2002TLSNavi

I was just refilling the washer fluid a little while ago, and while I had the hood open I decided to double check the oil and trans fluid levels (about midway between my 5k oil changes). Oil was looking brand new (gotta love Mobil1), and the trans fluid level was fine (just below the top hole on the dip stick). But the fluid seems to have lost it's pink hue. It wasn't a dark brown and didn't smell burnt or anything, but it definatly didn't have any pink color when I wiped it on a white paper towel.

The car has just over 23k miles on it. Last time I can recall checking the fluid was a few weeks before I did my last oil change (didn't bother checking when I changed the oil because the trans wasn't fully warmed up), so somewhere in the last 3 or 4 thousand miles it seems to have discolored. I haven't noticed any strange behavior from the transmission (just a bouning idle problem I mentioned in a post a few days ago, which seems to have corrected itself).

So my question is, should I get this thing into the dealer ASAP, or just change the trans fluid myself. I haven't brought the car to the dealer for anything but BS warranty work (moonroof, center console, broken rearview mirror, etc). Until I looked at the fluid this morning, I had been planning on holding off until the 30k service to bring it in.

Dave

Allout

That's normal for the TL. Even when the dealer services the transmission, they'll drop what's in the pan and replace (around 2.5-3 qts or around 1/3 the total capacity). The stuff in the torque converter, valve body and the rest of the passages doesn't get swapped out unless you get the tranny flushed.

ChucksCL-S

Change it yourself. Get six quarts of only HONDA or ACURA ATF. Nothing else works right in the long run. Drive the car until warm and jack it up alittle. Look at the tranny under the car and you will see a 3/8ths FEMALE bolt - a bolt with a 3/8ths square female indentation. Put your 3/8ths ratchet in there and take it out. Three quarts will drain out. Replace drain plug. Now go to the top of the tranny and look down beneath the intake hose. You will see a bolt holding down a BIG washer, I think the bolt says "ATF" on it. Funnel three quarts of the new stuff in there and replace the bolt just snug. Now drive around the block and come back and do it over again, check the level when finished. That's it, and you just saved a ton of money. I do mine every 25K that way. Also, wipe the drain plug (the 3/8ths one under the car) clean with a rag as the wet side is a magenet that catches small wear particles. DO NOT overfill the tranny.

John Weidenbenner

I wouldn't bother to change the trans fluid. It won't make the tranny last any longer.

I noticed the same fluid color shift in the early 20k mileage. Changed a few quarts during the next two oil changes, but the tranny failed at 29,750 miles.

With that said, I still would service the trans fluid per your owner's manual interval if you make it that far. Not what the dealer wants to sell you for maintenance intervals.

John W.
02 TLS w/4k miles on #2 tranny

2002TLSNavi

John,

Do you know off hand what the service interval for the trans fluid is? Yea yea, I know... Yes I am too lazy to run out to the car and check :-)

Dave

Allout

Go to Acura.com and use the Owners Link. It'll give you recalls and service intervals for your car.

pianoman41

Believe it or not, the recommended service interval for normal driving is 60,000 miles, 30,000 miles for severe driving. Believe me, flushing early/more often will not keep your tranny from failing if it is going to fail from the current defect. My fluid went from perfect pink to god-awful black and burnt in less than 750 miles. No flushing is going to help that.

2002TLSNavi

Hmm, I just took a look at the service info on the owners link. I didn't see anything about the trans fluid... Oh well, I'll take a look at the manual when I get in the car in the morning.

I guess my new question is, should I either take it in, or at least call the dealer and let them know about the color change in the fluid.

After reading pianoman's post, I'm thinking I probably don't have all that much time left... So should I advise them of the situation, or just let it go and take it in when it blows itself to pieces.

Dave

randomwalk101

My fluid was BROWN at 8K miles. You're at 23K, i'm not surprised of what you've said.
Tranny fluid should NOT be brown at all. My mom's Toyota with almost 80K miles, when I changed her tranny fluid, it's bright pink like new. Browning of tranny fluid is an indication of problem in the tranny itself (duhh!!! what's new with Acura's tranny to us). This statement is taken directly from the Toyota's owner manual. I wonder why Acura/Honda doesn't put this line in their manual

Anyhow, with this damn poor tranny design, it's going to go sooner or later..might as well drive the hell out of it and get it fixed under warranty. Hopefully then they'll put a redesigned one in...or get rid of the damn thing when you hit 100K miles (tranny warranty expires). I'm DONE with Acura.

drcookie

Dang ... I just took at look at my Tranny fluid today after changing my engine oil and it was not PINK. It was kind of brownish as well. The fluid still smell like regular tranny fluid and I did not smell any burning. My baby is currenly at 15k miles. How long will it survive ?

Allout

The fluid is going brown due to excess heat cooking the fluid. Could be that the tranny is generating the excess heat due to slippage or bad design. Also could be an inadequate tranny cooler that's not pulling off enough heat.

I added a B&M tranny cooler a couple thousand miles ago so it's too early to tell if it's going to make a long term difference. So far, it's still shifting smoother and more consistent - even after a hot run.

Figure that there had to be a reason that Comptech has an add on cooler for our TL's.

drcookie

Will the dealer change the tranny fluid for you free of charge if you complain to them that the tranny fluid supposed to be pink, not brown in color ?