SebringSilver

So the TLX ranked 8th in the Reliability category? Does anyone know how CR defines “reliability”?

svtmike

It is very suspicious. There have been no reports of transmission issues, vibration issues, or start/stop issues whatsoever here or anywhere else for that matter.

Mr Hyde

SebringSilver

steig

Well Said

SebringSilver

SebringSilver

Oh, and just to be clear, the inability to figure out how to use the dual-screen system, or your disappointment in the top screen not being a touch-screen, or the fact that the GPS maps look dated, or the fact that the car can’t do sub-5 second runs to 60 mph, or the absence of a turbocharger, also are not “reliability” issues.

svtmike

SebringSilver

pyrodan007

Similar to looking at this forum and seeing 5 members saying their TLX is reliable, making it sound that all others are good and report is off. I'm sure CR's sample set is huge. Even if 1 out of 100 have a problem, compared to other models it may be a lot worse. Especially when cars get better and better.

steig

There are more than 5 people that have reliable TLX's. Mine has been flawless. No transmission issue's on mine.
My 2017 Toyota Tacoma 6 speed Transmission is way worse. Consistently hunts for gears.

quantum7

How Does CR Get Its Reliability Information?

Where Is the Data From?
Consumer Reports obtains its reliability data from an Annual Questionnaire that is sent to subscribers to CR.org and Consumer Reports magazine. In all, we received responses on over 640,000 vehicles in our latest survey.

How Is the Survey Conducted?
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducts the survey each spring. In the questionnaire, we ask subscribers to note any problems with their cars that occurred in the past 12 months. They are asked to identify problems that they considered serious (because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime). We ask them to include problems covered by warranty, but not the ones resulting from accident damage or due solely to recall. Respondents check off problems from a list of trouble areas, ranging from the engine and transmission to climate system, brakes, electrical system, and power accessories. They also tell us specifically what their experiences were to help us understand precisely what problems they are having. (See the full list of trouble spots below.)

How Current Is the Data?
All our reliability information is completely updated annually. We begin sending out each year's survey in the spring. By late summer, we have collected and organized responses, and we complete our analysis and update the information in print and online by late October.Scale of Car Reliability Data

How Many Cars Do You Have Information on Overall?
CR's Annual Questionnaire is one of the largest scientific surveys conducted in the United States. Our latest survey, which was sent to subscribers of Consumer Reports magazine and to CR.org subscribers, gave us feedback on our subscribers' experiences with over 640,000 vehicles. This high number of responses allows CR to provide the most comprehensive reliability information available to consumers.

How Many Samples Do You Have of Each Model?
A typical model has about 200 to 400 samples for each model year. When we have smaller sample sizes than this on vehicles, we use brand history and the reliability of similar models that may share major components in calculating our predictions. Since 2015, we use an online questionnaire exclusively instead of our previous mix of electronic and paper ballots from subscribers. That change shrank our respondent pool, but the Internet-only survey allows us to ask more in-depth questions and solicit detailed comments about problems.

What Effect Does Having a Larger Sample Size for Some Vehicles Compared With Others Have on the Validity of the Reliability Data?
Given an appropriate sample, the more data you have, the more statistical confidence you have in your information. A larger sample will always give more accurate information than a smaller sample (assuming, of course, that the data are valid and collected from an appropriate source).

When we have small sample sizes on vehicles, we use brand history and the reliability of similar models that may share major components. This gives us the ability to predict reliability of brand new vehicles or ones that have been recently redesigned.What Types of Problems Are Reflected?

Are All Automotive Problems Included?
Respondents to our survey are asked to identify problems they have experienced in a 12-month period in any of 17 trouble spots. We do not publish scores for advanced safety systems and air bags since the problem rates in the area are almost universally very low.

What Do the Trouble Areas Cover?
Our Reliability History charts cover problems in any of 17 trouble areas. Here's a look at what's covered in each of those areas:

ENGINE MAJOR: Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbocharger or supercharger, timing chain or belt.

ENGINE MINOR: Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

ENGINE COOLING: Radiator, cooling fan, water pump, thermostat, antifreeze leaks, overheating.

TRANSMISSION (and clutch) MAJOR: Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, premature clutch replacement.

TRANSMISSION (and clutch) MINOR: Gear selector and linkage, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission, leaks.

DRIVE SYSTEM: Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, four-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive components, driveline vibration, electrical failure, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC).

FUEL SYSTEM/EMISSIONS: Check-engine light, sensors (O2 or oxygen sensor), emission-control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, fuel-injection system, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

CLIMATE SYSTEM: A/C compressor, blower (fan) motor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate system, electrical failure, refrigerant leakage.

SUSPENSION/STEERING: Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

BRAKES: Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure, premature wear.

EXHAUST: Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, heat shields, leaks.

PAINT/TRIM/RUST: Paint (fading, chalking, peeling or cracking), loose trim or moldings, rust.

BODY INTEGRITY (noises & leaks): Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals, and/or weather stripping, air and water leaks.

BODY HARDWARE: Windows, locks and latches, doors or sliding doors, tailgate, trunk or hatch, mirrors, seat controls (movement and temperature), seat belts, sunroof, convertible top, glass defect.

POWER EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES: Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, USB port, alarm or security system, remote engine start.

AUDIO SYSTEM (in-car electronics): CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, in-dash GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

Are All Problems Considered Equally Serious?
Problems with the engine-major, cooling system, transmission-major, and driveline are more likely to take a car out of service and to be more expensive to repair than the other problem areas. Consequently, we weigh these areas more heavily in our calculations of Used Car Reliability and Predicted Reliability. Problems such as broken trim and in-car electronics have a much smaller weight. Problems in any area can be an expense and a bother, though, so we report them all in the Reliability History charts.What Do the Different CR Reliability Ratings Mean?

What Different Reliability Scores Does CR publish?
Consumer Reports uses the data from its Annual Questionnaire to compile detailed Reliability Histories on several hundred makes and models of cars, minivans, pickups, and sport-utility vehicles, covering the 2000 to 2017 model years. For each model that we have sufficient data, the Reliability History Chart shows you whether the model has had more or fewer problems than the average model of that year in each of 17 trouble spots. That information can be a big help when inspecting and purchasing a used car. The Used Car Reliability (formerly Verdict) summarizes the 17 trouble spots for each model year and compares that to the average of all vehicles in the same model year. We use these Reliability scores to identify lists of Reliable Used Cars and Used Cars to Avoid.

For new models that are currently available, our Predicted Reliability rating is based on the model's recent history, provided the model hasn't been significantly redesigned for the current model year. Online, Predicted Reliability is presented in the new car model Overview and Ratings comparison pages, in car type pages under Reliability and Ratings in the Vehicle Overall Ratings comparison. It is also incorporated into the Reliability History charts as the New Car Prediction in print publications.

We also present Predicted Reliability in more detail in our graphs. This presentation, with bar graphs where we used to show the score as a percentage difference between each model's overall reliability and the average reliability of all models, scored on a 0 to 100-point scale. We group models by vehicle type (for example, midsized cars or minivans), for ease of comparing models that are direct-market competitors.

What Are the Reliability History Charts?
The chart for an individual model will tell you where a model's strengths and weaknesses have been. Scores are based on the percentage of survey respondents who reported problems for that trouble spot, compared with the average model of that year. Models with problem rates close to the mean receive a for that trouble spot. Models with scores of or are not necessarily unreliable, but they have a higher rate of problems than the average model. Similarly, models that score are not necessarily problem-free, but they had relatively few problems compared with the average model.

In particular, within each trouble spot and within each model year, we create equal-width intervals for the , , , and constructed so that the average model is the middle of the , and the interval for begins at 0 percent.

An exception to this rule occurs when the mean problem rate is quite small (less than 2.5 percent), as is often the case in newer model years. In order to avoid making distinctions that are too fine to be meaningful, we do not assign a unless the problem rate is at least 3 percent, or a unless the problem rate is at least 4 percent.

The Used Car Reliability (formerly Verdict) summarizes a model's overall reliability over all 17 trouble spots. Because problems with the engine major, cooling, transmission-major, and drive system can be serious and more expensive to repair, our calculation gives extra weight to problems in these areas. The Reliability scores show whether the model had more or fewer problems overall than the average model of that year.

What Is Predicted Reliability?
The Predicted Reliability, also called New Car Prediction, forecasts how well a new model that is currently on sale is likely to hold up based on its recent history. For this Rating, we average a model's Used Car Reliability score for the newest three years, provided the vehicle did not change significantly in that time and hasn't been redesigned for the upcoming model year. Over the years, we have found that several years of data are a better predictor than the most recent model year alone. One or two years of data may be used if the model was redesigned within that three-year time frame, or if there were insufficient data for some years.

We will make a prediction for a brand new or redesigned model, or a model with insufficient data, based on the manufacturer’s track record, history of the previous generation, or similar models that shared the same components. Of course, this is only a prediction, and these scores are not a guarantee of the reliability of any individual car. However, buying a car that has an above-average score for Predicted Reliability will reduce the likelihood of having significant problems with your car.

You can find our Predicted Reliability for new cars in many of Consumer Reports' auto publications, including the April Annual Auto Issue, CR monthly road tests, our special new-car publications and online at CR.org.

How Do You Decide on Reliable Used Cars and Used Cars to Avoid?
Reliable Used Cars are specific models with above average overall reliability, based on the Used Car Reliability score for that model. We also compile a Best of the best list, CR Good Bets, which are models that have had consistently better-than-average reliability for multiple years, and performed well in CR's tests when they were new. Note that just because a model is not listed as a Reliable Used Car or a CR Good Bet does not mean that it is necessarily unreliable—it may be the case that we do not have sufficient data to assess its reliability, or that we do not have a recent enough road test.How Does the Reliability Rating Impact Recommendations?

Cars are ranked by the Consumer Reports Overall Score. The Reliability Rating and the Road Test Score are major components. Crash Safety, crash avoidance technologies, and owner satisfaction are also factors. The vehicles with the highest Overall Score,that met CR’s criteria, in their respective categories are recommended.

Learn more about the Overall Score.How Accurate Is CR's Reliability Information?

Is This a Scientific Survey?
There are generally two criteria that social scientists use to evaluate the quality of a survey: its validity and its reliability. Validity refers to whether the survey actually measures what it says it does. Reliability refers to whether the information generated by the survey would be repeated if the survey were to be conducted again.

We have strong evidence that our survey is both valid and reliable. The questions in the survey are designed professionally by experts in CR's National Research Center, in consultation with our automotive engineers and statisticians. Members of our survey team have advanced degrees and many years of experience in conducting all sorts of consumer surveys. The survey uses an aided response technique that leads respondents through well-defined specific items and gives each respondent the same perspective in answering the questions. The data we report tracks well with other sources of repair and reliability information available on the market. From year to year, our subscribers' reports of their problem experiences are fairly consistent; when there is a difference on a particular model, we can often attribute it to known issues with a particular component of a car.

Is the Survey Based on a Representative Sample?
A sample is considered to be representative of a population if the relevant characteristics of the population are reflected in the sample. So, considering the population of interest is critical in evaluating the quality of a sample. Our survey sample is drawn from the population of subscribers to CR.org and to Consumer Reports magazine. While all subscribers are invited to participate in the survey, participation is voluntary, and there is always the possibility that those who respond are unique in some particular way. For example, subscribers have sometimes questioned whether those who respond are those who have a complaint to make about their cars.

To address this concern, we had conducted a validation test in past years. A representative sample of 8,000 to 10,000 subscribers were mailed the same questions about problem experiences with their cars at the same time as all subscribers were asked to complete the main survey. Using a combination of incentives and follow-up mailings, we attained at least a 40 to 50 percent response rate on this validation sample. The validation sample was known to be representative of the subscriber population; by comparing responses from this sample to responses of the main sample, we could assess whether the main sample is representative of the population overall. In more than 30 years we have not found any biases on any of the questions on any of the topics.

One reason for this is that our survey is an omnibus survey asking subscribers not only about their cars, but about a dozen other products, about major services they have used (such as insurance, hotels, and health plans), as well as suggestions for CR. The survey also requests participation in our board of directors election. Many subscribers return surveys reporting that they had no problems at all with their cars in the past year. This is true for all makes and models of cars. So, owners with complaints about their cars are not the only ones who return the survey.

Any survey has some sort of sampling frame that limits the people being surveyed. We choose our subscribers as our sampling frame. On average, CR subscribers tend to be more educated and affluent than the general population. With the growth of Consumer Reports online, a wider demographic range of individuals has been surveyed in recent years. However, our reliability questions do not ask respondents about their attitudes or opinions about the reliability of their cars, where one might expect different groups of individuals to have different perspectives. Instead, we ask for factual information about whether specifically defined problems occurred; these types of questions are less sensitive to the nature of the characteristics of the sample itself.

Further, our results track well with other sources of reliability information available on the market.

Is the Survey Biased Toward Japanese Cars?
In our survey of CR subscribers, Japanese vehicles are popular. Also, many Japanese models have had relatively low rates of problems in our survey. But the fact that we received responses on more than 300 makes and models from nearly all domestic, European, and Korean manufacturers shows that our subscribers do not exclusively favor Japanese vehicles and that they buy a wide range of vehicles of all makes and models.

Unlike some other magazines or surveys, we do not take advertisements from any outside manufacturer, so we have no vested interests in the outcome of our survey. We have no agenda other than communicate accurate results of our survey. We do not consider country of origin in our analyses leading to our reliability ratings.

Some Japanese models in our survey have scored below average in reliability, for example the Acura TLX and Mazda CX-9, and some American models for example, the Buick Encore and Chevrolet Impala have scored above average. Those findings provide evidence against pro-Japanese bias on the part of our subscribers.

European luxury brands have made recent progress in CR's latest surveys. The Audi Q3 and Q7 led with the best predicted reliability scores in the luxury SUVs segment.

Your Survey Results Do Not Match With My Experience. Is Your Survey Wrong?
Even in the most unreliable models, some individual car owners are lucky and experience few or no problems during the 12 months covered by the survey. For example, in one of the worst models in our recent surveys, about 58 percent of the owners reported problems in at least one trouble area over the previous 12 months; of course, this means that about 42 percent of owners reported no problems. Your neighbor or friend might be one of those lucky owners. Of course, the opposite can happen as well—even in a model that tends to be quite reliable, there is an occasional "lemon."

Since the Average Number of Problems Is Small for Most Models, Is Consumer Reports Overemphasizing Differences That May Not Be Important?
Beyond statistical significance, we believe these differences are also meaningful to car buyers. We think that car buyers should expect a new car to be entirely problem-free in its first months or years of service. While the difference between a and a may be small, a pattern of several less-than-perfect trouble spots in a brand new car should be cause for concern and does not bode well for a model's long-term reliability. We have not yet seen a single model in our survey that is entirely problem-free. More than that, the Tesla Model X, which had the worst new car prediction score in the latest survey, is predicted to be about 12 times more likely to have a problem than the best, the Audi Q3. Those differences among models are important for car buyers to consider in choosing a car. We present these scores for trouble spots primarily to allow consumers to compare the relative incidence of problems among models. While there are no guarantees, you can improve your odds of buying a reliable car if you choose a model that has had a lower rate of problems in the past.

Some People Maintain Their Cars Differently From Others. How Does This Affect the Ratings?
The biggest growing area of concern in late-model cars is the in-car electronics: infotainment, entertainment, communication, and navigation systems. Other problem areas include body integrity (squeaks, rattles, and leaks), and power equipment (body control module, gauges, and warning lights). Maintenance does not affect those items. Problems in those areas might more likely reflect the inherent design or quality.

How Do You Account for Mileage Differences?
Vehicles with higher mileage will most likely experience more problems than vehicles of the same age with lower mileage. We adjust our analyses to minimize differences among models due to varying mileage. Our data are mileage-standardized by dividing cars of each model into groups of high, average, and low mileage, and employing the statistical technique of direct standardization.

How Do You Know That Manufacturers Don't "Stuff the Ballot Box"?
In most other surveys that draw their samples from lists of registered car owners, the researcher can control who is mailed a survey. In the Consumer Reports survey, buying a subscription to either the magazine or to CR.org allows you to report on your experience with two cars. Some subscribers have wondered whether a manufacturer could just arrange to have their employees fill out questionnaires saying that their cars are reliable, as a way to influence our Ratings. Hypothetically, this is a potential weakness in our survey.

However, there are a number of ways that we can protect against this potential for fraud. For obvious reasons, we do not want to describe in detail the actions we take in this regard. We are confident that no manufacturer has succeeded.

quantum7

Sorry for the long post from CR, but enough people have asked.
As with all surveys and data, everyone uses the parts they like to support their feelings and ignore those that refute. I am sure that this will be no different.

The bottom line is that some owners love their TLXs and others have been burned big time. Buyers speak with the wallet and sales reflect choices.
Only hope that Acura will release a great new RDX and eventually a great 2G TLX. Waiting patiently.

steig

I see you had a 2015 TLX with issues. That sucks.

I did the opposite of you, had a Audi A4 and traded for 2018 TLX Aspec. My A4 was a good car, just wanted something new. The A4 depreciation was extremely high compared to other cars I owned. Including Acura, Lexus, New Corvette.
Also, the maintenance bills on the Audi brand are ridiculous. The maintenance/repair $$$ is not a big deal to me, since i trade my cars every couple of years. But that is what hurts their re-sale value.

SebringSilver

Thanks, Quantum.

svtmike

I specifically addressed your dismissal of transmission, vibration, and other problems that have been reported here as being people who "don't like how it drives" rather than reliability issues. You seem to think that the only problems that comprise reliability issues are those that leave you stranded. I submit that your definition is not the generally accepted definition, and it definitely is not CR's definition.

All 8 cars on that graph were subjected to the same methodology. You don't like the result, it doesn't match the story of the triumph that is TLX in your head, and so you'd like to discredit through conjecture that the methodology is somehow corrupt or incorrect. Hopefully Quantum's post has purged you of your suspicions.

The evidence continues to roll in suggesting that the TLX is close to worst in class.

TacoBello

SebringSilver

TacoBello

Why would you go through 3 TLXs anyway in such a short period of time? To me, it sounds like you never owned one of those cars more than 1.5 years. That's not much of a reference point whatsoever.

Also, no one ever said every Acura will suffer horrendous unreliability issues. There is such a thing as a lucky VW owner that never had issues. That doesn't mean that is true across the board. In reality, owning a VW (as per what I saw on the vwvortex forum) is that you *should* expect problems to happen. Not major ones. But still. It is completely normal to have them- that doesn't mean everyone does though!

SebringSilver

svtmike

No, we do the smart thing and just buy whatever whenever without performing any research whatsoever.

svtmike

Your protestations. Call it a hunch.

F23A4

Yep, and I especially agree with that last line re: sport sedan. I came very close to getting a Q50 3.7 AWD when I ultimately picked up the TLX V6. The specter of $4+/gallon pump prices AND no longer having a fuel efficient Accord Sport made the TLX V6 more compelling.

Christopher.

I'm honestly able to hit 40 MPG on the highway in my V6 TLX, but, my city MPG is shit for some reason. I sure hope it goes up after "break in", which should be about done now at ~650 miles for me so far. I see a lot of people saying things like "I'm heavy on the throttle and I get about 25 MPG in my TLX..." I wonder, is something wrong with mine? My first tank of gas was 12.5, 2nd tank 14.5, 4th tank (current) is 17 - so it is climbing quite a bit - will see...

TacoBello

If it's that new still, I would wait to break it in all the way before worrying.

Christopher.

Yes, thank you - I specifically drove 20 miles on the highway, just to see what mileage I could get, with the sole purpose being to stop myself from freaking out. I got over 40 MPG average, so... well, I still don't quite understand why the city is that low, but damn, 40 is great!

F23A4

On a road trip from Nashville Tenn to New Jersey last year, I was able to average well over 35 mpg in two different driving segments while in Sport mode. (Even ran off against a 7G Maxima during one segment.)

Around the town in City driving, I get around 23 mpg which is a shade less than my old Sport. But with an extra 100hp on tap, I'll take that.

Mr Hyde

On the 9th year of ownership. Not my daily, but still not tired of it and it will probably out last the MDX/TLX. Honestly looking around with a V8, 6 speed and the rear biased Quattro setup, there's nothing out there other than a 6 speed R8 that I really want to change to. I absolutely love the car.

​​​​​​Acura is definitely taking a hit with the infotainment system which is not intuitive. The LED headlights get hit hard by CAR as well, but even if that was it, the type of people who buy Acuras tend to look at CR. A bad rating from them is not good.

Honda430

What we're essentially talking about is the 2015 model. I owned a 12/2014 build. I'd be the first to say that car was not executed very well. I now own a 2018 Aspec. The two cars share almost all the same parts, but the execution is now superb. From infotainment, to transmission calibration, to suspension setting, to interior materials, all are upgraded. Jon Ikeda and his team really don't get enough credit. They took a dowdy looking and badly executed vehicle and made it into something worth owning. I love looking at that car from all angles and I look forward to driving it every day. As someone said in an earlier post, I would not trade it in for any of the other cars in the comparison listing. Anyone who doubts that it's no longer 2015 I suggest you go take an extended drive of a 2018 Aspec then come back and share your opinion. Time to move on from the 2015 problems. We spend way to much time here rehashing them. Not like BMW/Audi/Mercedes/Lexus never made a bad vehicle.

mapleloaf

Less than stellar ratings by well known reviewers are never good, regardless of whether one might disagree with the methodology. However, there are a few things that give me pause when I look at the ratings:

1. I believe the TLX is the only completely new vehicle in that list as of 2015, the first year covered by the rating. We know that many all new vehicles have more issues in the first year, and the 9 speed transmission (and others) was certainly an issue for some. The 8 Speed took a few hits in year one as well.
2. Following up on #1, I would be curious what the data would say for the 2016 and 2017 years only. I suspect the gap closes but I have know way of knowing that. I am not dismissing the issues some owners experienced in 2015, but I do believe it's time to evaluate the car, good or bad, on it's more recent versions.
3. As a very happy owner of a 2.4 8 speed DCT, I am curious what those results would look like by themselves, also for 2016 and on. I had one minor issue under warranty in the almost two years I've had the car....I know I know...anecdotal!
4. Further to Sebring Silver's post about screens, infotainment issues, etc, I would add one thing that I have noticed - the map screen looks 100% better in 3D mode, especially at night, but yet negative reviews ALWAYS show it in 2D mode...just saying.

Most importantly, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all of the forum members!! I am off to dinner shortly after a wonderful morning with kids and grandkids. It's 27 below celsius here, but I know my Acura will start without being plugged in

steig

Agreed. My 2018 A-Spec is great

BEAR-AvHistory

JD Powers initial 2017 for 2017 cars.

niray9

Rocketsfan

This particular ZF transmission has been a problem for several manufacturers and several models, most of which are not considered premium brands (Jeep, Chrysler, Ram, Land Rover, Fiat, etc). And no, they have not addressed the problem for everyone. Simply saying "hey, if it blows up over 10 years ownership, you're covered!" is not fixing the problem. I still have the original garbage TLX transmission that came with the car that they kept stating was "within specs" like we're some kind of idiots to equate that to "it's working normally", even though they may have even stated that. It's amazing how many or these normal transmissions they're replacing now (and how many, such as mine, apparently don't need to be replaced, despite still exhibiting problems despite umpteen attempted software fixes).

F23A4

I truly feel bad for those who suffering through ZF issues largely on the 15 model. Clearly, a number of you feel deeply scorned and that scorn is palpable.

However, I recall the Honda V6 AT tranny issue of the late 90s/early 200s being a far bigger debacle for Honda especially since it encompassed a broad swath of their lineup (3.2TL/3.2CL/6G Accord V6/2G Odyssey) for pretty much the entire model cycle for the affected models as opposed to 1st year blues on one model. (My own 99 Accord had it's tranny replaced under factory warranty.) Whatever problems occurred with the ZF during that first year version now seem to be worked out.

I just swapped out my 15 MDX 6AT for a 17 MDX ZF and I honestly expect it to be as trouble free as my 16 TLX V6.

pyrodan007

^ It's the main reason why sales keep decreasing, many owners have given up and stopped trusting them with the reliability part. Once you lease, who cares how reliable a luxury car really is. Acura's service department has been crap, and it's reflected in the reliability survey. It's not just about what breaks and costs to fix, it's how you handle it. If my Audi breaks and costs me $500 versus being free but needing to return to Acura 3 times and convincing them to fix it, take a guess which one will make me unhappy. Sometimes it's not just the wallet effect, taking time off for no reason is a pain in the ass too with indirect costs. It's the major reason why I never asked to replace the ZF9, way too hard to succeed. That's unacceptable for a luxury brand honestly, especially with a documented known issue.

BEAR-AvHistory

fiatlux

^^
This is why the ZF 9HP transmission sucks compared to the ZF 8HP
ZF's 9-Speed 9HP Transmission Puts Dog Clutches On The Leash - The Truth About Cars

tl;dr the ZF 9HP is economy oriented, the ZF 8HP is performance oriented. What a shocker that Acura went with the former.

TacoBello

Well... hold on..

adding in an extra gear allows for all other gears to be shorter- aka the car will accelerate a wee bit faster overall.

Acura maybe went with the 9 speed over the 8 speed, for that reason alone. They didn't want to give us a nice power bump, whether it was due to their overall conservatism, or cost, or whatever, but, I'm willing to bet that the same engine paired to the zf9 transmission will be faster than if paired to the zf8.

In otherwords, the car would've been a wee bit slower with the zf8 (if they could even use it), which they maybe wanted to avoid.

fiatlux

Even if that were true, that assumes the shifts are as quick, and I can tell you from experience that the ZF8 shifts a heck of a lot quicker than the ZF9.

However, the ZF9 actually has 4 overdrive gears compared to 2 overdrive gears for the ZF8, so gears 1-5 are actually farther apart, which makes it SLOWER.