RoadVitals

2002 Acura RL Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Oct 25, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
21%
of 43 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Acura RL submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Oct 25, 2005
Crash reported

THE CAR HAS A KNOWN TSB THAT THE CAR MAY STALL AND SHUT DOWN IF IT IS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE AND THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED 3 DAYS AGO. I WAS IN TRAFFIC WAITING IN TRAFFIC THE CAR JUST STALLED AND ROLLED BACK AND HIT THE GUY IN THE BACK LUCKY FOR ME IT WAS SITTING TRAFFIC. ONE OTHER TIME THE CAR WAS MAKING A SLOW SPEED TURN AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AND LOST POWER. THE CAR HAS A KNOWN TSB THAT THIS HAPPENS DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONED PCM. ALSO THIS CAR HAS A TSB STATING THAT A DRIVE PLATE IS MISMANUFACTURED AND HAPPENS TO ALL CARS IN MY YEAR AND MODEL A GRINDING NOISE WHEN START UP INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IT THE WEBLINK FOR TSB FOR STALLING OF CAR PROBLEM HTTP://WWW.ACURHTTP://WWW.ACURAWORLD.COM/TSB/2002/B02-031.PDFAWORLD.COM/TSB/2001/B01-044.PDF AND THIS IS FOR THE GRINDING NOISE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10140751
Incident
Oct 22, 2005
Mileage
46,059 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 7, 2003

2004 ACURA RL , CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH GEAR SHIFTER IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ID
10032372
Transmission
Filed Jan 10, 2002

GET A VERY BAD 'GRIND' GOING INTO 2ND GEAR, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD. IT TAKES ABOUT 25 MINUTES OF DRIVING UNTIL IT STARTS TO SHIFT SMOOTHLY. THE COLDER THE WEATHER IS OUTSIDE THE WORST THE PROBLEM IS. THIS IS NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR, YOU CAN FEEL THE GEARS GRINDING IN THE TRANSMISSION. YES, THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS BEING PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE SHIFTER IS BEING PULLED STRAIGHT BACK. I HAVE SPOKE WITH MANY ACURA RSX TYPE-S OWNERS AND THEY ARE ALL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE A PETITION WITH OVER 60 SIGNATURES FROM OTHER RSX OWNERS WITH NAME VIN'S AND DESCRIPT OF THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE REPORT THIS PROBLEM TO ACURA IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET INTO 2ND GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSIONS IS GRINDING SO BAD IT LOCKS YOU OUT.*AK

NHTSA ID
756670
Incident
Jul 2, 2001
Transmission
Filed Nov 10, 2001

WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION FREQUENTLY MAKES A CRUNCHING SOUND IN ADDITION TO HAVING A NOTCHY FEELING. OCCASIONALLY TRANSMISSION WILL POP OUT OF 2ND GEAR WHEN ENGAGING THE CLUTCH. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE WILLOW GROVE SUSSMAN ACURA SERVICE CENTER, A TECHNICIAN CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION FOR THE RSX TYPE-S'S 6 SPEED TRANMISSION SINCE ITS 1ST AND 2ND GEARS HAVE TRIPLE CONE SYNCROS. HE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO FOR THIS TRANMISSION PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
754376
Incident
Jul 30, 2001
Transmission
Filed Nov 7, 2001

TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN UPSHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR INTO SECOND GEAR.*AK

NHTSA ID
754184
Transmission
Filed Oct 31, 2001

WHEN IT IS COLD OUT THERE IS A NOTCH GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED AS YOU SHIFT FROM THE 1ST GEAR GATE TO THE 2ND GEAR GATE THERE IS A SLIGHT GRIND AND DIFFICULTY GETTING INTO GEAR. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY ONCE THE CAR IS WARMED UP.*AK

NHTSA ID
753920
Incident
Oct 15, 2001
Transmission
Filed Oct 30, 2001

GETTING INTO SECOND GEAR IS VERY 'NOTCHY' AND GETS VERY BAD IN COLD WEATHER AND WHEN THE TRANMISSION IS NOT WARMED UP. AT TIMES IT CAN BE VERY HARD TO GET INTO 2ND GEAR AND IT GRINDS, THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OTHER RSX TYPE-S OWNERS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET INTO SECOND GEAR AND YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO.*AK

NHTSA ID
753882
Incident
Jul 5, 2001
Transmission
Filed Oct 15, 2001

6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION MISS-SHIFTING EASILY ON 3RD TO 4TH GEAR UPSHIFTS. 2ND GEAR ENGAGED WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE. MANUFACTURE IS FAILING TO WARRANTY ENGINE DAMAGE. NUMEROUS CASES ARE NOW BEING REPORTED BY OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
753251
Incident
Sep 30, 2001
EngineTransmission
Filed Aug 7, 2001

WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND HITTING THE BRAKES ENGINE WILL STALL. VEHICLE DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED, AND VEHICLE DID IT AGAIN. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
893726
Incident
Aug 2, 2001

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Airbags18

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .