NEW Trans blown in two days....SCARY
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Instructor
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NEW Trans blown in two days....SCARY
Took my 2001 TLP (37,000miles) in early this week and got a new trans (old one was slipping in 2nd and failing) and got it back on Wednesday. This morning on rte 78 (NJ), the new tranny decided to shift into 2nd gear at 75mph!!! The car jerked forward and blew the gear out HARD. Smoke came out of the car (burnt trans fluid) and caked the rear of the car. Luckily I was able to get off to the side of the road (the car either went into neutral or crushed the gear so bad that the car coasted). SCARY TO SAY THE LEAST!!! I had it towed back to the dealer and had the district mgr take a look to confirm that it was yet another blown tranny.
At this point, I want out of this car. I do not want this to happen again (no matter what the odds are), because the next time may be my last. SUCKS because I really do like this car. Maybe if they let me out of the lease and let me get the stick version of the CLS (obviously for the difference in sticker price).
Does anyone know if the 6spd has encountered any of these issues???
I do have to say that the dealer (Acura of Denville) has been VERY good about any issue I gave them, and do not hold them responsible for any of the engineering problems of Acura/Honda. It is a shame that this car cannot be trusted due to a tranny issue. I will never buy an Acura with an automatic trans again.
-Pissed off
At this point, I want out of this car. I do not want this to happen again (no matter what the odds are), because the next time may be my last. SUCKS because I really do like this car. Maybe if they let me out of the lease and let me get the stick version of the CLS (obviously for the difference in sticker price).
Does anyone know if the 6spd has encountered any of these issues???
I do have to say that the dealer (Acura of Denville) has been VERY good about any issue I gave them, and do not hold them responsible for any of the engineering problems of Acura/Honda. It is a shame that this car cannot be trusted due to a tranny issue. I will never buy an Acura with an automatic trans again.
-Pissed off
Banned
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: florida
it was not a new transmission it was a rebuilt one. they dont replace them with new ones, if they did then you would never have another problem. honda/acura knows what the problem is after three years. and the newer rebuilt ones will not be a problem, nowever there are still some of the older rebuilt ones out there. in case you want to argue whether or not it was new or rebuilt on the swap over, honda/acura says they are all rebuilt not me. so when they rebuilt it they were using the same faulty parts, until recently. so the same problem existed which you described. high speed and big time down shifting. was described in a LA times newspaper article.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
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You're right stinkboy, it was a rebuilt. When I said "new" I meant "recently installed POS". I really don't give a sh!t what they want to do at this point though, because I will not take this car on the highway again with anything they put in it.
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10th Gear
Joined: Sep 2002
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I have a new (2 wks) TL, and have been unable to find out whether this problem has been corrected in my car. Acura's position (since they can no longer claim there never was a problem) is that "all 2003's are OK". We know that's not true. Calling service departments around the country hasn't helped. Any info out there?
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks,
Dan
Thread Starter
Instructor
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Originally posted by WiLz
hm...wow...they actually replaced ur transmission in 3 days??
hm...wow...they actually replaced ur transmission in 3 days??
-devnull
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 1
From: NEW YORK / SOUTH FL
They now have redesigned parts for the 99 and 00-02 trannys. So there are still some rebuilds out there using the old design parts. No way to know if you get the new one but I hope so.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 269
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From: Detroit, MI
Here is the article, I'm the guy with the 7 month old 03 and have recently hired an attorney for lemon law
Honda's Unexpected Gear Shift
Some customers believe a recall should be issued for the slipping transmissions
By JOHN O'DELL, TIMES STAFF WRITER
Matthew Veno spotted an opening in the early-morning rush-hour traffic and stabbed the accelerator. His year-old Acura TL Type-S surged forward, hitting close to 80 mph on Boston's Route 3. Then, with no warning, the five-speed automatic transmission slipped from fifth to second, pulling the car up as sharply as if he had slammed on the brakes.
"Fortunately, the people behind me were able to swerve, so there wasn't an accident," the 23-year-old computer engineer recalled. "But it could have been pretty bad."
When Veno's $34,000 Acura spontaneously downshifted, the engine kept racing and the crankshaft revolutions, or RPMs, went through the roof, kicking in a limiter that cuts off the engine to avoid damage.
"That caused even more jerkiness, and at 80 it started the car swerving from side to side on a two-lane highway. I almost slammed into a construction barrier," Veno said. "It was the scariest time I've ever had in a car. If the traction control hadn't been on, I would have lost it."
Veno's dealer arranged for the car to be towed and replaced the faulty transmission under warranty and without argument.
It is one of almost 16,000 Honda and Acura automatic transmissions American Honda Motor Co. has replaced in the last two years, leading some owners to begin questioning the company's reputation for building bulletproof cars.
Others, such as Kathy Lammens, say American Honda should order an immediate recall.
"They need to do it for the people's sake," said the 38-year-old Placentia resident, whose 2001 Acura CL's automatic transmission failed completely the day after it slipped into second gear at 65 mph on the Costa Mesa Freeway late last month.
When the downshift occurred, Lammens said, she was heading home from work on a fairly empty freeway.
"It felt like I'd suddenly slammed on the brakes," she said, "but the engine was straining.... And there was no one behind me, which is good because the brake lights don't go on when that happens, so there's no warning to anyone following."
Lammens said her Acura dealer agreed immediately to replace the transmission but told her he could not give her a completion date.
"I asked why, and I was stunned," she said. Lammens was told she was 27th on a regional waiting list for replacement of five-speed automatic transmissions for late-model Acura CLs.
Mike Spencer, a spokesman for Acura, Honda's sport-luxury division, confirmed that there has been a "higher than normal incidence" of problems with two Honda-built automatic transmissions. Although many involve high-performance models such as the 260-horsepower Acura Type-S, others afflict 200-horsepower V-6 Honda Accords and 240-horsepower Odyssey minivans not usually associated with racing and speeding abuses.
The two transmissions are the five-speed used in V-6-equipped Acuras since the 2000 model year and in Honda Odysseys since the 2002 model year; and the four-speed automatic used in V-6 Honda Accords since 2000 and in 2000 and 2001 Odysseys.
Of 1 million vehicles sold in the U.S. with those transmissions, Spencer said, Honda has replaced the transmissions in about 16,000, or 1.6%.
No accidents or injuries have been reported, and a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that though the agency has received a number of Honda and Acura transmission failure complaints, the screening staff that checks reports for safety issues has not recommended that an investigation be opened. Reports to the agency can be filed online at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
Spencer said the number and severity of transmission problems, though exceeding Honda's tolerance, are not enough to warrant a recall.
Nor has Honda issued a service bulletin to alert dealers to the potential for trouble, he said.
Company policy prohibits dealers from opening transmission cases--"If there's a problem under warranty, the whole transmission is replaced," Spencer said--and the problem transmissions cannot be identified until the problem occurs.
So a bulletin, which typically provides instructions for repairing a problem when the customer takes in a vehicle for service, would do no good.
Spencer said Honda engineers identified the root of the problems a few months ago and have redesigned the transmissions.
The four-speed models were afflicted with a bad bearing that could break apart, scattering fragments of metal that clogged fluid passageways in the transmission, causing it to shift erratically, he said.
The five-speed models typically were damaged by premature wear of the third-gear clutch pack. As the clutch friction material abraded, it scattered bits inside the transmission case, clogging fluid lines and causing erratic shifting.
Honda and Acura dealers are replacing affected transmissions under warranty--typically with factory rebuilt transmissions, a standard industry practice, Spencer said. He said customers such as Lammens have been caught in an unusual situation because Honda has never had a run of bad transmissions and thus has never had to stockpile replacement parts. When the four-and five-speed automatics started breaking, he said, a backlog quickly developed.
"But we are trying to get parts into the system, and in the meantime we are providing loaners at no cost so our customers won't be without transportation," he said.
That has come in especially handy for a few Acura owners whose cars were out of service several times before Honda engineers found the cause of the problem.
Several on an Internet forum for Acura owners have complained of having to replace transmissions several times before getting one that did not self-destruct. Not all own older vehicles either.
Jim Mincy, a Michigan real estate broker, said in an e-mail interview that his 7-month-old 2003 Acura TL Type-S is headed back to the dealer for its second replacement transmission.
Most of those interviewed had no complaints about how Honda and its dealers have treated them. But many echoed Veno, who said his problem transmission will haunt him--and Acura--for a long time.
"I bought this car because of the company's reputation for quality. I was going to buy a Honda product and drive it for 250,000 miles," he said. "But now I can guarantee you that when the warranty is up, the car is gone. And this will probably be in my mind when I go looking for a replacement."
Spencer said Honda is confident the problems have been solved.
He said Honda owners with transmission concerns should call the company's customer service hotline at (800) 999-1009; Acura owners should call (800) 382-2238.
"We are definitely keeping an eye on this, and if it looks like the issue is growing, we'll take other steps" that could include extending warranties for replacement transmissions that now are covered only by the remainder of the original new-car powertrain warranty of five years or 50,000 miles, Spencer said.
That's good, said Joshua Pai, a 23-year-old electronics engineer from Anaheim who worries about his Acura TL's longevity after its recent transmission failure.
"But I wish they'd do more," he said. "There's bound to be someone in an accident because of this, and that will be terrible. They really should recall them all."
*
John O'Dell covers the auto industry for Highway 1 and the Business Section. He can be reached at john .odell@latimes.com.
If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at http://www.latimes.com/archives.
Click here for article licensing and reprint options
Honda's Unexpected Gear Shift
Some customers believe a recall should be issued for the slipping transmissions
By JOHN O'DELL, TIMES STAFF WRITER
Matthew Veno spotted an opening in the early-morning rush-hour traffic and stabbed the accelerator. His year-old Acura TL Type-S surged forward, hitting close to 80 mph on Boston's Route 3. Then, with no warning, the five-speed automatic transmission slipped from fifth to second, pulling the car up as sharply as if he had slammed on the brakes.
"Fortunately, the people behind me were able to swerve, so there wasn't an accident," the 23-year-old computer engineer recalled. "But it could have been pretty bad."
When Veno's $34,000 Acura spontaneously downshifted, the engine kept racing and the crankshaft revolutions, or RPMs, went through the roof, kicking in a limiter that cuts off the engine to avoid damage.
"That caused even more jerkiness, and at 80 it started the car swerving from side to side on a two-lane highway. I almost slammed into a construction barrier," Veno said. "It was the scariest time I've ever had in a car. If the traction control hadn't been on, I would have lost it."
Veno's dealer arranged for the car to be towed and replaced the faulty transmission under warranty and without argument.
It is one of almost 16,000 Honda and Acura automatic transmissions American Honda Motor Co. has replaced in the last two years, leading some owners to begin questioning the company's reputation for building bulletproof cars.
Others, such as Kathy Lammens, say American Honda should order an immediate recall.
"They need to do it for the people's sake," said the 38-year-old Placentia resident, whose 2001 Acura CL's automatic transmission failed completely the day after it slipped into second gear at 65 mph on the Costa Mesa Freeway late last month.
When the downshift occurred, Lammens said, she was heading home from work on a fairly empty freeway.
"It felt like I'd suddenly slammed on the brakes," she said, "but the engine was straining.... And there was no one behind me, which is good because the brake lights don't go on when that happens, so there's no warning to anyone following."
Lammens said her Acura dealer agreed immediately to replace the transmission but told her he could not give her a completion date.
"I asked why, and I was stunned," she said. Lammens was told she was 27th on a regional waiting list for replacement of five-speed automatic transmissions for late-model Acura CLs.
Mike Spencer, a spokesman for Acura, Honda's sport-luxury division, confirmed that there has been a "higher than normal incidence" of problems with two Honda-built automatic transmissions. Although many involve high-performance models such as the 260-horsepower Acura Type-S, others afflict 200-horsepower V-6 Honda Accords and 240-horsepower Odyssey minivans not usually associated with racing and speeding abuses.
The two transmissions are the five-speed used in V-6-equipped Acuras since the 2000 model year and in Honda Odysseys since the 2002 model year; and the four-speed automatic used in V-6 Honda Accords since 2000 and in 2000 and 2001 Odysseys.
Of 1 million vehicles sold in the U.S. with those transmissions, Spencer said, Honda has replaced the transmissions in about 16,000, or 1.6%.
No accidents or injuries have been reported, and a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that though the agency has received a number of Honda and Acura transmission failure complaints, the screening staff that checks reports for safety issues has not recommended that an investigation be opened. Reports to the agency can be filed online at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
Spencer said the number and severity of transmission problems, though exceeding Honda's tolerance, are not enough to warrant a recall.
Nor has Honda issued a service bulletin to alert dealers to the potential for trouble, he said.
Company policy prohibits dealers from opening transmission cases--"If there's a problem under warranty, the whole transmission is replaced," Spencer said--and the problem transmissions cannot be identified until the problem occurs.
So a bulletin, which typically provides instructions for repairing a problem when the customer takes in a vehicle for service, would do no good.
Spencer said Honda engineers identified the root of the problems a few months ago and have redesigned the transmissions.
The four-speed models were afflicted with a bad bearing that could break apart, scattering fragments of metal that clogged fluid passageways in the transmission, causing it to shift erratically, he said.
The five-speed models typically were damaged by premature wear of the third-gear clutch pack. As the clutch friction material abraded, it scattered bits inside the transmission case, clogging fluid lines and causing erratic shifting.
Honda and Acura dealers are replacing affected transmissions under warranty--typically with factory rebuilt transmissions, a standard industry practice, Spencer said. He said customers such as Lammens have been caught in an unusual situation because Honda has never had a run of bad transmissions and thus has never had to stockpile replacement parts. When the four-and five-speed automatics started breaking, he said, a backlog quickly developed.
"But we are trying to get parts into the system, and in the meantime we are providing loaners at no cost so our customers won't be without transportation," he said.
That has come in especially handy for a few Acura owners whose cars were out of service several times before Honda engineers found the cause of the problem.
Several on an Internet forum for Acura owners have complained of having to replace transmissions several times before getting one that did not self-destruct. Not all own older vehicles either.
Jim Mincy, a Michigan real estate broker, said in an e-mail interview that his 7-month-old 2003 Acura TL Type-S is headed back to the dealer for its second replacement transmission.
Most of those interviewed had no complaints about how Honda and its dealers have treated them. But many echoed Veno, who said his problem transmission will haunt him--and Acura--for a long time.
"I bought this car because of the company's reputation for quality. I was going to buy a Honda product and drive it for 250,000 miles," he said. "But now I can guarantee you that when the warranty is up, the car is gone. And this will probably be in my mind when I go looking for a replacement."
Spencer said Honda is confident the problems have been solved.
He said Honda owners with transmission concerns should call the company's customer service hotline at (800) 999-1009; Acura owners should call (800) 382-2238.
"We are definitely keeping an eye on this, and if it looks like the issue is growing, we'll take other steps" that could include extending warranties for replacement transmissions that now are covered only by the remainder of the original new-car powertrain warranty of five years or 50,000 miles, Spencer said.
That's good, said Joshua Pai, a 23-year-old electronics engineer from Anaheim who worries about his Acura TL's longevity after its recent transmission failure.
"But I wish they'd do more," he said. "There's bound to be someone in an accident because of this, and that will be terrible. They really should recall them all."
*
John O'Dell covers the auto industry for Highway 1 and the Business Section. He can be reached at john .odell@latimes.com.
If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at http://www.latimes.com/archives.
Click here for article licensing and reprint options
Banned
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 664
Likes: 0
From: NJ
Which NJ dealer are you using?
PS. Ever since that LA Times story, I've read at least three similar instances occuring to our members and members of AW.com .... I'm really starting to get scared here .... what if my wife is driving and has this problem .... I propose that we spread the word on what to do in this situation .... I recommend IMMEDIATELY shifting the car into neutral
PS. Ever since that LA Times story, I've read at least three similar instances occuring to our members and members of AW.com .... I'm really starting to get scared here .... what if my wife is driving and has this problem .... I propose that we spread the word on what to do in this situation .... I recommend IMMEDIATELY shifting the car into neutral
Having Fun?
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
http://www.latimes.com/classified/au...tos%2Dhighway1
Maybe you can use this as leverage when talking to dealer about car.
Yaron2:
Yes I agree, talk to everyone and anything that will listen about the problem, spread the word.
About what to do in the situation, it happens in a split instance. At least in my case, there was no time to shift and all I was thinking was getting control of a car swerving towards a constuction barrier ~80mph :wow:
I guess if you have the luxury to react yes, neutral would be much better than 2nd at high speeds
-copland007
Maybe you can use this as leverage when talking to dealer about car.
Yaron2:
Yes I agree, talk to everyone and anything that will listen about the problem, spread the word.
About what to do in the situation, it happens in a split instance. At least in my case, there was no time to shift and all I was thinking was getting control of a car swerving towards a constuction barrier ~80mph :wow:
I guess if you have the luxury to react yes, neutral would be much better than 2nd at high speeds
-copland007
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 818
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA
Wouldn't downshifting to 2nd at 75 normally be blocked by the computer because you'd exceed the redline? If so, and the downshift is pushing the engine over the readline wouldn't that cause some serious internal engine damage, or are the trannys breaking before it has a chance to spin the engine that much?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Hi All,
Still here... I don't want to say just yet what Acura is planning on for my situation, but if they make good on what I've been promised, I will once again be a VERY happy Acura customer. I will say that there are people in the upper Acura realm that appear to really care about the situation many of us are too familiar with.
Once I have a final word, I will let you all in on what is going on...
Thanks again for all of the advise that this board and it's members give out. It it a truly invaluable resource that we should all be thankful for.
-devnull
P.S. - I can't wait to open my big mouth on this one, but just don't think it's smart right now...
Still here... I don't want to say just yet what Acura is planning on for my situation, but if they make good on what I've been promised, I will once again be a VERY happy Acura customer. I will say that there are people in the upper Acura realm that appear to really care about the situation many of us are too familiar with.
Once I have a final word, I will let you all in on what is going on...
Thanks again for all of the advise that this board and it's members give out. It it a truly invaluable resource that we should all be thankful for.
-devnull
P.S. - I can't wait to open my big mouth on this one, but just don't think it's smart right now...
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,637
Likes: 118
From: Ontario, Canada
Originally posted by devnull
BTW: My loaner car is a nice shiney new TOYOTA COROLLA POS!! Insult to injury...
BTW: My loaner car is a nice shiney new TOYOTA COROLLA POS!! Insult to injury...
I am looking to get an MDX, but they are 3 months backordered. I may get a Pilot. But will the tranny issues continue with these vehicles as well?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
I don't believe that the MDX/Pilot trannies have had the same ratio of problems as the TL/CL/Accord cars.
Side note... Don't let the sales guy fool you into paying retail for a MDX because they are "hard to find". It seems like every sleeze-ball car dealer is now trying this one. Not to say that the MDX isn't backordered because they gererally are, but that is no reason to pay top $$ for it. - Just a thought.. Nice car though!!!
-devnull
Side note... Don't let the sales guy fool you into paying retail for a MDX because they are "hard to find". It seems like every sleeze-ball car dealer is now trying this one. Not to say that the MDX isn't backordered because they gererally are, but that is no reason to pay top $$ for it. - Just a thought.. Nice car though!!!
-devnull
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Originally posted by agean
woooooahhhhh....dont tease us like that!!!!
tell us tell us tell us tell us =)
glad to hear everything is working out for you though, at least someone had luck.
woooooahhhhh....dont tease us like that!!!!
tell us tell us tell us tell us =)
glad to hear everything is working out for you though, at least someone had luck.
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: los angeles
6th Tranny
Hey, this is Kathy L. giving you an update since the LA Times article in 2002. I am at 82,000 miles on my 2001 CL. I just had my 6th transmission installed last week !!!!
I am beyond words at this point. I guess I'll have to unload it at 95,000 before the warranty expires.....
It's enough to make me want go old school again and get another Corvette Stingray. At least when you replace those trannies they last a while!
I am beyond words at this point. I guess I'll have to unload it at 95,000 before the warranty expires.....
It's enough to make me want go old school again and get another Corvette Stingray. At least when you replace those trannies they last a while!
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 3
Kathy,
Thanks for the update.
Wow, six transmissions!
Did they all fail in the same manner?
Does your CL use the same automatic transmission used in the 2000-2003 TL?
If so, Acura apparently made some design improvements in February of 2005 that might have resolved the major transmission reliability issues. So if your CL's new transmission includes these revisions, it might last a lot longer than your previous transmissions.
And the warranty, at least for most TLs, has recently been extended from 100,000 miles to 109,000 miles. So that might apply to your CL as well.
Bob
Thanks for the update.
Wow, six transmissions!
Did they all fail in the same manner?
Does your CL use the same automatic transmission used in the 2000-2003 TL?
If so, Acura apparently made some design improvements in February of 2005 that might have resolved the major transmission reliability issues. So if your CL's new transmission includes these revisions, it might last a lot longer than your previous transmissions.
And the warranty, at least for most TLs, has recently been extended from 100,000 miles to 109,000 miles. So that might apply to your CL as well.
Bob
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: los angeles
This last time it failed in the same way as other times. I hit the accelerator and the tranmission downshifted. I can't remember the years in which they failed, but I pretty much remember the mileage.
1 tranny lasted til 8,500. Second failed immediately at dealer, they installed the 3rd. Third lasted til 18,500. Fourth lasted til about 30k. Fifth til 82k. They all seemed to follow the same pattern.
First it started to over-rev before shifting. Then the spontaneous downshifting would begin.
1 tranny lasted til 8,500. Second failed immediately at dealer, they installed the 3rd. Third lasted til 18,500. Fourth lasted til about 30k. Fifth til 82k. They all seemed to follow the same pattern.
First it started to over-rev before shifting. Then the spontaneous downshifting would begin.
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