The transmission on my 123k miles '01 CLS just failed this morning (the original tranny was replace in 2005). I brought it to the dealership and acura offered to cover the parts. I would have to pay for the $1100 labor, which I thought was higher than most have stated in previous threads. I am very grateful for their goodwill offer nonetheless.

 

My '03 tl-s tranny has gone out....AGAIN!!!! I haven't even had the car back for a week from receiving a new transmission and it's already got tranny problems again. I have the warranty and all, but I am so sick and tired of having to deal with this transmission BS. They think it might have to do with an electrical problem, and not the actual transmission itself. I hope they can find something that will help fix my problem. I miss driving my baby

 

does anyone know if it is possible to get corporate to refund money for rebuilt transmissions AFTER they have already been installed. The reason I ask is because I had my tranny replaced a few months back at 89,000. A claim was filed with Honda America. I was informed that the transmission had already been replaced at 68,000 under warranty. Therefore, they would not pay a dime of the new transmission that I was having installed. I was told that I could fight to try and get some money out of them, but decided to just leave it be. So now im wondering if it would still be worth it to call them up and see if they can refund me some money. Any suggestions?

 

is that an 03- `out of vin range` on extended trans warranty car?
Who replaced your trans before- was it acura under warranty?
and then what happened- and who has touched the car?

Letters are what it takes to deal with corp.
Documentation- were you stuck somewhere with no acura dealers and needed trans repaired or replaced? whats the full story? thats what acura looks at
Is the trans in there now from acura?

 

No, my car is not in the vin range actually... This first tranny went out at 68,000 i believe. I am the second owner so i do not know when or why it happened. I've owned the car ever since and had to have the tranny replaced at 89,000. I had to get new engine mounts at that time as well. A couple weeks ago I was at 103k and the tranny went out again. I could only drive the car after it had been sitting for a little while. Now, (Two weeks later) I come back from vacation and my car starts acting up again.

I had bought the 3 yr warranty when i first replaced the tranny. I did not purchase the tranny through the stealership, instead I went through a certified transmission specialist. Thankfully I haven't had to pay a dime for the problems i've been having.

Brought the car back into the transmission specialist today after it threw a couple lights at me on the way. I was still able to drive with the engine light on, the D5 flashing and the ! on as well. They think it actually is NOT the transmission. They found 2 solenoid valves that were running out of spec. I had heard the solenoids making noises earlier and researched acurazine. I found out that it was normal for them to make clicking noises as they get older but i guess mine were causing a problem. I will get the car back tomorrow. Lets hope for the best.

 

I posted for the first time several days ago about my 2003 TL - S and the transmission failure at 65K. My car was not part of the warrantee extension but was included in the oil jet fix recall. I was originally made an offer at an Acura dealer from the Regional Acura Rep with a 50/50 split which they estimated would be roughly $2,200 for my portion. I thought that amount was totally rediculous to have to pay so using the advice of some other posters I contacted Acura client services and was assigned a Case manager. According to the Case manager he was working for me to get the transmission replaced at an amount that I found reasonable. I told him to shoot for 100% coverage but in the event that didn't work I would be willing to fork over an additional few hundred dollars (It costs me roughly $300 before I even got it to the Acura dealer after having it towed to a local Honda dealer and having getting the initial diagnostics done and then having to have it towed to the nearest Acura dealer). Well to my surprise the Case manager was able to negotiate a reasonable cost for me. He told me that he went through several Acura Reps before he got an offer that he thought was reasonable. From the original $2,200 they made offers of $1,500, then $1,200, then $900 and finally came back at $450. Although I don't think I should be stuck with paying anything for a clearly defective transmission I decided to accept the offer. The $450 offer also included a 3yr/36,000 warrantee so I was very happy about that. When I actually picked up the vehicle the bill was $100 less than the offer, that is definitely a first for me!!!! so far so good. The car shifts very smooth but as other posters have mentioned the shift points are much lower than my previous transmission. The car will be in 4th gear before 40mph and 5th before 50mph, but as long as it works.
As advice to other members is not to accept the dealers or Acuras first offer. I believe they have a protocall set up where they make an offer and see if you accept it and then a 2nd offer and so on. I would definitely use Acura Client Services to help negotiate a deal. I can't say it will work for everyone but it seemed to work for me. Thanks to other members for your advice.

 

Congratulations on negotiating such a great deal on your replacement transmission! And thank you for reporting your experience as it may help others.

I think calling Acura Client Services is an excellent idea if you can't get anywhere with your local dealer's Service Manager. Your experience supports that.

 

Im sorry about my english......i took my tl03 to the acura warranty service and they didnt want to change my trany. My tranny is doing the simptoms that you guys are saying in the forum the d5 ligth on the panel it start to bink and the tcs its on... What can i do...please help me thank you very much.

 

They didn't want to? Did they even give you a price? How many miles do you have?

 

Yes, as asked above, how many miles are on your TL?

And is your TL among the group of 2003 TLs that is (or was) covered by the extended warranty on the transmission? (Coverage depends on the VIN number.)

You wrote that you took your TL to Acura "warranty service". Did you speak to the Service Manager?

You might also want to call Acura's national Customer Care number and see if they can help you.

 

junny
DId you take the car to the dealer and it got a work order written- the tech took the car and drove it- tested the codes etc- and then the service writer should have said
one of these things
You need a transmission and are NOT part of the extended warranty group so it will be $4000
Or
Its a trans prob, warranty will cover it fully- can we give you a ride home?
Or
We cant find anything wrong

Give us more information please- did they charge you to inspect the car?
what exactly does it say on the receipt?

 

there are other things that make the warning lights go on-

is your trans having any symptoms like slipping- meaning, revving when you push the gas hard in 2nd-3rd gear, like getting on the freeway--
does the rpm go up but the car does not go faster?
Does it take more than 1 second to engage D from N?

could be why they dont want to change your transmission- because it actually needs part xyz

 

Were tranny failures only with the type s Acura TL? Thats what im seeing not any regular 3.2TL. Im currently looking at a 2002 Acura 3.2TL with 120K on it. Any advice?

 

FWIW, I don't have a Type-S. I have an '02 3.2 TL. I was exhibiting symptoms of an about-to-fail trans & got it replaced for free by my Acura dealer @ around 112K miles.

 

No, the transmission issues are not limited to the Type S.

For the 2002 TL that you're looking at, ask if it's still running its original transmission. If it's been replaced try to find out when. Acura made some design improvements in February of 2005 that might have improved reliability.

Since it has over 109,000 miles, the extended warranty on the transmission has expired.

Keep in mind that a replacement transmission can run between $3,000 and $4,000. (A rebuild would cost about half of that.)

 

trans rebuilds are running about $2500-2800 on your trans, using its case at AA
The type P of 99-2002 and the type S of 03 are both affected
We may generalize because we speak of trans problems so often!

Call acura with the VIN and ask if there is any warranty repair history on the car
Also ask if the RECALL to install the external oil jet kit was performed
If not- and you have trans prob- that may be your ace~
1-800-382-2238 x5 gets a human- 6am to 5 pm pacific
tell them you are looking to buy and just want history/info
They can tell you how many owners and where its been registered over the years

Have a mechanic look at the shocks, brake pads/rotors and the brake fluid condition especially! if not changed every year it eats some very pricey parts in the brakes.

Did it get the 105k service- timing belt-water pump-tune up? thats 1200$
I would be skeptical if it wasnt done-
thats someone saving money and not fixing the car, then selling it because of the service due, and the trans has slipped a few times,,, and they know its past warranty.
These cars are keepers for most owners- find out WHY its for sale- and IF that service was done

Also take a look at the link on top of every azine page- Off Topic, then scroll down to sales and see Member Cars for sale in a special heading by itself
There you will find a well cared for car- or post what you are looking for

 

I have 03 Acura TL-P @ 116k Mileage on original transmission.
Few hundred miles ago, my car was starting to exhibit faulty transmission behavior. (First, it lags trying to change from Park to Reverse; then 2nd to 3rd gear upshift slips)

Then, a week ago, I took my TL to a dealer 'Cerritos Acura' and asked for service manager. After doing the $110 vehicle inspection (they quoted me for 'faulty transmission), I explained my situation thoroughly and how my particular TL was left behind the free extended warranty, thus I didn't even consider bringing in my vehicle for any transmission mis-behavior check-ups.

After explaining how much I love my TL (yes, I am the original owner), and how I would be very happy about goodwill replacement (that I've found some examples on acurazine.com), the service manager told me that he would contact the headquarter and explain the situation.

On 2nd business day after the incident, I've gotten a phone call that Acura would do it for free of charge, so I brought my car in (I had to drive from my work to dealer on 2nd gear only, b/c I was so afraid transmission would lock-up). Once at the dealer, they even provided loaner car (Acura RDX) for free.

Over all, although the transmission failing experience was very frustrating, Acura took care of me very well and I hope this one has durability of my original transmission. Good luck to ya all and keep on trying for goodwill transmission replacement even if your extended warranty is expired or never existed.

 

Can someone clarify some things for me?

I just had my transmission replaced under extended warranty on my 02 TL-S that had 82k miles.

My question is in regards to warranty on the new transmission. I was told by the dealer that there is no additional warranty on this replaced transmission past my 7 year 9 mo/110K miles. Although I'm well below the 110k mileage limit my car is almost past the 7 year 9 months since I only drive about 10k/year.

Why is it that I read that some of you got additional 12k/1year warranty on the new transmission?

 

Oh yeah, about RDX, it was very fun car to drive and I liked the turbo sound, but I would rather drive my TL then having back pain time to time. heh

 

speak with the SERVICE MANAGER regarding warranty length on the replacement- the replacement gets 12/12 on the unit, plus whatever the car still has on the trans

Units replaced out of warranty where owner pays labor- can BUY a 3/36 warranty for $300

 

I've talked to few people at the dealership and they all told me the same thing. If I didn't pay any for the replacement no warranty outside of the original extended warranty.

Is there a Acura Customer Service # I could call to get clarification?

Thanks.

 

you asked a few people at the dealership...
would that include the PARTS Manager, and the Service Manager????
Those being the people who would have the FACTS!!!!

The replacement units come with their own warranty when you dont pay-
when you pay- you can also buy a 3/36
Dont expect the phone answering minimum wage person to know anything

 

what is your concern anyway- at the limits of freebie and just got a trans???
so you think its going to explode in 2 months and your left screwed?
thats WHY the UNIT has a warranty

 

I agree with you that replaced transmission should have additional warranty but service managers at my dealer are telling me that no additional warranty beyond the original if I didn't pay for the replacement. I just want to have the correct knowledge incase I have more transmission issues near term.

 

Couple observations since getting the new transmission:

1. RPM rarely goes over 2000 under normal driving.
2. It seems to stutter a bit when idling or stopped at signal light.

Are these normal characteristics of the new transmission or sign of more issues?

 

NOT NORMAL
should run just like it did before the install, as far as idle speed and tune up condition.
This is WHY the units have own warranty
Proceed immediatly to the dealer if it wont let you rev up into vtec while driving

Under gas saving light throttle driving, it will shift at just over 2000 rpm
Harder throttle- higher shift point, If not, tell the dealer

There is ONE Service MANAGER and one PARTS manager, those 2 KNOW the warranty that acura is providing...especially the parts mamager since its his dept that orders the replacements and handles any future exchanges
Service just installs the parts they are handed and may not be up on every latest detail that we can spend hours helping each other know.
Gen2 is a fading memory to them, with gen3 in for repairs more than us and now gen4 to learn and work with

 

Well Crud Puppies !!!

. . .tranny number 2 is starting to sing Turn Out the Lights, the Party's Over.

What stinks is I only have 68k miles on the car, less than 49k on the 2nd tranny, but I bought the car on 3/29/2001 . . . yepper . . . 7 months past 7 years.

I called the dealership where I bought and just laid it out for them, so waiting to hear back on what if anything they will do.

Ruf

 

was the first replacement before mid 2005, thats when the improved design came out and is much better

 

At around 30 mph i get a hesitation while driving. It is somewhere in 3rd gear, not during shifting to 4th but a seconds before it enters 4th. Does this sound like transmission problem to anyone? It does not seem as bad as what I've been reading but could be early signs.


I have a 03 TL not in the warranty vin. 85K and lube kit already placed in
thanks in advance

 

Hi,

I am the second owner of a 2003 TL Type S just out of the warranty with 83000 miles. The week after I purchased the car, the transmission was slipping between 3rd and 4th. I took it to the dealer and they told me that it was not the transmission but that I needed:

1. Front and side motor mount replacement $520
2. EGR Ports need cleaning $360
3. Plugs Replaced $270
4. brake and power steering fluid flushed
5. Flush transmission fluid

All this needed to be done (total $1750), but the transmission was just fine.

There is no clunking or noise when the transmission chages gears, mostly slipping right now. Do you think the dealer is trying to get out of replacing the transmission? How can I prove that the transmission is going out?

Thansk, Debbie

 

is the warranty still only at 100K? I thought it went up to 110K or something? havent been on for a while and cant find it anywhere.

 

It's 7 year 9 month or 109K miles.

Then with the odometer 5% error thing, it's up to 114.500K miles.

I got a free transmission at about 112K miles.

 

My 2003 TLS out of vin range needs new tranny. Took to drop off honda civic which had problems and on way acura's tranny lights up like christmas tree vsa light check engine light. Honda guy says needs 800 bucks to fix civic and on the acura the torque converter is toast need new transmission. I have 56000 miles on it bought 2 years ago when under warranty. I told honda service guy that I would like some assistance his service manager calls both dealerships in utah where i live and both call their reps and say no assistance. So I call 800 number and guy says it needs to be at acura dealership so i bring to acura dealership and service guy says service manager has now called rep and said second owner no assistance I call my case manager he says he will get back to me. I tell him of all the goodwill replacements on this board i read the whole 46 pages. He says what do you expect from acura i say a goodwill transmission. He says he will get back to me. Already had oil thing done 2 years ago. What can i expect? They quoted me 3250 plus tax can I do better?

 

Not every 2003 TL is covered by the extended warranty on the transmission. Whether or not a particular 2003 TL is covered depends on the car's VIN number. (In contrast, all of the 1999-2002 TLs were/are covered.)

 

thats true bob-
BUT many ziners with the gift of gab have been able to get coverage regardless of vin and all the way to 114.5 and even beyond!
There are the rules- then policy- then godwill

 

Yes, that's a very good point. Acura has certainly helped with, or even fully covered, many out-of-warranty transmission repairs. And you've certainly helped many forum members obtain such goodwill coverage.

 

This forum and specifically this thread has been the best piece of information that I have come across. I am not sure for anyone else who has had problems with their dealers, but by following the advice in this thread I was able to negotiate a 75/25 Good Will replacement with warranty on the new transmission. I am of course happy to accept this deal because my TL is out of warranty and the oil jet kit was installed. The quote for this at the Thousand Oaks Acura Dealership would have been $3,700 and change without the GW. Now the cost will be $750 out the door with a new 3/36 warranty.

Transmission problems or not. My TL is one of the most fun to drive cars I have owned and I will not be giving it up very easily.

A little advice to pass on. I had of course like most enthusiasts picked up an ODB II scanner/reader. As soon as the transmission started it's death dance into the garage and on the scanner it was. If anyone else has a scanner the following DTC codes are a lock for a bad transmission:

P0730 Incorrect Gear Ratio
P0731 Gear 1 Incorrect Ratio
P0732 Gear 2 Incorrect Ratio
P0733 Gear 3 Incorrect Ratio
P0734 Gear 4 Incorrect Ratio
P0735 Gear 5 Incorrect Ratio
P0736 Reverse Incorrect Ratio

Do not clear the codes, but leave them there for the dealership to review.

Thanks again all! And 01tl4tl 12,823 posts... Do you ever get out of the garage?

 

the puter is not IN the garage,,, but now a motorcycle is!!!

So I'm on here way less, and the last of the special order gaskets for bike arrived today
Now you will barely see me

Might spend some time making good seafoam and brake DIY as requested by a few of the mods and members, but other than that, if you have a basic question- use search and post by my name lol

 

My 03 TL-S with 66k on it blew its tranny this week on a bad part of 680 at 10pm, it limped along for about an hour b4 it went. I set on the side of the road tell 4am waiting for a tow. It cost $185 cuz I was 30 miles from my house. The next day I called in sick (boss not happy) so I could take it in, cost me $90 to tow it to Acura of Concord. Mike at Acura told me my car did not have the 100k coverage so I thought it was going to cost me big $$$$..

He called me back in a few hours and said Acura would cover 90% of the cost! So im only paying $420 for a $4200 tranny!

The best part is while my car is getting worked on they gave me an 09 TL w/tech package!!!!!

This thing is sick!!! I love the car already but I cant stand that front grill. Its going to be hard to give this thing back but I wont fall for it. Of course they would give me a new TL in hopes that I buy 1 LOL.

The only thing is the more and more I drive the car 41k is not looking that bad.

 

I called the 800 number and was given a case worker. the next day the dealership calls back and says 50\50 split i told them i would call my case worker. I tell him loyal honda customer 3rd he asks for vin number I also say that i have had work done for them to check it out. Yesterday I get call frrom case worker he says the district manager is only willing to go 50\50 split but to resolve he says acura will go 60%. I talk to him for long time finally he agrees 70 %. That is the best they will do. I take it. This is the last time I will buy honda/acura. Where did i go wrong? They told me no service history, Although had items repaired and was third owner on car. Even though second owner was a dealership. Where did I go wrong? I am very upset about this.