18th Mar 2010, 18:09

We own a 2003 TL Type S purchased used in 2006, and have driven it 40,000 miles without any transmission problems. We do follow Honda/Acura's transmission maintenance schedule, and have the transmission serviced every 30,000 miles.

The only repair has been a seat heater coil replaced under warranty. In warm weather we average 26 to 27 miles per gallon. It is a great car, and our next car will another Acura!

20th Mar 2010, 01:06

Bought certified TL-S in 2006 with 40,000, now have 70,000 on it and the tranny goes out. Car is a 2003 model and Acura said our vin doesn't match # for help - said our tranny is already the newer updated one! Replacement cost 3,500 with the 3 year 36,000 warranty. We had an 86 Legend with 280,000 and no tranny problems. My daughter drives an Accord. Since Honda has refused to help me at all, I will soon be informing them how I can no longer endorse their product. Am very disappointed with Acura and will tell them I don't think Mr. Honda would approve of their business decisions. My mechanic said the tranny oil cooler and filter is located on top of the tranny where all the heat goes! Crappy design. Will be selling this TL in 2 years 11 months and 28 days.

25th Mar 2010, 19:54

I own an 2002 Acura TL Type S -- Transmission went out at 83,000 miles. Jerking and lurching forward - even acted up in reverse! I was under the mileage for the extended warranty and over the time limit of 7.75 years... Over the time limit by a year, they say. At any rate, I had to go to the dealership and they approached Acura on my behalf. I called Acura myself too. I pushed pretty hard for Acura to cover this - got 50%. After a day of phone calls --- Original quote for the new transmission was around $4,000 - I paid $1,840.

Dealership went to bat for me too, -- appreciated that.

29th Mar 2010, 14:11

I own a 2002 TL Type S that had the tranny replaced at about 80,000 miles at the Acura Dealer in September 2009 with a new one that has a 3-year or 36,000 mile warranty.

I read on Wikipedia that a new Honda tranny replaced AFTER March 2005 had a 3rd Gear Clutch Pack that is supposed to have resolved the on-going tranny problems of it going out. Can anyone tell me, if you had your TL transmission replaced AFTER March 2005, if you have incurred any other problems after Honda installed the 3rd Gear Clutch? I am pondering how long I want to keep my current Acura before the 36,000 warranty expires.

Many thanks

Austin, TX.

20th Apr 2010, 01:44

I am a 2002 TLS owner. I love the car, but you guys know where this is going.

I find the posts that present solutions much more helpful, rather than those which reiterate the problem with mileage details after 300 pages of the same.

I will try to contact my local dealer and try to push them to help me fix the problem. I also have a local mechanic that specializes in Hondas and Acuras, and I will see what can be done. I've anticipated this for some time, but at least everything else isn't breaking. This upcoming replacement will be the first one I'm paying for, and this is why it will hurt.

Although it might not be the safest to push the car when it does not want to go, I find that if you pop it into Tiptronic, you can bypass the gear that does not catch. At least this way you might be able to save on the tow fee. As far as for the warranty, it seems like there is no chance since it passed its prime.

I'm planning on making a series of phone calls to Acura, with the intention of escalating as high up as I can, as I'm sure many of you have done. However I did see some people prevailing in getting Acura to cover some of the costs, so I will try for the same. I would rather get it fixed at Acura for $2000.00 if they give a goodwill discount than paying the same at a back alley shop. Perhaps I will just casually browse around and let them talk me into getting upgraded into a newer TLS with no transmission problem all on their own. They didn't mention the problem to me, so I won't mention it to them.

Hopefully I return to post some good news. I have an exam tomorrow and I just hope I won't have to ditch my TLS on the side of the road to catch a bus to write my final. At the very least, every time I go to my Acura dealer they have fantastic coffee, and I can usually hit them up for a free wash before sundown, even if I have to Tiptronic through third, just to get home afterwards.

20th Apr 2010, 17:24

Trust me, the dealers are not naive to the trans issue on this model. (Even before they turn the key of your trade-in.) My Acura dealer had free Snapple and free car washes, as well as my carfax reports on the trans issues... I bought new GM afterwards and now I buy my own Snapple.

26th Apr 2010, 13:39

I'll just add another to the list. Save the details of the car, but yes it's a 2003 TL-S.

Now the bad news. Went through the same channels as everyone here. Honda was less than helpful. NO offer, did not feel like they were responsible. Lovely.

Now off to the tranny shop and paying all out of my own pocket. Bought the car in 2006 from Acura and (hindsight 20/20) they must have known about the issue, but did not disclose. Told Honda that and they did not care. Between Acura and Honda, they have not only lost my business (I had owned another Honda, and felt it was a great car) but that of 2 family members. Between us we had bought 6 Hondas/Acuras in the past 7 years, they have lost all our future business. They are shysters of the highest order, who blatantly lie about the quality of their company and the product they sell, and this is not so much about the fact that there is a problem, it's their unwillingness to admit it or stand behind their product.

I am VERY disappointed, but I will not make the same mistake twice. Buyer beware - DO NOT buy an Acura; it just encourages them.

30th Apr 2010, 11:27

I have a 2000 Acura TL with the transmission going out at 94,000 miles. Acura replaced it in 2008 with a re-built transmission and I paid 10% of the bill, which was $350. Has anyone had good luck with the rebuilt transmissions from Acura or the ones rebuilt from a private shop? I might have to get mine rebuilt at a private shop the next time it goes out.

1st May 2010, 03:21

Just heard about the massive Honda/Acura TSX recall regarding overheating of the steering fluid.

With so many people having problems with TL/MDX tranny, which is costing the consumers millions of dollars in aggregate, why shouldn't Honda be pressured to fess up to their mistake and compensate consumers for all the grief/stress this problem has caused?!

I scream FOUL!