NHTSA Complaint #10299924 — 2003 ACURA TL

I OWN A 2003 ACURA TL. MY TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY UNLESS I BABY THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEMS GETS WORSE AS THE CAR HEATS UP AND GETS HOT. THE MAIN PROBLEM COMES IN WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR AND FROM 2ND TO 3RD AS WELL. GOING UP HILLS FROM A STOP IS DIFFICULT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY PULLED CODE P1450. THE TECH TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE INTERNAL SOLENOIDS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE SIGNAL TO SHIFT, BUT ARE NOT ACTUATING. I'VE LOOKED INTO THIS PROBLEM AND SAW THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION (04V176000). I'VE BEEN TOLD BY ACURA HQ AND THE LOCAL DEALER THAT I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH (ACURA OF AVON IN AVON, CT) AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY RESULTS. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY CAR DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THIS RECALL, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ALSO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST ACURA THAT DESCRIBES MY EXACT PROBLEM. DESPITE ACURA'S INFORMATION ON VIN NUMBER DISTRIBUTION OF PROBLEMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, I BELIEVE I HAVE A VEHICLE THAT IS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEMS COVERED UNDER EITHER THE RECALL OR THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TO KEEP THE ENGINE AT AROUND 2,000 OR 2, 500 RPMS UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY SHIFTS. IF I DO NOT LAY OFF THE GAS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT. *TR