TL

I'm interested about the new ECU Acura seems to place into the TL along with a rebuilt tranmission. My TL is running fine on its first transmission, but I'm curious if the new ECU makes much of a difference.

I agree that our transmissions seem to upshift into 5th gear too fast. I always find it in 5th and I can even hear it (it makes a lower grumble at that gear at low speeds).

Does anyone think it will be useful if Acura allowed us to have an ECU swap even if our transmissions are working properly (ie: as a preventative mesasure?).

Iggy

I asked the same questions when I had my baby in for replacement tranny. Basically, the new tranny will come with a new ECU and/or fuel pressure regulator. The techs seemed to think all it did was change the shift points a wee bit. My tranny only came with a new ECU and the interesting thing is that it's the same part number as the old one so I would guess they keep track of them via serial number. I asked specifically if the new parts were somehow designed to derate power output of the motor and the general feeling was NO. The dealers are not given much info from Honda other than here it is.....Put it in.

In general, I think my rebuilt tranny operates a lot smoother than the old one, but I really have not noticed much difference in shift points. I by no means beat on my car but I do like to have fun with it, so with that in mind and the new warranty coverage I'm not going to worry about it much..

On another note, I see considerable biatching about Acura service. All I can say is I must have lucked out, because the service mgr. at my dealer really took good care of my car and me.

Cheers,
Iggy

2007AcuraRL

Yes the original programming of the ECU tended to upshift even when doing so was practically lugging the gears. I think this was done to give the car a higher MPG rating, but it can kill the tranny and/or engine bearing. The car shouldnt be going into 5th gear when its only moving at 40mph. That was putting the rpms down to only like 1000. The new ECU doesnt allow that to happen.

I used to compensate for that by keeping the car in 4th unless i was going onto the highway. A bunch of people posted about this same thing about a year back.

I notice the shift points are better now. My suspicion is that they simply take the old ECUs out and send them back to an outsourcing vendor to reporgram them (just like they do with the trannys.)

TL

Do other automatics upshift at low enough speeds to get into 1000 or lower RPMS? I notice that the TL is often gear hunting between 5th and 4th.

2002acuraTL...do you think that you extended your transmission life by driving in D4? I assume it still failed, since you have experience with the new ECU. Sounds like acura really messed up lots on the transmission (both hardware and software).

fahoumh

I always stay in D4 in the city and go into D5 when I get onto the highway....I'm not sure if it does anything

2007AcuraRL

Well, no obviously driving in 4th except on the highway didnt save my tranny, but "THE" :devil: evil tranny failure that plagues the TL is a defective 3rd gear clutch pack which couldnt be saved no matter how the car is driven. In my opinion, they are all gonna go, its just a matter of when.

What i was trying to do was keep the car from lugging and killing the main engine bearing. Now that the new ECU prevents this very same lugging i was talking about, it sort of proves I was on to something. Surely if this wasnt a concern to Acura, they wouldnt have replaced the ECU, but just the tranny, when mine failed. The fact that they replaced both means they have been studying the problem for a while. The executives at Acura are just asleep at the switch when it comes to saving the brand's image quality and loyalty.

Is the A-C-U-R-A name supposed to bring to mind an image of quality?? Is that why the "A" logo is a pair of draftsman dividers??? HA now thats a JOKE!

randomwalk101

Man, it's funny that you mentioned you tried to "save" the tranny. I've been trying to BREAK the damn tranny but so I can get a replacement (with better clutch pack) while my car is still low milage and if it breaks again afterwards (while under 100K) is okay....only problem is the damn thing won't break...arghhhh...

2007AcuraRL

:rocketwho: well you know, i suppose you could toss some metal shavings into the tranny fluid dipstick... :wow: