Hey there 3rd genners...

Forgive me for not using the search function well enough, but please believe me when I said I did use it.

I'm looking to get into a 3rd generation TL. Ideally the 6 M/T is what I would go for but unfortunately they are all out of my price range and in my opinion people are asking too much for them (in my area, anyway). My opinion aside, I have a few questions about the 2004 - 2006 transmission problems.

While searching, I found that it's a good idea to replace the 3rd and 4th gear pressure switches every 50k, and switch from Honda DW-1 to Redline D4 or Redline Type F.

Coming from a 2G TL, I feel like after years of research and study on why those transmissions have an inevitable fate of premature failure, I have a pretty decent grasp on the subject. Mine failed back in September and since I've been driving a Chrysler product. However I'm not too familiar with the 3G failure.

I know that 2G and 3G transmission failure happens for different reasons, but is there any in depth explanation as to why? For example the 2G 5 A/T is guaranteed to fail because the casing is too restrictive of ATF flow (among other reasons). Generally speaking it was a fatal design flaw that no rebuild, pressure switch, or ATF can fix.

Is there any certainty that a 3G ('04-'06) A/T won't fail provided it's been maintained properly, not abused, and the pressure switches have been changed?

I have fear that it will end up like the transmission in my 2G. That's to say that no matter what you do to it, it will fail no matter what.

Thanks for being patient with me.

 

One of my bargaining points when buying my car from a dealer was that manual luxury sedans don't sell. I told him that I'd been looking at prices for a few months and saw some manual TLs that had been sitting on lots for several months (the longest I saw was nine months!!! - true story). Then I told him that he can have a check in his hand right then and there or risk having this TL sit on his lot unsold for who-knows-how-long. He knocked a few hundred off the asking price just for that

 

As someone who bought their first TL when they really couldn't afford it, my advice would be to wait a while. The price of a 6MT is likely only 1-2k difference, and if that's enough to break your budget, then it may be a struggle to ensure that the car gets the love it requires as far as maintenance is concerned. The 100,000M service is about $1,000 alone.

As you pointed out for transmissions, there's absolutely nothing that guarantees you won't have issues. Proper maintenance helps your chances, but any used car is going to have a past that can't be guaranteed (I've never seen "transmission service/fluid change" on a CARFAX).

Last, it's not uncommon to have to widen your search for 3G TLs, especially if you want a Type-S. I flew 400 miles to pick mine up, and I've seen others here on AZINE go further than that.

Good Luck!

 

Thanks for the response.

Perhaps I used the incorrect word. I understand that there is never a guarantee when you're talking about a used car but my question is this:

Is 3G A/T failure inevitable, like on the 2G?

i.e) Is there a fatal flaw (minus the pressure switches) that makes transmission failure unavoidable?

 

Honda trans has a tendency to clog and overheat the converter.
During rebuild an additional passage is drilled to eliminate the problem.

Sometimes no rhyme or reason, it just goes and one wouldn't know the reason until the trans is disassembled and inspected. Some have bad luck and others no problems.
My personal preference is to use the DW1 fluid, maybe Redline D6, new fluid to replace DW1, but no Type F.

Just my opinion as I'm not trying to start another ATF thread war.

 

'04-'06 3G TL's tend to have higher rates of A/T failure but not to be mistaken that these tranny's are shitting the bed left and right like the 2G TL's. With proper care many are still on their original transmission but just like everything, it goes back to how the initial owner maintained the vehicle when buying a used vehicle.

You may want to increase your budget and take a look at '07-'08 TL's as they received a revised A/T that is much stronger and from what I see, doesn't fail that often.

 

As my esteemed forum compadres have said above me, there`s a better CHANCE of an `04-`06 transmission going on you. The `07-`08 were revised and there have been seemingly many fewer incidents of problems.

 

I have had my 204 5AT for 9 1/2 years and driven 80k miles. it's still going strong. I have not yet replaced the 3rd and 4th gear switches. Think i Will be doing it soon though.

 

my brother in law bought the TL brand new in 06 and now has 160k miles still with original AT.

 

This confirms my hunch, even though only a few have responded. I've been lurking on the 3G board since I registered in 2012, the same day I bought my 2G.

What I've gathered is that provided the pressure switches are changed, the trans isn't abused, and the fluid is changed regularly, the gears don't start slipping and the transmission seems to hold up well for the most part.

Truth be told, I think it's best to save my money and buy the exact TL I want as others have recommended. I'm no stranger to maintenance costs on older used cars. (I drove a 2G for 3 years, arguably the worst car Honda ever made, poured more than a few thousand into it over the years I had it) I'm just anxious to get out of the 17 year old Chrysler product I'm in now... that transmission is going to kick the bucket any day now.