Is there a way to tell by VIN if my TL is high risk for transmission problems that I keep reading about? Thanks for info.

 

welcome. register here

https://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/login.asp?brand=acura

and put in your VIN to find out if you fall under warranty. also, you should have been notified if the transmission was replaced already or not. call the dealer and find out

 

Thanks

 

All of the second generation TLs have a high risk of transmission failure.

The 4-speed transmission used in the 1999 TL is less prone to problems but it still has reliability problems.

Acura may have corrected the problem with the 5-speed transmission with revisions made in February of 2005.

What year TL did you buy and how many miles are on it?

Bob

 

The car is a 2003 TL Type S with 56,000 miles. I don't have a service records paper trail so I don't know it's history. How can I find out if Acura has seen this car come in for the recall notice work? Thanks

 

Using the VIN number, you can register your car with Acura at the "OwnerLink" link that Malayalee King provided above.

That will tell you the status of all recall items and if your car is covered by the 109,000 mile/ 93 month extended warranty on the transmission.

Unfortunately, not all 2003 TLs are covered by this extended warranty. Whether of not your car is covered depends on the VIN number.

Bob

 

I see that my 2003 TL is one that is included in the recall notice. However, since I just bought the car and don't know it's service history, is there a way I can tell if Acura has seen this vehicle previously for the recall.

 

Yes, you can find out about the status of all of the recall items by registering your car online. Read the above posts.

As an alternative, you can also call Acura with the VIN number and they'll just tell you over the phone. You can find the toll-free number online.

And what particular "recall notice" are you referring to? Note that there was never a recall on the entire transmission, just one to install an oil jet kit. And the oil jet kit does not correct the primary cause of the tranny failures.

Bob

 

I am referring to the recall notice that I've copied and pasted below.


Torrance, Calif. 06/29/2004 -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today announced that it will expand its existing voluntary recall of light truck models for a potential transmission defect to include certain Honda and Acura passenger cars. The voluntary action involves approximately 499,000 Honda and Acura passenger vehicles with V6 engines and 5-speed automatic transmissions. Affected models include certain 2003 and early 2004 model Accord V6 sedans and coupes, 2000-2003 and early 2004 Acura TL sedans, and 2001-2003 Acura CL coupes.

The company has found only one confirmed instance of a transmission failure related to this defect in its passenger cars, with no accidents or injuries. "We are acting out of an abundance of caution to ensure that this doesn't become an issue for our customers,'" said Tom Elliott, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The situation is created by insufficient lubrication of the transmission's secondary shaft second gear that can occur under certain driving conditions. Prolonged operation under these conditions can lead to heat build-up and under certain circumstances may eventually result in chipped or broken gear teeth or breakage of the gear. In the event of a chipped or broken tooth, the owner will likely experience abnormal noise from the transmission and seek repairs. In rare instances, this condition may lead to gear breakage and possible locking of the vehicle's transmission, creating a potential safety hazard.

Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted via mail and will be asked to take their vehicle to an authorized Honda or Acura dealer to be repaired free of charge. Customer mailings will begin in late July. In most cases, the repair involves a simple gear inspection, which is accomplished without removing or disassembling the transmission, and a modification to increase the flow of transmission fluid to the affected gear. If there is any indication of damage to the gear, the dealer will replace the complete transmission assembly.

 

OK, that's just the oil jet recall.

If you haven't already, you do want to bring your car in for that recall. But having that taken care of will not resolve the problem that's causing the bulk of the transmission failures. Many owners that have had the oil jet installed have had subsequent transmission failures.

Again, register your car online, or call Acura, to find out the status of all the recall items that apply to your particular car.

You will also be able to find out if your car is covered by the extended warranty on the transmission. That's what I would be more worried about since an out of warranty transmission replacement can run $3,000 or more.

Finally, if you haven't already, review this massive thread on the transmission problems:

https://acurazine.com/forums/wash-wax-23/leather-conditioner-help-106818/

Bob

 

Why arn't all of the 2003 TLs covered in this recall.

Steve

 

Apparently Acura thought they had fixed the problem halfway through the production for the 03s.

I'd love to know how many 03 trannys failed outside of the VIN range.

 

I was able to get service records from Sierra Acura of Alhambra yesterday. Looks like the car went in March 05 for the oil jet at 37, 900 miles. I just bought the car last week at 56,000 miles, and I'm thinking about changing out the tranny fluid. Any thoughts? Also thinking about how to make it breathe better on the intake.........any ideas? Thanks

 

1. You don't have to go to the dealer to get warranty work info. Register online at acura.com and you'll see them.
2. There are dozens of threads about tranny fluid and mods like cold air intakes. Try reading some thread titles or doing a search.