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:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 1
Average Mileage:
40,890 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.

2002 Acura TL transmission problems

transmission problem

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2002 Acura TL Owner Comments (Page 8 of 9)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #35

Oct 102002

TL

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

No summary.

- Flushing, NY, USA

problem #34

Oct 152002

TL

  • miles
I called Acura customer service to explain that my transmission was acting up, and they refused to replace it or even acknowledge a problem. The same was true of my local dealership, david mcdavid Acura of austin. Only when I was driving down the highway and my car downshifted from 3rd to 2nd gear, causing me to quickly decelerate, and causing the person behind me to almost hit me, did they replace the transmission. This was even after one tech at king Acura of birmingham felt the transmission problem.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #33

Apr 292002

TL

  • miles
No summary.

- Old Bridge, NJ, USA

problem #32

Nov 272002

TL

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

No summary.

- Wellington, FL, USA

problem #31

Nov 252002

TL

  • miles
With no prior warning, the automatic transmission suddenly and totally failed while traveling about 50 mph on Pennsylvania turnpike at 11:30 pm in snow on 11/26/02. Although on an incline, I was just able to get out of the line of traffic into the break down lane. Transmission would not engage in any gear total failure. Manufacturer replaced under warranty.

- Raynham, MA, USA

problem #30

Oct 052002

TL

  • miles
Automatic transmission failure while vehicle under power. Transmission slips in 3rd gear and causes unexpected loss of forward motion. Transmission started to slip 10/05/2002. Continued to get worse until dealer determined replacement necessary on 11/01/2002.

- Hatfield, MA, USA

problem #29

Aug 162002

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Consumer has learned that these automobiles have a latent safety defect in the transmission that causes the vehicle to downshift while traveling. The dealer will not inspect the vehicle until a problem occurs. Jlg nlm

- Pomona, CA, USA

problem #28

Sep 172002

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving 60 mph transmission downshifted to 40 mph. Vehicle is at dealership at this time. Please provide additional information.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #27

Sep 172002

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving the transmission shifted from 5th gear at 45 mph to 1st, causing the car to scretch the tires and to lurch foward.

- Berkley, MI, USA

problem #26

Sep 192002

TL

  • miles
Transmission hunting for gear, making noise, bogging down, RPM's go way up, then shifts, loss of power, very dangerous.

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

problem #25

Aug 202002

TL

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission fails (disengages) at all speeds without warning. Problem engaging into reverse. Nlm

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #24

Aug 162002

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The transmission mis-shift several times from 3rd to 1st gear and was unable to shift from 1st to 2nd gear and 2nd to 3rd gear several times. The car was brought into the dealer first time on 8/19/2002 and the transmission was flushed 3 times. The problem was not corrected and I brought the car to the dealer second time on 8/28/2002. The dealer replaced the transmission. Even though, there is no accident in this incident. I am really concerning the safety issue caused by the transmission failure and I was not the only one having the transmission failure problem in this particular car model. I hope NHTSA can take appropriate action to investigate this problem before the fatal accident occurred because of transmission failure.

- Diamond Bar, CA, USA

problem #23

Sep 172002

(reported on)

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I have a 2002 TL2-S, almost 1 year and 13350 miles on it. Lately we have been. No safety defect listed.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #22

Sep 162002

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission failed on major highway. Just learned that there have been over 16,000 such failures in the Acura and Honda using same transmission. Very dangerous and nearly hit the car in front of me.

- Cooper City, FL, USA

problem #21

Sep 132002

TL 4WD

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Atlantic Beach, NY, USA

problem #20

Apr 022002

TL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission slips or hesitates at various times.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

problem #19

Jul 252002

TL

  • miles
I also got a rebuilt transmission that went out on me after another 2,000. This is extremely dangerous and I want Acura to do something. There is an article in the la times that speaks of this on 9.13.2002. Please help me, I'm worried I or someone else may get injured or killed. Nlm

- Calabasas, CA, USA

problem #18

Sep 132002

(reported on)

TL

  • miles
I think they need to do a recall on this specific part because if it fails, it could cause major accidents and is totally unsafe for the owner and other drivers on the road: Article can be found on: www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-acura11sep11.story?coll=la%2dclass%2dautos%2dhighway1. Nlm

- Alhambra, CA, USA

problem #17

Sep 132002

(reported on)

TL

  • miles
I think they need to do a recall on this specific part because if it fails, it could cause major accidents and is totally unsafe for the owner and other drivers on the road: Article can be found on: www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-acura11sep11.story?coll=la%2dclass%2dautos%2dhighway1

- Alhambra, CA, USA

problem #16

Sep 132002

(reported on)

TL

  • miles
I think they need to do a recall on this specific part because if it fails, it could cause major accidents and is totally unsafe for the owner and other drivers on the road: Article can be found on: www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-acura11sep11.story?coll=la%2dclass%2dautos%2dhighway1

- Alhambra, CA, USA

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