hi i have a 2006 acura tl auto with 111k. today after picking up my parents and returning to my house, while trying to park the car the transmission didnt engage neither reverse or drive. i revved the car up to 3k rpm and it didnt move. i turned off the car and turn it back on and i did engage. Than i waited 5 mins and took the car for a test drive the car shifted smooth and drove fine but when i was about to park the car did the same thing (not engaging) but this time the car felt like i was loosing engagement. i checked the oil level and it was fine but its a light brown color.

what is going on with my car?? thanks guys in advance.

ps my wife is the one driving the tl so no abuse or high rev.

 

Tranny fluid level?

 

normal level

 

When was the last time you flushed the tranny, and also do you know if the pressure switches were changed?

 

No blinking D light? If none, there are problems that won't cause the light to blink, so I thought I'd list some from the FSM:
Low fluid level, ATF filter clogged, ATF pump worn/binding, mainshaft worn/damaged, regulator valve, and then there is the shift cable, out of adjustment or the connection between the cable and trans or body is worn.

If it doesn't move even when trying it in all selections, I personally would check/replace the filter first, then go from there.

Filter replacement:
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/5at-filter-cartridge-731052/

 

 

Thanks guys I bought the car last year with 95k miles. Now the car has 111k miles, the oil looks light brown with a very fainted pink. I just turned on the car and shifted to reverse and drive and it did engage. But I want to fix it because my wife is the one driving it with our 7months baby. Any ideas. Oh no, the d does blink.

 

also, if i shift from d to r and r to d 2 or 3 time i wont engage any more. :/ i have to turn off the car for it to engage.

 

The fluid is only dyed red/pink to distinguish it from other fluids, but over time will turn brown, that is normal.
As stated earlier, change the filter, but other than that I would assume you're going to need a trans expert to do diagnostic and check line pressures. Worst case senario if it doesn't move at all, you could take out the filter and button up everything back up and then check to see if the car will move. If it moves get the filter and associated parts, if not, no harm done.

 

thanks im taking the car to the shop.

 

Hope it's a shop that knows transmission. The problem with the dealership or just a normal repair facility, is that they certainly aren't trouble shooters on transmissions, as the do some investigation and reply with it needs another trans. They then install the rebuilt unit and never know what the problem was with the non-working trans. Last year, a fellow that frequents the local tire shop had an '05 that he purchased with just 87k miles, just stop working, no movement, no blinking D, nothing. Sent it to Acura and they replaced the trans. New trans works fine, did not offer an explanation as to what was the problem with the trans other than it was worn out, needed to be replaced. Lightened his wallet quite a bit.
Keep us posted.

 

Could it be possible that it's the safety lock switch that activates when you step on the brake is going bad? or brake sensor?

 

He indicated the the "D" is blinking. Thats never a good sign. There are codes stored that the dealer can pull. post the codes here if they do not give you the code definitions. Good luck! I have on 06 as well and i am on transmission #3.

 

no the D is not blinking.

 

^ thats what i understood from post #7. But thats good if it isnt. Yeah perhaps its the shift lock solenoid deal. It may be an easy fix!

 

sorry about the confusion, the phone auto corrected the word.

 

according to the dealer the transmission is toast! :/

 

did you consider a complete tranny flush ?

 

Why is that not a surprise.

 

they dont want to do the flash because according to them it wont help? i changed the 3rd and 4th oil swtches and nothing so if i change the flash will it help???

 

So? no flashing D? no error codes? How did they diagnose?

 

i forgot to mention, on my way to the dealer the check engine light came up. the code is a p0741 lock torque converter.

 

The dealer will always say it's toast even if it's just a fluid level problem.

As Turbonut suggested, change the filter. Having to turn it off then back on to get it to work is a classic sign of a plugged filter. You have to ask yourself why did the filter plug in the first place but this is a good and cheap place to start and you can do it yourself.

If you're getting the torque converter solenoid failure code, it can be cause by debris in the oil plugging it up. At the minimum, change the fluid with a cheap $2 Dextron III fluid from your local autoparts store and replace the filter. You will only be out $30 and it's worth a try.

It can also be the non serviceable screen inside of the trans being plugged. When you change the oil, get it hot, let it sit for an hour to make sure everything has fallen back into the sump and after the oil is drained out, dump another quart through there to flush it out some more.

Just the fact that it wouldn't engage both drive and reverse gives hope since you're using two different clutch packs. If it would do reverse but not drive I would lean more toward a new transmission.

 

Just to jump in here, what if the d is blinking and you pull two code (p0777 and p0746) one is for solenoid a being stuck off and one is for solenoid b being stuck on. My transmission fluid is brown as could be and is definitely burnt. Could it just need a flush and pressure switch replacement?

 

^^ well sounds like a solenoid issue. pressure switches are solenoids. never hurts to change fluid in this transmission.

 

Hey im having the same problem. Had codes p0741 and P0721. The transmission works as normal until the car warms up but then it acts as if the car is in neutral and only revs. If i turn the car off for a little bit and back on the transmission will engage for a few miles but then it starts to just rev and not accelerate.

Which filters could be clogged? Or what do u guys recommend. I really hope i can fix this without rebuilding the granny Tranny

 

hmm p0741 is not a good code check to see if your solenoid is bad its under the intake but start saving up for a rebuild mines did the same for about a week till it gave it i paid 1200 to get it rebuild a couple of days ago

 

That's what happened to mine - it was dead.

OP - don't let the dealer replace it. They wanted $6,500 out here. A local shop replaced it with a rebuilt one for $2,500. I'd bet it was from the same tranny shop that the dealer used, too.

 

Where exactly is the solenoid? Any pics of what it looks like in its exact location?

 

Feel your pain man, I have an 06 that just crept over 111k myself, and my tranny is leaking between the case halves and I took it to the dealer. They quoted me 3,952.51 to replace it with a re manufactured one. Obviously I do not have that kind of money so in the mean time I just have to keep an eye on the fluid level. Bought some transmission sealer and put it in to see if it would seal the leak. Haha yeah, that did not work at all. Also need to do the 105k too. FML!

 

Mine did the same...on a cold start it would engage just fine but once its warmed up it pops me out of gear and wont engage to any gears the car was a bit over 123k just had mine rebuilt.. one of the shaft was damage, one of the drums was seized onto the shaft, torque converter was replaced also few others items ....

 

I'm at 124,00 miles. I just dropped almost 3 grand on a full tune-up (2 motor mounts replaced, spark plugs and cables, timing belt and tensioner, water pump, power steering pump, both front compliance bushings, and 4 wheel alignment.

After all this was done, I had the car for about a week and my tranny started doing the same exact thing as the OP. There are no codes on the dash and the tranny was due for a flush soon. Did I wait too long?

I cranked it up yesterday just to keep the parts lubricated and the transmission was making a terrible whine. When i put it in gear, it delayed for a few seconds and then it slowly slipped into R and D. The whine only occured in P or N. Any suggestions?

 

Mine misses 2nd and goes to 3 rd really. Nasty

 

For all the people having these issues, have you ever changed the Tranny fluid at all? If so did you use the Honda fluid?

 

I saw a post with similar probs to those described here and a change of the 3rd/4th pressure switches fixed their issue...

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=508

 

SORRY FOR THE HI-JACK.
I have been searching all over. My 07 TL Type-S wont go into "R" I swith through all the gears and "D" keeps flashing ??? I checked all the fluids, etc. Same thing ?? I also noticed the VSC Triangle light stays on and wont switch at all. Normally I take Off "VSC" so I don't drive with it ON. Which then shows the Triangle that shows its disengaged. Now every time I start it, again and again, the Triangle keeps staying on, and when I push the "VSC" Button, it does nothing ?? Please Help

SORRY AGAIN FOR THE HI-JACK. When I say you asking if the "D" was flashing I had to comment. Because this is exactly what my car is doing. Always maintained with Acura/Honda fluids.

 

my 02 CL-S did that non engage in drive thing when it got really really really cold (like -30F). put it in reverse and then drive and it worked. I was thinking trans issue but it does not make sense so it might just have been cold PRNDL selector switch on the trans acting up [the dash had no blinking D5 and the selector shows the right gear]

I have been using the newest fluid and that stuff works wonders for that crappy transmission... and I have moved to changing the fluid every other oil change
get the code scanned at the dealer, the hand held units typically won't pick those up

 

Ditto. If car has been abused and not maintained, expect premature dead.

 

Thankyou Guys.
I will call Acura
I don't abuse, and its very well maintained.

 

So I've fallen victim to transmission issues as well. 05 TL with original trans at 128K mi. It catches the gears a bit roughly at cold starts but loses the 3rd 4th and 5th gears when it warms up. Its had 3rd and 4th pressure switches replaced in Oct 2011 and recently had 3x3 service with Redline D4 8/2013 to 12/2013. Never replaced the filter. Dealership says that I gotta replace the trans for $4500, but I was wondering if you guys thought that gettin the filter and pressure switches replaced and drain and fill would be a good final hail mary? Or should I just do the filter and drain and fill?