NHTSA Complaint #10302490 — 2003 ACURA TL

FAULTY TRANSMISSION IN OUR 2003 ACURA 3.2 TL. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW. AT AROUND 80,000 MILES IT STARTED TO SHUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH. WE DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. WE NOW KNOW THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. ACURA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FROM 50,000 MILES TO 100,000 FOR THIS REASON, BUT WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. NOW THE CAR HAS 112,000 MILES AND THIS WEEK THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR, AND NOW BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND THERE IS A BANG AND A LURCH. CURRENTLY IT IS FAR TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR. WE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO DIAGNOSED THE CAR AND RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT ACURA HAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE AND OUR CAR SHOULD BE COVERED. WE MET WITH THE LOCAL ACURA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY OUR CAR ISN'T IN THE "BATCH" OF VIN'S COVERED IN THE RECALL. THEY FURTHER SAY THAT SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A MAINTENANCE RECORD SHOWING THAT WE HAVE SERVICED THE TRANSMISSION EVERY 30,000 MILES, WE HAVE LOST OUR CHANCE OF THEM WORKING WITH US AT ALL. OUR MANUAL CLEARLY STATES TO DO THE FIRST TRANSMISSION SERVICE AT 120,000 MILES. WE HAVE RECORDS FOR HAVING DONE ALL OTHER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, BUT NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE THEIR INFORMATION SAYS NOT TO. NOT ONCE HAS ANYONE FROM ACURA EVER INFORMED US THAT CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR MANUAL SAYS, WE SHOULD SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION EVERY 30,000 MILES. THERE WAS A RECALL ON A PART OF THE TRANSMISSION THAT THEY DID REPLACE WHEN THE CAR HAD 50,000 MILES, AND ACURA SAYS THAT IS ALSO A REASON THEY DON'T HAVE TO HELP US TODAY.*CW