pgt89

I have a 2003 CL-S that likes to hesitate when the engine is still cool. Usually does it as soon as I put it in fourth. It is to the point that I know when it will do it and I can press the gas all the way down and nothing until I let go and it seems to catch itself. No other car that I owned did this. I took it in to the dealer and they couldn't duplicate the problem. They drove it, then asked me to drive it with them. They asked if I was in a higher gear than I should've been in, but I wasn't. I tried swapping gas companies, tried fuel cleaners and it still does it only when I is cold and warming up. DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE???

mattg

automatic ?

pgt89

OOOPS sorry it is a 6speed.

louisn

I have an auotmatic and it hesitates once a week when the engine is warming up at the same spot on the highway. Then, it's Ok for a week or so then it does it again. Has done that for 2 1/2 years. Someone said it was normal. Just an idiosyncracy of the CL. Maybe something to do with the engine changing modes after it reaches operating temperature. Also it may be the torque converter although I guess mannies don't have them?

pluto_1969

My 03 CL-S 6spd seems to hesitate a bit when cold also. It usually smooths out after running through the gears a few time, no cause for alarm (I hope).

I have also noticed a tendancy for my stick not to go easily into 2nd gear when cold... It kinda wants to grab before going all the way into gear... no problems with any of the other ones though. But again, it smooths out after a few minutes or driving... anyone else experience this on their 6spd?

gsrblack

Haven't noticed any hesitation on my 6 speed....will try to notice it next time.

Wires

Yeh... my 6 speed does that when the engine ECU switches from cold to hot mode. Really ticks me off! I ask this question before, and it affects auto's and manuals in '03 for sure. My '01 never did it so I don't know if it was just a new ECU code upgrade.

I wish they'd fix it. Somedays (depending on temp and throttle position), it's a nasty hesitation (like the car just stalled).

NSX-Tuner

Haven't noticed any hesitation with my 03 CLS 6sp. However, I usually go easy with it until it's warmed up. I'll check it out tomorrow.

Also, I've noticed that 2nd and 4th gears are notchy at times. 2nd gear gound once tonight, even with the clutch fully depressed. I noticed the revs had increased slightly after clutch was in all the way. Weird behavior. Something to keep an eye on.

-g

Wires

I get it when crusing at constant throttle (or light acceleration). If you're bagging it or idling, it doesn't show up.

Worst case is in a higher gear (5th) and cruisng at low RPM's. It really shows up there.

pluto_1969

My 2nd gear is "notchy" as well when cold... she doen't want to slide smoothly down into 2nd gear until she gets nice and warmed up.

Wow, cars really are female.

scalbert

I know this may be an unpopular response, but quite often this is user perspective or error.

I have been on forums and listerv for almost ten years and have heard similar issues with other vehicles. It all turns out to be normal. Quite a bit happens in the first minutes of driving. If there is a hesitation it is because the car is adjusting to the warming up of the engine. But IMO, this hesitation ceases within five minutes of driving.

What often happens is people go from a slower or older car to a newer/faster one. The newer cars are more intelligent and control the engine better; such as with the E46 M3 where the rev limiter increases with the engine coolant temperature. Our cars ability to adjust is not as drastic but there are limitations on when full power can be applied.

scalbert

Just as an addition, I have always enjoyed the jets over head along PC Beach coming from Tyndall Air Force Base. It wouldn't be a vacation if I didn't see a few go by. And I live near Dobbins AFB...

Esrunyzarc

Im with wires... same exact thing.... I will take it to the dealer in the next couple of weeks. I will kep you all informed. Initally the dealer thought it to be a clutch problem and said it was on my pocketbook to get it checked out...ie tearin down the trany to see if its a burnt clutch. we'll see
03 6 sp here

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

This is a function of the dual mass flywheel. It's the only manual I ever had that has done it.

For the hesitation, Mine does it too sometimes, not always, I feel the power lag in humid weather more, which makes sense cause of the denser air. All the manuals I had have had this lag, some more then others. Strange a car with so much power still does it though.

QuestMGD

I have the same hesitation problem. I usually feel it in 4th gear, low constant (2000) rpm, and about 5-10 minutes from start up. 6MT w/ 2000 miles.

First time it happened, I thought I had hit a squirrel or something. Scared me for a while.

It happens every once in a while, maybe once every 2-3 days. I am not really concerned about this behaviour if it is just an effect of the computer mapping.

If you take the car in for this problem, be sure to keep us informed.

KissMy_Type_S

YES!!! I thought it was just me being lazy with the clutch pedal... It doesnt happen all the time but I def experience the same prob with 2nd, and let me tell you it is annoying.

bigman

yeah, my 99 TL does this as well when its cold. It has that feeling like its gonna stall.

6SPEED-TYPE-S

I took my 03 with the six speed in to the dealer with the same problem (feeling like the car stalls for a split second or hic-ups when coming up to temp), and they were unable to replicate the problem. They told me that the car was operating within spec. It is strange that it only happens when driving at a steady speed and not shifting. I would think that Acura would know something about this problem, since it seems that many of our cars have the same symptoms.

Wires

I think it's a fuel map issue with the cruise maps. When you are accelerating or shifting, you're in a different map area.

TypeSRed

I took my '01 CLS in to the dealer yesterday for the exact same problem and they couldn't duplicate it. It happens at steady speed in 4th gear about 4 or 5 mins. after start up (every day).
Glad that I am not the only one having this problem.

jpatel

People have run through this issue several times over the last year. I've had this issue with the hesitation (sometimes even stalls) and the second and fourth gear notchiness when cold. First time I complained they replciated it and blamed it on a bad throttle body. Kept happening, complained again, I think they were able to replicate it again but found nothing wrong. Your best bet for getting them to notice it is take it in during the colder months (40s and below) and leave it there overnight and ask them to try it in the morning, no doubt they'll get it to happen. My dad noticed it, I noticed it, my sister noticed it, it's obviously happening. But I'm from Seattle, in the winter it does it pretty bad, I'm out here in MI interning at Ford and it's warmer, so it doesn't happen as much. It was a bitch last week when it stalled 5 times before it even reached the point in my drive where it goes into hot stage. If someone wants to do a search, I think it was brought up as open loop -> closed loop.