I just got an '05 TL a few weeks ago after the '99 got totalled. It's primarily for my family though. They've been complaining to me about the transmission. They are saying that the transmission is slipping when going into drive or reverse. I drove the car this morning, it seemed like the torque converter takes 1-2 seconds to get the car in gear, I didn't reall think anything was wrong with it, but they kept bothering me about it until my brother insisted that I drive with him to see the problem. I drove the car this morning alone, the car was cold, and my drive was only a few minutes. Seemed like it was relatively normal. When my brother took me for a ride in it tonight, the car was warm, as it was driven for a while. At that point, the car took 3-5 seconds to get into gear, sometimes making you think that the car is already in gear so you push on the gas only to feel like you were rammed from behind because of the frikkin torque converter catching into gear. At some point I was on an uphill slope, put the car in drive, the car rolled back like mad, as if it was in neutral until I pushed on the gas and the torque converter slammed into gear. I searched but found no one else with any problem like this. Anyone? I thought the tranny headaches in the TL were gone since the '04 model...guess not..

 

I'd say the tranny problems are gone since you couldn't find any other posts with a problem similar to yours. Your issue seems to be exclusive. Just have the dealer check it out because a 3-5 second delay is not normal, if thats how long it really takes.

 

bring it into the dealership and have it checked. The car is too new for this kind of problem and in the long run, it could cost you thousands.

 

Actually this delay "issue" has been brought up before in a few threads. Most folks including me mentioned a 1-2 second delay. My 2004 has also done this since new, yet with no change to date etc. Not saying it is right - my professional opinion would be their "is" something wrong.... My limited auto-tranny knowledge would suspect a pump/pressure issue (not the torque converter), given if you rev the engine it immediately goes into gear. I remember similar issues with older Nissan (and GM) transmissions that had poor pump pressure at low rpm and/or some having dirty valve bodies within the trans. Actually had brand new vehicles that required transmission valve body removal and cleaning....

I have not had mine back to the dealer however.. Those that did bring it up to their dealer typically received the "normal" response.

Please have your dealer look at it... Maybe you/we can get a better response.... Though I have my doubts.

 

i ahve the same thing, you'll get used to it after a few months.

 

Normal.

 

^ IMHO, 1-2 seconds in normal, but not up to 5 seconds....when I put the car in drive, it felt like the longest 5 seconds of my life...not to mention sometimes it didn't kick into gear until I pushed on the gas and felt like I got rear ended...you really think that's normal?

 

Well if I put my car into reverse in the mornings or Drive for the first time it has a long lag time. I have just found this to be normal for the TL. I have to wait a few seconds for the second shift which I can feel. First movement feels like the selector choosing the gear and the second one which is usually 2-3 seconds after that is the gear actually being engaged.

Maybe this is why I don't get a bang when going into reverse because I wait for it to actually engage the gear fully. I have been doing this since I brought the car home from the dealership. It also isn't quick to shift when in sport mode. There is a good lag time between the gears there. Sometimes if I bump the shifter up it won't even register and I have to bump it again. It's an auto and well I think just one of those characteristics of the TL.

 

I have an 04 TL and been encountering the same problem with a 2-5 second delay going into reverse or drive. It feels like the transmission is shifting twice before going into reverse or drive. I have noticed the problem more when the car is warm. I have scheduled to bring it in to the dealer again because I don't think that this is normal operation. I have driven an 05 TL loaner and it did not shift this way.

 

JBCS, you mentioned taking it to your dealer "again". I take it you have had someone look at it already? Anyway, let us know how your visit goes.

The way you describe your shift, it is exactly the same as mine. Kind of a 2 step process as it goes into gear. I can say that mine doesn't take 5 seconds though. You may have more mileage than I (13K).

Good luck

 

KJSmitty,

I already brought it in once for the long delay (2-3 sec)and they told me that it was a normal operation and that there aren't any adjustments that can be made on it. All Acura will do if there is a problem with the tranny is replace the entire transmission.

The delay time varies and of course, the delay wasn't as long when I had brought it to the dealer. But now, I am noticing that it feels like it is shifting twice when putting it into drive as well and the delay is still there. Delay is one thing, but I know cars well enough that when you put a car in drive, you shouldn't feel it is shifting between gears twice. It's strange because the delay varies at different times and I can't pinpoint if it's just when the tranny is warm or cold. I am scheduled to bring it in on 10/17 and will drive with the mechanic so I will let you know how it goes. BTW, I have 48K miles on mine.

 

To know what really happens, if you drive a long trip on highway without traffic jam and stop in a town and test your tranny, if it's ok than compare it with a lot of city driving stop and go. I'm quiet sure you problem with tranny will be worse
in city driving.
If the weather is hot also.

Honda as a serious problem with transmissions even on 2005, dealer are more aware of this and i think a TSB is comming soon.

I M fighting since march to have my tranny replace because sometimes my TL is very sluggish, more often when i do a lot of gear change (in D position or manually), sometimes the shift is hard, sometimes i can't spin out the tires on a start. One customer have is transmission replaced at 600 miles.

 

....Bringing back a post from the dead....

I took the car back to the dealer again, this time my brother with me, he drives it more ofen than I do, and demonstrated to them the delay in the tranny kicking in. They called late friday and couldn't figure out the problem, 99% will have to order and replace with a new transmission. So there you have it...I thought I'd be done with tranny problems after 3 in my '99. Oh well.