7th Nov 2010, 15:32

HELP! We are in need of the 4th transmission for our Acura 3.2 TL. The first two times the transmission went out, Acura replaced them. The dealership says it's out of their hands now. Any advice? We need this problem fixed ASAP!!! Please email me at ckzoltek@embarqmail.com

Thank you in advance!

10th Dec 2010, 20:54

I have a 2005 TL. Transmission went out today at 92,282 miles. Last week I thought it may be slipping, but then I thought maybe it was just my imagination. Well, on an L.A. freeway today, in slow moving traffic, the car started jerking (my first thought was we were having an earthquake) and would not go faster than around 30 to 35 miles an hour. Luckily traffic was traveling around that speed, and I was able to make it across four lanes of traffic and got off the freeway. Anyone else heard of transmission problems with the 2005 TLs? A couple months ago the power steering pump went out, and Acura covered the cost of that. I am the original owner, and took very good care of my car.

10th Dec 2010, 22:03

My tranny on 2003 TL started delaying shift between 2nd and 3rd at about 125k miles. Dealer service rep suggested that I would need a rebuild for about $3900. Service dept suggested we try a fluid flush first at $230. Well, that really did no good at all. So here I am at 127k, and it's getting worse. So I call the service dept at my dealer, and ask what they can do for me with corporate. Now I bought this car new from this dealer in Aug of 02, and had every single service and repair done by dealer. So dealer rep calls me back today and says corp will do 50% of cost with me. My cost just under $2k. So I suggest to rep that we (me, corp, dealer) should all be in this together and that dealer in good faith should make a contribution (1/3) to the 50% that corp will not cover. Waiting for a response. Will update when I get a call back in a couple days. Wish I had suggested the dealer go 50/50 with me, but was caught a bit off guard when the rep called me back today with the 50% corp offer. I was actually a bit surprised that at 127k, corp would participate like they did. Kudos to the dealer for going to bat for me.

15th Dec 2010, 10:27

To previous post, dealer offered $150 dollars off normal labor charge. Deal! The car is in the shop today.

15th Dec 2010, 15:57

I own an Acura TL-S 02. The transmission just went out while on my way to dropping off my son at school! I was so disappointed. I use be really proud of being an Acura owner. Now I don't know if I should replace the transmission or just get a new car!

17th Dec 2010, 02:55

To the previous poster: Get a new car! They will only replace your transmission with the same faulty model that caused the problem in the first place, and you'll need another one in a few years too. Acura is not as good quality as they used to be.

1st Jan 2011, 17:39

My post from 12/10 and 12/15. Tranny install cost me $1,890. Sold the car for $7,900 on 12/21. Good riddance. Put the net $6k into a 2011 Subaru Legacy Limited, and lovin it.

13th Jan 2011, 10:05

I am the original owner of a 2002 TL S with just over 99000 miles. I have never had any problems with the vehicle, and it has been very reliable transportation for myself and my family.

In November, I started notice a slip from 2nd to 3rd gear shift. It was not bad, just a quick shutter, then it would engage into 3rd. Right before Christmas 2010, the 2nd to 3rd gear shift slip started to occur about once a trip. Then right after the new year, when accelerating from a stop light, the transmission failed from 2nd to 3rd, and the VSA, check engine and D5 started blinking. I could not accelerate above 20-25 mph, so I had to move over 3 lanes of heavy rush hour traffic to get out of the way. When I stopped, the transmission some how got stuck in 4th gear. I was able to drive home with the transmission stuck in 4th gear. I was thankful I did not have my two kids with me, since I do use the car to take my kids to and from school and day care on a daily basis.

I then took the car (still stuck in 4th gear) to the Acura dealer. I told them what was wrong and the issues with this model and its transmissions. They said it will cost $68 to verify. Once verified, the dealer quoted me $6000+ to replace the transmission and the ECM. They said they would contact Acura for me (since I own two Acuras, and this car has had its maintenance record on file). Two days later, Acura notified the dealer that Acura will pick up all but $1K of the cost for a new transmission plus warranty.

21st Feb 2011, 23:12

I bought a 2002 Acura TL last May 2010. It had a rebuild transmission. We put 15,000 miles on it, and the transmission went out in December 2010. The car has 135,000 on it. Don't know if I should bother having the transmission replaced. Do you think Corporate office would do anything to help me with this? I hate to throw money at this and it go out again. Should I just cut my losses and buy something different?

25th Feb 2011, 18:02

To all with less than 100,000 miles warranty, it's covered under the recall, 7 years or 100,000 miles... look it up.

3rd Apr 2011, 09:55

Actually it's 7 years, 9 months, or 109,000 miles. This is only for 99-02 Acura 3.2 TL and certain 2003 Acura 3.2 TL. So there are only a few cars left on the market that this extended warranty would cover.

26th Apr 2011, 14:52

2002 Acura TL-S with approx 120k miles. Last week or so, I've been noticing that it takes several (2-4) seconds for the transmission to shift from Reverse to Drive. This morning on the way to work, the Check Engine Light, VSA light, and VSA indication lights all came on and stayed on. I didn't notice anything different with the car, and it drove fine the rest of the way to work. Any ideas what the problem may be? Are these signs of a failing transmission?

28th Apr 2011, 17:15

I had the same problem with my 2002 TL Type S just two weeks ago, and the diagnostics showed that I need to replace the transmission. This is my second transmission. Acura is not willing to help me at all with this transmission that has only 68,000 miles on it.

The service department admitted that these transmissions were built away from Acura by a subcontractor, and that there is a burr that causes a problem with the gears.

Loved my car, but won't buy another Acura!