2003 ACURA TL Complaints

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

ENGINE STARTED IDLING AT ABOUT 3000 RPM UNEXPECTEDLY, COULD NOT MAKE IT STOP. IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WOULD NOT GO UNDER 3000 RPM. FORTUNATELY IT STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES. TOOK TO DEALER, FOUND PROBLEM WAS IDLE CONTROL MECHANISM ON TOP OF ENGINE, IT WAS REPLACED. *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

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

2003 ACURA 3.2 TL ON DECEMBER 5, 2008 A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH ON OUR 2003 ACURA 3.2 TL ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED IN ANY GEAR, RESULTING IN A ROLLAWAY ACCIDENT CAUSING HEAD, FOOT AND HIP INJURIES TO OUR DAUGHTER AFTER SHE PARKED THE CAR IN OUR SLIGHTLY INCLINED DRIVEWAY. DEALER AGREED IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFINITELY FAULTY. KEY SHOULD NEVER COME OUT IN ANY GEAR BUT PARK. OUR MILEAGE ON THE DATE OF ACCIDENT WAS 82,430 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, IT STARTED HAVING INTERMITTENT NO START/NO CRANK PROBLEMS, AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD START 5 OR 10 MINUTES LATER. EACH TIME THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND ASSURED US THEY CHECKED EVERYTHING AND COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR WOULD BE FINE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED UP UNTIL JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN TO DEALER MANY TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM . THEY PROBABLY NEVER INSPECTED THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAUSE OUR YEAR CAR WAS NEVER INCLUDED IN PREVIOUS RECALLS OF IGNITION SWITCHES, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. A FAULTY TRANSMISSION ON THIS SAME CAR WENT OUT ON OUR DAUGHTER ONCE ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING. IT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION RECALL. *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

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

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

PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE THIS MORNING, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT DISAPPEARED PROMPTLY AS I EXITED THE GARAGE AND PULLED OUT ONTO THE STREET, AND I FIGURED IT WAS SIMPLY DUE TO THE CHILLY WEATHER, WITH IT BEING ABOUT 25F OUTSIDE. ABOUT 5 MILES DOWN THE FREEWAY, I NOTICED THE CLUNKING SOUND CAME BACK, AND WAS QUITE VIOLENT THIS TIME, AND I STARTED TO SMELL BURNING RUBBER. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HOPING TO EASE MY WAY TO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG; HOWEVER, MY CAR DID NOT MAKE IT. I GOT OUT AND INSPECTED ALL SIDES, AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, AND THERE WERE CHUNKS OF TIRE ON THE ROAD. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER AT THE LAST VISIT TWO MONTHS AGO, THERE STILL HAD BEEN .7 CM LEFT OF TREAD, AND WHAT THEY TOLD ME WAS PLENTY TO DRIVE ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME. TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, I REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SPARE, AND HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET NEW TIRES TOMORROW. *TR