the 4 speed is not affected like the 5 speed- you are good to go
Hows the fluid smell?

 

The 4-speed transmission used in the 1999 TL does have reliability issues but it's not a bad as the original 5-speed used in the 2000-2003 TL.

Consumer Reports subscriber-based reliabilty surveys give the 1999 TL transmission a "worse than average" rating. For comparison, the 2000-2003 TL transmission gets a "much worse than average" rating whch is the lowest score they list.

Is your transmission the original? The original transmission in my 1999 TL made it to 173,000 miles before failing. I've seen reports of other 1999 transmissions going even further.

Also, CarFax reports can often be incomplete. You might want to contact Acura with your VIN number and see what they can tell you about the car.

Also, there was an ignition switch recall for the 1999 TL. Be sure to have that taken care of if it hasn't been already. If it hasn't been done yet, Acura will install a new one for free. You can call Acura or check on that on OwnerLink.

 

carfax ONLY knows what it was TOLD by the dealer -like serviced- or claims paid by insurance company from accidents- and annual car registration- what state paid in or state inspections done
Other than that----

Acura knows what has been done to your car as far as warranty repairs-recalls fixed or still needed and much more
1-800-382-2238 x5 need your VIN to register the car in the system to you
then here- same thing- need VIN
http://owners.acura.com/registration...erstepone.aspx
if you need an owner manual- here is the free download from acura- click year then model
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/...01_OMANUAL.asp

get that free ignition switch!!

 

Yea I have been reading up on it through out the day, and found that the 4spds are not effected, but no way to delete the post.

There is no record of the tranny being replaced, just dealer mantience, on car fax anyway, so yea its the orginal as far as i can tell. This car was WELL taken care of, almost everything matience was done at the dealer, the carfax is like 4 pages long with oil changes, etc. I will call acura on monday and find out for sure, thanks 04tl2tl.

The transmission fluid, oil, power sterring, coolant, motor mounts, and drive shaft seal where all replaced/flushed by the dealer, I have the recipt for it and everything, i did still check everything and it all looks good to me, smelled like usually fluid of course, didnt smell like it was burnt, again it was just flushed.

I had 2 accords, 4cyls and both trannys went out, both the same symptoms, this one is still smooth as butter, no signs of it slipping. Just when you coast to a stop, light turns green before your completely stopped and you step on it, its kind of a harsh even jerky downshift to first sometimes second depending on the speed. Not sure if thats a sign or just how that tranny is. Also when I floor it, it seems like it takes it a while to shift, but in the manu-matic its shifts perfect.

 

Just for future reference, Acura does not recommend flushing the transmission fluid in the 2nd gen TLs. Instead, a drain and fill techniques is recommended. That's probably what the dealer did even if they referred to it as a flush.

On the shifting "harshness" you noted, whether or not it's a problem depends on how harsh the shifts are. The shifting in my TL don't seem harsh but any automatic can make abrupt shift when you stomp on the gas. So it may be nothing to be concerned about.

If you do end up having transmission problems after your 90 day warranty expires, see if your local Acura dealer might provide some level of goodwill coverage for a repair. There have been a number of "out-of-warranty" goodwill repairs reported on the forum, even for cars that were way out of warranty.

Along the same lines, you might want to have the transmission checked out for the harshness behavior before your 90 day warranty expires. Even if they don't find a problem, they might give you some amount of coverage if it fails after, say, another month or so.

 

when you stomp the gas and hold it full throttle while under light throttle at 25 and 35, it should downshift quickly and hook up in whatever gear and take off!
If it revs but doesnt engage right away on the stomp test- guess what!!!!

 

Yea i think this tranny just grabs harder than my previous accords, and what I am used to. My other car an EVO 8, and I have never driven an automatic that actually had some balls to it.

The revs never shoot up in between shifts, just abruptly I guess. I plan on taking it in in about 30days or so and having them see how it shifts, etc. I dont want to do it the first week after I get the car and the warranty, give it some to drive the car around and get used to it.

Come to think of it I cant even find a spot to check the tranny fluid, is it stuffed way back somewhere? I swear I spent a good 10mins looking around and couldnt find it lol. Anyway thanks for the input on this.

 

UPDATE:

Got car back from tranny shop paid $3000 for the tranny to be rebuilt with a 24mo-24g warranty.

Was contacted by local acura rep. and informed that both the service mang. and head mech. at our acura dealer had both been fired per acura corp. due to their p.r. with customers ie. false statements, quality of work etc.


Now with a little luck acura corp. will send me a goodwill check toward a percentage of my cost for the repair.

And we were told to bring the car to the dealer, to have them replace the windshield which is cracked. Due to "them" putting it in wrong!
See there is the quality of their work reflected again that got them fired.

All in all I'm happy, $3000 was a big chunk to pay but I'm on the road again.

 

Send a letter to acura - the guy you talked with- and a copy of the bill requesting goodwill assistance refund- maybe they will go halves with you!
They need an invoice to see what you paid before they can help- everone needs a paper trail on money moving around~

Dont drive it and wonder if its ok!!! how would you ever know?
ASk for a local ziner to meet up with you and drive your car- thats a good start!!
THey can take you for a ride in theirs too--apples to apples comparision

Look up TL of your year for sale in your area (try the internet search)
at used car dealer- go there and drive it and compare- do that a few places.

Drive your buddies car- NOT your TL there... oh Hi I want to drive a car exactly like mine cause I want 2 of them----riiiiight

 

Wait- I just read the trans failure post on this car again- at 197,000 MILES the trans went out.
And acura didnt have any to sell over the counter, some communication issues etc
And for some reason OP had windshield replaced at dealer not a glass place.

So why exactly should acura give you money back on a trans rebuild- on a car with nearly double the special 109k miles warranty limit? Did I miss something here?
Car parts are not forever, and most car makers would tell you to take a hike at 51k miles
Ask mazda 3, VW and other owners of similar trans to ours- they die young and you pay- end of story.
What did you pay for that car anyway?

 

Honestly, with 197,000 miles WHY should acura give you a good will check?

 

This is the Fourth tranny in car since we bought new in 01, I think Acura should honor their design flaw.
My old chevy truck pushing 300,000 mi still has origional tranny. I don't drive like a bat outa hell, and i am big on preventave maint.
All service on acura has been handled by dealership since new, They new the problems with their tranny and the history of the car. I didn't like how they told me two-three stories regarding my third failing transmission.

 

Hi Everyone, Just a quick Question.

Is any of our engine mounts / transmission mounts covered under the RECALL BULLETIN ?

Acura wants $270 CAD plus taxes to replace one ore two bad mounts.

Let me know if any of the mounts is covered. I'm at 92,000 KMs.


Thanks in advance

 

no recall on the mounts but if you are under warranty miles for the whole car, they stick them in for you.
The front mount part is about 120 USA plus install- with trans removed its a 20 minute job they charge 30 bucks labor on
the passenger side mount often goes as well- thats about 30 and 30 for that one

 

thanks for the reply.

 

Ok, So I'm driving down the road in my 01 3.2TL, and the Check engine & TCS light come on. Haven't really noticed any outstanding tranny probs, but looking back, maybe there WERE a couple slips and hard shifts. It's running fine now (about two days since the initial error. The Car's go just over 107k, and it is a vehicle that's covered under the extended warranty to 109k. Just wondering what kind of hassles I can anticipate with the dealer. McDaniels Acura of Charleston in case anyone's dealt with them. I'nm hoping to get the tranny replaced free of charge. Did anyone else have these errors before their tranny failed? Gimme a heads up PLEASE!!!

 

I would definitely take the car in to your dealer for an evaluation before the warranty expires. Even if they don't find anything, you'll get some leverage for goodwill coverage if it fails after the warranty expires. Make sure that they document your concerns about the transmissions behavior.

Also check your car's original in-service date. Even a 2001 TL could have already reached the 7 year 9 month limit on the warranty. A 2001 TL could have an in-service date of late 2000. The warranty is a "whichever occurs first" type so the warranty can expire before you reach 109,000 miles.

 

Thanks Bob_F. How do I go about checking the in service date? Is it the date on the vin tag on the door panel? I think that's the build date, but maybe they're the same. Again, I appreciate the help.

 

first date of service - for warranty purposes- is the day it was sold and rolled off the new car lot. the date on the door is what month and year it was made- so that can give an idea that a few months later it was first sold

Call acura for the exact date 1-800-382-2238 x5
they wil be closed this monday be usual hours are m-f 6am to 5 pm pacific time
have them register you in the system as the owner and tell them trans acting funny- what is the first date of service??
Dealers rarely give any hassles as long as you are nice to them
also register here- need VIN numbers for both of these systems
http://owners.acura.com/registration...erstepone.aspx

call dealer- they may be open monday and not busy... with holiday and all

 

I've been reading so many pages of this forum for the past couple days now, and I have been having the EXACT same problems as most of the people here as well.

My question is, because I'm in canada, will I still be covered for this transmission replacement?

I have about 155000 kms (just below the 100000miles/160000kms)

I called Acura Canada customer service, gave them my VIN and they said there is NO RECALL for it, which I think is bullshit as it is also stated on the canadian government website.

And also, if my car is having the symtoms of a failing transmission, shouldn't it BE under the list of VINs that is recalled?

 

Oh, it is a year 2000

 

Hey chkn (Checkin', or Chicken?), The customer service folks were right, there is no recall, only an extended warranty. To check if your vehicle is covered, go to the link below and enter your VIN. The first time i tried, it said it wasn't covered, but then I substituted "O's" for Zeros, or vice versa, and it was covered. Good luck.

http://www.hondatransmissionsettleme.../php/login.php

PS-Thanks for the #, 01tl4tl. I'll call first thing in the morning. The dealer was open, but the service dept was closed memorial day.

 

Thanks for the link mikeyh. I entered my VIN and it says "This vehicle is not covered under the Settlement"... which doesn't make sense to me since I'm experiencing the same symptoms as everyone else...

I'll be going into the local Acura dealership tomorrow morning to speak with the service manager about the issue and see what he says.

 

chkn are you salvage title or canadian car?

 

Since you have a 2000 TL you may have reached the 7 year 9 month limit on the extended warranty. (I'm assuming that the Canadian and US warranties are the same.) If you're not the original owner, contact Acura and ask for the car's original in-service date. The extended waranty starts on that date.

Also, does your car have a salvage title? Those are also not covered.

 

My car has a clean title, not salvaged or rebuilt as we call it in Canada.

When I go in tomorrow, I'll also find out when the car's original service date was.

I talked with just a regular service advisor earlier today, didn't give any personal info, and was quoted that the extended warranty was for 96 months or 175,000 kms.

 

If you were covered and its a time limit issue, proceed to the service MANGER with donuts in hand, and ask for ~goodwill coverage~ acura loving starvinf student is usually a good story to start with!
they have done 99s on that basis- and owner paid 10 percent of the total-

Can a Canuk PLEASE give us the real info on what the extended warranty gives your cars-
if you are even covered by the US court case extension to 7+9/109k miles warranty?
or did you get stuck with the standard 4 year 50 k miles like is the normal acura warranty?

A lot of stuff usa cars got in court do not carry over to canada

 

never believe service writers- they have alot to try and remember, many generations of different car models and ever changing rules
and may get things wrong ~on occassion~
If what he said is true, you have 8 years from first date of service (date car sold off the new car lot)

Good luck!

 

when you say something like- ~whats the extended warranty till~-
what they MAY hear is- I bought the acuracare extended warranty program/policy---
which is totalllllly different situation

 

I specifically asked the guy about the known transmission issue and explained what was happening to the car. So I'm hoping he isn't thinking about the Acuracare extended warranty. Either way, tomorrow is the day I hope to get all my questions answered.

 

The service MANAGER is your friend in these matetrs- approach them with that type attitude
that they really want to help you regardless of anynumbers games- you have a trans prob

Or you may have motor mount prob-
what symptoms do you have- slipping, hard to engage in gear, flashing D5 light-
not just thunking into gear- is that correct??

 

chkn- if you tried the VIN on the american site it wont recognize you
Canada has its own system -so I am told

 

01tl4tl:
Basically its like this... About a week ago, CEL came on. Then a day later, TCS light came on. Then that's when I noticed my gears aren't shifting properly anymore. All of a sudden while speeding up from say 20km/hr to 40km/hr, the gears would normally upshift right? Well this time it just revs my engine (while not making me going any faster) and eventually goes into gear really rough. Even when it is in gear, it will all of a sudden rev up again. NOW, after driving for about 10 minutes at speeds no faster than about 45 km/hr, it gives up. I can no longer gain any speed, it will only rev the engine. After shutting off the car for about 10 minutes, I can go approx another 5 minutes (at slow speed) before the transmission will give up again. During this whole time, the D5 indicator is also flashing.

 

Your transmission is toast.

 

Yeah thats a problem allright- make nice with the service MANAGER in the morning and hope for the best

 

for others: if you get stuck with the trans like that- shut off 30 minutes- then should get you to the dealer or home. Cruising on the freeway is easier than it shifting up and down thru town

 

hi everyone: i am a first time poster - i tried reading through the tranny threads, and get the general idea behind the conditions on when something will get replaced

i own a 2000 TL with 93K - it's obviously slightly out based on the 7 year time limit, but I've always had it serviced at acura manhatten since i bought it (3 years ago at 77K). it was also bought from an acura dealer and was a loaner car in a previous life, so i would hope this would be as good of a goodwill candidate as anything

the problem i have is with having the dealer replicate the problem :
- drove car from new york to boston last friday night
- towards the end of the drive, when i would accelerate and it felt like the car was shifting gears (say flooring it to merge onto a highway), i would feel a huge jolt that would scare the crap out of me - like the car would lurch or buck foward.
- when i got onto local roads i would try a quick acceleration at lower speed, and felt the same thing
- not wanting to test the limits of thng, i had it towed to acura of boston on saturday morning and drove a rental car back to new york yesterday.
- they couldn't get to the car on saturday - they looked at it today and said the mechanics could not replicate the issue. they are going to try it out over the next day or two a couple of more times in an attempt to replicate the problem

my two questions
1) does this sympton fall under the normal issues that cause all of the TL tranny problems?
2) any suggestions on what the dealer could do to replicate the problem short of taking it for a 5 hour drive?

 

the extension on warranty to trans is 7 years plus 9 months from first date sold as new car
You can get that date from acura 1-800-382-2238x5. Need the VIN number to have then check for you. The dealer has the same info- and with a good relationship already - you will be fine
The techs have a few specific things they do on test drives- that if its going to act up it will!
Mine took a few days in their hands before prob was found, wouldnt do the D5 light or things I had experienced, and I think at that point all they got was a code for engine overspeed- but since the engine ran perfect and was not in safe/limp mode keeping it under 2500 rpms, they knew the code was a tricked sensor- the trans was slipping- and making the computer think it was engine revs too high

When the trans is getting ready to fail- those long trips and resultant heat will make it act up
Just hang in there- they will find it and hook you up

 

First, I'm glad to see there is a community like this. I am a previous DSM (Eclipse) owner and I don't know how many times the messageboards at Dsmtalk saved me hours of frustration when trying to fix something. Either way...

I just purchased my first Acura. Also, I've never dealt with warranty issues with a dealer and how they work.

The car is an 03 TL with 41K on it. The car was stolen in Iowa while owned by the original owner. The insurance company paid the claim for the stolen vehicle but it was later recovered. In Iowa, if a car is stolen, the vehicle receives a salvage title. So since the car has a salvage title, is the extended warranty on the tranny issues void? Or would it fall under a type of "Good will" since it is such a rampant problem? I haven't had any troubles with the tranny and hopefully I never do, just wanting to check for future reference. Thanks!

 

as an update to my previous post, i got a call from acura boston - they were able to replicate the problem (the tech took it onto a highway and managed to cause the same violent jerking while acclerating).

they dealt with acura corporate and the entire cost of the transmission is being covered even though the car is slightly out of warranty (and great considering this isn't my normal service dealer and they have never worked on this car before)

great news... this board provides a great service- i would have never had any clue that this was even possible without it.

cheers..