Not sure where I should post this question but I would just like to know if my trans is starting to have problems or if this is normal.

I have an 04 TL Automatic and when I am doing around 30-40mph and floor it to pass someone or just have a little fun, it seems like the transmission seems to take a little while to figure out what I am trying to do, it's not a long pause but I hear the engine rev up for a little bit then the trans kinda says Ohh OK you want to go faster and then drops down gears.

It could be that I am in something like 4th gear and it drops to 2nd maybe its just normal for it to pause like this but I have driven other automatics not just TL's and they seem to drop right in to the lower gear and take off where mine seems to lag.


Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

 

If your trans is slipping, you'll know it. It STOPS accelerating and just revs. Then it grabs kind of all of a sudden (and probably harshly).


The Acura/Honda AT in this car (and the Accord, I've heard) have always had a 'problem' hunting for the right gear in that mph range. If that's what's happening - it's accelerating, but 'thinks' about what gear it wants to be in, then downshifts - I'd say it's normal.

 

Agreed. As long as it's not slipping, it sounds like normal functioning.

 

Sounds like it is 'hunting' for the right gear as posted above. With autos it really depends on how far down you are pressing the accelerator. If you are going 30-40 and suddenly floor it the down shift should be pretty quick since it recognizes exactly what you need. If you press down less than full throttle or go full throttle at a gradual speed, it takes more time for it decide which gear is appropriate for that amount of pedal pressure. Try flooring it from 30-40 very rapidly and it should downshift pretty quickly.

Hopefully it's not a tranny flaring issue or any sign of failure.

You can try using the manual/sport shift mode to test the gears and how quickly they downshift when commanded.

Another option is to reset the ECU. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but the ECU learns your tendencies. Where and when you like to upshift/downshift in correlation to how much pressure you apply to the gas pedal. You must not drive aggressively very often so the ECU has been taught to downshift only one gear usually so perhaps the 2 gear jump is taking longer to happen. Resetting that wipes the memory and allows you to start the 'learning' process all over. However it will revert to your common driving tendencies after awhile.

 

I hate that 25-40mph range.. I get this odd should I be in 3rd or 4th gear change all the time on my way to work everyday and on my way home!!

 

When it's annoying is when it goes, "I'm in 3rd, but should be in 4th ... nope, back to 3rd .... hmmm, that ain't right, I'm going back to 4th."

 

Slipping would be as if you floored it and it too way too long to switch gears or just revs up. Most of the time a good sign of it going is that when it wants to switch gears it hesitates and "jumps"...

Slipping means its going and you can still get some life out of it, but when it jolts when switch gears...its almost gone..

I do have a working auto trans as well as manual trans swaps if your interested..

 

It takes a while to do a double downshift especially if you're usually easy on it. Avoid the 4-2 automatic downshift at all costs. This is what causes the trans failures. Third gear momentarily applies at the same time as second which causes the feeling of going nowhere and wears third out. Engine rpms raising is probably nothong more than normal torque convertor slip.

 

^i HATE that about our AT's. that's why i always drive in SS so i can tell the computer what to do and not the other way around.

 

my favorite hate of the AT is when using the air conditioner during low speed stop and go traffic. if i must do that for a long span of time and NEED the air i will often just leave it in 2nd, otherwise you almost need to floor it and then slam on your brakes due to the harshness of that 1-2 shift.

 

Yea, I don't think it's slipping, it just seems a little odd. I can't quite remember when I bought the car it had about 51k miles on it and it seemed to shift alot quicker from gear to gear and now it seems to take a little longer with almost 100k on it.

I forgot to mention that I have put in the Red Line Racing ATF, only one change though, not the 3+3. I would like to do the 3rd and 4th gear Pressure Switch change also, maybe that would help a little.

 

Story of my life man lol

 

Thought I was the only one. The A/C on at city speeds makes my car drive like shit.

 

Same here.