2003 Acura TL: complaints, problems and recalls

I NOTICED THAT NHTSA HAS OPENED AN INVESTIGATION INTO TRANNY FAILURE. I BOUGHT AN 03 ACURA 3.2TL-S BACK IN MARCH. I REALLY DIDNT KNOW THAN WHEN THE TRANNY WOULD "CATCH UP" THAT IT WOULD BE A DEFECT. THE SAD PART IS THAT I WANT TO GET RID OF THE CAR BUT I CANT SELL IT BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL LOSS. THEREFORE, IM FORCED TO STAY WITH THIS CAR THAT MAY SOME DAY KILL ME. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER STORIES; NUMERIOUS OTHER STORIES. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE TRANNY MAY GO SOON BUT ITS NO WAY TO GET IT LOOKED AT BEACUSE THE "FAILURE" DIDNT HAPPEN YET. IM SCARED…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002936 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2003 ACURA 3.2TL WAS PUT IN SERVICE IN AUGUST, 2003. RECENTLY, THE SRS LIGHT HAS COME ON AND THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS NOW MAKING THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO CORRECT IT; HOWEVER, THEY ADVISED ME IN WRITING AS FOLLOWS: "ADVISED CUSTOMER NOT TO LEAVE ANY ELECTRICAL DEVICE ON PASS SEAT, WILL CAUSE LIGHT TO GO OFF" I.E., CELL PHONE IN MY WIFE'S POCKETBOOK COULD TURN SRS OFF. THIS EXPLANATION DOES NOT SEEM PLAUSIBLE. IF THE SYSTEM IS THAT SENSITIVE, IT IS NOT DEPENDABLE!

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003531 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION SHUDDER AND BALKING ON NEW 2003 ACURA TLC TYPE-S

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007582 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WAS IN PARK, WENT TO REMOVE KEYS. CAR ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED SLAMMING INTO WALL. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016325 at NHTSA ↗

TOOK DELIVERY OF NEW 2003 ACURA 3.2TL-TYPE S ON MAY 10, 2002. WAS UNAWARE THAT HONDA/ACURA HAD AN ON-GOING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SINCE MODEL YEAR 1999. TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP OVER THE PAST SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES. ON MAY 15, 2003, DEALER CONFIRMED TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND HAS ORDERED NEW TRANSMISSION. HONDA HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM SINCE THIS HAS OCCURRED IN MODEL YEARS 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003. WHILE THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 7 YEARS / 100K MILES, THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018855 at NHTSA ↗

TOOK DELIVERY OF NEW ACURA 2003 3.2TL TYPE S ON MAY 10, 2002. WITH ABOUT 7,000 MILES ON VEHICLE STARTED TO NOTICE SLIGHT "SHIMMY" / "SHUTTER" WHEN APPLYING BRAKES...GREATER IMPACT AT SPEEDS 40 - 70MPH. THIS INDICATES WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. FINALLY INSISTED THAT DEALER ADDRESS ISSUE. DEALER FIRST OFFERED TO "TURN" ROTORS; I DECLINED AND ASKED THAT THEY CONTACT HONDA FOR REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS. HONDA AGREED ON, "GOOD-WILL ONE TIME BASIS." FURTURE WARRANTY COVERAGE WILL BE BY "TURNING" ROTORS. ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED AT 9,675 MILES. I…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,675 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018858 at NHTSA ↗

TIRES- 4 TIRES IN 3 MONTHS DUE TO SIDEWALL BUBBLES. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019243 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE RUPTURED AFTER IT STRUCK A SHALLOW POTHOLE. THE REPLACEMENT TIRE RUPTURED 2000 MILES LATER WHEN IT HIT A MANHOLE COVER. MICHELIN AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE ONE TIRE. THE CONSUMER PLANS TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. *AK *CB *SCC *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021862 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-08-28 (August 28, 2002)

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SEDANS, COUPES, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, A TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY ON THE WATER PUMP IS MISALIGNED AND COULD CAUSE THE TIMING BELT TO CONTACT A BOLT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. EVENTUALLY THE BELT COULD BE DAMAGED AND FAIL.

Consequence: IF THE TIMING BELT BREAKS, THE ENGINE WILL STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WATER PUMP AND IF IT IS ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE PUMPS, THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 30, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

Reported: 2004-04-15 (April 15, 2004)

ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.

Consequence: GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004, FOR PILOT, ODYSSEY, AND MDX OWNERS. OWNERS OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES WILL START RECEIVING LETTERS ON JUNE 28, 2004, AND ON JUNE 29, 2004, FOR OWNERS OF THE TL AND CL VEHICLES. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

Reported: 2015-05-28 (May 28, 2015)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already received an inflator of a different design, and therefore are not included in this recall and do not require additional servicing. Note: This recall fully supersedes recalls 08V-593, 09V-259, 10V-041, 11V-260, 14V-351 and 15V-153. Honda's numbers for this recall are JQ9, JR0, JR1, JR2, JR3, JR4, JR5, JR6, JR7, and JR8.

Reported: 2019-03-06 (March 6, 2019)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

Consequence: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

Reported: 2019-06-27 (June 27, 2019)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.