CarComplaints.com Notes: The 1999-2003 Acura TL has a known & widespread defect with the transmission.
Honda fixed some vehicles with a recall in 2004 by changing the oil cooler return line. To settle a class action lawsuit in 2006, Honda extended the transmission warranty on some of these Acura TL's to 93 months / 109,000 miles.
Now these vehicles are past the warranty limit, so buyer beware.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,464 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura TL. The contact stated that the gears had been slipping and slow to change over with a sudden jerk or lunge. The rpms would race intermittently once the gears changed and the engine and emissions warning indicators illuminated. The dealer (rivertown Honda, 4260 kenowa ave sw, grandville, mi 49418, (616) 667-4500) cleared the codes, but the codes returned on the instrument panel within 48 hrs. The contact was uncertain if the dealer could provide a solution after taking the vehicle back again with no specific repair solution. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V176000 (power train). The failure mileage was not available.
2002 Acura TL. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration. The consumer stated when he released the gas pedal after accelerating from a stop sign, the acceleration continued. Fortunately, there was not much traffic, so he managed to get the vehicle out of traffic and shut it off. The engine was stuck at full throttle, it revved at full RPM when he turned it on again. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where an inspection revealed the throttle was mechanically stuck in the full open position.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura TL. The contact was driving approximately 10 mph into a residential driveway when the accelerator pedal became stuck upon engagement. The brake pedal was applied with force repeatedly and an increase in acceleration occurred, causing the vehicle to uncontrollably accelerate. The vehicle crashed into a garage, an unoccupied parked vehicle and the continued through the garage interior walls. The contact immediately shifted the gear into reverse. The vehicle then abnormally accelerated out of the garage and crashed into a nearby tree. The contact sustained minor injuries to the knee. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was declared destroyed and towed to an independent auto facility. There was substantial damage to the garage interior walls. The manufacturer was not made aware of the acceleration failure. The failure mileage was 20,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura 3.2tl. The contact states that in August 2003 the transmission failed, causing the passenger to move forward. Transmission went out again on June 28, 2005. Both times vehicle was unable to accelerate. One month ago he got into an accident going about 5-8 mph because the vehicle lurched forward. Manufacturer has extended the warranty.
My transmission died on 21 Nov 2003, @ 42,500 miles. The dealer replaced it. Again, I suffered a failure, on 23 Jan 2004...I thought it was the transmission again, but dealer stated it was the idle air control valve...which - he said...can mimic transmission failure due tio improper engine commands. I'm not sure I believe this. This is an Acura 3.2 TL/type S model.
- Eldersburg, MD, USA
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Vehicle would intermittently stall at low rpms or at idle. This occurred frequently until dealer identified and corrected it but not before numerous visits to the dealership. (I have documented work orders) biggest problem was the faulty transmission I had previously heard from other Acura owners and through a newspaper article. I was hoping and praying that I would not become a statistic. This is an uncomfortable feeling when you've paid $33,000+ for a new luxury vehicle and I feared for my safety since reading about the article. On 11/23/02, I would find out that I had become another statistic, thankfully I was driving at a reasonable speed and no one was behind me as the vehicle suddenly stopped. This is a serious and dangerous problem that needs to be address by Acura. I am amazed that no one has been seriously injured. Sadly, it will become a matter of time before that will happen. It is downright wrong for an automaker to knowingly know of a problem and not fix it. They are not protecting their customers and the occupants of said customers. I urged you to contact Acura and implement a mandatory recall of this transmission problem. I feel that I have been ripped off and thankfully, not injured. What are my rights?
I put the car into reverse and it surged and accelerated at high speed in reverse and hit(with passenger back fender) the front of a car parked in the opposite aisle
I put the car into reverse and it surged & accelerated at high speed in reverse and hit(with passenger back fender) the front of the parked car in the opposite aisle
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Wyoming, MI, USA