Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 012012003 | 12/01/2003 | 10014334 | Don't reuse old atf fluid) warmer on reman a/t (automatic transmission) *sc | 04/29/2005 | |
| 012012003 | 12/01/2003 | 10014344 | Atf (automatic transmission fluid) leaks from cooler line banjo bolt. *sc | 04/29/2005 | |
| 07012004 | 07/01/2004 | 10008889 | Campaign announcement and stop sale order update. voluntary recall of light truck models for a potential transmission defect. *tt | 08/25/2004 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 04020 | 11/10/2004 | 04020 | 10010763 | Safety recall: cl and tl automatic transmission second gear inspection. *tt | 12/10/2004 |
| 011303 | 01/13/2003 | 10000987 | Inspection of automatic transmissions with data trouble code p0710 displayed. *tt | 04/09/2003 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 05/30/2008 | 80533 | ||
| My car begin to idle to 5 rpm and not change gears while driving. pulled over and contacted local mechanic. i was instructed to bring car into honda dealership in lake city, fl. the result was need a transmission flush and had it done. after test driving, the car continued to perform poorly. at this point i consider the car should go to the acura dealership. my car was towed to gatorland acura of gainesville, fl. after diagnostics completed a transmission was needed. a vehicle odometer reading at 80533, should not require a new transmission was my first response. i gave them no answer at this time as to what to do because i am thinking this is absurd. after two days of seeking advice and research,i found a recall was submitted for transmission issue. upon contacting the dealer, i was given the price for repairs. regardless of informing and debating this should not be a cost for consumer. the service department staff and manager was not very helpful nor professional. this should have been completely covered by warranty/highway safety recall. i wrote a letter to honda headquarters and contacted the department by phone. almost two weeks later, gatorland acura offered to replace the transmission and i would be responsible for the labor. i was not pleased with the outcome but needed transportation because there was none offered to me. to this day, i have not returned there to pay for maintenance because of the trustworthiness of gatorland acura or honda headquarters. the recall issue was posted around february 2008 and my car was in for the exact issue may 2008. continuously unhappy consumer. | |||
| 06/21/2005 | 44619 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving approximately 25 mph, the transmission began to slip gears without warning. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer three separate times where the transmission was replaced each time. on november 5, 2012, the failure recurred with both the vsa and engine warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact was able to drive cautiously with the transmission responding at a reduced speed. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 44,619. kmj | |||
| 06/21/2005 | 30000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl/s. while driving approximately 25 mph, the transmission began to slip gears without warning. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on three separate times where the transmission was replaced each time. on november 5, 2012, the failure recurred with both the vsa and engine warning indicators illumination on the instrument panel. the contact was able to drive cautiously with the transmission responding at a reduced speed. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 44,619. js | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 143000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and the transmission started slipping out of gear. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and shut the vehicle off. the failure continued upon restart. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the test results indicated a defective transmission. the vehicle was then taken to a local dealer for another diagnostic test. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) previously. the remedy repair did not solve the defective transmission failure. the failure mileage was 143,000. | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 142000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he noticed that the second and third gear shift would take longer to engage. the contact inspected the vehicle and advised that the transmission would usually respond slower when it was overheated. in addition, he noticed that the transmission coolant was low and the contact replenished the coolant, which repaired the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the approximate failure mileage was 142,000 and the current mileage was 144,000. kmj | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 131000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact was reversing from a residential driveway when the stalled without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and shifted into drive but the vehicle would not respond. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the mechanic could not diagnose the vehicle and suggested taking the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer performed a diagnostic test which determined that the gear shift and transmission were defective. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 131,000. kmj | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 143000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and the transmission started slipping out of gear. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and shut the vehicle off. the failure continued upon restart. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the test results indicated a defective transmission. the vehicle was then taken to a local dealer for another diagnostic test. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) previously. the remedy repair did not solve the defective transmission failure. the failure mileage was 143,000. sm. | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 142000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that after vehicle was driven for approximately five to ten minutes, the contact noticed the second to third gear shift would take longer to shift. the contact was a repair technician and stated the transmission would usually respond slower when it overheated. the vehicle was inspected by contact, and noticed there was no transmission cooler. the contact added a transmission cooler part, similar to the radiator. the contact noticed that the repair fixed the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the current mileage was 144,000. the approximate failure mileage was 142,000.yn | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 131000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact was reversing from a residential driveway when the stalled without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and shifted into drive but the vehicle would not respond. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the mechanic could not diagnose the vehicle and suggested taking the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer performed a diagnostic test which determined that the gear shift and transmission were defective. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 131,000. kmj | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 143000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and the transmission started slipping out of gear. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and shut the vehicle off. the failure continued upon restart. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the test results indicated a defective transmission. the vehicle was then taken to a local dealer for another diagnostic test. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) previously. the remedy repair did not solve the defective transmission failure. the failure mileage was 143,000. sm. | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 142000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that after vehicle was driven for approximately five to ten minutes, the contact noticed the second to third gear shift would take longer to shift. the contact was a repair technician and stated the transmission would usually respond slower when it overheated. the vehicle was inspected by contact, and noticed there was no transmission cooler. the contact added a transmission cooler part, similar to the radiator. the contact noticed that the repair fixed the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the current mileage was 144,000. the approximate failure mileage was 142,000.yn | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 131000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact stated while pulling out of the driveway in reverse the vehicle stalled. the contact went to accelerate while the vehicle was in drive the vehicle would not accelerate and slipping out of gear. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the mechanic could not diagnose the vehicle and suggested to take the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer performed a diagnostic test. the results of the test shown a defective gear shift and transmission. the failure mileage was 131,000. jo | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 143000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and the transmission started slipping out of gear. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and shut the vehicle off. the failure continued upon restart. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the test results indicated a defective transmission. the vehicle was then taken to a local dealer for another diagnostic test. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) previously. the remedy repair did not solve the defective transmission failure. the failure mileage was 143,000. sm. | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 143000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl 2.5. the contact stated while driving 50 mph the vehicle stalled and the transmission started slipping out of gear. the contact pulled over to the side of the road and shut the vehicle off. after restarting the vehicle the vehicle continued to stall. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test. the test results shown a defect transmission. the contact took the vehicle to a local dealer for another diagnostic test. the dealer informed the contact the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign i.d. number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) previously. the remedied repair did not solve the defective transmission issue. the failure mileage was 143,000. jo | |||
| 07/20/2012 | 125000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that the transmission failed. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and was told that the failure occurred because there was no cooler in the transmission, which caused the transmission to run hot and seize. the contact mechanic stated that the transmission could not be repaired. the failure and current mileages were 125,000. the vin was not available. | |||
| 07/20/2012 | 125000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that the transmission failed. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and was told that the failure occurred because there was no cooler in the transmission, which caused the transmission to run hot and seize. the contact mechanic stated that the transmission could not be repaired. the failure and current mileages were 125,000. the vin was not available. kmj | |||
| 07/20/2012 | 125000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that the transmission failed on the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and was told that the failure occurred because the there is no cooler in the transmission and that causes the transmission to run hot and seize. the contact mechanic stated that the transmission could not be fixed because it will still not has a transmission cooler. the failure mileage and current mileages were 125,000.rl | |||
| 02/01/2012 | 90000 | ||
| I was on my way to work driving my acura 3.2 tl on the same route i always take to work and my vehicle seemed to functioning properly. i made my way to the freeway on ramp and was stopped at the light used to stagger traffic on the ramp to the freeway. when the light went green i stepped on the gas and the car was very sluggish, almost the feeling that it was going to stall. i got up to about 35 mph when i was needing to merge onto the freeway and the transmission went out completely. it was stuck in 5th gear and flashing on the display. there way no way for me to merge onto the freeway safely at 35 mph during rush hour when a solid block of cars are traveling 65 mph +. this caused a huge disruption to traffic and several vehicles panicked and cut me forcing me off the road. i was very lucky to have not been in a serious collision and almost caused several other collisions due to the faulty transmission. i have never felt safe traveling in my vehicle again and especially not comfortable with traveling on the freeway which is a very costly inconvenience. compensation is necessary. | |||
| 01/17/2012 | 69202 | ||
| While on freeway in the morning, the vehicle was slowed down with the traffic. when traffic moved, the car failed to shift into 3 gear. it was stuck in 2nd gear. i was able to pull the vehicle to safety and upon putting it in park then back into drive, it still failed to move past 2nd gear. switch to 4th setting and then vehicle did shift from 2nd to 3rd but will sudden jerk reaction only. for moment the car did a quick jolt and i had to take quick action to make sure i did not lose control of the vehicle on freeway. contacted the dealership and there is recall with similar issue of failure to 2nd gear for my car and the vin is part of the recall by manufacturer. car was provided to dealership and pictures of the 2nd gear were sent to acura which denied the recall repair of the transmission as the second gear did not show sign of heat wear even though it had failed. the dealer offered a 40% goodwill for total transmission replacement repair charges of 2750. i would like to note that acura has failed to respond correctly to existing recall and limited the recall repairs only if the damage shows some heat wear and not just damage to second gear. as vehicle has been kept in perfect condition, i do not see how the vehicle with recall for 2nd and 3rd gear can have transmission failure which will not be covered by the vehicle manufacturer for a vehicle with only 69k miles, when there are so many of us showing this exact same failure and honda is acknowledge of bad transmission problem by issuing a recall and has been patching the problem instead of fixing it. | |||
| 12/21/2011 | 96000 | ||
| I have a 2003 acura 3.2 tl with 96k miles, i purchase from an acura dealer in june 2005. in december 2011 one day i was driving and i noticed jerking and slipping. usually between 3 and 4 gears. while pressing down on the accelerator, the engine's rpm woud go up, but car would not accelerate. and then suddenly car would shift to the higher gear with a jerk. when i took the car to acura dealership for service on thursday, december 22, 2011 and reported this problem, the service center at the acura dealership responded back in about 1 hour that my car's transmission needs to be replaced. the lady at the service center told me that it would cost $5000. she also told me she would see if she could get a better price for me, but i never heard from them. on the 23rd of december i took it to a local transmission shop and they repared it for me at a price of $2,630.32. they told me that with the amount of milage i had on the car i should not of had any transmission proplems. i feel that acura should reimburse me for these costs in total due to apparent faulty manufacturing, in addition reimburse me for a rental car that cost me $120 for the period i had my car in the shop thank you jw | |||
| 12/05/2011 | 124000 | ||
| The first indication a problem maybe beginning, was the tcs light starting flashing for no reason. a couple of days later while coasting to a stop, the transmission locked up in second gear, but did work after the stop. then the car started jerking when shifting from first into second gear. that is when i took it to muller acura in hoffman estates, il and was informed the transmission has failed. this car is one of the vehicles recalled for the transmission problems with the second gear and did have the remedial repair work completed as recommended by acura. this vehicle was in the shop 32 times for a multitude of repair work the first couple of years i owned the car at fayetteville auto park, fayetteville, ar. | |||
| 10/19/2011 | 51680 | ||
| I was driving my car to the work on 10/19/11 in ma @ 50mph and suddenly the car slowed down even though i had my foot on the accelerator . i was lucky that all the drivers behind me were pro-active to apply the brakes to avoid a major pile up. i was told at the acura service center that this was due to the transmission issue . i am trying to understand how can a cars transmission fail in 5 years . the same car was part of recall for transmission and was fixed in 2005 by acura (this information was received from acura corp ) . i have only 51,700 miles on this car and i am looking for answers on how nhtsb can allow a company to get away when there are so many complaints on this model on similar issue. | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 128000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated while driving at 30 mph the accelerator was depressed and the vehicle would not accelerate over 30 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that located the failure in the transmission clutch pressure, and sensor. the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 128,000. rvk | |||
| 10/19/2011 | 51680 | ||
| I was driving my car to the work on 10/19/11 in ma @ 50mph and suddenly the car slowed down even though i had my foot on the accelerator . i was lucky that all the drivers behind me were pro-active to apply the brakes to avoid a major pile up. i was told at the acura service center that this was due to the transmission issue . i am trying to understand how can a cars transmission fail in 5 years . the same car was part of recall for transmission and was fixed in 2005 by acura (this information was received from acura corp ) . i have only 51,700 miles on this car and i am looking for answers on how nhtsb can allow a company to get away when there are so many complaints on this model on similar issue. | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 128000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated while driving at 30 mph the accelerator was depressed and the vehicle would not accelerate over 30 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that located the failure in the transmission clutch pressure, and sensor. the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 128,000. rvk | |||
| 10/19/2011 | 51680 | ||
| I was driving my car to the work on 10/19/11 in ma @ 50mph and suddenly the car slowed down even though i had my foot on the accelerator . i was lucky that all the drivers behind me were pro-active to apply the brakes to avoid a major pile up. i was told at the acura service center that this was due to the transmission issue . i am trying to understand how can a cars transmission fail in 5 years . the same car was part of recall for transmission and was fixed in 2005 by acura (this information was received from acura corp ) . i have only 51,700 miles on this car and i am looking for answers on how nhtsb can allow a company to get away when there are so many complaints on this model on similar issue. | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 128000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated while driving at 30 mph the accelerator was depressed and the vehicle would not accelerate over 30 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that located the failure in the transmission clutch pressure, and sensor. the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 128,000. rvk | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 128000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that while driving at 30mph when the accelerator was depressed the vehicle would not accelerate over 30mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnosed that located the failure at the transmission clutch pressure, and sensor. the transmission would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 128,000. li | |||
| 03/15/2008 | 70000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving at any speed, the gear shift becomes stuck. the vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer. the cost to repair the vehicle is $2,500. nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train: automatic transmission) was referenced. the failure mileage was 70,000. | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 20000 | ||
| My transmission literally locked up over 6 times while driving at speeds over 65mph causing my car to try and come to a complete stop while driving this fast ..i had no warning prior ,that anything was wrong with the transmission . it literally was about to throw me through the windsheild ,it left bald ares on my tires from this and the service guy who drove it stated it almost threw him through the windsheild and he was only driving 30mph ...this has injured my neck and arm ,left arm and i am now scared to death of driving this car as this was such a scary expierience ,never knowing when it was going to happen .. i am involved in a forum online for other acura owners who have had their transmission replaced up to 4 times.. i want out of this death trap! | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 11000 | ||
| The engine light went on suddenly at 11,000 miles making a clunking noise. was in repair 15 days. rebuilt automatic transmission & torque converter was replaced as well as broken engine mount. at 19,713 engine light went on again failure vsa & ecm units replaced. at 25,596 miles engine light goes on,transmission does not go into reverse due to internal failure, replaced pcm & transmission (rebuilt)lock-up control solinoid assembly, replaced lost transmission fluid.left dealer's service dept & upon reaching home, engine light came on, had to return back to service dept. on the way, the vehicle suddenly & without notice locked 6 times at 50 mph, decelerated down to 30 mph making booming noises, car behind almost crashed into my vehicle, had to pull over, slowly driving to dealer scared to death as the vehicle was so erratic & making booming noises. my son was driving, called me on his cell phone as to his experience, finally made it to the service dept. honda/acura voluntarily extended warranty in 2002 on the transmissions due to defects as well as in 2003 offered enhanced pcm powertrain service due to defects in another notification. nhtsa conducted investigation & should have recalled the 3.2tl type s vehicles as well as other models as they can potentially cause serious injuries and/or death to everyone concerned without notice at highway speeds especially. these transmission defects were known by honda/acura yet vehicles were being sold to the public anyway. honda/acura now claims the 2004 models will be redesigned. does this include their faulty transmissions? who can you ask if nhsta allows this to occur year after year. leasing this vehicle requires prayers that no one gets killed. yes, i'm angry!! a vehicle should be enjoyed & not a hazard that cannot be corrected. | |||
| 11/29/2003 | 2 | ||
| Transmission problems with 2003 acura tl type s. *ph the transmission shifted roughly in addition to a missing cruise control. there was also a time where the vehicle had no reverse gear. *sc | |||
| 11/29/2003 | 22500 | 3 | |
| 2003 acura tl type s experiencing transmission problems. *mr the transmission shifted roughly in addition to missing when the cruise control was engaged. when the consumer pressed the cruise control to increase the speed the engine surged on two occasions back to back as the consumer tried to disengage the cruise control. (faulty tl transmissions were a widely known problem for acura) *sc | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 02/16/2011 | 75900 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the vehicle vibrated and the automatic transmission gear was shifting from first to second gear. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated they had to replace the transmission and pay $4500 for the repairs. the manufacturer was contacted and stated the local dealer could make a decision on how to repair the vehicle. the dealer offered no further assistance. the failure mileage was 75,900. | |||
| 02/16/2011 | 75900 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated while driving 25mph the vehicle vibrates and the automatic transmission gears shifts from first to second. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated they have to replace the transmission and he would have to pay the cost of $4500 for the repairs. the manufacturer was contacted and stated the local dealer can make a decision on how to repair the vehicle. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 75,900...mw | |||
| 03/01/2011 | 91000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura tl-s. the contact stated that when shifting gears, the vehicle would violently jerk or there would be an abnormal increase in engine rpms before engaging. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where it was diagnosed that the transmission was defective and would need to be replace. the manufacturer was contacted who referred him to the dealer. no further assistance was offered. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000. | |||
| 03/01/2011 | 91000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2003 acura tl-s. the contact stated that while shifting gears the vehicle jerks violently or it raves up between gears before it engages. the vehicle was taken to local shop who diagnosed that the transmission was defective and needed to be replace. the manufacturer was contact who referred him to the dealer and did not offered further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000. pm | |||
| 10/22/2010 | 93592 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that the transmission failed. the vehicle was repaired by the contact's personal mechanic; however, the transmission failed again. the dealer had been notified, but offered no assistance. the manufacturer was contacted, but notified but offered no assistance as well. currently, the vehicle had not been repaired. the current mileage was approximately 95,100. the failure mileage was 93,592. bw | |||
| 10/29/2010 | 106000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving at 65 mph the transmission suddenly locked causing both front wheels to lock and the vehicle start to skid. he maintained control of the vehicle move on to the side and continue to drive until it resets itself. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated the transmission needed to be replaced but the vehicle is out of warranty and it would cost $3000 for repairs. the manufacturer was contacted who stated he has to pay for the repairs due to the vehicle is out of the warranty. the failure mileage was 106,000....mw | |||
| 08/03/2010 | 70100 | ||
| 2003 acura tl sudden downshift from 5th to 2nd. | |||
| 05/30/2010 | 98200 | 1 | |
| There was a sudden downshift in gears while driving in the vehicle and changing freeways late at night. the car, as a result, decelerated quickly in fast moving traffic almost causing an accident. the car was pulled over to the side of the freeway and was rendered inoperable due to transmission failure. the car was part of the acura 00-04 cl & tl a/t recall (automatic transmission second gear inspection). as part of the recall, if the car was over 15,000 miles, the dealer would inspect the gear for heat discoloration. if they found discoloration, a new transmission would be installed. the car was over 15,000 miles at the time but the dealer reported no discoloration. as a result, only an oil jet kit was installed only. due to a large number of cases of transmission problems with the tl and a class action lawsuit, acura extended their transmission warranty for model years 1999-2002 and included only some 2003 depending on vin number. my vehicle is a 2003 model, but did not fall within the vin number cutoff. therefore, my car does not qualify for the transmission extended warranty. i have a found a large number of other complaints on this website, as well as others, regarding 2003 acura tls that did not make the vin number cutoff but still suffered from transmission failure. obviously, there is a safety issue regarding these cars and their transmissions that was not addressed in the initial recall. (the appropriate repairs were not made). the second recall, with the extended warranty, also does not appear to cover all vehicles effected by this transmission problem. *tr | |||
| 05/16/2010 | 83000 | ||
| My 2003 acura tl-s transmission, 83,000 miles. based on the research i've done online. it seems that there are major problems with this model. | |||
| 04/18/2010 | 72000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated while driving at approximate speeds of 60 mph, the vehicle shifted from drive to neutral without driver intent, causing the vehicle to stall. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic and testing. the dealer advised the transmission would need to be replaced. the dealer would not offer any assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure and current mileages were 72,000. | |||
| 01/20/2010 | 99500 | 1 | |
| 2003 acura tl transmission suddenly failed car had 99,500 miles ,was towed to acura dealer , told $4300for new transmission because i didn't fall with-in vin # for 105,000 mi free replacement (early 2003) i feel problem was not fixed in mid 2003 and i should be covered. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 81700 | 1 | |
| When i shift gear i notice the car pulling forward. it's becoming more of a problem it happens constantly. *tr | |||
| 10/10/2009 | 52900 | 1 | |
| There is a known transmission issue with acura 2003tl version, even though acura have put it in recall, to do the work the dealer charge anywhere from $350-600. the vehicle chokes up in between the road because of overheating in transmission. the headlights flickering is one another issue which when taken to the dealer called it as computer system mess up in the car and this is not in the recall, the dealer charges about $800 for such repair which is not reasonable for the faulty equipment of acura. *tr | |||
| 10/31/2009 | 87919 | 1 | |
| I own a 2003 acura tl. my transmission is not shifting properly unless i baby the engine. the problems gets worse as the car heats up and gets hot. the main problem comes in when shifting from 1st gear to 2nd gear and from 2nd to 3rd as well. going up hills from a stop is difficult. i brought it to the dealer and they pulled code p1450. the tech told me that there are internal solenoids that are receiving the signal to shift, but are not actuating. i've looked into this problem and saw there is an outstanding recall on this transmission (04v176000). i've been told by acura hq and the local dealer that i've been dealing with (acura of avon in avon, ct) and haven't gotten any results. i understand that my car does not fall within this recall, but i also understand that there is also a class action lawsuit against acura that describes my exact problem. despite acura's information on vin number distribution of problematic transmissions, i believe i have a vehicle that is experiencing the problems covered under either the recall or the class action lawsuit. this problem occurs everytime i drive the vehicle. i have to keep the engine at around 2,000 or 2, 500 rpms until the transmission finally shifts. if i do not lay off the gas, the transmission will not shift. *tr | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 54000 | 1 | |
| While driving approximately 55 mph in fifth gear, the transmission automatically shifted into second gear without assistance. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was related to the transmission,current mileage-54000. *tr | |||
| 11/08/2009 | 107000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving 45 mph the vehicle had suddenly stopped on its own and could not be driven past the second gear without stopping. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the transmission was replaced by a local mechanic. the current and failure mileages were 107,000. | |||
| 10/12/2009 | 63300 | 1 | 05/01/2008 |
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving 40 mph the vehicle down-shifted without any prior warnings. the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility, and a mechanic concluded that the gears in the transmission were slipping. the vehicle was towed to a dealer. the technician advised him that before repairs could be performed he would have to pay an $140.00 diagnostic fee. no repairs were made. the technician concluded that he would call the manufacturer to determine what recourse they would provide. the failure mileage was 63,300. updated 11/06/09. *lj the ball joints were replaced. updated 11/10/09 | |||
| 07/23/2009 | 44000 | 1 | |
| On thursday 7/23/09 as i was on my way home from work, my transmission completely failed. i was pulling out onto a busy road and was almost involved in a very bad collision when my transmission quit working. it lurched me forward into moving traffic however would not accelerate fast enough to get me moving. luckily, the oncoming semi truck was able to slam on it's brakes and turn to avoid a collision. i could have easily been killed if the driver had not been alert and paying attention. there is already a recall on this transmission (nhtsa #04v176000) which according to honda was already done on my car however it obviously was not done properly. it may not lock up as stated in the original recall however a complete failure to move is also extremely dangerous. checking around online, many many other people are making this same complaint on my year and model. acura needs to completely resolve these problems or people may be seriously injured or even killed. *tr | |||
| 04/06/2009 | 52320 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving approximately 60 mph in rainy weather conditions, the transmission shifted into another gear without warning. the failure caused sudden deceleration. the contact is in the process of taking the vehicle to the dealer to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 52,320. | |||
| 11/08/2008 | 100029 | 1 | |
| My 2003 3.2 tl acura started to jerk so i took it to my dealership to have it fix they just said that i needed my oil changed and a tune up i got all of that done then it still continued to jerk again. it seemed that my car was having a hard time getting into gear. so i took it to get put on a machine and they said i just needed another tune up. well two months after that my transmission light went off so i pulled on the side of the road and read my acura's manual book i read the instructions and followed them. turned around and went back home the manual said wait and let the car cool off. the next day i drove it and my car broke down on the side of the road. i got it toad home and then i started to call around to try to get it fix. i did some research and found out that my 2003 3.2 tl acura's transmission had a recall that i was not informed by my dealership. ever since i purchased this car i have been having problem. the dealership put my life at risk to sell me a lemon i really do not appreciate that. i have called acura corp. numerous of times and my car still have not been fixed it has been over a month. i need my car i am a homehealth care assistant i have been missing work and i have lost two of my clients because lack of transportation. *tr | |||
| 09/15/2008 | 105722 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving approximately 55 mph in fifth gear, the transmission automatically shifted into second gear without assistance. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was related to the transmission. the vin was not included in the recall, although the failures were identical. the vehicle has not been repaired. the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 105,722. | |||
| 03/04/2008 | 95000 | 2 | 11/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving 60 mph, the check engine and tcs warning lights illuminated. the transmission slammed into gear and caused the vehicle to jerk for approximately 30 seconds. the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road and was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that the transmission failed due to gear breakage. the transmission was replaced in the summer of 2004 as part of a recall. no campaign id number was found for the recall. the current and failure mileages were 95,000. updated 04/03/08. *lj the consumer stated the replacement transmission exhibited the problems. | |||
| 09/04/2007 | 96400 | 1 | 06/17/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving about 0-35mph the vehicle began shaking and making a continuous loud noise. when the vehicle came to a stop, he had to restart the vehicle and it began shaking rapidly on three occasions. the reverse gear box and the transmission failed. he was able to drive to the dealer. the current and failure mileage on the vehicle was 96,400. the purchase date was unavailable. updated 01-11-08. *kb the dealer stated vibration when braking. updated 12/12/07 *tr | |||
| 12/16/2006 | 90795 | 4 | 08/04/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. the contact stated that the transmission was replaced four times, including once when it was recalled. the last time the vehicle was taken to the dealer they worked on the transmission and stated that they would no longer warranty the repairs. the powertrain was unknown. the failure mileage was 90,795 and there is no current mileage because the vehicle has been sold. | |||
| 02/14/2007 | 28753 | 3 | 01/14/2004 |
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. on july 1, 2004, the original transmission was overheating. the vehicle hesitated, and made a grinding and clanking noise when shifting gears from park to drive. the mileage was 28,753. the dealer attempted to repair the transmission by inserting a lube kit. the transmission was replaced on january 24, 2007. however, on february 6, 2007, while shifting gears the vehicle was making excessive noises. on february 14, 2007, a rebuilt transmission was installed in the vehicle. the contact stated that the transmission inserted in this vehicle had the same failure. the dealer advised the contact that although there was noise present the vehicle was operating normally. the noises he was currently hearing from this vehicle was normal. the contact stated that he was currently waiting for a regional manager to test drive the vehicle at the end of march 2007. the current mileage was 31,000. *ak update 4/9 *tr | |||
| 06/05/2004 | 3979 | 2 | 10/02/2003 |
| Dt: transmission failed twice. in 06-2004 the first time transmission failed. the consumer could feel that the gear shift did not shift smoothly. the consumer found out that there had been a recall on the transmission. the transmission had been replaced in 7-2004. the second time the transmission failed was on 8-15-05. the dealership replaced the transmission again. the vehicle was still under warranty. when she contacted the manufacturer, they told her that if she did not feel safe she should sell the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 07/11/2005 | 55000 | 1 | 04/01/2003 |
| Dt: consumer states he has an intermittent shuddering when the transmission shifts. the dealer cannot duplicate the problem. he says acura knows there is a transmission problem/ they have extended the warranty to 100,000 miles. he has 66,000 miles on the car. he states this problem started happening around 55, 000 miles. consumer states he is afraid that the problem will get worse and the car will break down while he is far away from home. *nm the vehicle was recall prior to this failure for the transmission overheating. the dealer installed and addition pump to rectify that problem. the consumer believes this problem is related to the recall repairs made.*nm | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 38000 | 1 | |
| While going through an intersection, pausing to let another vehicle pass. then, transmission failed. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and was told that transmission failed. *ak | |||
| 08/18/2004 | 45000 | 1 | |
| Recall was found on the internet. after contacting the manufacturer about not receiving recall letter, consumer was told they could not send him the letter again, their obligation was fulfilled with recall 04-v176000 concening transmission failure. however, transmission was still defective. *ak | |||
| 07/25/2004 | 22870 | 1 | 12/18/2002 |
| Car was driven on the interstate highway and sudden transmission failure. car surge and transmission went out, no shifting in any gear at all. mil check engine light comes on. owned to the dealership and diagnosis show tranny failure. new transmission is replaced. *ak | |||
| 05/15/2004 | 1 | ||
| Transmission failure. *ak | |||
| 04/02/2004 | 58900 | 2 | 09/03/2003 |
| Failed transmission in both a 2002 and 2003 acura tls vehicle. *ak | |||
| 01/21/2004 | 3000 | 1 | 04/30/2003 |
| While having an oil change performed, the dealership noticed an oil leak. the oil was leaking through the transmission casing. the dealership indicated that the casing was faulty and replaced it with a previous manufactured part. this was a common problem in these vehicles. *ak 20% of the cast transmission casing was defective. the consumer felt that he did not need a new transmission with less than 3k miles. the consumers extended warranty was excluded. *sc *jb | |||
| 03/30/2004 | 3000 | 2 | |
| Automatic transmission was leaking fluid. dealer replaced it with a rebuilt transmission , consumer asked why transmission was replaced with a rebuilt and not brand new transmission. *ak | |||
| 05/05/2002 | 7886 | 1 | 11/30/2002 |
| Transmission slips and revs at approx 55-65 mph, so strongly car loses direction while driving and passenger feels 'jolt', dealership has replaced transmission twice, also replaced egr valve, problem continues to occur. axle not properly replaced; transmission fluid leaking out which caused car to smoke. met with regional service rep who was condescending and patronizing, and offered 'accessories'. transmission #1 was 'refurbished' and guaranteed by acura by 150,000 miles-->was replaced by #2 which was 'new'...still having the same problem-extremely unsafe!! i just want a car that is safe and works!! | |||
| 08/30/2002 | |||
| While driving at highway speeds automatic transmission slipped without touching gear shift. vehicle spinned out, hitting a wall on freeway.*ak | |||
| 07/17/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2002 | |
| Transmission locked up at 55 mph causing the vehicle to skid.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 25600 | 1 | |
| While driving, the transmission slipped gears. the consumer managed to drive home and had the vehicle towed to the dealership. please provide more information. *jb | |||