2003 Acura TL Type S from North America - Comments

OK, I hear both sides of the problem with this, and all I have to say is relax.

You can pay 500.000.00 dollars for a car, and some of them might go wrong; it's the nature of the car.

And also, my 03-TL type S is a dream. When I bought the car, I saved extra money for repairs. It's a sports car, therefore the engine is meant to be driven and pushed harder. The transmission works harder than in regular little cars; it's more brittle and is prone to have that happen to it. I think the problem is that people don't realize that just because it's a Honda, that it won't break. Every car is the same, that's what you get with sports car, you enjoy them because they are fast and beautiful, and make you happy every time you hit the throttle, but you prepare yourself to endure the consequences.

Just try it get a non sports car, and push it hard and see how much quicker it breaks down than this TL.

As for mine, there are no problems with the engine, nor the transmission. It runs like a dream. I have gone once on a track to 245 KM/H, and found it held the road really well.

I bought my 2003 TL Type S in 2006 with 27000 miles on it. The transmission went at 75000 miles and was covered by the class action suit, extended warranty.

I now have 95000 on the car, and the transmission is still doing fine, but just had to replace the motor mounts, not a cheap item.

Aside of these two issues, there hasn't been anything else wrong with this car. I love driving it, great pick up and handling, and a great Bose stereo. I plan to keep it for a least a year or two.

I would like to know how to get 30 mpg, though, as one person claimed. Best I ever got was 26 mpg, but usually 24 on the highway and 20 around town... and I do all the scheduled maintenance, and use high test 90% of the time.

I have a 03 TL Type S. I took it to the dealer and they told me two of the engine mounts are gone, which I find very strange, and now that I am reading the comments, it's scary. I also owned a 1995 Acura Integra, and the engine mounts are OK, not cracked or broken, so obviously there is a problem.

I think all of us Acura owners should take a law suit against Honda/Acura to be responsible for these repairs. These are consistent problems identified in the same line of cars.

I have Acura Type S. Had transmission changed around 75k. Any suggestions on extended warranties?

My 2003 Acura 2.3 TL-S with 110,000 miles failed inspection at a Honda dealership due to engine mount crack in 1/3. Should they have failed inspection? No transmission issues yet. Get 26 miles per gallon. Only issues are broken clock light, Yokohama tires wear prematurely and CD player eats disks.

I have an '03 3.2 TL with 85k miles. I bought it a year and a half ago when it had 61k miles. The transmission is quirky to say the least - but it has been consistently quirky. At low RPM's when shifting from 1st to 2nd or from 2nd to 3rd, it sometimes "shakes" like it is not sure whether to upshift or not - the whole car shakes a little. My local garage says that sometimes replacing the trans fluid will fix that. I am skeptical and the cost is high. He also said to only use Honda trans fluid - but it is expensive - approx $200-250 to do it. Anyone else have a comment or experience?

"He also said to only use Honda trans fluid"

I'm a mechanic and have owned many Honda vehicles myself. This comment said here is 100% correct, and I cannot stress it enough. I've used nothing but Honda transmission fluid in all of my Honda's, and I've never once had a transmission issue with any of them. In fact, the only Honda trans. issues I ever seen or dealt with were caused by not using Honda transmission fluid.

I own a 2003 TL Type S, Aegean blue pearl... beautiful car, cosmetically at least.

I come from a deeply rooted Honda family and I have grown to love the vision of Honda (i.e. form plus function aspect, racing including Indy). My father was a master technician with Honda for two decades, hence my dedication.

I purchased the vehicle in 05 as a gift to self for a near death incident in a vehicle, while driving a 91 "Lude". To say the least, the Prelude saved my life and I had my eyes set on a Canadian TL-S A-spec, unavailable in the states. I purchased the car, and immediately began to tastefully upgrade the car. After $56,000.00 total vested into this car, the second transmission failed.

I give credit to Honda for replacing the first transmission, and thank you much. I have babied the vehicle 99% of the time, yet of course, a Honda needs to be driven as it should be. A Type S is fast right, with a sequential 5 speed tranny... The vehicle transmission was well kept, utilizing Honda ATF Z1 only, and that alone didn't matter. That alone deletes any biased insight.

I upgraded the poorly designed suspension, also produced in Ohio (Sunbury), to an H&R spring, KYB AGX adjustable, and the car was unbelievably nice to drive. I thought that the only weak point was the suspension, hence the upgraded stance and rebound/compression characteristics.

I then upgraded the braking system to Powerslot rotors, Brembo brakes and heyoh.

The car was nice, I have to admit, and it is the last Acura that I will ever own unfortunately.

I sidelined the CD player issue by applying slight pressure to the center flap to change discs even... you are all welcome for the tip.

Is it where the products were built? No. Is it the original unaccounted physics of a poorly designed torque transfer system and a weak third clutch pack... perhaps. I've known Honda/Acura products very well since I was 15, and I would like to be driving my TL right now if I could. While I consider what to do with this upsetting situation, I purchased a Ford Escape of all choices, since at least it is functional and it is driveable.

Perhaps I should simply state why the transmission fails? This is pure speculation, freedom of speech. Nobody has ever mentioned grade logic, the VSA control (this controls the TCS, the braking, the throttle, AKA everything in the vehicle electronically that is connected to the shifting of the transmission). I have never heard of a CL-S 6 speed failing that lacks the VSA and TCS including the extra electronic goodness of a shift gate sequential. Why is that besides the obvious? Maybe 260 HP without an LSD in our models with an AT? Are our TL's overly electronic and poorly compensated for grades, including a large hill that perhaps could shred a clutch pack due to overheating? The overheating of a weak compound within the clutch discs then disperses itself, blocking passages, not allowing shifting, and then the servo system fails due to particles blocking the system... yes, speculation.

Everyone who owns a TL... think about it. When did the transmission begin to act strange? Driving up or down a grade, or perhaps a left turn??? Perhaps a left turn, accelerating onto a highway, a rapid shift from 5th to 2nd traveling at 65mph, after the "clutch pack" heated beyond capacity, practically melting/disintegrating itself into small particles.

It is incredible to imagine how sophisticated of a product Honda designed that is warrantied up to 109,000 miles and then "boom" it fails. If you come to a stop after the slipping, turn off the car, then restart it, you can shift... for a few miles, quite interesting. All of us who purchased this product or any of their products expect a much longer life span. This reason alone is why we bought an Acura TL. Instead of complaining or wondering why our transmission failed, it helps to have the engineering background or research to understand it, and unluckily we are not engineers. I hope that I helped. We at least deserve an explanation, including a replacement transmission that functions as it should.

The principle is... we should be able to trust Honda/Acura, we expect a good product, we do not want to diagnose the product ourselves during the monetary guessing game, we want the truth. If it is a bad product, then buy it from us and then make new 2010 TL's out of the scrap metal. We do not want to throw our money out the window of our garaged TL, etc. The problem is a combination of grade logic, left turn centripetal force, weak construction, VSA, etc. of the TL transmission (the 5 speed transmissions produced within the questionable years of production and installed).

Clarified... Yes, this opinion (truth) will withstand any nonsense, it is not biased besides the obvious of being a real 03 TL-S ABP 5AT owner, and I wish I could state a positive besides such a lovely car residing in my garage due to a failed transmission. Until a remedy is physical, do not purchase a used TL, and I will never purchase a new TL, nor an Acura product whatsover unless you have thousands of dollars in a bank account for repairs (3,000.00 every? miles for a transmission).

Hello, I know almost everybody said this Acura TL Type-S has trans problems, but I like the car. I want to buy an Acura TL Type-S with 240k miles. The person is selling it for only $3900, and the car is perfect, so please what should I do??? Buy or not buy?

I own an '03 Acura TL and have been very happy with it. I bought the car with 34,000 miles in '05.

The only thing I ever took it to the dealer for was one battery and one axle seal (covered under warranty). I am pretty handy so I do all the maintenance myself, oil change every 5,000 miles with a Honda filter and fully synthetic oil.

My TL's transmission started acting up last week at 99,000 miles. I took it to the dealer and they verified that it needs a transmission, and told me it never had a transmission replacement. I also found out that my TL fell under the transmission extended warranty class, but that it was out of warranty on time, but since it was within mileage they would ask Acura if they would cover any of it. After a couple of days I received a call from the service manager who told me that Acura would cover the transmission if I paid a $500 deductible, more than fair.

I am very happy with my car and Acura.