Page 6 of 7 · complaints 251–300 of 333

2002 Acura TL complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2002 record →

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed May 20, 200328,700 milesPA

TRANSMISSION ON 2002 ACURA TL TYPE-S SLIPPED FROM 5TH TO 2ND GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION AND HIGH ENGINE RPM. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A REAR-END COLLISION. *NLM

Electrical System
Filed May 19, 2003MN

INTERMITTENT CHATTER NOISE, LIKE A RELAY CLICKING COMING FROM RADIO. SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN WET OR HIGH HUMIDITY. SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATED ITSELF WHEN CAR SITTING OUT IN RAIN. NO ONE NEAR CAR. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 6, 2003CA

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 28, 200328,000 milesTX

TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER SLIPPING TWICE. IT COMPLETELY STOPPED WHILE I WAS ACCELERATING TO HIGHWAY SPEED. ACURA REPLACED WITH RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP IS CONSIDERED NEW. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS "NEW" TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING IRREGULARLY AFTER 6,000 MILES. ORIGINAL FAILURE WAS AT 32,000 - MAKE/MODEL: 2002 TL TYPE S. *NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 4, 20031 milesFL

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE. SLIPS, JERKS, NEUTRALS OUT WHEN COAST DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH, THEN ACCELERATE AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE. DEALER SAY WAIT UNTIL IT TOTALLY FAILS OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THEN THEY WILL INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY MONEY BACK. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Apr 4, 2003FL

CAR SHAKES & SHIMMIES WHEN I BRAKE, DEALER REPLACED BRAKES AND RESURFACED ROTORS 3 TIMES WITHIN 2 YEARS. NEVER HAD THAT PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER CAR. DEFECTIVE ROTORS OR BRAKING SYSTEM. *JB

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments1 injured
Filed Apr 3, 2003VA

THE DEVICE WHICH COVERED THE DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE, CAME OFF AND CAUSED INJURY TO THE CONSUMER. *JB

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Mar 27, 200319,099 milesCA

TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, TRANSMISSION FALLS OUT OF GEAR CAUSING UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER. DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED BASE IDLE OF THE ENGINE THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION TOTAL FAILURE AT 24000 MILES. REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THREE WEEKS LATER. POWER LOSS WHEN TURNING LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION, BARELY AVOIDED COLLISION. I DO NOT TAKE MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR FOR FEAR OF POWER FAILURE. *NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 21, 200385,000 milesPA

DRIVING IN MY CAR AND THE CAR "JERKED". CAR WAS ALSO HAVING A HARD TIME SHIFTING. EVENTUALLY THE KEY WOULD NOT DRIVE OR GO INTO REVERSE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEAD. *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 6, 2003IN

THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO 4000 RPM AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL. *JB THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT INTO HIGHER GEAR AS IT SHOULD HAVE. SCC

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 4, 200320,100 milesMA

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD THUMP NOISE AND THEN VEHICLES SPEED DECREASED TO 10 MPH, AS A RESULT THE PASSENGER WAS THROWN AGAINST THE DASH AND THE DRIVER WAS THROWN TOWARDS THE WINDOW. *NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 21, 200328,155 milesCA

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT COMPLETELY. WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. IT GAVE OUT WHILE I WAS ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL, SO I NEVER MADE IT. SCHOOL WAS ONLY 3 MILES AWAY TOO. THOUGH I WAS AWARE OF THE IMMINENT FAILURE THANKS TO FELLOW OWNERS, IT WAS NONETHELESS FRIGHTENING. I WAS SHAKING AS I "CRAWLED" TO A SAFE AREA. IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS FAILURE COULD OF BEEN FATAL!

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 20, 200317,490 milesNY

OWNER OF A ACURA 3.2TL TYPE S, BOUGHT IN 8/01. IN 6/02 DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VSA LIGHT , CAUTION LIGHT AND CK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CAR STARTED SHIFTING DOWN AND THROWING CAR FORWARD. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP SENT ME HOME SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. 1/2 HR LATER CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP FOR SAME PROBLEM. NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN. 2/03 BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR WHINING NOISE. TOLD ME A NEW TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE ORDERED, TOLD ME O.K. TO DRIVE UNTIL THEN. A FEW DAYS LATER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, CAR WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 45MPH CAR, CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO THIRD GEAR. THANKFUL I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS BEING PUT IN AGAIN!!!!

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 13, 200331,380 milesCA

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING GEAR DURING NORMAL DRIVING.

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Feb 11, 2003TN

THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TOO BRIGHT, THE DEALER ADJUSTED THEM ON TWO OCCASIONS.*JB

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash
Filed Jan 31, 200312,000 milesNJ

I WAS PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY (STORE) ONTO A MAIN ROAD AT LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR. STEPPED ON BRAKE BECAUSE CARS WERE STOPPED FOR RED LIGHT. CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WOULDN'T STOP, NO MATTER HOW HARD I HIT THE BRAKES. I GRAZED THE REAR BUMPER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AS I SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING IT. WENT INTO A TREE TO AVOID HITTING ANYTHING OR ANYONE ELSE. ACURA DEALER SWORE IT COULDN'T HAPPEN AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT I FOUND SIX OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM ON YOUR WEB SITE. REPORTED IT TO METUCHEN, NJ POLICE. THIS WAS THE SECOND SUCH OCCURRENCE, BUT THE DEALER CONVINCED ME THE FIRST WAS DRIVER ERROR. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION RECALL. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 29, 200320,500 milesCA

TODAY I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE MORE THAN A DEFECT IN MY 2002 ACURA 3.2 TL-S. PRIOR TO TODAY I HAVE DELT WITH NUMEROUS MINOR DEFECTS SUCH AS A BROKEN SWAY BAR LINK, LEAKING TRANSMISSION SEALS AND BRAKE FITTINGS, PAINT/TRIM DEFECTS AND TWO DEFECTIVE TIRES. TODAY'S INCIDENT WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND THE ONLY REASON I MADE IT HOME SAFELY TONIGHT WAS PURE LUCK! ON CA-101 IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA DURING RUSH-HOUR I WAS IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC TRAVELING AT 65 MPH SURROUNDED BY CARS WHEN MY FRONT TIRE LOCKED UP SENDING MY CAR INTO THE LANE ON MY RIGHT. AS I COUNTER-STEERED TO KEEP THE CAR FROM CRASHING INTO THE CARS ON MY RIGHT THE CAR STARTED TO LOSE CONTROL AND SWERVE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS STILL STUCK IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE FIRST GEAR. AFTER COMPLETING A 360 DEGREE SPIN AND BARELY AVOIDING THE HUGE SUV COMING STRAIGHT AT ME I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND PULL OFF OF THE FREEWAY WHERE I TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO CALM MYSELF AND THANK GOD I WAS STILL ALIVE. THE CAR IS STUCK IN ONE GEAR RIGHT NOW AND WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING WHERE I AM GOING EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT I REFUSE TO DRIVE IT UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION IS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE, NOT REPAIRED. IN MY OPINION THIS GOES BEYOND A SIMPLE WARRANTY EXTENSION (WHICH I ALREADY PURCHASED - 7Y/100,000) AND COULD HAVE NOT ONLY COST MY LIFE, BUT THE LIFE OF OTHERS AS WELL.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 24, 200322,000 milesCA

CAR WILL DOWNSHIFT ERRATICLY AT TIMES.

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Jan 16, 2003CA

I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR THAT I HAVE BOUGHT. I BOUGHT AN ACURA TL TYPE S 2002, IT ONLY HAS 29,000 MI ON THE ODOMETER AND ALREADY I HAVE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION ONCE. JUST YESTERDAY IT HAS STARTED TO EXIBIT THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE LAST TRANSMISSION THAT FAILED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IT SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF! WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY!THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE NEW FIXED TRANSMISSION!! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME OR MY FAMILY, I DONT KNOW WHAT ILL DO.

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Jan 16, 2003HI

THOSE NEW "BLUE" HEADLAMPS ARE BLINDING AT NIGHT. THEY SEEM DANGEROUS.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 11, 200319,500 milesCA

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY ACURA 02 TL-S MALFUNCTIONED WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. IT SOME HOW GOT STUCK IN THE 4TH GEAR. TS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jan 10, 200310,000 milesCA

EVERY DAY WHEN I BACK OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, THE IDLE IS ALL OFF ON MY CAR. IT WOULD FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 300RPM (ALMOST STALLING) TO 1000RPM. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED SOMETHING, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.*JB

Tires
Filed Jan 9, 20039,223 milesVA

MICHELIN TIRE FAILED AT LOW MILEAGE. CONSUMER FOUND FRONT LEFT TIRE WAS LOW ON AIR. TIRE MERCHANT NOT WILLING TO DO ANTYING. *TT *NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Torque Converter
Filed Dec 17, 200225,000 milesNY

TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 ACUTA TL-S HAS BEEN REPLACED ON TWO OCCASSIONS. I HAVE NO REASON TO BELEIVE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED, THE 3RD REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IS NOW MIS-SHIFING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER NOR ACURA HAS PROVIDED ANY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS MODEL VEHICLE NEEDS SO MANY TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 16, 200219,800 milesCT

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. STARTED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN ON A WINDY BACK ROAD... THEN IT HAD A HARD TIME GETTING UP A SMALL HILL. PROBLEM STOPPED FOR 5 MINUETS THEN CAME BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, I NEARLY CAUSED 3 ACCIDENTS. - VERY DANGERIOUS

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 14, 200212,000 milesNC

TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SWITCH GEARS WILL DRIVING.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 13, 20028,500 milesVA

I OWN A 2002 ACURA TL TYPE S, PURCHASED APRIL 24, 2001. I NOW HAVE APPROXIMATELY 44,600 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE (2) TRANSMISSION FAILURES THAT DID NOT RESULT IN ANY COLLISIONS OR INJURIES. HOWEVER, I FEEL LUCKY THAT NO SUCH INCIDENTS OCCURED AS THE CAR DID DECELERATE RAPIDLY, WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR ALSO DID NOT ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD WHEN PULLING OUT INTO BUSY INTERSECTIONS. DRIVING DURING THESE EPISODES OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS QUITE FRIGHTENING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 8500 MILES AND ABOUT 26000 MILES.

Suspension › Rear
Filed Dec 10, 2002CA

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND REPORTED AT 14823 DEALER SAID THAT THEY DID NOT FIND A PROBLEM, ROTORS WARPED AT 14823 MILES REPLACED PADS AND RESURFACED ROTORS, CD PLAYER REPLACED AT 14823 MILES, SQUEAK IN REAR SUSPENTION DUE TO A LEAK IN THE REAR RIGHT STRUT AT 18933 MILES, BOTH FRONT SEAT BACKPANELS LOOSE, TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 20322 MILES CAR WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 25 DAYS, VSA AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER TRANSMISSION REPLACED. REPLACED LOCK UPSHIFT SOLENOID VALVED ECU RESET, TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AND SLIPS AT 23583 MILES, DOOR FRAME PEELING AT 23583 MILES REPLACED DOOR FRAME. CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING AT 23700 MILES, FONT SUSPENTION OR STEERING COLUMN MAKING SQUEAKY NOISES AT 23700 MILES. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 10, 2002NY

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60-70 MPH MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CAR DOWNSHIFTED FROM 5TH GEAR TO 2ND. THIS CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STOP. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD ENOUGH TIME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. I HAVE BEEN HEARING OF THIS PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL. ACURA IS REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, BUT I HEAR THE REPLACEMENTS ARE FAILING ALSO. ACURA WON'T RECALL THE CAR BECAUSE THEY SAY NOT ENOUGH HAVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND SOMEONE WILL DIE SOONER OR LATER FROM THIS. DRIVING A CAR THAT CAN SUDDENLY STOP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS A DANGER TO THE OWNER OF THE CAR AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. ACURA IS REPLACING MY TRANSMISSION BUT THE PROBLEM IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN. THIS SHOULD BE STOPPED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THESE CARS ON THE ROAD. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF I COULD BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE. I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONE'S TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS BUT SOMEONE ELSE WON'T BE. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 8, 2002NY

NO SUMMARY. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 8, 2002CA

AT FIRST THE SHIFTING ON THE CAR WAS VERY SMOOTH, AND CAR WOULD JURK AND IT WOULD TRY TO SHIFT. AND LATER ON, ON THE FREEWAY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 7, 2002TX

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. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 6, 2002FL

NO SUMMARY. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 6, 2002NJ

NO SUMMARY. DT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 5, 2002MA

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. DT

Power Train › Manual Transmission › Column Shift Assembly
Filed Dec 3, 2002CA

CONSUMER VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. CONSUMER STATES' THAT WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION. TS

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Nov 1, 2002MA

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. DT

Vehicle Speed Control › Linkages
Filed Oct 30, 2002VA

WHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE WITH ENGINE RUNNING, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, GEAR LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASH, VEHICLE WAS MAKING A HIGH GRINDING SOUND. VEHICLE ALSO WAS NOT ACCELERATING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *DT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 29, 2002CA

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? DT

SeatsCrash
Filed Oct 23, 2002MD

CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS REAR ENDED AND THE FRONT PASSANGER SEAT FELL ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK. DEALER WAS NOT CONTATED. MR

Power Train
Filed Oct 16, 200230,500 milesCA

I WAS ON HIGHWAY 280 DOING ABOUT 65 IN MY MORNING COMMUTE FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO CUPERTINO. WITHOUT WARNING, MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM FOURTH TO SECOND, SENDING MY CAR INTO A SIDEWAYS SKID AS IF I HAD HIT THE BRAKES...HARD. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR BESIDE ME ON THE RIGHT WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ME AS WAS THE CAR BEHIND ME. LEFT WITH SECOND GEAR, I LIMPED BACK TO THE DEALER AND RECEIVED MY CAR, WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION, THREE WEEKS LATER. I AM LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN INJURED AND DO NOT TRUST THIS CAR ANY LONGER. IT WAS BOUGHT FOR INSURING THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT A REPEAT FAILURE. THANKS, BEN. PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768534

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 2, 2002CA

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

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Sep 30, 2002CA

I AM A NERVOUS WRECK WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 ACURA TL TYPE S ON THE FREEWAY FOR FEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL. I WILL NOT ALLOW MY WIFE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND I WISH I DID NOT HAVE TO DRIVE IT EITHER. HONDA SHOULD RECALL THE CAR OR BUY IT BACK AT LOW BLUEBOOK. SHOULD I OR MY WIFE BECOME INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING WE WILL HOLD HONDA LIABLE FOR ALL PROPERTY DAMAGE, MEDICAL BILLS, PAIN AND SUFFERING. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL A RECALL IS WARRANTED, I MAY SUE YOU AS WELL. MR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 26, 2002MN

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED TO 40 MPH. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Sep 25, 2002CA

CONSUMER WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DOWN SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR. CONSUMER TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Sep 25, 2002TX

THE VEHICLE SHOWED A UP/DOWN SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR PROBLEM. IT WOULD SLIP WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT UP. WHEN SHIFTING DOWN TO 3RD YOU WOULD HEAR A CLUNK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO SEARCH FOR A GEAR. NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 19, 2002MI

TRANSMISSION HUNTING FOR GEAR, MAKING NOISE, BOGGING DOWN, RPM'S GO WAY UP, THEN SHIFTS, LOSS OF POWER, VERY DANGEROUS. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 19, 2002MI

WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM 5TH GEAR AT 45 MPH TO 1ST, CAUSING THE CAR TO SCRETCH THE TIRES AND TO LURCH FOWARD. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 18, 2002CA

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.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 17, 2002FL

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. JUST LEARNED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 16,000 SUCH FAILURES IN THE ACURA AND HONDAS USING SAME TRANSMISSION. VERY DANGEROUS AND NEARLY HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.*AK

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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