Problems with 2003 Acura TL POWER TRAIN

We have a 2003 acura 3.2 tl purchased in september of 2002. there was a recall issued for our model and our car was brought in to our dealer to have it checked in january of 2005. the dealer stated the automatic transmission was updated (an oil jet kit was installed) and we continued to drive the car until august 2009. there was a sudden jerk while driving on the nj turnpike and the car suddenly stopped. we had to have the car towed and it started driving again a couple hours later. we brought it in to the acura dealership and they stated that the transmission had to be replaced. we ended up paying almost $4000.00 to have the transmission replaced. according to http://www.hondatransmissionsettlement.com there has admittedly been a problem with honda/acura transmissions. unfortunately, the vin of my car is not covered under the lawsuit, nor does the warranty cover our repairs. i don't understand why my car is not covered when it obviously has the same transmission issues that have been reported by thousands of acura owners. i have tried contacting the dealer as well as acura and they have not been helpful at all. i feel that i should not be paying for acura's transmission design flaw. for reference: http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/acura/tl/r71264/comments/ and http://www.acuraworld.com/forums/f47/look-me-another-transmission-thread-32947/. *tr

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

Driving the car one afternoon, when suddenly the cars rpm rapidly went up, nearly touching the red line part of the rpm. looking at the meters on the dash the check engine light come on. to my understanding the 3rd gear was not working correctly. had it check at an local auto part store and was told "something is wrong with the gear ratios." it was a problem that never went away. bring it in for an inspection i was told that the transmission needs to be replace. so with the amount to replace it being about $3700 i declined the service. looking online for issue involving the cars transmission i found out that the car had a recall that was issue in april 2004 so i called the dealership and ask them about the recall and was told the it had already been done and fix in 2004. which i wouldn't had know about because the car was brought in 2007. the car not being under warranty i am left with the cost to replace it. im complaining because i did have the car in 2004 and the car never got a recall replacement and now that i am the new owner of the car i experience the failure and is left with no other option but to pay for something that could of been fix at the time. *tr

While traveling on the pennsylvania turnpike in a 2003 acura 3.2tl, the vehicle experienced a total loss of power due to complete failure of the transmission (automatic). the vehicle was traveling with cruise control engaged at 65 mph. engine rpm began to climb. cruise control was secured. within 1-2 minutes all clutch engagement in the transmission was lost with a corresponding total loss of power (engine was still operating, but no forward or reverse gears/power to the wheels). with family members in the car, and no power, the car was coasted to the side of the turnpike. acura dealer said that codes on vehicle indicated total transmission failure, no cause provided. i view this failure as a defect, related to prior transmission problems found on 1999-2003 acura 3.2 tls that resulted in a class action suit, with corresponding extension of warranty on the transmissions, but the vehicles included in the group covered by the suit did not include my vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. the contact stated that the transmission does not shift and the rpms rinse when the vehicle is not traveling at high speeds. the vehicle jerks when the transmission stalls and the instrument panel lights flash. the contact was concerned that the jerking could cause a crash. the dealer offered to pay 50% of the repair cost, but the contact feels that the manufacturer should pay for the entire repair since the vehicle has 68,880 miles and the cause of the failure cannot be determined. the current and failure mileages were 68,880.

Hello, my name is gillieume gonsalves with a 2003 acura tl. the car was purchased in 3/07 from price acura in dover delaware. the sales man whose name is bill whistler told me that the car had no problems, the car was inspected for a safety recall dealing with the transmission and should last well through the acura warranty and the life of the car. after about 6 months worth of driving, i was on the highway and driving about 65 on the highway and lightly stepped on the brakes and noticed the tachometer go well below the normal idle speed and all of a sudden the car jerked and slipped out of 5th gear into 2nd gear causing a sudden deceleration and almost causing a pile up on the freeway. i went to the acura dealership for them to diagnose the problem and they said it will be noted in the computer and will be covered under the warranty even after it runs out. i complained to honda america and the dealership that im not concerned about breaking down on the side of the road, i was more afraid that the car will lock up on the highway and me or my family will end up dead in a car crash or roll over, just like some other complaints i have seen on the internet, they both said there was nothing they can do and they cannot honor anything posted on the internet. the problem happened again just after the car came out of warranty and acura said if i pay $3400 acura will put a used the transmission that had already failed and rebuilt in the car, i declined. 2 months later the transmission slipped out of 5th gear when i took my foot off the accelerator during rush hour and the police witnessed the sudden downshift and told me to tow it home. the next day i had aamco transmissions look over the car and the mechanic said the car almost put him through the windshield twice and i should leave it or someone is going to get killed. i had to pay $4000 to have a newly rebuilt transmission installed in my car. which is crazy because honda is too cheap to replace this defect in my car. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) 2003 acura tl 3.2, [xxx] mileage: 55,189 after driving for a few minutes, auto transmission does not pull, similar to the transmission being placed in "neutral". acura taken to leith acura, cary, nc on 4/14/10. dealer service dept identified the following computer codes: p0740-torque converter clutch, p0730-gear incorrect ratio, & p0700-shift malfunction. based on these codes, dealer recommended transmission & torque converter to be replaced (total cost approx $ 3400). dealer contacted the regional acura office, which provided a 45% adjustment to the original cost. net charge by dealer $ 1,783.19. this vehicle was subject to a recall in 2003-04 (nhtsa campaign id # 04v176000). the modification to this safety recall was completed on 9/10/2004 by tischer acura, laurel, md with mileage @ 8,426. per the invoice from tischer & since the mileage was less than 15,000, the recall instructed the dealer to "install an oil jet kit", which was completed. note, if the vehicle had more than 15,000 miles, the safety recall instructed the dealer to "replace the transmission". based upon the history of this particular acura, i believe the dealer in 2004 should have replaced the transmission instead of installing an oil jet kit. many acuras manufactured prior to the 2004 model had serious "transmission problems" which were included in other "recalls". *tr

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.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. the contact stated that the transmission's third gear clutch pack has failed. the transmission slips out of third gear before reaching 40 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that she would have received a deduction on the repair cost if her vehicle had been serviced by acura. the manufacturer stated that the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). the failure mileage was 66,000.

Transmission in my 2003 acura tls had been recalled oct, 5th, 2004 for an oil jet install. i bought the vehicle used from a certified acura dealership in franklin, tn. on june 3rd, 2006. was never disclosed of this issue. i learned of this problem on nhtsa web site. recently in march of 2009 and with 95,000 miles on the car, i noticed a hesitation while accelerating. i took the car to my dealer and they said the transmission had to be replaced. my warranty was up at 100,000 miles. they replaced the transmission, or so they say, and it had the same problems as i drove it off the dealer lot. upon returning the car to the dealer the next day, they assured me they would replace that 2nd transmission with a 3rd. however, the warranty would only cover to the original 100,000 mile extension leaving me with 5 thousand miles to test this 3rd transmission. the known failure rate on these(check nhtsa) is astounding. what is wrong with these transmissions? are they putting these same known defective parts into these remanufactored transmissions? why doesn't acura stand behind each one with a new separate warranty? *tr

On march 20, 2009 i experienced shifting problems suspected to be the transmission. the vehicle was diagnosed to have transmission problems by a mechanic that specializes in transmissions. i called honda corporate office (case #b012009-03-2000-288) and explained the problem to a representative. i was told that i would have to pay for the inspection and new transmission being that the recall that affected my vehicle had been fixed. i complained to the acura dealership that since the purchase of the vehicle, it has a straining noise each time i drove the vehicle; however, the technicians could not locate the problem every time i took the car to service it at open road acura in wayne, nj. there is no reason for a 2003 acura tl with 90,000 miles to have transmission problems. the transmission problem that i'm currently experiencing appears to be related to the recall that was supposedly fixed by the dealership. furthermore, the acura representative informed me that certain cars that were recalled (including 2003 acura tl) had the warranty for the transmission extended for up to 7 years and nine months or 100,000 miles. presently, i fall under both criterias. currently, the acura has a little less than 91,000 and have owned it since september 2002. please guide me what i should do regarding this issue. i am in no position to pay for the transmission if it seems to be recall that the automaker should be responsible for. thank you in advance. *tr

While driving the transmission slipped almost into neutral and has progressed to get worse causing the vehicle to run for a few moments and then not move at all until it sits for 20-30 minutes. i have contacted acura and my vehicle has had the recall done so i contacted my local dealership to see if there was any kind of warranty on the recall and was told no. this vehicle has less then 70,000 miles on it and has had all maintenance maintained on it. upon researching the problem i'm apparently not the only owner who has had this problem and someone is going to get seriously injured or possibly loose their life if the manufacture does not fix these problems. my first encounter i was exchanging from one major highway to another and because my car accelerated and then stopped if i wouldn't have gone off onto the shoulder, who knows where i would be today. *tr

My 2003 acura tl-s having 50300 miles almost crashed on rt 270 near gaithersburg because transmission started slipping. i took exit and let the engine cool down then i drove car slowly to rosenthal acura. when i searched on internet, several site says that acura has extended warranty on transmission to 7 years and 100,000 miles but acura company says my car is not covered. if transmission warranty is extended, then why it does not show on your website. (http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1999-to-2003-acura-tl-2.htm). i see so many complains about transmission slipping of honda cars and your department is giving them free pass. if the warranty is extended then consumer and nhtsa should be reported. acura must replace transmission of my car free of charge and honda should be asked to replace transmission all the affected cars. honda has not reported to nhtsa about list of defective transmission of various cars and they are replacing it on their own choice. what is use of replacement of transmission after failure if someone die? my whole family would have died on rt 270 if i was not near exit. *tr

Replaced transmission 20,000 miles ago with the dealer and now is acting up again. i have a surging problem with the rpm's in which it goes up to 4,000 rpm's at times. this problems often occurs everyday while im driving in heavy traffic. i've had an accident in the past but nobody was injured , and almost hit a pedestrian on the streets. i replaced a couple of parts and have done work to the car so the problem could go away but has continued often and everyday and i still have the old parts with me. i've had service appointments with the dealer. the dealer replaced the transmission and gave me a lifetime warranty on the new one . i believe they don't want to put a new one in , but i am concerned with my safety and others who i put in my car . *tr

I bought a certified pre owned 2003 tl type s in 2006, was never notified by the dealership that the car was on a recall list of any sort. on 2.04.09 i left a stoplight accelerated to 40mph, transmission slipped, car dropped to 1st gear forcing me to pull over, engine emission light came on, vsa light came on. after stopping the car, the vsa warning cleared. delivered the vehicle to the dealership the next day. dealership ran diagnostics, received 2 transmission codes and stated the transmission must be placed at a cost of $3700. dealership called corporate and the stated corporate would apply a $1200 credit on this vehicle. dealership just inflated the price of a transmission replacement to cover costs, sounds like collusion to me. interestingly aamco charges $2300 to replace the whole transmission. called corporate again to file a complaint, no resolution, awaiting a return call. did an internet search found multiple complaints of the same nature on this vehicle. honda clearly knows this is a problem as they promptly offered a credit. car remains at dealership. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. while driving 35 mph, the contact attempted to shift gears, but the gear locked into neutral. he waited a few minutes and drove the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer found failure codes with the clutch and control module. the dealer is charging $2,400 to replace the transmission. a report was filed with the manufacturer and they stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train: automatic transmission); therefore, they would not assist with the repair. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 82,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. in may of 2006, the was a class action suit against acura for the same problem. on december 8, 2008, the transmission failed and the vehicle was towed to a repair shop. the dealer stated that the transmission was serviced on december 14, 2004 according to nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train: automatic transmission). a report was filed with the manufacturer. the manufacturer stated that the contact could take the vehicle to the dealer; however, he would be responsible for the repair costs. the current and failure mileages were 108,000. updated 2/5/09 *cn the consumer stated the transmission began to act erractic and would slip from 5th gear. updated 02/10/09. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. the contact stated that the transmission failed at 91,000 miles and needed to be replaced. on december 24, 2004, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission), honda recall number 222110. the vehicle was repaired with a kit instead of being replaced. the failure has recurred and the transmission needs to be replaced at the cost of $1,800, which is half of the repair cost at honda american. the vehicle was towed 100 miles away and she was informed to have the vehicle towed back to a local dealer for repair. honda issued an extended warranty on the transmission; however, the contact did not receive one. the failure mileage was 91,000. updated 01/23/09 *bf the consumer stated the transmission was slipping. updated 01/23/09. *jb

So, the report for pe02081 says that the transmission problem for the 2000-2003 acura tl / cl is rare and erroneous and isn't realistic, but i've done a lot of research and i am a member of acurazine.com. but i am having the same issues as was listed (i.e. slipping of gears, sudden harsh downshift from 65mph to redline limit at 50mph on freeway nearly causing an accident). after the incident i had taken my vehicle to dealership because i was told there had been an extended warranty on the vehicle to 109,000 miles. i was at nearly 108,000 miles when my car was at the dealership. that was when the service gentleman told me i needed to replace my transmission which would cost about $3800 because i had been after the cut-off point for the extended warranty. that service was denied and they sent me on my way even though i was having the exact same problems as the vehicles that were before the vin # cut-off. i have since, then, replaced my transmission with another shop for $3500 but only after losing my job and failing my college classes for the semester because i could not afford to repair my car at the time. i wish someone would hold the acura corporation responsible for their mistake and for the safety of every other driver on the road. if you look on acurazine.com, there is a transmission (tranny) failure thread that goes on for 64 pages with other owners of the same vehicle having the same problems and not receiving help from acura just like me. i know there was a class action law-suit in 2006 for this issue and i feel there will be another law-suit against them if this problem is not treated correctly. i also know that acura/honda manufactures their own transmissions, unlike a lot if not all of the other car makers whom use universal transmissions. i hope this complaint will help persuade the nhtsa, bbb, and consumer protection agencies to act on the problem at hand. even if i am not helped personally, i just don't think anyone else should have to experience this. *tr

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

Driving my 2003 acura tl to work. no previous indication of a problem. driving between 65-70 mph. without any warning the transmission dropped from 5th gear to what felt like 2nd gear. the front wheels practically locked up. my speed dropped from approx. 70 mph to approx.30 mph.(the engine revved over 6500 rpms) in just 1-2 seconds. the car shifted back to 5th gear after a few seconds. there were no warning lights (transmission or check engine) before or after the occurrence. fortunately, i had my seatbelt on and no one hit me from behind. the sudden change in speed however, jerked my neck very hard which did result in a severe headache. the last several miles to work was a continuation of the initial incident. my speed was slower through town so the jerking was not as abrupt. i scheduled an appointment to have it checked at the honda dealer near work before driving home. the transmission was serviced. the flush lessened the jerking, but did not eliminate it. the next day, october 31, 2008, i was pulling into a parking space and there was a noise like a slipping clutch. the car would not engage in either forward or reverse. i had to call a tow truck. currently december 27,2008 the car is still in the shop waiting for a replacement transmission. i am upset to find,via the internet, that this may be a common problem with this particular model transmission and no one at the dealership where i had the service done nor the dealership where i purchased the car in february 2008 told me about it when i asked. i checked the carfax report again just in case i missed it, but there is no mention of a transmission recall on this car. this is a severe safety issue. it should be widely address. if a driver does not have the experience to react correctly or be lucky enough(as i was) to be on a straight, dry road, this defect has the potential to be deadly. *tr

During my drive to work the other morning my car sudden jerked back and forth on the freeway. it was very sudden and it was very scary, i had not control over the vehicle. the tires were screeching during the jerks and i was afraid i was going to crash. a check engine light came on as well as a vsc light and my shifter like d5 was blinking. i made it to work and called my boyfriend to come look at the vehicle. he drove it around the block and noticed nothing wrong, better safe than sorry we switched cars. on his drive home he felt the same thing i did, very sudden jerk and uncontrollable car on the freeway. he mentioned it was like the transmission locking up and then the traction control grabbing. the car would not shift gears. he immediately drove it straight to acura and found somebody to look at it. the dealership said that it was a common problem with these cars and its a ticking time bomb and there was a recall and extended warranty issued out by acura, the dealership also said that the vin number of my vehicle was out of the range of the warranty. they are offering to cover 60% of the cost for the transmission replacement and i pay 40%. i do not think its fair because while i was there, there was another vehicle exactly like mines and i curiously asked what that car was getting fixed and they told me the exact same problem but that car is being covered completely. this is unfair and not right that just because of the vin being out of range i am out of luck. this is a common problem and acura should take of all not just some. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. while driving less than 60 mph, the vehicle downshifted into second gear from fifth gear. the vehicle is powered by an automatic transmission. the contact was able to maneuver the vehicle off the road. the vehicle would not go over 45 mph. the dealer stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. there was a recall on the year, make, and model vehicle; however, the previous owner already had the recall repairs performed. the dealer stated that the transmission would be replaced at the estimated cost of $4,000. the failure and current mileages were 105,000. updated 05/26/09 *bf the vehicle was shifting rough between second and third gear. the vehicle would not go over 40 mph. updated 05/28/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. while driving and initially accelerating at 10-20 mph, the rpm's increase on the instrument panel. the vehicle does not respond immediately and then jerks into gear and goes the proper speed. the vehicle was previously repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission); however, the failure persists. the current mileage was 103,000 and failure mileage was 102,000.

I bought a 2003 acura 3.2tl approximately 2 months ago from a small used car dealer (k&s auto sales, 600 w. st. georges ave., linden, nj 07036; 908-925-4411). they represented this car as being in excellent condition with no problems whatsoever. we paid $10,270. cash for this vehicle. not even 5 weeks after the purchase, the transmission went on the car. when approached to look into the necessary repairs to the car, they vehemently denied any wrong doing and refused to even look at the car. they would only honor new jerseys 30 day warranty that they must do anyway. they never mentioned any trouble with the trans nor the fact that the car had been in an accident prior to us purchasing the car and front fender, door, etc has been replaced. it has now been 4 weeks that the car has been in a transmission repair shop as honda/acura keeps sending the shop the wrong parts to fix the problems (clutch pack failure, 2nd gear shaft locking up, i don't know what else they have to repair) since there was a recall on this vehicle for the same transmission problems, is the car still covered? i don't know if the car was repaired when the recall was first initiated, and even if it was, it is now a recurring problem. it took all the money we had to pay for the car in the first place, now we have had to rent a car for 3-4 weeks while the car is being repaired, and it is supposed to cost anywhere from $2500-$3500 to repair. is there any way that honda/acura of america can help with the cost of the repairs/replacement since this was a nhtsa recall that was obviously not fixed properly in the first place, if at all. i feel the dealer knew there was a problem, but being a mother/daughter buyer, was just interested in the sale. not honesty. please, is there anything you can do to help defray the costs we are now faced with? any help your corporation can give at this point would be a huge help as i feel the huge expense to repair this car should not have to be paid by us. thank you *tr

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.

2003 acura 3.2tl recall notice. consumer wants to be reimbursed for the recall since car was within the warranty and a recall had been issued. *nj the consumer stated the rpm's would get high and the transmission slipped and banged into gear. *jb

I purchased my 2003 acura tls brand new. i had to have my first transmission replaced two years ago when driving at 40 mphs, the car slipped into first. just three months ago, i had problems with the car surging and the dealer replaced the transmission again. just last week (3 months after the last transmission was installed), a third transmission was installed because the car would not accelerate while trying to merge onto the freeway (pretty scary). i purchased an extended warranty when i bought the car even then my car is covered under the recall. my car has 83,000 miles on it and i'm not thrilled about having to buy another car. i sure don't want to sell this to anyone knowing it has a problem that can't be fixed or may possibly kill someone. *tr

I have a 2003 acura tl type s. i bought it used in 2004 with 22,000 miles on it. shortly after honda issued a recall for the transmission. the solution was to take it to the dealership and have them check for a damaged 2nd gear and if there was no visible sign of damage they would install a jet kit to keep the 2nd gear cooler. my car at this time had about 35,000 miles on it. the dealership installed a jet kit my car and reported no damage. around 50,000 miles i noticed my car slipping while accelerating. i took my vehicle back to the dealership. they replaced my transmission stating that the jet kit did not work and that the transmission was damaged. i thought that everything was fixed. around 95,000 i noticed that my transmission was starting to shift hard and slip a little. i took it to the dealership. they said that the transmission was fine and checked good. at 105000 miles i recently took my car down to charlestion sc and was returning home on i95 in nc. i pulled off an exit to get gas and noticed my car was jerking real bad and was having problems staying in gear. soon after i started to smell something burning and my check engine light came on. i pulled into a auto tune shop and had the technicians read the engine code. the code came back as a transmission controller fail. i towed my vehicle to the nearest dealership about 50 miles away. they checked the car and reported that the transmission need to be replaced. this would be my third factory transmission! what if my vehicle had seized up while on i95 where vehicles are traveling at 70 mph. why does a car need three transmission at 105,000 miles! something is wrong! please look into it! *tr

My automatic transmission has failed and scared both myself and my wife. at first the car suddenly downshifted when the brake was pressed at a speed of about 35 mph. later the transmission would not shift properly at all, but worked after the check engine, tcs, and blinking d5 light came on. the select shift no longer works. i don't plan to confront the dealer over a transmission that was previously recalled because acura stated the car was no longer under warranty. *tr

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. *tr

Traveling at freeway speed car suddenly downshifted to 2nd gear causing rapid deceleration and lockup of the seatbelt. took to dealership diagnosed as transmission failure. *tr

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.

I am now familiar with the 2004 work done on the transmission. in 2008, with 70k miles, acura had to replace the transmission under the warranty. now, at 132k miles, the transmission had to be replaced again. acura gave me a 10% discount. *tr

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.

Transmission failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. the contact has been experiencing transmission failure for a few weeks. while driving approximately 50 mph, the transmission surged and the contact lost control of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a shop and the mechanic stated that nothing could be done. the vehicle was then towed to the contact's residence. through research, he found a recall for the transmission. he called the manufacturer and was informed that his vehicle had already been checked for that recall in 2004 and they found no failures at that time. the manufacturer refused to repair the vehicle under the recall. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 69,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura tl. while driving approximately 35 mph with the accelerator pedal depressed, the vehicle stopped and surged forward without warning. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. the failure mileage was 104,000. updated 7/3/08 *cn the consumer stated the transmission had been replaced previously. updated 07/03/08

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. while driving 40 mph, the contact experienced difficulty when shifting gears. the vehicle would also automatically brake while his foot was depressing the accelerator pedal. he has to drive with the hazard lights activated in order to prevent a rear end crash. he took the vehicle to the dealer when the traction control indicator light illuminated. the light gave no indication as to whether or not the feature would disengage. the dealer stated that they could not inspect the vehicle due to warranty issues. the dealer stated that this was a common failure and the contact would be able to drive the vehicle. while driving to his residence, the vehicle would not exceed 40 mph. the vehicle then began to gradually downshift to 20, 15, and finally 10 mph until it automatically braked. he returned to the dealer and was informed of nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) and nhtsa action number pe02081, in which his vin and warranty were not included. the dealer also stated that they would provide him with a rental car due to incorrectly informing him that the vehicle could be driven home. the failure and current mileages were 72,000.

My automatic transmission was slipping into 3rd gear on my 2003 tl-s. i had it rebuilt at 73,900 miles. the torque converter had failed and was loosing hydraulic pressure & overheating. i bought this car new in 2003. it's a late 2003 vin and acura would not cover it under warranty. my dealership wanted $3,750 plus tax to replace it. an independent shop did the work for $2,600 incl tax with a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. *tr

2003 acura tl transmission failure. i felt a lurch in the vehicle one day and was told the next day by the acura dealership that the transmission need to be replaced. i researched on line and determine that there was a recall on "some" 2003 acura tl's but mine was not included in the recall . *tr

2003 acura tl transmission locked during driving. car is non operational need of a new transmission,car has only 30,000 miles. *jb

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

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura 3.2tl. while driving 60 mph, the transmission locked up. the transmission was repaired under warranty. more recently, while driving 70 mph, the transmission came apart and spilled transmission fluid. smoke was present. the contact pulled over and all the passengers exited the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they informed him that the transmission needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 81,000. updated 01-16-08. *kb the transmission was replaced again as a goodwill gesture. updated *jb

My '03 acura tl is having the transmission replaced at 50,000 miles. also the rotors are defective and warp causing me to have them resurfaced all the time.

Transmission slipping. *tr

Transmission locked up. i was riding on the interstate highway and my transmission locked up on me. it just would not moved and finally kicked into gear with a hard thrust. this went on an off and i finally coasted and i was lucky not to be killed. i had the car towed to the acura dealer and called the 800 number and they tell me my vin number was not part of the recall. acura needs to include all 2003 in the recall from the other complaints i read. i have 55 thousand miles and have had all my service done with acura on time. recall needs to be don and i waiting for the acura service team that has my car to get back to me. my complaint is consistent with the other complaints i read. *ak

Transmission locked up. i was riding on the interstate highway and the transmission locked. it just would not move and finally kicked into gear with a hard thrust. this went on an off, and i finally coasted ,and i was lucky not to be killed. i had the car towed to the acura dealer ,and called the 800 number. they tell me vehicle was not part of recall due to vin. acura neede d to include all 2003 in te recall from the other complaints i read. i had 55 thousand miles, and have had all service done with acura on time. recall needed to be done, and i wa s waiting for the acura service team that had the car to get back to me. my complaintwa s consistent with the other complaints i read. *ak

The automatic transmission in my car, a 2003 acura tl, started "jerking" and acting very strange. i almost got in an accident on the highway when it suddenly jerked into another gear. i have owned the car 1 1/2 months and was told that my vin # was not one of the group of vin 3's whose transmissions were recalled and had extended warranties placed on them. i called acura who "brushed" me "off," and i will have to spend $3000-$4000 to replace the transmission and then i will trade it in for another car because i feel my life is at risk in this car; however, i don't want anyone else to buy it, because i think there life will be at risk. i have read a ton of complaints on the '01-'03 acura tl's transmission problems and there were recalls and extended warranties; and here mine is dangerously breaking apart, and acura is telling me "too bad" because i bought it used so it's probably the fault of the person who owned it before me. i have never felt this problem in any other car i've ever owned, and it was so bad, i had it towed to the dealership. it is a very dangerous problem, and acura should pay for the replacement of the transmission on my car. *tr

I was driving from ossining, ny to takoma park , md , 260 miles on i95 when at 70 mph smoke started coming out of the exhaust and the engine compartment. the tachometer went up to 7000 rpms. i was using cruise control. i immediately touched the brake pedal to release the cruise control. however, i had no power from the transmission. i was fortunately able to coast to the right side shoulder from the left most lane of the highway and call onstar. apparently the transmission had blown, and all the transmission fluid was all over the highway and the shoulder where i eventually stopped. the transmission was replaced at no cost to me. however, i was 160 miles from home. this was the second new transmission that has been replaced in this vehicle- once at 77000 miles and now at 10700 miles. *ak