Acura TL harsh shifting problems

Filed Aug 7, 2023 · Transmission · RI

Transmission shifts down very hard, once causing the car to lose traction and skid approximately 10 feet on the highway. The car luckily regained control and I avoided collision. I have seen many other reports of hard shifting in this car.

Filed Jun 21, 2023 · Transmission · CA

My transmission failed at 105,000 had to pay 4500 for a new transmission, I’m sure they have had complaints about the Acura TL through 2004-2008. I am currently on my third transmission and now the new one is hard shifting already.

Filed Sep 24, 2021 · Transmission · WA

My "D" indicator light is blinking no matter changing the transmission fluid, cleaning the solenoids, etc. the car is not overheating, there are no apparent electrical problems and I do not even have any check engine lights or other codes. The light comes on blinking when I drive for a little while then goes off when I turn the car off and is fine. Then when I start it up it doesn't blink anymore. But then when I drive again for a while it blinks again. I've had transmission shuddering, jerky shifting, delayed shifting, etc.

Filed Mar 19, 2018 · Engine, Transmission · 215,000 miles · MD

'tamara recall' before taking off the car had trouble going into gear. Once the car was in motion it began to have a hard shift then once I gained speed of 45 on the highway it wouldn't accelerate any more it actually started to slow down so I pulled off the road I put the car in park and heard a fast clicking noise turned the car off turned it back on tried put it in gear and it wouldn't move

Filed Sep 20, 2016 · Transmission · 40,000 miles · CA

Appears to be transmission related problem. I currently have approximately 47,xxx miles on my vehicle which I had purchased brand new. I've taken my vehicle into the dealer multiple times for the same concern but they have not been able to fix the problem. The first couple of times I took the vehicle in, I was advised there's nothing wrong with the vehicle. I took it in again and acura stated the computer needs to be updated. Once they updated the computer it still did not fix the problem. Then acura stated it was a torque converter and they replaced it with a new one. Instead of fixing the problem, my vehicle have gotten worst due to the whole car vibrating when the A/C is on. The problem still exist, vehicle hesitates and clunking noise and vibration comes from the engine are when driving approximately between 20-45 MPH. I purchased this vehicle new and I know how it drove from day one, now it does not drive the way it did. Acura stated they are aware of the problem but they do not have a solution for the problem. All the work was done under warranty which is four years or 50,000 miles. My vehicle is few thousand miles away from being out of manufacture warranty and I am afraid my vehicle will break down or the problem will get worst and I will be stuck with a broken car. Acura also stated there is a bulletin for this problem and acura is working on finding a solution.

Filed May 22, 2016 · Transmission · 65,000 miles · GA

Transmission needing replacement in less than 100k miles. Hard shifting noticed substantially while driving. Car only at only 65k miles.

Filed Nov 8, 2014 · Transmission · 162,400 miles · CO

I bought this vehicle used in september and it started having shifting problems shortly afterward. I then discovered there was a recall (04v‑176) on the transmission. The recall states in part that "the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced." the dealer called and told me they had completed the recall work, but recommended that we replace the solenoids to fix the hard shifting. My wife picked up the car when the work was complete and it ran reasonably well for about a week. On the date noted above, my daughter drove it home from work and it would not shift out of 3rd gear. Note, it is a 5 speed automatic transmission. She told me she was scared to drive it because of the way it was acting. I drove it for a short distance the next day and verified her complaint. I am upset because I feel like acura let us take an unsafe car out of their maintenance department without letting us know there was a problem. I called the dealer back and told them about the problem and asked if they had done the gear inspection and what it had shown. The dealer would not confirm that the inspection had been completed and would not provide the results of the inspection. He just stated that "the technician knew what to do for this recall." I then called in a complaint to acura. They listened, gave me a case no. And told me that someone would call me back within 48 hours. When I hadn't heard from them for a week, I called and they told me the case worker was at lunch, but would call me as soon as she got back. I waited all afternoon, but no one called. Now, I feel I have no alternative, but to file this complaint as acura has been totally unresponsive.

Filed Oct 28, 2014 · Suspension · 10,000 miles · IN

Pronounced "clunk" noise coming from rear of car at low speeds - between 15-40 MPH. This is a consistent issue that many people have reported in various acura tl, tsx, and honda accord internet forums. Many people like myself have take the car back to the dealer multiple times to have the issue researched and they either say it is "normal" (as if it is a characteristic of the car) or there is no issue. Have claimed that everything in the rear suspension is "firm" or "solid", yet the issue still remains. I have never been in a car that had such a noise when driving over street cracks, speed bumps, etc. As I said, numerous people have reported this across the internet, yet no action that I can determine either from acura or honda. I am worried that there is a safety issue that is being ignored.

Filed Jun 28, 2014 · Body, Suspension · 114,000 miles · IL

2000 acura tl seems to have a design flaw that causes sub-frame corrosion. The probable cause is the A/C drain hose draining on top of the front passenger side of the sub-frame. The symptom was a 'clunk' (metal on metal type noise) when making a right-turn. I took the car to a local garage and they showed me that the passenger-side sub-frame has fallen apart due to the corrosion. I contacted acura customer care and referred to other complaints and a 2012 abc news report on this issue requesting a recall. But, they did not recognize this as a defect and failed to provide any assistance with resolving the problem since the vehicle was no longer covered under the manufacturer warranty. Given the serious nature of this defect, it would seem appropriate that a recall or safety warning be issued to all owners of honda vehicles impacted by this design issue.

Filed Aug 12, 2013 · Transmission · MO

2002 acura tl. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle transmission problems. *smd the consumer believed she purchased one of the few acura's that had a defect in the material and/or workmanship of the transmission that went undetected when replacing the oil cooler return line during the recall in 2004. She believed the damage was already done to the transmission and in her case; the discoloration of the line because of overheating had not occurred or went un-noticed. Subsequently, only the line was replaced and the transmission was not further inspected. The consumer stated it would seem that flushing and changing the transmission fluid would act only as a temporary fix or band aid to the problem and several miles down the road, the same problem would occur. The consumer brought her vehicle in for service because, the d5 light was flashing , the tcs lights were on, and the check engine light was on. Also, she experienced hard shifts, after first gear, usually first to second, and then one last shift into third, upon take off from a stop, and while increasing speed on an incline of a freeway entrance ramp.