NHTSA Complaint #10381071 — 2001 ACURA CL

PURCHASED 2001 ACURA 3.2 CL TYPE-S (REPLACING MY FIRST ACURA 3.2CL THAT WAS TOTALED IN A 1/2009 CRASH) ON 3/2009 AS SECOND OWNER FROM ACURA DEALERSHIP WITH 35,232 MILES. GOT ALL SERVICE RECORDS FOR THIS AUTOMOBILE FROM DEALER INCLUDING THE RECORD DATED 9/9/04 (MILEAGE 14,660) FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE OIL JET KIT DURING TRANSMISSION RECALL. WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY THIS EVENING, THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) SYSTEM LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON. WHEN I FINALLY STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND THEN PROCESSED THROUGH IT AT A NORMAL SLOW SPEED, THE TACHOMETER JUMPED FROM 2,000 TO 4,000 RPMS WHILE IN FIRST GEAR. LUCKILY, I WAS WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF MY DESTINATION. WHEN I RETURNED TO VEHICLE TO DRIVE HOME, CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I HAD TO PARK THE CAR ON A CITY STREET THAT SAME NIGHT. I HADN'T EXPERIENCED ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS ONE NIGHT. HAD CAR TOWED TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY ONLY TO BE TOLD IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CONTACTED LOCAL ACURA DEALER TO BE TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THEY TENTATIVELY OFFERED A GOOD WILL SPLIT OF THE COST. (I HAD BOUGHT MY FIRST NEW 2001 ACURA 3.2CL FROM THEM AND THEY HAD INSTALLED A NEW TRANSMISSION DURING THE EARLIER RECALL.) HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A NATIONWIDE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST SHOP. THEY DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED. AGREED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND THEY USED NEW FACTORY PARTS AND HONDA GENUINE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF-Z1). AFTER COMPLETION AND PAYMENT, I WAS ADVISED TO DRAIN AND REFILL FLUID EVERY 15,000 MILES AND FLUSH TRANSMISSION SYSTEM USING ATF-Z1 EVERY 30,000 MILES. I HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD THIS TRANSMISSION SERVICING SCHEDULE BY MY ORIGINAL LOCAL ACURA SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONSULTANTS. OWNER MANUAL STATES CHANGING THE FLUID AT 45,000 MILES OR 36 MONTHS IN THEIR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS. VEHICLE HAD 58,300 MILES WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. *TR