Acura 3.2 TL Transmission Problems

Named the "3.2TL" after its 3.2-liter engine during its second generation of production (1999 to 2003), the Acura TL is a mid-size luxury car from Honda's luxury division that debuted in 1996. Potential buyers--as well as owners--of the 3.2TL should take note of its common transmission problem.

Transmission Failure

Acura TLs in general are virtually free of common transmission problems. However, the 3.2TLs in particular tend to have their four-speed automatic transmissions fail. It is considered a problem of very high occurrence in this generation of TL vehicles.

Coverage

The failure of the 3.2TL transmission may be covered under an extended warranty that goes up to seven years/100,000, particularly for the 2000 to 2003 models. The extended warranty also may cover the torque converter for the entire second-generation production cycle.

Repair Cost

As of September 2010, the cost to replace the transmission with a re-manufactured unit is about $3,000 for parts. An additional $449 is need for labor costs.

References

• MSN Autos: 1999 Acura TL; Reliability

Resources

• NHTSA; Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)