2000tltranny

Hi 01tl4tl - I have been trying to navigate this website - getting better at it. Noticed quit a few posts by you - thanks for all your info - you are helping a lot of people. I bought the car with 47k miles and the owner had just did the drain and plug. I did a drain and plug about 6k miles ago ( 79k miles ). I never noticed a problem and no indication form the panel - like flashing lights. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that when I put the car in park from the drive5 position - I noticed as the stick shift went over R for reverse it would make a very loud clanking noise, Only over the R. That lasted a week or two and went away. 2 - 3 weeks later - this past saterday - I notice the tranny slip in 2 or 3 gear. I have only driven it once since then a very short distance - hopping the tranny can be saved. You suggest another drain and fill? Where is the external trans filter? What does DIY mean? No - I have no relationship with the dealer except for doing the recall - which they said my tranny showed no unusual wear and they put the external oil kit in - that was at 58k miles. And I bought the trans fluid from acura to do the fill and drain at 79k miles.

2000tltranny

Hi 01tl4tl - I have been trying to navigate this website - getting better at it. Noticed quit a few posts by you - thanks for all your info - you are helping a lot of people. I bought the car with 47k miles and the owner had just did the drain and plug. I did a drain and plug about 6k miles ago ( 79k miles ). I never noticed a problem and no indication form the panel - like flashing lights. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that when I put the car in park from the drive5 position - I noticed as the stick shift went over R for reverse it would make a very loud clanking noise, Only over the R. That lasted a week or two and went away. 2 - 3 weeks later - this past saterday - I notice the tranny slip in 2 or 3 gear. I have only driven it once since then a very short distance - hopping the tranny can be saved. You suggest another drain and fill? Where is the external trans filter? What does DIY mean? No - I have no relationship with the dealer except for doing the recall - which they said my tranny showed no unusual wear and they put the external oil kit in - that was at 58k miles. And I bought the trans fluid from acura to do the fill and drain at 79k miles.

REDmanCL-S

Ok, well it’s time for me to add to an already known issue, but yes after only 6400 miles from doing the 3x3 tranny oil flush my tranny went out on my 03 tl-s this past Friday. Went to Acura on Saturday, and was quoted $3500.00 bucks!! ($1700.00 for the tranny, $1100.00 on labor and the rest on 2 new motor mounts needed). (sigh).
I talked with the Service guy and tried the whole “Recall” pitch but claimed I was out of warranty and the year. Dropped off my car early morning Monday, got a free loaner. (2011 TSX), and this morning my car was ready to go. I called Acura Corp anyways and filed a claim with them. A case worker called me and let me know the Service guy I initially talked with was wrong and Acura should help with something since it is well known these trannys have issues. I faxed her my paid invoice today and she will be calling me back with what they can help me with after she talked with the Service Manager of this dealership. She advised me she can’t promise the whole thing getting paid, but at the very least maybe they can pay for the tranny.
Just know Acuziners don’t give up, call Acura Headquarters at 800.382.2238 and listen to the prompts, tell them your story and they will take the claim and patch you through to a case worker. Wish me luck, and good luck to you guys!

REDmanCL-S

Oh also, side note. Acura Headquarters wasn’t please with me when they found out I paid for the work prior to me filing a claim with them and not allowing them to first talking to the dealership. So if this happens to you, get the diagnoses first and then call Acura Headquarters to let them know. They will then call the Service Manager at the dealership and work out the arrangement if applicable.

03Atls

I looked at the top of the tranny and I have the oil jet kit. I also noticed that the heads of all the tranny screws that I can see from the top of the engine are blue. Does this mean that the tranny was replaced?

thelastaspec

Yes. But, ones replaced before 2005 are still old design...

03Atls

So if they do just the oil jet kit the bolts are not blue? While driving the other day i noticed that at 35 - 38 mph the tach will float up and down abot 200rms. Any idea what that means?

01tl4tl

the blue bolts are only on replaced trans- thats how they identify them quickly to the tech

03Atls

Thanks 01tl4tl! I have another quick question for you. While driving recently I noticed that at a constant speed of 35-38mph the tach will float up and down at about 200rpm's. Doesnt seem to do it all the time, it may depend what gear i am in at that speed. Any Ideas about what that could mean?

03Atls

Also since my tranny has been replaced once, if it fails again will they cover it if I fall under the 109k and 7 years 9 months? BTW - My vin is on the list. Thanks in advance

PaulTX

So glad to hear Acura is being responsive. Was your 03 TL VIN# within the range included in the recall?

2000tltranny

Please keep us updated REDmanCL-S - thats good news. I am about to start that journey myself. I am in Texas. If you can get that acura case workers name and extension number that would be great as well - she sounds very nice to work with.

01tl4tl

the service manager is supposed to gather the info on your car after diagnosis and call corp regional rep for a `goodwill assistance` decision if past limits or out of vin

If that doesnt happen- then you call corp,,usually before the work is approved-
but its not your fault the dealer dicked off on you
the actual labor is 4 hours to remove and reinstall trans assembly--not 1100$ labor at dealer!

YES! the warranty on the car for trans remains in effect after warranty trans install
PLUS the replacement has its own 12/12, if that takes you past the car limits

if `partial pay`/goodwill assist, you can buy the 3/36 for $300 at the time--they typically include it in the quote

REDmanCL-S

I called the Service Manager 3 times today and left messages. No call back, so I called my case worker at Acura Headquarters just to make sure the ball was still rolling and she said for me to be patience. The Service Manager is working with the Reginal Manager and I should have an answer shortly. As soon as i get an answer you guys will be the first to know!
I do have a questions though that maybe someone might know the answer too. I know I have to break this tranny in slowly, but does anyone know how many miles? I dont speed or anything like that (at least not ever since I hit a wall going 70 with my CL-S) but I've been granny driving for 2 days now.

01tl4tl

acura says drive it and dont worry

My personal suggestion is treat it like a new car- be gentle to normal first 500 miles
then normal to aggressive next 500 miles
If something bad is going to happen it usually will by then

no reason to granny it now- thats teaching the ecu different than your normal driving style

give them time to sort out your case, a few asses to get chewed etc
A call will come

sfont012

iTrader: (6)

I think my tranny is gone! Almost didnt make it home today, managed to pull over and turned the car off for a few minutes, threw it in drive and it worked, drove home slowly!

Wondering what opinions are on buying the tranny from a online parts store like Ebay. I found a car that looks like it was totaled (rear ended). $1500 for the tranny plus shipping.

01tl4tl

you would have no idea the real history of the trans, if the fluid was ever changed
and most important- how long its been sitting
rubber parts dont always like to sit for several months then go back to work
If a matter of days thats different
Shipping cost- the trans weighs 450 pounds!!
expect local shop charge of 6 hours labor to install it
add all that up and compare

yours can be rebuilt for $1500-2500 depending on how much it needs inside
depending on your location there are some known good shops,
and if you go thru the last several pages of this thread- all the info to ask a shop etc is there

letting it sit 15 minutes allows the crud to fall off the exit port screens in the torque convertor- giving you more time until the crud clogs the screens again

for now, you can try a 3.4 qt fluid change with honda atf and see if that helps for a while
azine member I hate cars may suggest Redline racing ATF at this point- he resurrected a 99 trans with it
See his post regarding that option

sfont012

iTrader: (6)

thanks for the quick response and info, I will take all of this into consideration.

pigulut

Hi!

I'm new here and I just got an 03 TL-S with 118K on it. So far it still shifts smoothly. I called the number above but they can't give any information whether the recall service was done on mine or not. I looked at the ATF filler plug, it's a large bolt with "ATF" stamped on it and silver in color. What does it mean? Thanks!

pigulut

Btw, how does the original ATF filler plug looks like? Thanks!

01tl4tl

are you in canada or usa? different phone numbers
the 800 is able to say if you had the recall performed- or your local dealer can look in their computer-tied to acura recall info
or your acura.com owner account (usa cars)
http://owners.acura.com/registration...istration.aspx

look for blue paint on the bolt heads of trans bolts- thats an acura warranty unit
No oil jet kit in ATF fill hole would be post 2005 replacement with better case
no oil jet kit and not replaced trans?!- go to the dealer and ask about the oil jet recall

clint999

Thanks for the reply. As AcuraT put it, it depends on how you drive. I had made an appointment to take the TL in @ lunch today. Since my symptoms seemed to be related to heat, I drove it hard and was able to reproduce the slipping. at 50 mph, in 5th gear, nail the throttle, RPMs shoot up, no downshift. A couple of times there was a hard BUMP/THUD, when downshifting. limped back to dealer, by this time the tranny was slipping majorly in EVERY gear, and two blocks from the dealer, the "!" indicator and the "VSA" indicator lit up solid. "D5" never flashed. Tranny was toast!

Anyway, I'm in a Mazda Tribute with a good week wait for the remanufactured tranny. I questioned the 'rebuilt' trannies, he said oh yeah, they put the oil jet kit in internally in the remaned trannies..I was like: but that was for the 2nd gear problem what about the other heat related problems in the 3rd or 4th gears? He was like..I dunno. Oh well. I have two young kids and I am scared that another failed tranny might cause an accident with them in the car. I feel lucky the tranny died a slow death. I don't know whether to unload this or keep it until 100K miles??? I like the car otherwise, but I hate driving around in fear!

01tl4tl

the trans case got a redesign in 2005- which moved oil kit for 2nd gear shaft internal to the case
It has better oil channels to the needed areas
the failure rate has gone way down, but with any mechanical device, potential for failure still exist
drive it a year or 2 and get something else

niju321

question about downshift behavior...when coming to a stop, the 2 -> 1 downshift has always been pretty strange...seems like the ECU is giving the engine a little gas or something is the best way i can explain it...RPM goes up and it sorta feels like i'm being rear ended or something....is this normal?

blackout04

3rd trans is failing. Anyway to reset the codes? I pulled the battery cable off to reset the computer and the car acts normal for a few miles until the trans sends an error message. Anyway to stop the error message being sent to the computer? I want to drive this POS into dealer and trade it in, they can deal with it right? I read a few things about the 3x3. Who has had success after getting the error codes and was able to drive it around?

Any and all recommendations welcomed.

2001 CL-S
Trans replaced 67k
3rd 109k
4th 202k

01tl4tl

remove the CLOCK fuse on passenger end of dash for 1 minute
thats easier than battery neg cable, forces a master ECU clear codes and resets system

you can try using some Type F trans fluid, not the special acura stuff.
it has proven to help get better shifts and engagement on certain ~worn trans~
Expect them to test drive the car and may get trans prob show up,,,
WTF DID you guys do to my car!!!! It was perfect this morning!

what codes are you getting?

akajambas

Noob question...acura TL tranny problems are for 2nd gen right? or does 3rd gen have problems?

niju321

early 3G also had trans issues

01tl4tl

04 05 used essentially our transmission
in 05 the warranty replacement trans came in a new case design- which likely went to gen3 as well

then 06 saw a different trans design used

The Big Bear

I am on my second post and learning how to navigate this site, i posted earlier but can't find my own post---that is how new i am at this. I posted that I picked up a 2000 TL super clean driven by my old college buddies wife since new. The cars Transmission was replaced at 45,000 miles and made it 100,000 miles and is acting up now. He sold me the car for $500.00. He went to college for computer programing I went to school as an Architect-----let's guess who is doing better right now with the current economy. Well, anyways I am going to use it for a commuter car---bettter than my Diesel Pickup. I tried resetting the Computer by pulling the positive battery cable and made it about 4 miles before it started to act up----would only shift in the Triptronic mode and then it would not go past third gear before rpms got too high. Almost did not make it home. I already sent an e-mail to NAV about doing my first Foreign Transmission swap--I am a old (Ford) guy who has all the tools and has built race motors. Still, Front wheel drive is a new game to me so I am swamped with questions. I can't get a PM or e-mail for 15 days or 5 posts and I think NAV tried to get back to me but I can't figure out how to open my PM box. This is my second post and I am asking if the swap on a front wheel drive 2000 TL can be done in my garage with jack stands? Can the transmission come out of the car from underneath or do you have to pull the bumper and hood and bring it out the top with the complete engine? Which is the best and least trouble for person doing everything by theirself. Since I am goign to have the Transmission out I wnated to put new rear engine main seal and check things out. I do have a Engine puller if that makes a difference? Thanks Bear

01tl4tl

it comes out the bottem -seperated from engine just like any auto trans

caution- unit weighs 450 pounds--more than average trans jack can safely support.
have a friend on hand, its not balanced very well either~

good idea on rear main seal

likely has total failure of the clutch disc/packs/stacks and material clogs the tc outlet screens- preventing trans operation
Hows the fluid look and smell. burnt sugar smell is death warning

you can try changing some of the fluid with plain type F for now - until the fresh trans is ready- thats been know to band-aid it
or do you plan to rebuild it yourself?

until ok to do PMs, maybe a throw-away yahoo address you can post here for the other member to see

01tl4tl

tip: you can reset the ECU by pulling the CLOCK fuse on passenger end of dash

that way you dont have to input the radio security code

The Big Bear

Thanks I ordered a PDF service manual from E-Bay today and it actually downloaded and was usuable. I was impressed anyways it looks like I can handle the pull no problem and I am even thinking about rebuilding it, I have re-built turbo 400 before so I think I can hadle it maybe a few special tools but a whole lot cheaper than 2100 from the stealership. I was looking for a complete re-build kit but I have not found one yet know of any?

josiel

Has anyone done on a 3rd gen a swap from AT to MT

01tl4tl

try posting in the gen3 area for actual help- this is gen2

The Big Bear

Okay after doing some research on the site ---man that was alot of reading I think I am headed towards the 05 or 06 Honda Oddy tranny swap and this is my fourth post so one more then I can get PM's from Nav for more details. I am getting some mixed info about using a USED tranny from a auto wrecking yard. Some individuals are telling me the seals will be dried out?? If the tranny has fluid in it the seals should be good right? Another thing is the torque converter usually comes with the tranny from my research so that saves some money as well, Besides the main seal i was just reading about a service repair on the motor my Acura. It was written right on the receipt. The mechanic used JB WELD per the intstructins from Acura?? on the webbing where it was weaping oil on the main case of the engine???? JB WELD?? Anyone else had this done to their car by the service? I will not kow what it looks like until I pull the tranny but I will post some photos if someones has not done so already. Acura and JB WELD??

01tl4tl

if by webbing it means a cast raised bar for support along a part, and a weak area could leak-
a little jbweld would fix that forever by making it deeper/thicker-stronger
done that on more than one project around here!

these kind of repair tricks come from the real techs working on the cars

show me a mechanic who doesnt have any jb in their toolbox,
and I will show you someone who ran out,,or left the cap loose~

01tl4tl

used trans sitting covered/inside a real warehouse protected from the elements
That place will know how to care for the trans,
but not expect much fluid would be sitting in it- spillage during storage or extra work draining to ship...

T convertor will be full of clutch particles, so a new or rebuilt unit is required with trans

The Big Bear

Thanks for the answers, I think should I just do a OEM new converter to be safe and I wonder how much that would run? Do you know of any places that sell New OEM parts at a fair price online better than the stealership oops I mean dealership? After searching the e-bay and the craigs list I think I have a few selections but I hate buying anything used without seeing it. I am trying to source some wrecking yards here in San Diego for Acura or Honda cars only and go see them as well this week. I am going to hit the regions area this weekend. Once again thanks for the help. Yeah I have used JB weld as well---it really is amazing but I was surprised about the casting on the engine block--well, engineers aren't perfect.

01tl4tl

engineers want it- production dept cuts back cost....

ck the VENDOR list next to log out box,,the dealers who sponsor this website and kick down a deal are listed there