13 of the 403 complaints about the 2002 Acura TL are about the engine — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 140,000 miles.
13
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE
AUTOMATIC/MANUALLY SHIFTS, MANUAL GEARS D4 SHIFT STUCK IN GEAR AND CAUSING ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURED.
NHTSA complaint #11252707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
TAKATA RECALL
NHTSA complaint #11090199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
VEHICAL SLIPS OUT OF GEARS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY ALSO FEELS LIKE THE CAR WHEELS OR MAYBE EVEN THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP WHILE ON THE HWY . A VERY BAD JERK , IT SEEMS LIKE THE GEARS ARE LOCKING UP FOR A QUICK SECOND AFTER THE JERK IT WILL PROCEED ON . THE JERKS. THESE JERKS ARE STARTING TO DAMAGE MY SUSPENSION AND ALSO MY GEARS.. THERE WAS ASAFETY RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSOION GEARS .I HAVE TAKEN MY VHICAL TO ACURA OF CERRITTOS AND THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT AND NOTIFY ME OF MY VEHICAL TRANSMISSION GEARS STATUS THEY SAID THERE WAS A OIL LINE THAT WAS ADDED BUT THEY CANT SHOW ME WHERE THE WORK WAS DONE. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICAL HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP ACURA OF CERRITOS THIS TRANSMISSION GEARS STARTED LOCKING UP SO BAD THAT THE JERKS INJURED ME MY GIRLFRIEND AND 3 OF OUR KIDS AND DAMAGED MY STEERING AND SUSPENSION. PLEASE HELP
NHTSA complaint #11002901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS HAD BEEN SLIPPING AND SLOW TO CHANGE OVER WITH A SUDDEN JERK OR LUNGE. THE RPMS WOULD RACE INTERMITTENTLY ONCE THE GEARS CHANGED AND THE ENGINE AND EMISSIONS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER (RIVERTOWN HONDA, 4260 KENOWA AVE SW, GRANDVILLE, MI 49418, (616) 667-4500) CLEARED THE CODES, BUT THE CODES RETURNED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WITHIN 48 HRS. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE DEALER COULD PROVIDE A SOLUTION AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK AGAIN WITH NO SPECIFIC REPAIR SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10995333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
FIRST OFF MY DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW HAS NEVER WORKED. I CHANGED MY WINDOW MOTOR WITH THE REGULATOR TWICE. THAT DID NOT FIX MY WINDOW. I CHANGED MY DRIVERS MASTER WINDOW MODULE TWICE. I CHECKED ALL OF THE FUSES AND THE POWER WINDOW FUSES WERE GOOD. MY POWER WINDOW STILL DOESN'T WORK AFTER $400 IN PARTS AND $400 IN LABOR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY CAR HAD A FEW RECALLS. THE PERSON HELPING ME AT THE DEALERSHIP WAS REAL RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL. HE TOLD ME THE ONLY RECALL I HAD WAS FOR MY SRS AIRBAG. HE HAD TO ORDER THE PART. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO LET ME KNOW THE PART WAS IN. TWO WEEKS LATER I GO IN AND CHECK IF THE PART WAS I N. THE SAME PERSON THAT HELPED ME CAME UP TO ME AND HAD AN ATTITUDE AND WAS DISRESPECTFUL AGAIN. HE TOLD ME THE PART WAS IN BUT THEY CAN'T SERVICE IT THAT DAY. THEY NEVER COMMUNICATED WITH ME. HORRIBLE SERVICE AT [XXX] ACURA. I TOLD THE SERVICE GUY THAT MY CAR DOES NOT WANT TO COME OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY TRANSMISSION. HE WAS REAL RUDE AND TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO PAY $6000. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND MY 02 ACURA TL TYPE S WITH MY VIN NUMBER HAS MANY RECALLS. 1 FOR MY AIR BAGS. 2. FOR MY TRANSMISSION 2ND GEAR. 3 FOR MY DRIVERS POWER WINDOW. I TOLD THIS ACURA SERVICE GUY THAT I HAD RECALLS FOR ALL 3 THINGS AND HE LAUGHED AT ME. MY CLUSTER FUSE KEEPS BLOWING AND THE CODE THAT COMES UP IS FOR MY TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR. 70+ PEOPLE WITH AN 02 ACURA TLS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES AS ME. I JUST CONTACTED ACURA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. NO RECALL HAS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR. I NEED HELP PLEASE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10653244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I BOUGHT MY ACURA FEBRUARY 2011. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD 2 TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $1400.00 EACH TIME I GOT IT FIXED BY THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. I STILL HAVE MY RECEIPTS AND ONLY GOT A 1 YEAR WARRANTY FIRST TIME AND A 3 MONTH WARRANTY THIS PAST TIME . IT SEEMS LIKE I AM PAYING MORE FOR THE TRANSMISSION ALONE THAN THE VALUE OF THE CAR. THE ENGINE IS GREAT BUT I AM AFRAID THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FAIL AGAIN AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR OR FIX THE PROBLEM IF IT DOES FAIL AGAIN. THIS IS A CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE THE FIRST FAILURE WAS VERY SCARY FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. WE WERE DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL TO OVERVIEW A CITY WE VISITED AND THE TRANSMISSION SHUT DOWN AND WE WERE INCLINED. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO APPROACH THIS SITUATION WITH 3 MINOR CHILDREN AND AS A SINGLE MOTHER. IT WAS VERY OVERWHELMING AND I WAS PETRIFIED. THEN COME TO FIND OUT NOT SO LONG LATER AFTER GETTING THE TRANSMISSION FIXED, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND HAVE BLOGGED AND READ ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR. YOU CAN YOUTUBE GOOGLE ALL KINDS OF INFO ON THESE ACURAS WITH CONSTANT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER INTENDED ON THIS MALFUNCTION FOR PROFIT AS A AUTOMECHANIC. IT IS VERY UNFAIR, UNSAFE, UNJUST WITH THEM SELLING CARS THAT DO NOT LAST 5000 MILES AND THEN HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FAIL OVER AND OVER. I AM THE OWNER OF THE 2002 ACURA. PLEASE KEEP ME INFORMED ABOUT THIS CAR AND IF THERE IS ANY WAY SOMEONE CAN HELP ME GET WARRANTY FOR FREE BECAUSE IT IS REALLY UNFAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN. GOD BLESS WHAT YOU GUYS AND GIRLS ARE DOING.
NHTSA complaint #10553498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA TL. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITHOUT A WARRANTY ON FEBRUARY 25, 2009. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF. DURING THE SHAKING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE SHAKING OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN OR RESTARTED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CYLINDERS WERE MISFIRING OR EITHER THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.
NHTSA complaint #10270077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEIZED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. A NHTSA RECALL, #04V176000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE NEEDED NEW ENGINE MOUNTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/18/2006 -
NHTSA complaint #10169823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN A LOUD BUZZING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE STARTING UP THE VEHICLE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT AS WELL. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE FILL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10108755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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
NHTSA complaint #10010028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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.
NHTSA complaint #10000900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE HAS A SEVERE ENGINE HESITATION. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER AND RECOVERY TIME BACK TO NORMAL SPEED IS SEVERAL SECONDS.
NHTSA complaint #766326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVING PERFORMANCE WAS SLUGGISH AND PROVIDED LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION. THE RPM INDICATOR WOULD RACE TO 3000K+RPMS WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. THE AUTO BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LURCH VIOLENTLY. SHORTLTY AFTER, THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE TCS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE GEAR INDICATOR (WHICH WAS ON D5 AT THE TIME) BEGAN TO BLINK. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #8016785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.