Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 TL submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 187 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.
The 25 most recent of 187, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH FAILED TO INITIATE GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.
MY 2002 ACURA TL WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH HAS ONLY 59,851 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER 6 YEARS AGO, AND SINCE THEN I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 11,000 MILES. THE WELL-KNOWN 2002 TL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DESIGN FLAW IS NOW CAUSING BIG SUDDEN JERKS AND THE CAR SHOOTING FORWARD, THUS CREATING A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE TO ME AND THE GENERIC PUBLIC. INITIALLY A REP AT ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS (1-800-382-2238 OPTION 4) TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED ACURA DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KEARNY MESA ACURA, PAID $130 FOR A WRITTEN DIAGNOSIS, AND FAXED IT TO ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS. THE REP SAID AS THE CAR HAD ONLY 59,851 MILES ON IT, HE WOULD TAKE MY CASE TO HIS MANAGEMENT. BUT MY REQUEST FOR HELP FROM ACURA WAS LATER DENIED, CITING THEIR EXTENDED 109,000 MILES AND 7 YEAR 9 MONTH WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I WONDER WHY ACURA CANNOT MAN UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THEIR FAULTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON 2002 TL MODELS. HOW CAN ACURA USE AN ARBITRARILY-SET WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE TO IGNORE THE HUGE SAFETY PROBLEMS ON THEIR CARS?
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. UPDATED 05/21/12 *BF THE DEALER STATED A NEW TRANSMISISON WAS NEEDED AND IT WAS COST $5300.THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. UPDATED 06/04/12
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY ANYMORE. IT SEEMS THAT 2ND GEAR IS GONE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON TOO. IT HAS THE RPM GO HIGH BEFORE SHIFTING. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED JANUARY 2009 BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP ACCELERATING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REFURBISHED TRANSMISSION YET THE EXACT FAILURE RECURRED. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT THEIR EXPENSE A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,201.
2002 ACURA TL TYPE S, HAS HAD THREE TRANSMISSIONS SUDDENLY FAIL, TWO AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ENDANGERING THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. APPARENTLY FROM ON-LINE REPORTS, THIS IS QUITE COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, SEIZED AS IF THE BRAKES WERE SLAMMED ON. THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES: APRIL '03, JULY '06, AND JULY '11. TWICE ACURA (HONDA) CLAIMED THAT IT REPLACED THE TRANSMISSIONS. HOWEVER IN LIGHT OF THE SUBSEQUENT SAME FAILURES, THAT CLAIM IS SUSPECT UNLESS ITS ENGINEERS HAVE STILL NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM, AND KNOWING SO, HAVE CONTINUED TO ENDANGER ITS CUSTOMERS BY NOT REPAIRING IT. *KB
TRANSMISSION FAILURE 2002 ACURA 3.2 TL FAILURE OCCURS AFTER DRIVING FOR 20 MINUTES, RESULTS IN DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING AND INTERFERES WITH MAINTAINING SAFE DRIVING. ATTEMPT TO CORRECT FAILURE BY MANUFACTURER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN 2004 AND REPEATED FAILURES WERE IN EVIDENCE IN 2011. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER COVERED THE COSTS OF ALL THREE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY WERE AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAWS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 184,205.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT STALLING. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
MY 2002 TL S TYPE WAS AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WENT FOR THE SECOND TIME. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED THE CAR ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE CAR DIDN'T GO. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND FILED A CASE WITH THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE. WHEN THE CASE MANAGER REVIEWED IT, HE SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL AS THOUGH THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY. THEY ALSO ASKED ME HOW MUCH I THINK I SHOULD PAY. I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR A FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT WASN'T EVER MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. KNOWING THAT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT GOES THAT IT WILL NEVER BE RIGHT, NO MATTER WHO PAYS FOR IT. I PULLED UP MY VIN # TO FIND INFO THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSION WAS EXTENDED BECAUSE OF KNOWN "DEFECTS IN THE MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP." THIS IS GOING ON THE THIRD TRANSMISSION. I BOUGHT IT PRECERTIFIED FROM THE DEALER IN 04 AND IN 05 MY TRANSMISSION WENT THE FIRST TIME AND THE SECOND THIS MARCH 11. THEY PROVIDED ME WITH A REFURBISHED ONE. NOW THAT ONE HAS BROKE, WHICH LEADS ME TO CONCLUDE THAT THE DEFECTS IN THE MATERIAL DIDN'T GET ANY BETTER EACH TIME THEY CHANGED IT. I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR LIFE! *TR
I PURCHASED A USED 2002 ACURA TL TYPS S. THE CARE HAD APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP WHEN SHIFTING THROUGH MIDRANGE GEARS WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE AND IS SLOWLY GETTING WORSE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA 3.2TL WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY FIVE MPH THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE ENGINE RPMS CONTINUED TO INCREASE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. SHE DOWNSHIFTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING NORMALLY. THE FAILURE BEGAN TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY SO THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 124,300. UPDATED 01/11/11*LJ UPDATED 03/28/11
HAD RECALL ON TRANSMISSION REPLACED 07/2007. NOW 10/2010 TRANSMISSION IS DOING THE SAME THING. TOOK TO DEALER WAS TOLD IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST $3800.00. WE FEEL HELP SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO REPLACE THE 2ND TRANSMISSION. THERE IS NO WAY THIS CAR SHOULD NEED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN 2005 FOR THE ACURA TRANSMISSION RECALL AND ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2010 SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO PLACE THE GEAR IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED, THE VEHICLE WASN'T REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 79,000.
ON 7/23/10, WHILE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON I-95 OUTSIDE OF SAVANNAH, GA AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH IN MY 2002 ACURA TL TYPE-S, I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. INITIALLY I IGNORED IT AND ASSUMED IT WAS DUST FROM THE INTERSTATE. AFTER TRAVELING A FEW HUNDRED FEET, I LOOKED AND NOTICED THE SMOKE WAS STILL THERE. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED DOWN AT MY RPM GAUGE AND FOUND IT NEAR THE RED LINE WITHOUT ANY FORWARD MOMENTUM AND WONDERED IF THIS WAS ANOTHER TRANSMISSION FAILURE'IT WAS. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A FOUR-LANE INTERSTATE. I ONLY HAD SECONDS TO TRY AND CLEAR THE LANES AND REACH THE SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT SIDE AS CARS SPED BY ME. IT WAS A HARROWING EVENT. THIS IS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION FAILURE OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE DESPITE NHTSA INVOLVEMENT IN 12/02. UNLIKE THE OTHER FAILURES, THERE WERE NO WARNINGS OF THE CATASTROPHIC EVENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SOUTHERN MOTORS ACURA IN SAVANNAH, GA. A FOURTH REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE 7 YEARS AFTER ACURA INFORMED NHTSA THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THESE REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION ARE UNSAFE AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE VEHICLE CRASHES CAUSING SERIOUSLY BODILY INJURED OR DEATH. *TR
2002 ACURA TL WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT EVEN WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HE STILL HAS TO PAY TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED WITH ONLY 20,514 MILES THE VEHICLE HAS YET AGAIN DEVELOPED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO FIRST GEAR. *JB
MY CAR STARTED LOCKING UP ON ME WHILE DRIVING, I WOULD ACCELERATE AND IT WOULD ACT AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AND AT TIMES I COULDN'T EVEN REVERSE. THE CAR WILL DRIVE THEN JERK ME FORWARD THEN LOCK UP WHILE I WOULD DRIVE. I CALLED ACURA AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 5,000 DOLLARS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AT 35,524 MILES AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. AT 51,000 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED IN ORDER TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AGAIN. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED THREE TIMES BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO REPAIR IT AT A 50% DISCOUNT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY HAVE SPOKEN TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO REPLACE THE FAILURE WITHOUT HIM PAYING 50% OF THE COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,524 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
I OWN A 2002 ACURA 3.2 TL. IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 111,000 MILES ON THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. ACURA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES, BUT WILL NOT REPLACE THIS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS IS DISGRACEFUL. THIS IS MY 3RD HONDA AUTO AND PROBABLY MY LAST. *TR
I OWNED AN ACURA TL, 2002, IT GET ITS SERVICE PER OWNER MANUAL, TRANSMISSION BEGUN ACTING STRANGE AT LOWER SPEEDS AND WHEN ACCELERATING IT GIVES A JANK AND THEN ACCELERATES OR AFTER ACCELERATING IT GOES REALLY SLOW AND THEN SPEEDS UP. ACURA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DID VERY LITTLE TO CORRECT IT. THEY JUST CHECK THE TRANSMISSION OIL SUPPLY LINE AND IF THEY SEE STAINS, THEN THEY REPLACED IT. MANY ACURA TL OWNERS ARE FACING THIS SAME PROBLEMS, WHY NHTSA HAS NOT FORCED ACURA TO REPLACE THESE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS? WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? PLEASE PROVIDE GUIDANCE. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. *TR
I OWNED AN ACURA TL, 2002, IT GET ITS SERVICE PER OWNER MANUAL, TRANSMISSION BEGUN ACTING STRANGE AT LOWER SPEEDS AND WHEN ACCELERATING IT GIVES A JANK AND THEN ACCELERATES OR AFTER ACCELERATING IT GOES REALLY SLOW AND THEN SPEEDS UP. ACURA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DID VERY LITTLE TO CORRECT IT. THEY JUST CHECK THE TRANSMISSION OIL SUPPLY LINE AND IF THEY SEE STAINS, THEN THEY REPLACED IT. MANY ACURA TL OWNERS ARE FACING THIS SAME PROBLEMS, WHY NHTSA HAS NOT FORCED ACURA TO REPLACE THESE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS? WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? PLEASE PROVIDE GUIDANCE. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. *TR
I OWN 2002 ACURA 3.2 TL, IT WAS SERVICED ALL THE TIME AT ACURA DEALERSHIPS, CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 82,500 MILES ON ODOMETER. MY TRANSMISSION A FEW DAYS AGO STARTED MAKING HARSH SHIFTS IN THE RANGE 20-40 MPH. TODAY I EXPERIENCED A CRITICAL SITUATION ON HIGHWAY, WHEN PULLED IN FROM THE RAMP AT THE SPEED ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR, MY CAR ACCIDENTALLY LOWERED TO RPM LOWER THAN 1000 AND THEN AFTER A SECOND ACCELERATED AGAIN. I WAS SCARED TO SPEED IT UP AGAIN ABOVE 60 MPH, AND WENT OUT OF HIGHWAY ON NEXT EXIT. THEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER THIS EVENT. TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT, WHICH GOING TO COST ME WITH WORK ABOUT $6000. THIS IS THE FIRST SERIOUS ISSUE WITH MY CAR ENGINE IN WHOLE HISTORY OF USE. STRANGE, DEALERS OF ILLLINOIS, MICHIGAN AND CALIFORNIOA WERE TELLING US ALL THE TIME THAT WE ARE VERY CAREFUL CUSTOMERS AND KEEP OUR CAR IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. IT IS TRULY VERY CLEAN WITH ONLY DEFECT IN IT - TRANSMISSION. WE WANT TO KNOW - WHAT WE DID WRONG? *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILED - COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ISSUE IF IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. ACURA KNOWS ABOUT THE FAILED TRANSMISSIONS BUT NEVER DID A RECALL AND WILL NOT PAY TO FIX. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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