Sutitan

So here is the story. Im driving to the beach. im on the highway and knock it into the shift mode (dont know what to call it). I use it alot so i know what im doing. it leave it in 5th. i go to pass a car and knock it into 4th...but. it feels like it drops to 2nd or 3rd. RPMS jump engine screams the car jerks and i quickly shift back up. i pop it back into just regular drive. i notice that any time i want to lightly accelerate it will do that gear jumping thing i just told about. so i go real easy everywhere. driving home is fine. i still go easy.

Ok, so this is where it gets really strange. i pull into my driveway, i get halfway, my car starts rolling back. I accelerate. nothing but reving. i turn off my car. wait a couple of seconds and start it up again. i put it into drive and decide to test it around the neighborhood. i when i put it into drive and accelerate i hear *criiink* from under me. i hear the car shift to 2nd. a bit better but still a bit of a noise. i hear it try go to 3rd...and accelerating doesnt do anything.. just revving again. put car in park, put into drive. nothing. turned it off and turned it on. put it in drive. i did the same thing again to make sure it wasnt something random. So, now i tried to test the shift mode. 1st went fine with a bit of noise. 2nd was fine. 3rd just assumed the revving. i tried going back to 2nd. nope.

At this point i noticed there is a big problem and i work my way towards the honda dealership next door (a bit less then a mile). i drove at 20mph and would have to shut my car off at every light. got there. mechanic had no clue, and suggested i take it to acura dealership cause he cant do work covered under warranty. Well, dealership is about 11-13 miles away... i start.... I realize im not going to get there. car keeps stopping. people hate me. so i pull over and call roadside assitance.

thankfully, they got my number wrong, and i was waiting forever in my car. the engine light popped up and the oil light popped up...my car was off (electrical stuff on). Im thinking the worst now. the guy comes 1hr30min later. we get off to Rick Case Acura. I have always serviced my car there even tho ive purchased from Ed Morse. Rick Case seems to have the nicest place and ive became friends with some of the workers there. drop it off. shuttle guy is on vacation, so i had a friend pick me up. Its been 5 hours now and no call back. im concerned. i want to know.

Anyways have any clue as to what it can be. I have an Acura TL 2004 AT with 41209 miles.

So...

csmeance

sound like a broken motor or transmission mount or even a internal transmission problem. Did you check the tranny fluid and see if it was sufficent or was it full? The car has many sensors so you won't brake the motor in SS, so if you try to sownshift when it can't then it won't let you. It sorta sounds like the motor or tranny mounts since the same happened on an old minivan that my mom had. BTW where is rick case acura? Also go and ask them to check if the car had the oil jet recall preformed on it since its a 2004.

Sutitan

Didnt check anything. Rick Case Acura is on 441 and Sunrise (South Florida). Ive been reading alot online and seems like there was some transmission recall on the 04's. im going to call the dealer tommorow see if they have figured out something.

Thanks for the response

01tl4tl

If you had a few years earlier car I would say the transmission has the Acura death syndrome. We -the 2000-2002 owners-got new trans under extended 109 thousand mile warranty- now there are some 2003 that were not included- its by VIN- but they are failing and being "goodwill replaced"

For others that experience traumatic wierdness like this- call the local Acura dealer and ask for a tow- its part of your warranty. Others should belong to AAA or other tow club

Go to www.acura.com ownership experience link with your VIN number at hand. Register your car, learn about recalls and warranties and store your radio security code for free.

01tl4tl

Just an FYI about Sequential Sport Shift mode and downshifts
It~the Computer~ will not allow the trans to downshift if that would cause an engine overrev
The gear you asked for, say going 3rd to 2nd- the number will flash on the dash and then display the current gear, if you brake or slow down enough- then it will allow it.
You are still in charge of all upshifts- if the car bucks and stutters- you hit the rev limiter

Downshift speed limits per 2001 book- your car may be different
5-> 4 under 125 mph
4-> 3 under 93 mph
3-> 2 under 60 mph

Sutitan

I think i bought the car in 03 as an 04...Ill check. I dont think mine would fall under that category tho.

Im so curious as to what it is. Ill keep everyone updated

Sutitan

about the speeds, this was the wierd thing. I showed 5th gear. but it was revving like 2nd or 3rd. i was going 60-80. and it did bounce off the redline for a second or two before i switched up again

Another wierd thing my shift mode did wierd was...

A couple times, also on the highway, during the same downshift to 4th thing i said above, it would just poof. meaning, i had to more control over the shifts. Its just as if i had it in drive. this was resolved once i parked, turned my car off and on. didnt happen until a few months after. Doesnt really bother me.

01tl4tl

May be shift selenoid prob with -the doesnt work in ss mode- there are some contacts that can be spray cleaned under the shifter
Try wiggling the shifter when it happens and see if that cures it

And go to acura.com - you may be in for a surprise treat! check your vin number
SOME of the 2003 are covered by the 109 thousand miles 7 years warranty extension
like a free new $4000 transmission- better than the lotto

Did it feel like a sudden downshift all by itself while driving or get a flashing D5 light on the dash?

Sutitan

Well. what you said is like half of what happened.

I was driving. downshifted but it jumped to a very low gear. revved very high. also while in drive and normally accelerating it dropped to a much lower gear and rpms were near redline.

I dont know what you mean by D5 light. the engine light came one (or i noticed it) when i was parked, waiting for the tow truck.

csmeance

not to be an ass, 01tl4tl, he has an 04 third gen TL, not a second Gen TL, meaning that any wayrrenty coverages that acura extended does not apply to him or us third gens. But you did have some good ideas on the soileide.

Now it sounds like you also have an electrical issue since the SS mode was crazy.

Sutitan

Update:

After waiting so long, i decided to call. they didnt go into detail. he sounded rushed but he said there was failure in one of the gears and ill be getting a new one under warranty.

w00t!

Xx06SickspdTlxX

Figures at my honda dealer in naples,fl we do probably 4 trannys a week all done under warranty

01tl4tl

sutitan-
the D5 light is the one that lights up in ss mode on the dash- where it shows the gear you are in- if that D5 light flashes- blinks- its a signal of trans probs
Same light blinks if you try to downshift at too high rpm- see owner book

csm:
First you should note, as I did, that the OP has under 50k miles/4 years and so would be covered by the standard warranty- not the gen 2 extended

It seems I was correct in my diagnosis of transmission failure for the car

Doesnt matter what years have the extended warranty SO FAR
Do you REALLY think they magically fixed it on an 04 when 03s have the problem- even ones not on the VIN list are getting courtesy replacements.

Symptoms are symptoms and if you note- I did say right off- IF this were a gen 2, I would say trans death for sure

You can buy new tires and that thump thump thump still means flat tire!

Sutitan

Yup, d5 did flash

I had a friend of mine who advised i get rid of the car. he said once a transimission goes, you will always have problems. he isnt a car guru, but i try listen to everything and not call him an idiot...

Anyone here of anything like this?

-Xx06SickspdTlxX

What are the transmission problems? there are plenty of things that can go wrong. Is there a patern?

before posting my problem.i was reading about 2 cases that sounded identical to mine. one on a '97 tl and the other on an '02. Both dealing with the gears changing randomly, phantom breaking, etc. So im assuming this isnt really new?