Kruezr

At 85 miles, I had to take my brand new TLX in due to loud front end noise. Diagnosis, replace strut.

At 2700 miles, back to dealership, same basic issue. Need to replace a bolt to tighten strut. In the course of this exercise, they call and tell me a wheel bearing needs to be replaced. OK. I also told them that I thought the transmission was anything but smooth. They call back and tell me something is wrong, but they don't have a clue since they can't drive the car until the get the new bolt.

While I really like the car, not sure about how reliable it'll be going forward. I'll keep the board posted as the situation develops. In the meantime, anyone had this multitude of problems with this model?

pizokk1

i been having alot of problems with this car, thinking about getting another car

Quandry

Sorry to hear about your problems. Your problems with strut and bolt were previously reported or have TSB's. The good news very few other people have reported them and once they are fixed everything should be solid.

Kruezr

I mentioned the same thing to my wife yesterday afternoon. However, I'm going to ride it out for the time being. We've had Acura's since 1999, all from the same dealership and have been more than satisfied with their service department though the only things we've had to deal with is normal maintenance. This will be a real test for them.

Kruezr

I've been doing a lot of research the past few days and tend to agree with your assessment. My primary concern is the transmission.

Rocketsfan

There were 1 or 2 other posts I've read where people had a bad strut. Quandry also mentioned the fact there was a TSB on tightening a bolt that, when loose, may have caused "clunking" sounds from the strut. I thought I heard it on mine once or twice, but wasn't sure, so my dealership went ahead and tightened the bolts anyway according to the TSB. I haven't heard anything since. The only thing I really have a gripe with so far are the transmission shift(s) and possibly the music sub-folders on my USB drive not being read correctly sometimes (they sometimes show up and sometimes don't), but the latter may be due to my USB drive - not sure.


My 3G TL had rattles, rotor issues, etc. initially, but overall it was a really reliable car for it's 246,000 miles. I'm hoping this car is at least equally as reliable.


The issues we're seeing in this forum is nothing compared to the mess I saw in the Q50 and ATS forums when they were released. Believe me, we all want a perfect car, but it really doesn't exist. Ok, ok... maybe Lexus...

Kruezr

They told me last week that they had to order the bolt that they could not tighten. Go figure.

Haven't heard from the dealer for a few days.

tlxsteve

Sorry to hear about your issues. I haven't seen any problems since around the four-week mark. The car just had a second oil change this past Saturday. I haven't seen any issues between oil changes. I am at 14,300 miles. Hopefully you can get these issues behind you and you can start enjoying the TLX.

Kruezr

Just talked to the dealership. Still waiting on parts for the front end. No chance yet to assess transmission problem. They've had the car for a week and it's not likely that I'll get it back before another week passes. And so it goes......

Hoosier_TLX

It sucks you're having problems with your car, and I hope it gets straightened out for you. I read all the comments about what others were experiencing before I bought my car and luckily I have avoided any to speak of. I hope and trust that Acura will continue to work through all the bugs associated with a new model and everything will be taken care of.

Kruezr

Well, I got the car back on Saturday. Going out of town for Father's Day gave me a chance to see if everything was corrected.

Front end seems OK; no noise, clanging, etc. True test will be over time.

The transmission seems to be a mixed bag. I was told by the service rep that Acura had released a software upgrade that would correct the problems which the dealer installed. While the transmission performed quite well at cruising speed, going from a dead stop to around 20 MPH, leaves a lot to be desired. Around 10 MPH, as the car shifts, the TAC goes to about 2500 and the car lurches into the next gear with a noticeable shudder. The same occurs around 15 MPH and seems to smooth out around 20 MPH. Anyone have thoughts/experience with this? I'm contemplating taking a run out to the dealer, have the service rep take a ride with me and than ask to drive a demo TLX, V6 to see if the same issue is with that model or if it's just my car.

Hoosier_TLX

What IDS mode are you driving in? I don't have any concerns with the shifts, but there is a sensation of the gears upshifting. I mean that to say I notice when the gears go from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 and perhaps 3 to 4, but it's nothing that makes me worry or get upset at. I do notice slightly more of a "jolt (for lack of better description)" in Sport and Sport + mode.

Kruezr

I drive in the normal mode. I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill, but on all our other Acura cars, i.e., TL and RDX, the transmission has been smooth as silk.

mojo_79

The 9-speed transmission is horrible. I have 1500 miles on mine and the 1-2 and 2-3 shift is exactly like you described; you get a jolt as the car shudders. Moderate to hard acceleration makes it less noticeable. Stop and go traffic where you're constantly going from 0-10mph is downright embarrassing as the car can't figure out what gear it wants to be in and it jerks you all over the place. And don't even get me started on the 2 second downshift delay when you're cruising and then press the accelerator to pass somebody...

Acura ruined what would have been an amazing car with this garbage transmission.

Hoosier_TLX

It's not so much as making a mountain out of a molehill as it is about how you feel your car performs. I don't experience the issue that others have reported, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If you feel that your car doesn't shift as it should then it's a problem. Hopefully, it will get resolved with time and updates.

Kruezr

You hit the nail on the head. My exact same experience. I love the car, styling, ride, but I hate the transmission.

mani

True @ Garbage transmission. For the lag on the downshift, trying switching preffered IDS mode to Sport mode always. That helps a lot... What my service rep told me is that the 08 Type S had direct cable for throttle, the TLX has 2 sensors one at the gas pedal and the other on the throttle body. Once you press the accelerator, there is delay between both sensors which causes that parachute feeling or lack of power and then suddenly kicks in. In sport mode the issue fixes a bit but still there. Pretty stupid.
I wish they would have just used the same transmission and system from the 08 Type S, ofcourse adding VCM !

mapleloaf

A few points for consideration. I believe that the shudder or jerk is often overstated. For the most part, the first two shifts can be "notchy" depending upon a number of factors that have been documented elsewhere. However, there is hope, as i have increasingly found that the issue is evaporating for me. When the car is "cold", I focus more on applying enough power to make the shifts fine most of the time. As the transmission warms up, the shifts become seamless. Yesterday, 90% of these shifts for my 60k city errands were smooth. The ambient temperature would also seem to have some impact, but I'll have to go through next winter to determine that. The other 6 shifts are always silky smooth.

jeich182

I'm beginning to think the same thing. The TCM update didn't work and my car still has a hard 2-3 shift with the occasional jolt as you're coming to a stop and it goes back into 1st.
What's just as bad is the 4-5 dog clutch shift (delay) often occurs when I'm going around corners and just when I want throttle the car goes limp for a second while it does a 5-4 downshift.
Also curious is I seem to have to work harder to provoke downshifts whereas the old 6AT would downshift with slight throttle inputs. You'd think with so many gears it would be more eager to give you one.

This would be a great car if not for the transmission.

Momyc

Perfect description of what is happening. I wish I can switch 9AT with TL 6AT and TLX it will be almost a perfect car...

mojo_79

The 1-2 upshift really isn't that bad. It's noticeable, but I could live with it. The 2-3 shift is definitely screwed up. It almost seems like the gear ratio between 2nd and 3rd is too great. Even when downshifting, the RPMs jump so much when going from 3-2; More than any other gear. If that's the case, no software update will be able to fix this.

If there were only one problem, that wouldn't be so bad. Except the downshift delay takes all the fun out of driving this car.

I miss the throttle response of my 2012 SH-AWD. I could go from cruising at any speed to full throttle and that car would respond quickly. I like the TLX engine better, it has better low-end torque and a broader power band, but this transmission really holds it back.

Quandry

Warning: adult speculation follows. Read and comment at your own discretion.

This 9AT transmission was a joint project between the manufacturer, insurance companies, the government, and the average driver. Instant throttle response and downshifting in the hands of inexperienced drivers are a hazard on the public roads, and are to be designed out of new cars. These features cause crashes which drive up insurance rates, cause politicians to refuse to increase speed limits on roads that were designed for higher speed traffic, and insight local communities to push for lower speed limits in their neighborhoods. Experienced drivers go to their local racetrack to display their skills.

My speculation is the typical Acura buyer/driver (myself included) do not use these features. I am p**'ed off when I leave a safe gap to the car ahead and some would-be racer jumps into that space and then has to slam on their brakes when the car ahead slows. Just saying! Now back to the regular discussion.

mojo_79

Nice theory, but it looks like BMW, Audi, MB, and others didn't get the memo. Shame on them for still designing cars with good throttle response.

Maybe Acura can offer instant throttle response as an option in 2016 for those of us who still enjoy "that kind of thrill."

mojo_79

Quick correction... "Throttle response" may not be the right term. The car is very responsive from a stop. What I'm referring to is the 1-2 second delay that occurs when you depress the accelerator and wait for the downshift to occur.

Kruezr

On my Twitter account today, Acura posted an item about summer deals. I reponded that the V6 2015 TLX was a great car with a lousy transmmission. Within minutes, Acura deleted the tweet. Guess they didn't like my comment but it seems i got their attention.LOL

SyncroNot

I'll throw my 2 cents in here ( not that's it's worth anything ) but...

I drive in sport or sport + modes. In sport + I have yet to experience anything worth complaining about with the trans. That being said, I don't find this mode suitable for typical driving unless you drive the Daytona 500 everyday

In sport , I have yet to experience any rough shifts under typical operating conditions. I have noticed the slight delay between romping on the gas and getting a downshift. What I have been doing that works pretty well for me is using the paddle right before putting it to the rug to drop a gear or two. Seems to respond better for me . This is my first automatic transmission car in years so I guess maybe I'm used to manually dropping a gear before romping on it ?

kixo

FWIW, this has been posted in another thread, but this guy does a good job dissecting the ZF 9-speed, and explains why the dog clutch for 4-5 and 7-8 introduces a shift delay. And some of the issues mating this DCT with a FWD vehicle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7EMGnjEhmE

Kruezr

Here's an update on my transmission issues with my 2015, TLX, V6. I took it back to the dealer this past Wednesday. Since my last trip to the dealer's service department earlier in the summer, I decided to let it go for a while.

To make a long story short, my service rep grabbed a hold of the shop foreman who described to me in detail what my problem was. He told me a new software update was released in July to address my issue with the car. They kept the car overnight. Upon picking it up on Thursday morning, it was clear that the software update resolved my problem. The car no longer shifts between gears as if I were just learning to drive a stick shift. My wife is ecstatic as she no longer has to listen to me b.... about the car!

mnodaddy

I have the same sound you mentioned and they told me it's a Bolt to be tightened up in the strut, they did it but the sound still there and getting worse, could you please update what happened to that noise! Did they fix it? And how?.

Kruezr

I pulled the service report. They replaced the front knuckle. This apparently has something to do with the bolt not being able to be tightened down and stripped threads. Not certain how all of this works, but it corrected the problem.

Hope this helps