American Honda Expands Voluntary Transmission Recall to Certain Honda and Acura Automobiles

Torrance, Calif. 06/29/2004 -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today announced that it will expand its existing voluntary recall of light truck models for a potential transmission defect to include certain Honda and Acura passenger cars. The voluntary action involves approximately 499,000 Honda and Acura passenger vehicles with V6 engines and 5-speed automatic transmissions. Affected models include certain 2003 and early 2004 model Accord V6 sedans and coupes, 2000-2003 and early 2004 Acura TL sedans, and 2001-2003 Acura CL coupes.

The company has found only one confirmed instance of a transmission failure related to this defect in its passenger cars, with no accidents or injuries. "We are acting out of an abundance of caution to ensure that this doesn't become an issue for our customers,'" said Tom Elliott, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The situation is created by insufficient lubrication of the transmission's secondary shaft second gear that can occur under certain driving conditions. Prolonged operation under these conditions can lead to heat build-up and under certain circumstances may eventually result in chipped or broken gear teeth or breakage of the gear. In the event of a chipped or broken tooth, the owner will likely experience abnormal noise from the transmission and seek repairs. In rare instances, this condition may lead to gear breakage and possible locking of the vehicle's transmission, creating a potential safety hazard.

Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted via mail and will be asked to take their vehicle to an authorized Honda or Acura dealer to be repaired free of charge. Customer mailings will begin in late July. In most cases, the repair involves a simple gear inspection, which is accomplished without removing or disassembling the transmission, and a modification to increase the flow of transmission fluid to the affected gear. If there is any indication of damage to the gear, the dealer will replace the complete transmission assembly. Customers concerned about the condition of their vehicle may visit Honda's Ownerlink website at www.ahm-ownerlink.com. Customers may also contact their local Honda or Acura dealer or call Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009 or Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238.

Editor's note: This information is being released in conjunction with an announcement concerning a related recall action for Honda models in Japan

(This is an electronic version of the letter that has been mailed to you.)


BACK TO RECALLS LIST

Summer 2004



Safety Recall: CL and TL Automatic Transmission Second Gear Inspection

Dear Acura Owner:


This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

What is the reason for this notice?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2001-03 3.2CLs, 2000-03 3.2TLs, and 2004 TLs.

Certain operating conditions can result in heat buildup in the transmission second gear set and may lead to gear tooth chipping. In very rare cases, gear breakage can occur. Gear failure could result in transmission lock-up, and a crash could occur without warning.

What should you do?
Call any authorized Acura dealer and make an appointment to have your vehicle repaired. For vehicles with less than 15,000 miles, the dealer will install an oil jet kit to provide additional lubrication to the gears. For vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the affected gear for heat discoloration, which indicates possible damage. If heat discoloration exists, the dealer will replace the transmission. If heat discoloration is not found, the dealer will install an oil jet kit. This work will be done free of charge. Please plan to leave your vehicle all day to allow the dealer flexibility in scheduling the inspection and installing the oil jet kit. If transmission replacement is needed, the work will take more than one day.

Who to contact if you experience problems.
If you are not satisfied with the service you receive from your Honda dealer, you may write to:


American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda Automobile Customer Service
Mail Stop 500-2N-7A
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746

If you believe that American Honda or the dealer has failed or is unable to remedy the defect in your vehicle, without charge, within a reasonable period of time (60 days from the date you first contact the dealer for a repair appointment), you may submit a complaint to:

Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590

Or call the toll-free Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

What to do if you feel this notice is in error.
Our records show that you are the current owner or lessee of a 2001-03 3.2CL, 2000-03 3.2TL, or 2004 TL involved in this campaign. If this is not the case, or the name/address information is not correct, please fill out and return the enclosed, postage-paid Information Change Card. We will then update our records.

If you paid to have the transmission replaced, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Refer to the attached instructions for eligibility requirements and the reimbursement procedure.

Lessor Information.
Federal law requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within 10 days.

If you have questions.
If you have any questions about this notice, or need assistance with contacting an Acura dealer, please call Acura Client Services at (800) 382-2238, and select menu option #2.

We apologize for any inconvenience this campaign may cause you.

Sincerely,

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Acura Automobile Division

(This is an electronic version of the letter that has been mailed to you.)


BACK TO RECALLS LIST

October 2002

Dear 3.2TL and 3.2CL Owners:


American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for the automatic transmission on all 2000-02 3.2TLs, all 2001-02 3.2CLs, and some 2003 3.2TLs and 3.2CLs. The automatic transmission and torque converter are now covered for a total of 7 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the date of original sale. We are providing this warranty extension because a higher than normal number of automatic transmissions in certain vehicles may have problems due to defects in material or workmanship beyond the 4-year, 50,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty.

How do I know if there is a problem with my vehicle's automatic transmission?
If you think your vehicle has a transmission problem, refer to the operating characteristics below. Understanding these characteristics can help you decide if you need to call your Acura dealer.

These characteristics are normal; they should not require you to call your Acura dealer.

Quick downshifts. The transmission has a computerized control system called grade logic. When going down a hill, even a light touch of the brake pedal can cause grade lobic to downshift to the next lower gear. Downshifting helps to slow the vehicle through engine braking.

Does not always shift through the full range of gears. This can also be caused by the grade logic system keeping the transmission in the optimum gear for different driving conditions.

Mechanical noise when selecting a forward or reverse gear. It's normal to hear a slight mechanical noise when moving the shift lever from one gear to another. This noise can sound abnormally loud if any of the windows are down and you are parked next to a wall or another vehicle.

Vehicle may not hold its position when stopped on an incline in gear (may roll backward when the brake pedal is released). This can occur on most Acura-made vehicles. It is one of the measures used to improve fuel economy.

Hard shifts before the engine warms up. By design, the transmission shifts a little harder when the engine is cold. It returns to smoother shifting when the engine warms up.

These characteristics are not normal; if you experience any of them, call your Acura dealer.

While driving, the D5 indicator on the instrument panel flashes.

D5 Indicator




An abnormally loud noise from the transmission.
Extremely slow or delayed gear engagement, upshifts, or downshifts.
Abnormal gear slippage during upshifts or downshifts.
Erratic or excessively harsh shifting.
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) leaks.

In the next few weeks, owners of potentially affected vehicles will be sent a copy of this letter along with reimbursement instructions in case they previously paid to have the transmission repaired or replaced.

It's important to maintain your vehicle's transmission according to the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual. Not maintaining the transmission properly can void the warranty coverage.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

Sincerely,

AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Acura Automobile Division