For example, from parking lot, I turn left, and then let it go straight, at the moment of 'straight', the car accelerate even though I do not press gas pedal.

4) TSX seems reluctant to accelerate (seems not to many powers) at low rpm, e.g., start from stop sign, it does not have many power for first 1-2 second, unless I press gas pedal harder and let rpm reach above 1500. It seem there is big power difference at different rpm ranges. These feelings are very different from Prius (prius has electronic motor and has flat power and torque output).

Any suggestions? For now on, transmission is most my concerns.

 

Welcome to the TSX boards.

As for your concerns, #1 and #4 sound like normal phenomenon due to the drive by wire setup. It can make the car seem a little jerky at lower speeds. It's not very smooth, especially compared to a CVT. Also realize that the TSX does not have very good low end torque, so sometimes you have to kind of mash the gas to get it going. It isn't a quick car by any means.

#2 sounds like a balance problem. Easy fix.

#3 I'm not sure.

 

Thanks for your quick reply. It make me comfortable now.

Should and drain and refill transmission, considering 53k miles?

 

Do you have the maintenance records from the previous owner. My 06 has MT so I can not answer the transmission ? For me, I was told for the driving I do every 3 years is good but I know for auto it is sooner.

 

Unfortunately, I do not have. For safe, I assume it has never been done.

 

For #3... since you're turning in a parking lot I'm guessing you are going very slow. I've noticed with my 5AT, when I let off the brake from a stop or near-stop and let it do its creeping that the auto tranny does without applying gas, it will creep slowly for a couple seconds and then suddenly increase speed. I assume it's just how the auto tranny operates. I've also noticed it has a very aggressive neutral rev when I am reversing and go to put it in drive.

When I first got the car it caught me off guard a couple times crawling through stop-and-go traffic or fast food drive-throughs. I've gotten used to it now.

 

Oh yeah, exactly what you said. So it's normal I feel better now. Thanks

 

Oh yeah, exactly what you said. So it's normal I feel better now. Thanks

 

On mines if I turn the steering wheel while its creeping or near-stop the rpm would jerk slightly and engine would increase its speed very little but noticeable. Also with our spedometer being evenly spaced even from the 0-10mph section, the needle will register on a roll from a stop unlike those cars with the spedo unevenly divided at the beginning from 0 jumping to 10 in a very small section so the spedo would not register anything.

 

yes, i heard it's because of power steering.

This is my first sport sedan. So many things are different from my pathfinder and prius. I even feel dizzy () when i make a fast turn (never done that before).

 

Everything you describe seems normal to me. The shift from first to second is a bit abrupt. Its the nature of the beast really. Other than that, all the shifts should be pretty smooth. The CVT is definitely smoother, but they just don't feel right to me. Personal preference.

Anyway, as for the tranny flush, the recommended procedure is just a drain and fill every 30k or so. The flushing machines are not good for our transmissions. There's been a few threads about it.

 

After two day drive (~200mi), I am getting used to TSX and it make me realize how bad my driving ability is (I need to be careful).

Thanks everybody! All of you are so nice.