A few months ago I had brought my car in for service and had them check my trans because I was having trouble shifting into 3rd gear from 2nd. If you didn't push the shifter up all the way it would either grind or jump out of the gate when the clutch was released. The service tech tried to replicate it and could not. I just dropped off my car yesterday for an A1 service and told them that I was still having the problem. They called me today and said the service manager was finally able to replicate the problem. According to them they notified Acura and they said they had complaints about this problem but no tech was able to replicate the problem. They said they were the first dealer to do it. I'm happy that this will hopefully get resolved. I brought my car to Wayne Acura in NJ and I'm quite happy with them. I know I read a few threads with people who had the same problem and figured I'd let all 6mt drivers know this is probably not normal.

 

Not normal, but definetly a known issue. I had the same problem and i changed my transmission fluid to the gm synchromesh, i believe thats what is was called. No more grinding out of third. Still feels notchy but havent had the problem of grinding anymore. I think thats what most people have been doing. I actually showed some of these threads to my dealer and although i had to keep this on the lowdown(oops ) he said he'd rather try this before starting to take the tranny apart and change out parts.

 

It wasn't grinding out of 3rd. When I would upshift from 2nd to third I had to push the shifter up until I felt it click into a "notch" If I didn't do that the gear would grind or jump out of the gate

 

This soo sounds like a problem with all acuras. My 06 RSX Type S does the same damn thing, you can actually feel where it clicks once then push it up again it'll click again if you dont then it'll pop out or grind (usually only happens when its cold or the cars been sitting too long). Hope this fixes it, let us know.

 

^ I agree it use to happen to me on my 2000 civic si.

 

How nice, we all have it in the Honda family.

 

it's a problem with the 3rd gear syncros. The tranny has too much pressure in 3rd gear.

i had the same issue in my 00 Si, and had honda replace the tranny 3 times.

here is the bulletin they had on it
http://rbf351.com/rob/me/Si/service/Grinds.pdf

 

Thank god I got the 5at Sorry guys I just had to say it.

 

Oh, I wish the 2nd gen owners could say that about their transmission.

 

Yup I still have the exact same problem. Is been an issue ever since i got the car, I took it to dealer before I saw about changing the fluid and they couldnt replicate it either.

I still haven't changed the fluid but that seems to fix everyones problem with 3rd gear. and of course they said they haven't heard about it before.

heres a link for what to get

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...40&postcount=1

 

Too much pressure in 3rd gear?? With a manual transmission? Please elaborate.

I would suspect bad 3rd gear shifting forks or maybe the dog teeth are bad. It is possible the 3rd gear synchros are defective but were that the case, you would have some serious grinding when trying to engage 3rd gear.

 

this is not a valid reason not to get a 6MT and should not help justify you getting the Automatic. The problem could be easily fixed.

A reason to get the auto would be if you had a family with kids, other people drive the car who dont know how to drive stick, you're living in an area that has constant traffic (and even that reason is iffy), or you dont know how to drive stick (which would make you less than a man).

Otherwise, you're just a pansy..

I say this half jokingly, but for those who dont have the 6MT, you dont know what you're missing.

 

I have the 6MT. After a few thousand miles, I had an issue pushing the shifter into 3rd gear every 20 or 30th shift. Put the GM FM into it and haven't had the issue ever since.

It never popped out of gear and never gave me issues otherwise. I think people buy AT or MT's based on personal preferences (one is not better than the other... it depends on what you're looking for), but I wouldn't trade my 6MT in for an AT TL for any reason.

I currently have around 12k on it and it still shifts like a hot knife though butter in EVERY gear (yes, including 3rd). I've never owned an MT with a more fluid feel to the shifts.

It's funny about all the 3rd gear issues we hear about here... By far, the BEST gear in a 3G TL 6MT is third gear. Unless I'm on the highway, my car spends more time in third than any other gear.

 

Huh?? Manual transmissions do not generate any hydraulic "pressure".

With regard to the 3rd gear issue, simply change your fluid to the GM stuff, and the problem is literally 100% gone, as countless members here can attest.

 

I would have went with the 6MT but up here soon as you do you can only get it with black leather and that I don't like .

 

You’re a pansy for even saying your pansy if you don’t have a 6mt.

 

Well I have a 04 TL auto as a loaner for the next week and I'm so glad I got the 6MT. In my opinion auto is just boring and you can feel the difference in power. 3rd gear problem and all i'd never give up my 6MT

 

I can relate to the "boring" issue. The one automatic personal vehicle I have ever owned was a 1983 Toyota Cressida. I thought I was going to tow a boat with it, but wound up towing with my wife's car instead.

I have two 3G TLs: my '04 manual and my wife's '05 automatic, so I can drive either one at any time and develop an immediate opinion as to the prowess of the car. Obviously, my '04 is my choice nearly 100% of the time.

 

I wish the 6th gen Accord owners could say that also

 

I have had this problem shifting into 3rd gear every now and then as well. Now here is the question.....since I am not a DIY-er, would the dealer replace the transmission fluid with that Synchromesh stuff if I provide it ?

 

I am another TL owner with the same 3rd gear shift problem on the 6MT. My dealer in Tallahassee is cooperative, but they don't sell many TL-MTs and have not seen this before. I sure hope the GM Synchomesh fluid is something they'll cooperate with. Another thread (closed) also says that "skip shifting" (such as shifting from 1st directly to 3rd or 4th) is damaging to the synchos in the transmission. They even cite an Acura bulletin on the issue. If so, it is a first for me. Road & Track mag had a Technical Correspondence a while back on things to avoid with manual transmissions and this was not mentioned. Moreover, as many of us probably know, the Chevy manual transmission in the Corvettes has FORCED drivers to shift directly from 1st to 4th unless they used full throttle. It has been this way for several years on the 'Vette. It is a method to increase mileage and avoid gas guzzler taxes. If this was so damaging, they'd blow up every 25k miles or so, if they were made like Acura's. So, are Chevy transmissions that much better than Acura's? I doubt it.

 

New 06. Had the same problem show up at about 3000 miles. Switched to GM fluid yesterday. Unbeleavible difference. This will cure the problem. Now I need time to put the short shifter in!!

 

I would change out the fluid in about 2,000 miles look for metal shavings.
Just a thought...


I ran GM Syncromesh in the Getrag 6-Speed in my VR-4 for 5,000 miles and the once was brown fluid turned into a silvery metalliac color once I drain it.
I've been hearing good things about Royal Purple Maxgear.

 

i told me dealer the same thing and they said theres no way in hell they would put a GM product in an acura!

 

My dealer would not either. They put the Honda MTF in. I still get a notch every now and then. Every so often when its cold I still get a 3rd gear issue. But not as often as I used to.


Papaman let us know how this turns out. Id like to see what Acura does about this.

 

Same exact problem with a TL 2005 6sp MT A-Spec. Even occasionally happens with 4-3 shifts, and other shift combo's also. You have to be very, very careful at start-up. Almost like shifting an old 914 porshe without the sloppy shifter...double clutch, double clutch, gentle push.....grrrrrrrind....#@$%!

Cold makes this far worse. (cold being comparative....this is California after all, and we view 40 degrees as freezing.)

Doesn't Acura have someone monitoring this site for issues like this and the rattles in and above the driver's door?

 

is there a service bullitin out for the 04-06 TL's that describes this? If so, does anyone have it available?

 

PANSY LEAD FOOT..

 

I have run the GM fluid for about 9000 miles, and when it came out, it looked new, with no metal at all in it. I just changed it to half honda and half GM fluid last week, and the shifting is in between GM hot knife through butter and clunky honda. Next time I am going with 2 quarts of GM and a half quart honda stuff.

Brett