Want to love my car but there are a few things that drive me crazy.

I'm hoping you experts can lend your assistance.

Car has 54K miles. My previous cars was a Civic SI, Jetta turbo, Mitsubishi Esclipse Turbo, Dodge Dakota. All manuals.

Shifting
My new TL-S is the most difficult to shift smoothly. Can't seem to figure this car out. Car feels like its going to stall shifting into first in traffic, 1st to 2nd is rough. Car feels like it jerks as a release the clutch and accelerate. Acura dealer told me they installed a new clutch and Tranny before I bought it.

The shifter make a clunk sound as a shift into each gear. 3rd is probably the loudest. Almost like a cheap plastic on plastic sound. Not what I expect from a higher end car. My Civic SI is silent and smooth.

Steering wheel
Much harder to turn wheel. Feels like there isn't any power assisted steering. Is this a TL-S thing?

Clutch Pedal
Makes a crunching sound every time I press down to shift. I can feel the crunching through my shoe.

I have brought the car back to Acura and they say it all checks out. I feel like they think I'm crazy.

 

The TL-S has variable ratio steering, but unless something is wrong it shouldn't be that bad.

Try taking it to a local shop you've been to and can trust and have them look at it.

 

I have an automatic so I can't speak to the shifting issues... but as for the steering, it is a hard wheel to turn but that is just how I like it. When I drive any other car I always feel like the steering is way to loose.

 

I've always owned manual cars.
The TL was the hardest fucking car to learn. It took me about 3 months.

We also have a check valve in the slave cylinder. it regulates fluid.
One of our veteran members modded this check valve and made a thread about it.
You have to take out the check valve from the slave cylinder.

I did it, and it honestly made my shifting smooth.

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/113-removal-slave-cylinder-check-valve-734300/


Edit*
While my clutch was recently changed, its smooth.
I have driven different buddies TL's and their clutch seems very VERY gritty. Like I can feel it in my feet.
Take this with a grain of salt, as I dont know why theirs feel diff than mine.

 

Wow you guys are fast. I plan to bring it into Acura one more time since it is under warranty. They offered to grease the pedal which they say will take fix the gritty noise I hear and feel.

The steering wheel isn't bad. It just feels very different than my lighter 4 bangers.

I'm more concerned about the inability to shift smoothly.

Other than these items the car is amazing. Fit and finish are amazing.

I was very lucky. I stopped at my local dealer and they said sorry we never see the Type-S. A fellow salesmen said they just received a NBP off the truck and it was mint! 50K MI, 27,000. I'm sure I paid a premium since they never get them in stock. Oh well. You only live once.

 

Shifter making the clunk sound - I am wondering about this as well. I am thinking about maybe take out the shifter boot and put some lithium grease on it.

 

Does your 3rd gear feel weird or pops out?

The first thing I would do, any many others will chime in, is to change out the MTF to GM syncromesh fluid friction modified.

 

I brought a TL-S 3 wks ago and feels the same on the steering.
I have a bit more mileage then you and the power steering fluid was thick and black.
I have only change the ps fluid from the reservoir and it made a difference. A bottle of stock ps fluid is 2-3 dollars from my local honda dealership. You might want to give this a try.

 

Heavy steering is normal. And better, imho.

Notchiness/clunkyness - GM fluid as indicated.

Why was the clutch and trasmission "replaced" at only 54k? Sounds fishy to me. Serioulsy doubt the dealer "replaced" anything; Sounds like "sales bs". If they did, you should find out why. It's not normal.


I've heard it over and over that the TL MT is "different" than most other MT's - something to do with pedal uptake, engagement, etc.

 

yea the type s has stiffer steering than the base model counterparts. its made like that on purpose. parallel parking sometimes is a PITA because its tough to move it with 1 hand alone.