EricL

That revving like crazy is called "flare" and is symptomatic of the 2nd gear clutch pack being trashed (or that the fluid passages/shift solenoids are all filled with muck and cause the 2nd and 3rd gears to engage at the same time, thus causing the clutch pack in 2nd to get constantly thrashed/baked/burned/[put your abuse term here]).

There seems to be a good number of "dead trannies" that suffer from the 2nd gear slip/”flare” problem.

The trannies that seem to have the "my idle goes dead at a stop sometimes (along with other "dragging issues") point more at the torque converter (lockus-too-muchus)

Mr.T

O yeah I bought mine on the weekend of the release date. I think it was thursday I test drove and saturday I bought the car. So whenever the release date was.

Mr.T

rockinTLS

EricL, I hear what you are saying but it honestly did not feel like a "flare" or "slip". The car seemed to literally downshift from 5th to 2nd, causing the engine to "rev like crazy" when it finally got there. I've got another 6000 miles on the car since then without any problems or symptoms. I've still got plenty of warranty left. We'll see.

molljl

'02 WDP TL-S here.. Picked up April '01 at Concord Acura, Concord, CA.. Last 6 VIN is 001237 .. I've not had any strangeness with the tranny shifting funny.. other than getting used to it holding the rpms up on a grade.. and when it is cold.. but then again I've babied this car.. It's plenty fast without putting the pedal on the floor

Odometer is right at 9900.

Hopefully I don't have anything unfortunate to look forward to with this one. It's been very reliable so far.


Regards,
Joe Moll

EricL

That crazy revving is "flare" -- it refers to the slip (the slip has to happen somewhere and that somewhere is in the torque converter or the clutch packs. You might want to have someone check your fluid (color and magnetic bits) and see if the PCM is brain-damaged (a sure-fire way to roast your clutch packs). If they are slipping big time, you are doing damage to them...

(The clutches work on pressure, so if you don't have enough pressure going to them, it is just like having a fried clutch on a manual, the car just revs to the moon and it will sometimes grab depending on heat, load, and gear...)

I believe one of the guys (at a minimum) went through two “replacement” trannies before the "service" guys figured out that the PCM was messed-up and was trashing the tranny (#2, #3, #?)

Also, if the solenoids get a good load of magnetic junk in them (no, that drain magnet isn't going to get all the magnetic stuff) it will cause the tranny to due some pretty brutal stuff -- you could have some stuff that cleared its way out... The point of the "ramble" here is to perhaps have you do a minor look-see at the ATF and see if all looks well. (just a suggestion...)

RUF87

Hey EricL,

Do you think that the torque converter issue could also be responsible for the folks who complain about the irregular idle at times?

Could be possible if the lockup is intermittent.

RUF

fuggedaboutid

Hmm, sadly, this isn't an isolated phenomenon; as an Accord V6 owner, I've heard of many other Accord owners going through transmissions like hotcakes. Though I haven't been affected by the tranny problems (knock on woodgrain), I not only fear a tranny failure but rather, pity those of you who have to endure the agony of having your beautiful cars (TL's in this case) let you down.

Honda/Acura transmissions as of late (1998-2002-current Gen 6 Accord ERA) and 1998+ TL's are from what I gather, bearers of poor quality transmissions?

Accords (mine is a V6) have 4 speed auto trannies; the 1998 TL had a 4 speed auto as well.. I'm not sure if it was 1999 or 2000 when Acura switched to a 5 speed auto for the TL's.. Perhaps, it was only a bad batch ... I have 38000kms (25000miles) and my car (knock on woodgrain) drives like new, if not better! I'm 22yrs old/male, I don't race people but, I do pull away from stop lights real fast (no faster than 45mph) and LOVE the sound of VTEC, esp. since I have an APC cone filter and intake pipe.

fuggedaboutid

Hmm, call me CRAZY but SLIPPAGE on an AUTO tranny (even my 4speed Accord V6 tranny) is NOT a normal thing!!! I just know it heh, but, if the tranny computer is acting up or shifting like you mentioned, I just don't see how that can be right. TRY driving in D4 and IF IT STILL does that SLIPPAGE stuff, YOU REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM that you should screw Acura for!!! In Canada, ACura has 5yr/100000km (62000mi)powertrain (engine/tranny) warranty, my 2001 Accord V6 has the same 5yr/100000km (62000mi) warranty.

I have not had a hint of tranny failure so I'd be so happy to purchase another Honda/Acura product that has this tranny :-)

My father has a 1999 Honda Odyssey EX (3.5L V6) w/power sliding doors. I made him purchase the maximum amount of extended warranty for his Odyssey b/c I had a feeling that something like the power sliding doors might go or something like the tranny.

Anyways, so far, it has 70000km (~45000miles) and knock on woodgrain, not a glitch so far of any sort!

ssk0771

Sorry about the late reply but here is my VIN number

020556

My tranny was replace 12/2001

Type SSSS

wdp 007795 here
no tranny problems <yet> but some minor rotor warping which i think is getting worse.

i do have a question though: i suppose there is a vin number pattern (no pattern is a pattern but why would some tranny's fail multiple times on the same car? i mean it seems really bizarre.

keepin my fingers crossed and tranny is SS...

lenman

fla-tls

Last six VIN = 018639
Mileage = about 9500
Manufacture date = 5/2001
Failure date = 2/25/2002

Oh the humanity!!!!!

Webologist

003380 Built 3/2/2001, purchased 3/17/2001. No problems with the car whatsoever. I'm right in the transmission failure VIN range though...

SilkkTypeS

My TL-S was manufactured in early Sep, purchased on Sep 12. Tranny went out last Fri at 14420 miles. VIN is 034772. Car is still at the dealer as we speak. Anyone from TX who knows about Texas Lemon Law and will it cover this tranny problem ?

roadman

Manufactured March 2001
Vin 007519
Failed 2/24/02
Mileage 28950
New one on order

Flushes performed @ 10k then 20k

Are the new ones in any way different from the ones that have failed ?

oblio98

Hey guys, I just updated the main log message at the top.
HOLT SH!T! We now have 22 lucky members!

Unfortunately.....

:-jon

bmw916

TL-S Satin Silver non-Nav
VIN 056662
Purch 01-19-02
Current mileage 23XX
Build Date (?)

I am a newbie to the site and thanx to whoever started the site.

But to say the least, this is concerning me! My wife drives it more than I do and said that the shifting was odd; this was said during the first week after purchase. I said to her that it maybe because of the shift from 5 speed manual (Integra) to 5 speed auto (TL-S). The "problem" was unproduceable by me or the dealer.

I occasionally use the SS to get on the freeways (California metering) or slow down. I feel that I have not driven the car hard at all.

Can anyone tell me the symptoms of a transmission "going out"?
The only reason I ask is b/c I have only had stick shifts.

Good luck to all that have had problems.

02 TL-S
94 Integra LS
86 Mustang GT

fla-tls

Is this a failure report???

RedLined

No one really knows. I'm certain my first tranny was no different than my second as both failed. I have a feeling my 3rd will go as well. I have completely lost confidence in Acura and doubt that they did anything to fix whatever was causing these failures.

Since I seem to be leading the way for mileage on a TLS (I now have about 34000) I'm sure mine will be the first to have its 3rd tranny blow.

daverman

I'd be getting a good extended warranty right about now if I were you...

oblio98

My original intention was to mod the car to the max and keep it for 250,000 miles. Now, I am resigned to trading it in next year. If the tranny goes again, I will be pissed, but if I kept the car and it went AFTER the warranty expired, I would go ballistic.

I hope that the 04 TL-S looks good, as I still love the car.
If it comes with a 6-speed, then it's a done deal....

:-jon

RedLined

Each part is covered for 50000 or 4 years, regardless of what the mileage is on your car when the part was installed. If my trannies keep going bad at the current rate (after 8500 and 18000 miles), they will always be under warranty. Or so my service guy tells me. I will make sure next time I take it in for service.

is300eater

Sorry, maybe I missed it... but how do you find out when the car was built? I found the sticker (window sticker with the price), and couldn't find any date on it... Do you figure it out with the vin. number... I drive with the SS about 95% of the time... and so far so good... But this tread is really starting to worry me....

Southbound

You can find the build date on one of the stickers located on the inside door jam of the driver's side door. Lower right side of the body door jam, not the door itself. It also has the VIN number displayed there again with a big barcode.

oblio98

Bumped for the "newest menbers of the club"

:-jon

tls260

I think my transmissions fine, but when shifting to park to reverse it makes a loud clunk and lurch, is this normal? I also own a 99 oldsmobile alero v6, with an automatic it shifts a lot smother and quicker than the tls, so i'd image the acura should shift better if not the same for 33,000 dollars. However in ss mode its fine and works a lot better, so i only drive the car in ss, only once in a while automatic ?
should i get this looked at or is it okay?

ke6ztp

Hey guys,
Vin #001979, no problems yet, However at 14,500 miles tyranny fluid look could look better, turning light brown like caramel color, I will probably have them change the fluid at 18,750 miles.

smoothnyc

good lawd the tl-s is that high in numbers already.....geez these things are all over the place..and to think i felt special...

nick79

my tranny died on me at 10,000 miles. they fixed it but i had a problem with it ever since it was fixed. i am at 20,000 miles and expect my tranny to die very soon. my tranny is very bad, and i drove like a saint to protect it. this gets me very mad because i drove another car and worked the tranny it wouldnt die. and the acura is weak.

Frogger

Mine does the same thing, but only when it's on a incline or decline. So now I start using the parking brake all the time. I put the parking brake on, then put the tranny into park. That way there is no pressure on the tranny...I think? There's no loud clunk when I do that so I'll keep doing it.

MikesTypeS

VIN#039889 I bought my car in Oct of 2001( I took it home the day it came off the truck) and put on 11,353 miles before it took a dump. The auto mode would only shift at high rpms and once I came to a stop the car would give a quick jolt (as if I were to put it in park while in motion). I don't baby my car nor do I race it every week. I do drive quite a bit as you can tell by the 11,353 driven in less than 6 months. Currently I am waiting 2 weeks to have the new tranny put in... yes I did purchase a 100,000 Mile 6-year warranty for the car.

Frogger

Yes mine does that too! Sometimes at stop lights the car will just lurch forward, even though I'm not doing anything. I keep thinking that someone is bumping me from behind when this happens. Oh yeah...VIN #032121 and picked up my car off the truck too in Sept. This is all starting to worry the hell out of me.

Deb's tls

This was a depressing post to find...After my wife called me this morning, telling me about her TL-S shifting funny (trying to find the right gear), I assumed it was probably a sensor problem. I decided to check this website and the forum to see if anyone else had experienced this. Well I guess so!! I feel like Acura has left us owners in the dark! I cannot, with 100% certainty, say I've got a transmission failure. But, from what I've read on this post, it sure seems to lead to that. We bought our TL Type S last March-April from Sutton Acura, in Macon, GA. I've scheduled an appointment with them tomorrow morning. Now, I guess I'm expecting the worst. Glad its warranted!! I'm posting my VIN #:

19UUA56802A000250

Randall
2002 White Diamond Pearl TL Type S

MasterLee

Don't worry. That is your A/C compressor kicking in. That is normal. Again, don't worry. Be happy.

axleback

At first, I always though someone hit me from behind too when that jerk occurred. Then I found out it was just the compressor kicking in. It still sucks to have that kind of imperfection from a 33k car. I had 3 cars in my life (Mazda 323, Mazda Protege, and an Isuzu Rodeo), none of them has this "jerk" when the compressor kicks in. I would expect a 33k luxury sports car to at least match a $2000 car like the 323 in this catorgory
Nevertheless, I still like it. Fingers still cross that my tranny won't go out on me. I drive it pretty hard sometimes.

axleback

daverman

So what's the latest VIN number tally?

garylee55

Please add me to your list:

Original Post

My VIN is 004654...bought in may...have a little over 15,000 miles on it. Virtually impossible to reproduce problem to a service tech. I can experience the feeling of hesitation several times in a week, or not at all for a couple of weeks. It most often happens when the car is cold, or just starting to warm up, but I've had it happen when the car was warmed up. See any pattern in the numbers yet?

Mine is in the shop...dealer friend said this will show on CarFax now and vehicles value will be dimished.

garylee55

Please add me to your list:

Original Post

My VIN is 004654...bought in may...have a little over 15,000 miles on it. Virtually impossible to reproduce problem to a service tech. I can experience the feeling of hesitation several times in a week, or not at all for a couple of weeks. It most often happens when the car is cold, or just starting to warm up, but I've had it happen when the car was warmed up. See any pattern in the numbers yet?

Mine is in the shop...dealer friend said this will show on CarFax now and vehicles value will be diminished.

oblio98

garylee55,

I only add to the post when the tranny has to be replaced. Let me know if that happens....

:-jon

Questor

As I post, a loaner CL sits in my garage.

VIN 004557 delivered 5/3/01 so probably March built (can't say for sure since it's in the service dept). About 14,300k with mostly highway driving.

Mine was the flare from 2nd to 3rd. Speed 20-25, hit accelerator and get neutral revs and no shift. Repeated a few more times and did it in SS on upshift to 3rd as well.

Dealer said they hadn't heard such a story before.......
....... I shoulda' told them I've never had it over 55.

Now awaiting zone office to tell them what to do.

Very disappointing. This appears to be the earliest severe problem I've had with any vehicle. Had a cylinder head crack at 18k with a'78 Chevy Monza and the tranny die at 22k with a Grand Voyager. I can't believe that my Acura beat these numbers!!

garylee55

Sorry jon...i said it was in the shop...what I failed to mention is that they were able to reproduce the problem (tranny keeps slipping out of 5th). The new tranny is on order, so my car sits there waiting for its arrival.