Hey guys,
I have tranny problem. I discovered this problem several months ago. I even took it to the dealer and they said it's the tranny.
But I didn't replace the tranny yet because I have 140,000km and Acura is not covering mine. After some complaints and faxing out some record they decided to take off around $1500. So I am responsible for $3000 to get a new tranny.

However, I am still running ok. I drove about 10,000km ever since I discover the tranny problem. I guess I am lucky but it's very risky.

I am just wondering if any of you guys are doing the same thing.
How long does it take the tranny to go completely dead?

 

what kinda tranny problems do you have right now?
how severe is it?
what are your driving habits?
did acura install a jet kit?

my tranny has been having problems since i bought it. acura put a jet kit on mine and i drive like a granny. i did 3 fluid changes at 75k so that almost all of the fluid is new. now i am at almost 82k. the tranny still has the same problems and does not seem to be getting worse. my symptoms are hard shirt from 2-3 and occasional flare 3-4.

 

I dont know the Canuk warranty on the trans- we get 109k miles- you are talking 140KMS which would be under that limit- how did they reach 3000$ ??
Overall- thats a good deal for a fresh rebuild trans on a TL- and it should come with 3 year warranty for that price-

Ask another dealer how much - without any warranty, and compare

The trans will suddenly go into 2nd gear on the freeway- or all the lights will go crazy- or it wont shift at all- or------

 

You're now almost at 82K (=131,000km), but you also said that when you found the problem with your tranny several months ago the car had 140,000km? Could you confirm the following:
1. When you bought the car and its mileage
2. When the problem started and the mileage
3. The current mileage

I'm curious because I'd like to figure out when my car will likely have the same problem (00 TL with 60K miles). I'm in the same climate as your area.

 

It'd be interesting to know at what mileage these cars start having the problem. If you could confirm the followings:
1. When you bought the car and its mileage
2. When the problem started and the mileage
3. The current mileage

I'm curious because I'd like to figure out when my car will likely have the same problem (00 TL with 60K miles).

 

AZNboi- you are covered unless salvage title
- changing the fluid was good- makes it look like you followed the service book so no hassles there, just take it in and describe- see the failure thread for all the details-
get it done before it does the downshift to 2nd on the freeway

typically the go out anywhere after 50k miles up to about 120 or so-
68+ seems popular these days- and right before or after teh 109 is equally popular!

Driving like granny doesnt help it either- its low oil flow to the 2nd-3rd gear parts that need lots of oil- the replacement units have a different case with better oil passages
Oil cooler wont solve the pron either
Warranty-its free- get one while they're hot!!!

 

Joining azine seems to prompt the trans into failure mode- if that helps ease your mind!

Dont let the dealer tell you 400 for the front motor mount either- no more than 150 usd

 

Dealer doesnt care about your Teins or CAI or anything like that,
SHORT OF- turbo- nitrous or other crazy HP mods, thru a known weak transmission

replace trans

THEN install turbo

 

I wonder if it helps by driving as little as possible at 2nd and 3rd gears; meaning get up to 60km/hr (37 mi/hr) quickly.

 

Has anyone tried Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF rather than the Acura ATF-Z1 fluid? I called the local Acura dealer and the service guy I spoke to said the Mobil 1 can be used, and is better than the Acura fluid. I believe it has better heat resistance. Any comments?

 

It's pretty bad, especially going from 2nd-3rd at low RPM (2000ish) at 40-60km/h.
Car shakes like crazy. But if i just go fast it does not happen.
So thesedays, I always drive fast from the beginning. Also I found out that if I just put it in D4, the problem goes away, but still having some hard shifts.

I don't drive like a maniac. but I do like to speed on hwys. once on hwy, no problem. I didn't install a jet kit because my car was that part of the re-call that ACURA did. They say mine is made in late 03, which I think it's totally BS.

 

My car is made late 2003. So Acura is only covering til 100,000km. I think this is totally ridiculous. Same car, same tranny but they say it's re-designed. BS!!!

To get a new tranny it cost about $3000 parts only, and about $1000 Can't remember exact number but it's around that. So the total of $4000 plus taxes. comes to $4500.
But after calling customer relations and talked to them about this problem is a well known problems and etc, they offered $1500 discount on the parts as a good will.
I read some people with out of warranty still got full-coverage, but it didn't happen to me. I was pissed, but coudln't do anything about it.
And I don't feel like spending $3000 to repair it. I just don't want to . So I am just taking a risk to just drive as is.

 

1. I bought used in 2004. Had about 45,000km.
2. Problem started at about 120,000km. But didn't think it's gonna be a big deal.
Got worse about 130,000km.
3. The current mileage is around 140,000km.

 

2003 TLs,

1 Bought it Aug 02
2 Problem started 30,000 Miles
3 Replaced yesterday with 71,000 miles on it.

PS I changed the trans fluids every 20,000 miles, Didn`t matter.

 

If you would all wander over as a group-- to the main trans failure thread, you will learn all the things to say to the dealer as well as all the results others have gotten

The out of VIN is bs and easily gotten around- since even 04s have the same problem- they only picked a number to settle the court case- they had to have a cutoff number- so mid year was it- nowhere did they clain to have fixed the prob

To the poster that said service writer said mobil 1 ok- thats for the engine- they sell it as an upgrade- go ask the service manager and the truth will come out- acura does not recognize any fluid but honda/acur for the trans

Synthetic engine oil is approved in the book- but service interval must remain the same

 

yea, you guessed it, its a salvage. and i suspect to believe that its on its second or third tranny right now. i bought the car with a TL-S tranny on it. unknown how miles the tranny is. oh, and its a CL-S. then I put the oil jet kit on after i bought the car.

 

If the end of the bolts that hold the trans to the engine have been painted blue- its an acura rebuild inside
Thats the dealer/factory method to identify them quickly- visually

 

actually i know its a TL-S tranny because theres still the VIN plate on the tranny. and i just ran the VIN.

 

ahhh the giveaway- techs to lazy to move the tag- so the replacements carry a special mark to indicate that

Get it rebuilt at aamco

hehehe that should trigger our member who owns an aamco- the word sets off his search program!

 

So guys, how long did it take the tranny to go completely dead??? I am really curious!!

 

Uh-oh. I recently started noticing the same thing in my '03 with 78K miles. I tend to accelerate slowly (unless there is a need to punch it), and I noticed that it often shudders a bit when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Only when I am accelerating slowly and probably about 70% of the time. If I give it a decent amt of gas, it shifts smoothly.

I just had the trans fluid replaced at around 65K miles. Figures that it would start soon after.

Time to go visit the dealer to have it looked at.

 

honda is weird about their fliuds, so I would do some checking on the tranny fluid, fyi the power steering fluid is honda specific it still contains whale oil which is still a better lubricant than anything else you can get today......

 

Kinda of OT, but I have an '02 TL-S which I believe had the jet kit installed before 2005. Haven't had any problems, but I'm approaching 100K. Can I just take my car in and have them inspect it for a bad trans...or do you actually need to wait until it craps out? To my understanding, don't they look for signs of heat damage in second gear? I would love to get a tranny now so I don't have to sell the car before the warranty is up...

 

Well, I had the tranny fluid replaced at the Acura dealer during other maintenance work, so I assume it is the honda spec fluid.

Interesting about the PS fluid.

 

Mine did not give much warning. I never really noticed missed gears or anything. On a road trip back from valencia to vegas I noticed the RPM needle going freakin nuts. All of the sudden hey I am pressing the gas pedal but its not going faster . Even after the car would not move I got no light show on the dash the damn car just wouldn't go anywhere.