I have a 2001 TL-S at about 110K miles. It had its replacement transmission few years ago at about 60-70K, and now I am getting issue which may not be the tranny, but wanting to get suggestion with.

The problem is the car will run fine, and all the sudden slowing down like brake is on. At the moment, if I keep the acceleration, tranny does shift gear, but high RPM with car driving slow speed ( like 20mph ). And, when I let go the gas paddle, car just slow down like the brake is lightly on. When I step on brake, car stops quickly like usual. No hard shifting or slipping problem on tranny.

Another thing to mention is that problem could be on for 10 minutes, but all the sudden, in the middle driving, it goes back to normal again! After I get back home, I could also small some kind of burning small through the front wheel, which was not very strong that I had to get close to the front wheel to small it, but obvious.

I took the car to a transmission repair shop, and they don't think the problem is the tranny, but possibly the braking system. What could this be??

 

do you have any lights on the dash?

 

then have a brake shop inspect it! could be several things but getting it on a lift with a pro is your next step
Also get 2nd opinion on here
and 3rd opinion from another shop after us!
we can only diagnose so well here,, unless you move the modem much closer to the car

 

pretty funny for an old guy ...

 

Welcome to AZine... You're a higher level than me with your very first post =[

 

No engine check light. It seems the problem won't happen when the car is not heated up yet. After driving quite a bit, or the weather is hot, it is more than likely to happen.

I just retrieve the car from the shop, and I got both professional tranny tech and repair tech inspect this car with test drive, both of them think that problem has something to do with brake system, or possible sensor related issue.

Any idea?

 

a pro repair tech says what??? pretty non-specific answer
no sensor name? sensor for what? trans?'

atf fluid condition?
ckd level 15 minutes freeway cruise warm from cold -as `between the dots` when engine off- in park?

what could it be in a brake issue? no hints?
did they remove the wheels and inspect for that smell?
I would start by finding that!!
sticky caliper operation? fluid condition?- last brake fluid flush?
been thru the brakes and all is well, no sticking parts?

 

Thanks for the advises!

Nope ... not really any hint from the techs. They said issue highly possible in braking system, ABS, "perhaps". Or, "some kind of" sensor malfunctioning issue. I suppose they had no clue what could be wrong, too, so I felt bad to keep on asking them. Well, one helpful suggestion they have gave me ......... " take it to dealer, they should be able to figure out " .....

Brake fluid was flushed and replaced a short while ago, with DOT3.

Shouldn't be the sticky parts, because the problem could act up in the middle of driving; not the " press & not release" type of issue.

I think I just got one heck of weird problem

Just curious ......... what are the symptoms for malfunctioning ABS system? So far, that's most suspicious target to me.

 

abs activates when not needed, or wont work at all would be the big symptoms
A faulty wheel speed sensor will mess with you--does the cruise control work perfect?

question for acura techs or desk staff:
any TSB on accumulator or something would cause this prob intermittantly?
ABS not my area of expertise

I would do the `abs test after lines open procedure`- 2 ABS stops from 45mph
if pedal better 2nd time there was air trapped in abs part, not able to get out by normal bleed, but now its been released and is ready to be bled out
so that and bleed/flush the fluid- ck for air

 

a caliper can get stuck partially on, burning up (literally!) your brake pad on one side of rotor
have you ckd everything yet?
or still guessing based on casual coversations with tech,,car not on the lift and actually being inspected

 

Even the engine light is still not on, I scanned it with my little pocket OBDII tool, and surprisingly found P1740 code, which by googleing it, it refers to "4th clutch fluid pressure switch", or something like it. One lady with Honda Oddessy mentioned that her car made stop on freeway due to this problem. Does it sound like the cause to my problem?

I honestly don't think it is the ABS problem, but I will do full check-up this weekend. When I encountered the problem as testing drive ( this is my sister's car ), I did experience some resistance on wheels ( felt like pedaling brake half way ), but I was able to make immediate stop when stepping on brake pedal ...... brake responses immediately and precisely.

Thanks for the reminder on caliper, it sounds possible. I will look into it over the weekend.

 

guess what part of the car has a 4th gear pressure switch...and its not the brakes~

find that fluid burning smell- if the trans has developed a leak you want to know NOW
before loss of fluid causes trans failure

 

Inspected brake today and found the driver side caliper is bad; it seem has got sticky as 01tl4tl suggested. Replaced calipers on both sides, and car runs fine so far.

The major symptom this car has has not yet happening again after brake fixed, but I don't think the bad caliper could cause that ( maybe I am wrong ), so I am still going to look into replacing 4th gear fluid pressure switch, thinking it might be the actual cause.

I have inspected the tranny fluid condition, it seems and smell just normal; it was flushed only few thousand miles ago as its regular 15K tranny flushing routing.

Should I replace the 3rd fluid pressure switch along with 4th? I have someone replacing both as preventative care on newer TL. This guy has no issue with tranny, and does not state why he replacing 3rd & 4th switch as maintenance car, but not others. Any suggestion will be highly appropriated!