VirginiaAtlas

Automatic 3.2 TL 2001.

OK so Ive researched an immediate history for this code and the issue with the transmission on these models. Ive had this Acura since Nov. and it has run fine. 277,000 miles. Maintenance light came on last week and I ignored it until I was going to have the oil change in a week right at 3,000. On way back from a two hour drive, TCS, Maintenance, and Check engine came on. Took it right into Sears Automotive (yikes) to get the oil change and trans flush because it was advised to me that I was due. All other lights went off but Check engine light. Code check after trans fluid exchange and oil change from inside the car read P0740..drove home fine though.

Four days later light still on car started making strange noises while driving then began to refuse to shift past 2nd then had problems downshifting then refused to shift past 1st. When I put it into Reverse, transmission refused to go into gear at all and car would not return into drive either. Car just sat idle unable to go into any gear.

I pushed the car in front of a shop in neutral and when I returned to push it behind shop I started the car showed the mechanic how it wouldn't engage in any gear and suddenly car jumped into reverse when selected. I then put it into drive and it drove fine behind the shop. I left it.

I flat out cant afford a new transm. Ive read fix the solenoids, ive read I have received the death code, and Ive read changing the filter could solve the problem. What do you all believe? How did it jump back into gear after turning it off if it isnt a solenoid problem? Did I just force it into gear from shifting it so rapidly? any help much appreciated.

3.2TLc

Welcome VirginiaAtlas !

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, especially with the Holiday coming up. But, the code for the "CEL" indicates a problem within the Lock-up Control System for the tranny. Not a good code, sometimes replacing the fluid buys some time....but at 277K, the tranny is choking !!!

The best case scenario would be possibly replacing the "Lock-up Control Solenoid Assembly" valve set which helps to control the tranny's clutch pressure. But, unfortunately....the flush may have done in the tranny, IMO.

How did the tranny fluid appear and smell, was it low ? Do you know when the tranny was last serviced or replaced ? Rebuilding is expensive. The best alternative is to have a used '06>'07 Accord V-6's AT installed. Less than $2000 for the tranny & labor to replace.

Do some research on the site during the Holiday, good luck man !!!

fsttyms1

Odds are your trans is completely toast. By time the car starts loosing gears like that the damage is done. You could try replacing all the solenoids and external filter and change the fluid again but there is no guarantee. Your best bet is look into a used 06-07 Accord trans and have that put in.

The reason the car was able to drive at the shop like you mentioned was A. Because the fluid, and clutchpacks were cold and what is left of them was able to hold, and B. After sitting like that the fluid and debris up against the solenoid screens fell away giving it more pressure to hold.

VirginiaAtlas

I see. Why would the flush have done it in? Does it stir up gunk or what?

Also how expensive is it to replace solenoids, flush the trans and replace the filter? Seems like the two options (replacing trans) are going to be the close to the same and one is a guaranteed fix.

I am kicking myself over this flush....so angry. First off to be advised to do so and not do any research over it, second to be told with such high mileage it is highly recommended, and third If that did the car in it was my fault.... Man this is so bad

fsttyms1

Acura recommends against the Flush. They want Drain Fills.
By time you pay to have all the solenoids replaced and the fluid and filter you could purchase a lower mileage accord trans.

Karanx7

iTrader: (2)

Definitely don't waste your money on solenoids or filter. AV6 tranny is your best bet.

VirginiaAtlas

Thanks for all your help.

I was hoping it might be a quick fix with a solenoid. Sounds like with 277,000 miles + flush ....trans is shot. I'm just holding on to the fact the lights came on before the flush.

What should I have done? Drain and fill? I want to file something with Sears for allowing this flush. Highway robbery and basically ruined the car.

fracas

Im reading this thread to gain knowledge. Because I too have a high mile TL and worry about the tranny. I never get on my car hard because of the tranny issues. So as I read this thread I see that the 06-07 V6 accord tranny is the best fix. Is this the ONLY V6 tranny that can be used?

fracas

Well I did some searching and found this thread on other Trannys to use on our 2g TL's. Hope it helps the O.P.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-116/2nd-gen-tl-auto-transmission-alternatives-753294/

fsttyms1

I wouldnt bother wasting your time.

VirginiaAtlas

Ok from everything I have read this seems like the most desirable route to go. Just wondering though what kind of installation issues are going to come up. I read it's 99% accurate to my current setup ..

I read into the Odyssey t swap but that one seems too technical for me and could see my labor costs go up.

VirginiaAtlas

Doing research about the swap now thanks for any input

3.2TLc

Yeah, ya gotta weigh out your options at this point. It's always a difficult decision, especially with 277 K on the dial. Is there any other problems with the car ?

Once ya gotta spend more on repairs for a car than what the car is actually worth, ya always need to take a step back and really think things out.

These TL's are great cars once the inherent issues are resolved, but in the meantime....they can be a PITA at times. But, what would it take to replace the car with another one ???

$5000 doesn't get ya much these days. So, it depends if the car is worth dropping some money into or not.

VirginiaAtlas

Car runs incredible. Only one per ions owner and they are close family friends. Took great care of it obviously. I'm wondering why it crapped out on us so quickly. Ibarely have the funds right now to domuch of anything so purchasing a car isn't an option. I'm looking at opening credit just to do whatever I am going to do with this car. It's a nightmare.

Skirmich

2006-2007 of following cars: Oddysey Trans (Needs a mod), Acura 3GTL V6 trans, Accord V6 Trans (Accord I4 uses a completely different trans)...

They are basically the same trans with little modifications.. We recommend the Accord V6 because its easier to find and sometimes cheaper than the other 2 cars.. I got mine for around 800 bucks shipped from ebay, That was a couple of years ago.

Yikes

When the lights came on, that meant your transmission was hanging by a thread. It was going to fail in the near future.

The reason the flush completely ruined the already failing transmission right then and there was this: (I'll try to keep it simple, but you seem intelligent so I'll try to explain it as well as I can)

The flush did not stir up the gunk. Inside the transmission, there are drums with clutch packs that engage the different gears. Although there are several ways these transmissions can fail, it sounds like what has happened to you is that the valves in the valve body have gotten stuck, and not allowed transmission fluid to flow into the torque converter, causing it to over heat. When this happens, the friction material on the clutch disks begin to wear away.

This is where the flush put the final nail in the coffin of your transmission:

When the clutch disks wear away, the tiny fragments make the fluid thicker. This wears out the seals in your transmission. When the transmission was flushed, it took all the old, thick, fluid out and replaced it with fresh fluid. This fresh fluid is not as thick, so it runs right past the worn out seals.

If I were you, I would not put any money into this transmission. Do not buy solenoids, don't buy a filter. (Besides, the filter is internal and you need to disassemble the transmission to get to it.)

It isn't your fault. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hondas had automatic transmission nightmares. Especially Accords, Odysseys, Pilots, and others. The I4 transmissions were also prone to failure. Long story short, it was a bad design and these transmissions can fail at any time with very little prior warning. I'm of the opinion that Honda should have recalled all of these transmissions, but they never did.

I know it is a long shot, but I would call Acura corporate and tell them that your transmission has failed. (Don't tell them about Sears). I've heard of some rare cases where, if the car has been serviced at the dealer almost its entire life, sometimes people are extended good will by Acura and recieve a transmission at little to no cost.

Not likely, I know, but is it not worth a try at least?

fsttyms1

^ actually there is a spin on External filter for these trans.

Yikes

True, but that is a bypass filter. There is a larger filter inside of the transmission.

nats007

From what I've read for your symptoms, I agree that you should start looking for a new tranny immediatley vice trying to fix this one.

As stated above, try to find an 06-07 Accord V-6 non hybrid transmission. I'm currently looking for one as well as I feel the one in my TL-P might go soon...

BREAK

Not to threadjack, but I wanted to see if my suspicion is accurate for a potentional transmission failure:

1) Currently has 201,3xx miles
2) During normal driving (light throttle) the car accelerates fine up to 3rd gear
3) In 3rd, you hear a slight grind and you feel like the car has come out of gear if I maintain the gas pedal at the same position
4) Release foot or press hard on the gas,it catches gear and start accelerating again.

This happens in 4th gear as well. If I get on the pedal hard, I do not exhibit this grinding or lack of acceleration... Is this a sign of transmission failure? This started about 3 to 4 weeks ago. No CEL or TCS lights on at this time...

VirginiaAtlas

OK so here is what happened at the dealership. Mechanic was not a trans guy and he recommended one to me. He said he saw a new code pop up P0730 41-01(incorrect gear ratio) & 70-02 (A/T system malfunction) along with the P0740-40-01 (Torque Converter Clutch system failure).

Upon starting the car all indicator lights were out and car drove home fine. I'm guessing this has to do with the relatively short distance to my house and the engine wasn't hot at all from not running.

Did the lights go out because the code was checked? I'm sorry but this issue has got me spurred on a new hobby. I got all excited that the lights were out and the car drove fine home even though I know this is a slow death. Good news thanks to Yikes the car has one previous owner with all but a couple services including oil changes at the Acura dealership. Whether or not we are privy to that same guarantee of the "possible" trans replacement....being the second owner, Im not sure but its worth a shot.

Apologize for being a novice in an expert conversation but you gotta start somewhere. You guys are awesome.

Yikes

Usually with this type of failure, codes P0740, P0730, and P1750 are common. A word to the wise, if this transmission guy he sends you to tries to sell you a rebuild, refuse no matter what. As I said, this was a bad design, and if you get it re-built, it will fail again no matter what. It could take 2 years, or even as little as 2 hours.

When the car's computer detects a fault, it throws a trouble code which makes the CEL come on. It will stay on (in most cases) until someones goes in with an OBD II code reader and clears the codes. That's probably what happened- the mechanic probably cleared the codes. It's a common course of diagnostic for the mechanics- clearing the codes to see if they come back.

We were all new at one time. Honestly, I got started the exact same way. I started researching these transmissions because the answer "it was just a bad design" never satisfied me.

On the drive home, did you notice any of the symptoms you had earlier?

VirginiaAtlas

Spoke with Dealership Acura--he didn't flinch on a recall inquiry. Said there are none for this model and all replacements are up to date with no trans replacements done at this Dealership. FYI


The only symptom I noticed was a slight sputter shifting gears. Didn't take it above 35 mph. Other than that it feels tight to drive but that could be my nerves lol.. In all honesty it feels the same before the flush.

VirginiaAtlas

the symptoms before dropping it at the shop were not present where it was reving high and not shifting without sounding like it was going over a rumble strip

Yikes

You should check the transmission fluid to see if it smells burnt already. Also, taking it to sears, I hope they used the correct transmission fluid. Hondas do very bad things if you don't use Honda ATF-DW1.

fsttyms1

Yes, it is a bypass but it has a lot of fluid that goes thru it, it collects a lot of debris and should be replaced. Its a less than 10 buck part that you would be stupid not to replace if you are cleaning and replacing other things

Yikes

I agree 110%. Which reminds me, I did a 3x3 change in May and I still have to replace it. I'll get into it this October.

WVKristy

Driving a 2003 TL Type S. I purchased new in Sep 2003. Very low mileage for it's age. Yesterday evening at 99.7K miles car was driving just fine, but engine light came on. Code P0740. Today the car began struggling to shift into 2nd gear and pretty much did exact same thing described in this original post. I was able to drive to the mechanic (slowly and carefully in lowest gear) and leave the car. Thank goodness he was nearby. I want to thank all those who posted here not because it will solve my problem, but because it gives me confidence that my mechanic is not pulling my leg when he tells me how serious this is and I might need a new transmission. Up to this point the only things I've changed on this car are tires, brakes, battery and windshield wipers. Only trouble I've had was brake light switch several years ago (common I'm told) when it got stuck in Park. Repaired and no trouble since. This is tragic news. I was getting ready to celebrate 16th birthday and rollover of 100K miles on Labor Day weekend with this AWESOME car and hoping for 100K more. Now I'm crushed.

tripleguy

That's low mileage for a trans failure. You sound as if you've owned it for a long time (original owner?). Have you driven it a lot in sport shift mode? At this point, I think you'd be wise to have an Accord transmission installed. It sounds like the car is in otherwise very good shape and with a new trans. you should get at least another 100K out of the car.

WVKristy

Yes, original owner and no, never drove it in sport shift. Always thought that was a funny feature and completely useless for me. I wanted an automatic and drove it as an automatic. Said many times would like to keep it another 16 years and get another 100K miles. But guess it wasn't meant to be. I'm viewing the ball joints trouble (that didn't scare me) and the transmission trouble (that DID scare me) occurring back to back as a sign. Put money into it, fix those things now, and drive it longer? Yes. But prob be just another thing after that and another thing after that because of age of the car. Can't deal with that so time to say good-bye. Hope it turns out to be a great bargain and a great car for someone else, but I'm moving on.

tripleguy

I understand not wanting to put $ into a 16 year old car. Consider these engines will run forever. Where will you get as nice a car for a couple thousand? Consider parking it while you source a good used Accord trans and pay to have it installed? It's an S-type too! Good luck with whatever you decide.

amgates80

Sorry for reviving this. did you ever find out what was wrong with car? did you end up having to replace transmission?

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

No telling, but given the mileage and the fact they machine flushed the transmission, pretty good bet the transmission was a total goner.

amgates80

I’m having the same exact issues only I drained and filled mine. Granted I’m unsure of if it was having the same problem beforehand because we only did shot trips (less than a mile) the other day we went to get food was fine on the way there and then on the way home started shifting erratically, reving up and down stopped dead at the corner by our house, husband got out to push it the rest of way with truck I ended up putting my key in and it started up went right into gear and drove the 100 feet to our parking spot on street.

Saudade

My '01 TL started to do the funky shifting. I cleaned all the screens in the solenoids, changed the trans filter and did the 3x3 flush/fill. First drain had a lot of metal on the magnet. Did the 2nd a few days later, still had a bunch but less. Did the 3rd a few days later, still had some but less. Did another 2 over the following weeks. The last one was pretty clean. Been shifting fine ever since. Admittedly, this was before "lockdown so not many miles on it since.

amgates80

I may try that first. Where are all the solenoids located, I know about the one that’s near the battery. I looked my vin up on the Acura recall webpage and couldn’t find nothing so called and they said the transmission was repaired April 2006. I’m thinking ours is just too far gone, my husband had to go to San Antonio for his work (damn essential bs) so well take it to our mechanic when he gets home, but hopefully just cleaning the solenoids will help. Along with doing another drain and fill.

amgates80

ok so a little update, we changed one of the solenoids (the one with the two barrels) as before the car ran fine we went down the street, all was well, halfway back to the house started Revving and wouldn't go into gear. Stopped turned it off and back on then it goes back to the house fine.

whitetiger5

is it slipping when shifting from 2-3? I hear that is the classic problem with these first gen 5 speed automatics. The clutch wears out, contaminates the ATF fluid and the other parts of the trans (especially valve body) start to have issues leading to a rebuild.

Your best bet is to update to an AV6 transmission though I don't know how your mechanic would feel about that as it usually means he won't be able to charge you to rebuild what's currently in your car.

amgates80

he’s actually all for getting rid of this one and either doing a swap or something else. We just had our truck transmission did after it gave out on my husband in Florida and he had to drive back to Fort Worth with a failing transmission it gave out completely when he got home. So this is what happen from beginning to end we had the CEL come on checked codes p0740 took to shop did a drain and fill and had filter changed. That night we went down the road about 3 miles to get food, acted very erratic revving high when not even on gas, stopped dead at the corner for our street, turned it off and back on and it drove to the house fine, code came up as p0730. Changed double linear solenoid and did another drain fill. Also checked all the other solenoids with the exception of the one that we couldn’t get to due to starter. Now code p0780. Drives fine for a short period one then starts being erratic again (the high revving while not on gas) is there a reason why it acts like this only when it’s warm?

Saudade

Well, if you're able to pull the solenoids yourself, I'd suggest you do so once more and check the screens and clean out the solenoids. I did pull the starter to get better access. BE CAREFUL no dirt, grime or grunge falls in the openings.

When I did the ones in front of the trans, I wasn't able to completely clean the area around them before puling them out. I had my torque converter lockup while stopped at a light a short time after. I had to rev the engine, then drop it in gear. That "broke" it free. I did the screens again and 3x3 drain/fill. Well more like 5x5 back in Feb. Got more stuff on the drain plug with each cycle. I suspect some "trash" got in the holes that mucked it up.

amgates80

I ordered the 4 little ones and the single linear I’ll drain it again when those come replace them and take her for a drive again (not too far) I just gotta order more Honda fluids too.