svjfm

I recently purchased a 2003 TL Type-S with 140k mi. on it. It's only had one owner, and service records show it has been maintained at Acura dealers in MA. Before I drove the car off I did a 3qt drain and fill of DW-1.

It was driving great without issues for the first week of owning it. Soon after, I noticed some slippage in the gears, as well as delays between changing from Park to Reverse or Drive and tranny engagement. I then take the car to inspection (which it passed) and once it's done, I noticed a harsh shudder in shifting when I went from park into D5. I didn't think much about it until I approached a red light, and I slowed down to stop and the car had a hard downshift (something like from 5th to 2nd), and the force felt as if I had gotten rear ended. The car then gave a check engine light and my VSA light and warning symbol lit up (the CEL code was p0730).

Not wanting to drop gears so hard, I drove in 2nd all the way home. The first thing I did was clean out the external solenoid screens on the tranny (I noticed the ground strap was completely corroded, not sure if this is causing electrical issues) and and the car drove well soon after. Everything rode fine until the car fully warmed up; the gears were slipping horribly now and there were thuds between every up-shift and downshift.

I've noticed when cold, the car is fine with engaging into reverse or drive and when in D4/D5 it shifts without hesitation; up until the car is fully warmed up.

I'm not sure what I can go about doing now, since I really love the car but it's just been parked outside since I don't want to kill the tranny for good.

SuperGreg

Did you fix the ground strap? That's pretty important.

Have you verified that the fluid level is correct? Should be checked with car fully warmed up, after driving at speed, immediately after shutting off the engine.

frankjnjr

Hey svjfm, IMO, if, after correcting the ground wire issue, as Super Greg recommends, the transmission still has issues, you may want to review recommendations, posted by 01acls. He has listed a VALUABLE series of steps, which can be taken, IN A LAST DITCH EFFORT, to see if your transmission, has any life left in it! The symptoms, you describe, are quite serious. Most likely, the reason the transmission operates normally, when cold, is that after the car is allowed to sit, for some time, the clutch material debris, accumulating in the solenoid filter screens, may dissipate, somewhat, allowing the solenoids to operate, normally, for a short period. You can confirm this, by removing the top set, of twin solenoids, and examining the screens. If, there is debris, at the bottom of the screens, than there is a good possibility, that screen blockage, is the probable cause of the erratic shifts, when the transmission is hot. In any case, if the transmission is DEAD, replacing it, with a 2006-2007 Honda Accord, V6 transmission, is the recommended, and preferred FIX.

Skirmich

Time for an AV6 Swap it seems.