GTA_TL

Hi there,

New member here. Anyways, I was looking at a used 02 TL over this past weekend. The car has about 77,000 km on and is in great shape and the price is really good. I currently drive a 2000 Acura 1.6 EL with about 76,000 km. I have had no problems with it at all, but I wouldn't mind something with more room and more power. Now in reading some reviews of the TL on the net and on this board I have heard of the countless cases of tranny problems. My questions are, have these tranny problems been rectified on the newer models (ie. 2002, or even brand new 2003's for that matter) and do the tranny problems apply to all TL's. I may also consider leasing a brand new 2003. Anyways, I love the reliabilty of my current car, and don't want to buy another more expensive car that is not going to have the same kind of reliability. Other than the tranny issues, I really love the TL and would probably pick it up in heartbeat were it not for the potential for tranny problems. Any other problems I should look out for as well?

Thanks in advance.

2007AcuraRL

There have been people on this board that had the tranny failure more than once (some have even had 4 trannys!) which means that Acura doesnt really have the "fix" for the problem - otherwise it wouldnt keep happening over and over. For that reason alone I dont think the TL has earned the same reliability reputation that Honda has (although Honda and Acura share many parts, the accord doesnt use the same tranny) and I would not recommend purchaing one. A lease is the only way it would make sense to get the car since you wont have exceeded the mileage of the warranty before you turn the car back in and also you wont have to deal with a severe depreciation problem that may start to plague used TLs if the rest of the public starts to pay any attention to the tranny failure rate. There are also a host of rattles that your TL will develop but they are all well documented on this board and the fixes are pretty simple (makes you wonder why Acura wouldnt just do them on the assembly line?) For one example, the rubber surrounding the sunroof window will develop an annoying rattle. Acura has a repair service bulletin for this which involves the dealer putting a layer of clear teflon tape around the sunroof opening. Why in the world wouldnt they just put it on at the factory (it only takes 2-3 minutes to put it on) rather than making customers have to first go to the dealer to complain about the irritating rattle???? Sounds like a repeat of the lack of quality problems that the big three American car manufacturers suffered in the 1980s.

ghost31711

honestly from the bottom of my heart, i wouldnt,

please dont flame me without reading my whole reply

2 reasons,

1. the tranny
2. newer model may be out soon

dont get me wrong, there is not a car on the market i like more then the TL, i like the handleing of the A-4 quatto and the fact that the small seat of that car can fit a 6 feet 250lb fatty like me better than my Tl, but the 1.8t lacks power, big time, and im not a fan of the 3.0 (too pricy)

i like the power the g35 gives out but the built quality and fit and finish is not as fine as our TL.

after seeing so many cases of tranny failure i do constantly fear that my tranny may fail one day while driving on the freeway, its happen to a CLS frind of my, and some members of this board.

besides, wiht the new accord being so nice, you know the Tl is ganna be crazy......

If i had the money and get to pick a new car now, i'd probably buy something else......what?.... i dont know, maybe audi a4,

but turn back time to when i first bought the car (octobar 2000), and fix the tranny issue....i'd buy my car all over again.

GTA_TL

I feel the same way as you, in that I love everything about the TL and I prefer to stay loyal to Acura, which is why I am considering one, but a tranny problem is not something I want to have to deal with. I know the TL is due for a redesign in 2004 (I think?), but based on the new Accords (which continue to have the 3.0L V6), it seems like it will keep the same engine, meaning the tranny problems may continue. Anyways, thanks for the input so far, and keep them coming.

BDI

Will the new 2004 redesign the tranny??

2007AcuraRL

I would doubt highly if the redesigned TL keeps the same tranny. To the contrary, Acura is probably spending all its efforts in a redesign so they will not have to keep eating the cost of repairing all the defective 1999-2003's out there. In a typical business decision, its the old 'screw all of those people that already have paid us to buy a car (after all, we already have their money!) and lets just make sure the new model doesnt have the same problem or we will get stuck with zillions of them unsold.'

Also, the new Accord features an optional 240hp V6 which couldnt possibly be mated to their older tranny, designed for use with the 200hp V6.

BlackTLS420

Statistically you would have to go with the TL if the only thing worrying you is the tranny. Take the total # of TL's produced and divide by how many the tranny went on('02), it is not THAT large of a percentage, still one is too many by my count. plus the car would still be worth it to me if the tranny blew tomorrow on mine, it is by far the best car on the market for the money. Also a few of you also might not have noticed he does not want a brand new car, so waiting for a 2004 isn't an option for this guy. As for my advise to GTA_TL, I have seen the Acura EL, GET THE TL

this is me

I would wait for the 04 TL. If you dun like that u can also get the 03 TL and they should be on sale by then.

SL1200MK4

Hey sup, nice to see somebody from the GTA... I lived in Toronto in the last 6 years or so, and recently moved to London for school.

I honestly, won't buy a TL at this point. The car is great, dont' get me wrong, and I love my TL for the fact that it's a great value, drives well, and very good styling. I have the 2000, and I think the 2002-03 front end is ugly.

There are G35 (good performance, but cheap inside), IS300 (handles just like a bimmer and will be updated soon), and a hell lot other cars.

The TL is great, but it's not in its prime no more, and the redesign should be out fall/winter 2003 as an 2004 model.

So, I had either get something else, or wait for the new TL... which should be awesome.

samkws

don't worrie about the trannie problem...

u gotta ask urself a question...how many TLs do u see in GTA?? i would say one for every 20-30 cars...do they all have problem??

if u don't drive like a mad man and abuse ur car...u tranny won't blow up...99% sure~

fegbri

YES, buy it!! I have had mine for 4 weeks now, and EVERYONE who dives with me loves it! My uncle has a A4 3.0, and drove in my car....he now wants one!!! Good luck!

GTA_TL

I do see alot of TL's around Toronto, and until recently I never even thought about them having problems. This is where I am not clear on the problem, does it affect ALL TL's, or only a certain percentage and is this something that has been corrected on the newest models (ie. 2003 TL, as I am also considering leasing a brand new one instead of buying used as the monthly payment would be similar). I am in no rush to buy right now anyways, as my current car runs great, but as I said before I wouldn't mind something with more luxury and power. I have also considered the Infiniti G35 and Lexus IS300, but I like the TL best of them and I would rather stay loyal to Acura/Honda as I have owned 2 so far and have never had serious problems.

BlackShadow

Remember that every car will have it's share of problems so you can't go around saying you won't buy a car because of a problem. I know the tranny is a big thing but not every car is affected.

To this day, I still think the TL/TL-S is the best bang for the buck out there.

samkws

it's all up to ur budget...if u ask me i will still say TL is the best choice around...i don't recommend RWD car coz it's horrible to drive in snow...

i love a car that can drive everyday, rain or snow, and gives me the luxury and power...TL is the one =)

Tatewaki

I've a 99 TL and I love it even more now than I bought it. I am not worried about the tranny. If Acura covers me, I can get another car. If they don't, I'll move on to another one. WRX and Bimmer are my next choices. A car is just a machine. It'll break down eventually. I say if you like it, go for it. After all you are the one spending time with it.

Tatewaki

numbaonexstunna

i wish i had my 31,000 back

GTA_TL

Thanks for all your opinions guys. I have decided to hold off on the used 2002 I was looking at (just too many km's for a one year old car). I will look into a getting a new 2003 early next year. Just wondering if anyone knows if the tranny problem has since been corrected by Acura (ie. on the new 2003 models). As well, does anyone know the percentage of older TL's (pre 2003) that are affected by the tranny problems, or are these problems something that will come up eventually on ALL cars?

Thanks again.

this is me

As far as i know. there are still some 03 model that had tranny problem. Do a search on tranny problem and u'll see.

2007AcuraRL

i dont think you will ever be able to get an accurate statistic on the percentages of each model year that had tranny failures because only Acura has that info and they arent about to give it out for the asking. From what i have seen on this board, the problem seems to be pretty much throughout all the model years of the 2nd generation TL. The particularly intreresting point to note is that while the 1999 TL had only a 4 speed auto and the 2000 and up has a 5 speed auto, both tranny designs have suffered failure problems.

BlackPearl

...not to mention the Honda Prelude, Odyssey, V6 Accord, as well as TL and CL's....all these cars don't share the same trannies, but there's been higher than normal failure rates all around. Honda disclosed a 1.6% failure rate around July/August, but since trannies have continued failing, the percentage of bad trannies is certainly higher.

You want Honda reliability, buy one of their less sporty four-bangers.

Unfortunately I had a tranny go south at 19K miles, on my wife's car, and she drives like a grandma, so racing is not an issue here. The tranny can fail even without abuse. I drive it now and she has my Sequoia...if the tranny fails on the Turnpike, I would rather be behind the wheel than her.

The TL is a good car otherwise, but I'm looking to trade because of the way Honda/Acura handled the issue. I no longer have faith in the company....checkout copland's experiences, very well documented. My '96 Altima wasn't a luxury car but it was dependable to the end, 190,000 miles, and it was still running, and reliable.

I'm waiting for the 04 Maxima, if it's not to my liking, then it'll be the IS300 Sportcross, G35 sedan or Nissan Z..... depends on my preference that month, utility, sport or something in between...they all have style!

Sorry to be such a downer, but the extreme lows I've experienced with this car, matches the extreme highs I felt when I first got it. No more Acura for me....sorry.

AndySara

...not to mention the Honda Prelude, Odyssey, V6 Accord, as well as TL and CL's....all these cars don't share the same trannies,

Although there are different trannies for different Honda vehicles, the internal components are basically manfactured by the same company. Isn't it the 3rd gear, or a disintergrating bearing that is causing all these problems ? The same part in all these different vehicles might be the root of all their problems.

GTA_TL

This why I have been more than happy with my Acura 1.6 EL (SOHC VTEC 4 cylinder engine) and the one thing that holds me back from trading it in on a TL. The TL would give me a lot more power (127 hp vs. 225 hp) and a lot more room and luxury features over my EL, but at the same time I don't want to lose the outstanding reliability that my EL has given me. I commute to work every day so a reliable car is something that is very important to me. Don't get me wrong guys, I love the TL and think it is a great car (really the only one I would consider in its class), but I just don't want to buy a car that is going to give me reliability issues down the road.

2007AcuraRL

I agree with Blackpearl that the Honda 4 bangers are probably the reliable ones. Those are the ones my friend had that gave him such good reliability. He had 262k on his 1887 accord, 180k on his 1992 accord, and i think about 157k on an earlier civic he once had. All of them were 4 cylinder engines. Perhaps Honda does not know how to engineer trannys that withstand the added power of the V6. But even that would be strange because they have been in development of the NSX for many years and you would think that some of what they have learned from that experiment would carry over to their mass produced cars.

All in all the TL would be the best value around for the price if not for the way Honda is handling the tranny problem. But given what we have all seen, i could not recommend the brand to anyone. The Maxima has certainly been more reliable and but for its lack luster styling, no 5 speed autostick, and those horrid Altezza rear tails they used for 2002, I would have bought one over the TL. I figured the Tl would be as reliable...go figure!

AK_MOBBER

GET THE TL!

don't let all the tranny gloom and doom get to you... EVERY car has tranny failures.

GTA_TL

Well I decided against the used 2002 TL I was looking at, but I think I will likely lease a brand new 2003 at some point next year. Hopefully the tranny will last for the term of the lease (4 years), Thanks again guys.

SGT-TL

I just purchased a 2003 TL-P. They are not giving the extended warranty on these cars (in regards to the tranny), so I'm guessing they have dones some Modification or Fix. If they have, then why don't they just suck it up and do a recall? Perhaps it is to expensive of a fix.

If I was MR. HONDA...well, I'd suck it up and do everything to fix the problem regardless of the cost. The ACURA name is on the line and is more important in the long run. This weasel deisel extend the warranty is fishy wishy.

SGT-TL
2003 TL-P SILVER
100% RICER MODS

BLEXV6

I have had my 2002 TL-Ps tranny go 2x. It has 70,000 kilometers on the odometer. I asked Acura to buy it back but they refused, offering me a free detail next time I am at the dealer. What a fn joke. I am not happy and although the new tranny has been fine for 3000 kilometers, I am worried about it always. This is the 2nd V6 Honda tranny that has gone on me, my 1998 Accord EXV6 went at 153,000 miles, but I bought the TL b4 the Accords tranny went. Prev iously my 1992 Accords tranny was still going strong @ 330,000 kilometers. I have had several earlier 4 cyl Accords all with no tranny problems. It is obvious Honda cannot build a tranny for their excellent V6 engines.

I am totally pissed with Honda as many others will be. I can assure I will buy a Toyota/Lexus next. Too bad as I love my Hondas.

I would NOT recommend the TL.

BigNard

Whoever offered you a free detail should be smacked just on principle. Guys, I dred a tranny issue as much as the next person, but would you people PLEASE stop stating for Honda to issue a recall. Do you have any conception of that madness. No one would have the man power to do that and even if they did, it would take YEARS to get your car back evidenced by the small percentage that are being fixed now and it can still take up to a month. By the way 2002acuraTL, what did the accords look like in 1887?

2007AcuraRL

BigNard: I dont know what the 1887 Accord looked like because i wasnt alive back then and i could not find an old sales brochure dating back that old at my local library to answer your question. Legend has it though that that model year came with some HUGE rims though! Not sure if they were Lowenharts, but they were 10 spokers with a composite of wood with an outer layer of metal. The size was something like 15/05/200. maybe you can still find a pair on ebay! Try searching under "conestoga wagon".
1887 Acura

WiLz

yes it is! its definitely worth it.

Raheel

That site above is the Acura ISC Model.. Yes it was the first Acura and it was a V3 engine. with about 38.5 HP..

this is me

TL is definately worth getting if you can deal with the rattles and sqeaks.

SGT-TL

Rattles and Squeaks? Haven't heard any yet....

SGT-TL
2003 TL-P SILVER

dobiegillis

Hi, I'm new here. Recently have been thinking of getting a used 2k2 TL-S over the 2k2 Maxima SE and started reading these forums. As a current Maxima owner (97 SE) I can personally attest to my complaints regarding Nissan's squeaks, rattles, and other quality problems (audio, suspension, leather). Also, from my experience on maxima.org many 2k2 Max owners have reported lots of quality issues with their cars including rattles, tons of paint chips, and most significantly a serious indication that the Max's 3.5L V6 does not produce the advertised 255hp. Many owners who have had their vehicles dynoed and are showing a 20% or greater hp loss are trying to organize a class action lawsuit to leverage Nissan similar to what happened to Hyundai with the Tiburon. Not sure how far that will go.

I used to own a 94 Integra GSR and was very pleased with the quality which is why I recently started considering spending $3-$5 grand more to get a TL-S which has more power, style and comes standard with all the toys instead of a Max. But now that I've discovered the severity of this tranny issue along with other general complaints you guys have, I'm having second thoughts as well. I have been very unhappy with the irritating quality problems in my 97 Maxima (fortunately nothing major has gone wrong since with warranty is up) which is one factor causing me to look for a new car. I know I'm probably hearing the doom and gloom but the Sept article in the LA Times detailing Matthew Veno's incident really concerned me. Putting myself in the TL over the Max will be a stretch and I don't know that I want to deal with a bunch of rattles and other minor problems on top of a possible looming tranny meltdown. I suppose I should just shut up and not worry.

bronx02tl

Get a G35 coupe....or a 350z yummmy.

Raheel

I also heard about people suing Nissan.. As I heard it, They were saying that the Maxima produces no more power than the Altima and is still claimed to be more powerful, they both have the same Engine..

I think you should consider another car instead of the TL, because it looks like your really worried about the Tranny Problem... I know you will be all like, JUST DEAL WITH IT but after you buy the TL I gurantee you will keep bugging and thinking about the Tranny especially the more stories you hear... Its better to get another car than feel unsafe in a $30K+ Car.. Either that or wait a month or two, I hear Acura is having a Recall soon on the Trannys and has a brand new type being built so thats also a GOOD STORY.. Or You could wait a year and get the 2004 TL.. Its all your choice..

this is me

Trust me you will.

Eskimo

I've had from 2000 Acura since new and I would recommend it over your 2000 EL. I had a EL loaner from the dealer and it really is night and day between the two. You have to test drive a TL. Sound insulation for one thing is much, much better than the EL. And I would say the TL will satisfy you 95% of the time. The other 5% would be when you find yourself in extremely windy, narrow, mountain roads. The heavy front wheel drive layout of the TL is a disadvantage under those conditions. But for touring you'll love it. Passing power on the TL is incredibly good. About 4 secs. from 95-120km+. and about 6 secs if you are passing uphill.

As for the tranny issue I got a letter from Acura extending the warranty to 7 years or 160,000 km. Yeah, I am a little concerned but I am not going to lose sleep over it. Manufacturing defects are a fact of life. Extending the warranty by 60% is not bad.

Go for a test drive, you will not be dissappointed.

BTW the cost of ownership turns out to be very good compared to other luxury cars: http://www.acura.ca/NR/rdonlyres/evn..._Study_Eng.PDF