I have a 98 Acura Cl with 123,000 miles. I have already had to replace the transmission once ,last year and now it looks as though i will need to replace it again along with timing belts. It is a known fact that this model has had numerous problems with transmissions. The Real question is weather I make these repairs which will likely cost as much as the blue book of my car, or just cut my losses and get rid of it. It is my first car and is in good condition but I dont want to keep putting in thousands of dollars each year. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.
I can’t see having a dim view of the car over these 2 things. Timing belts are a routine maintenance chore and the cost associated with that chore should not be considered a strike against the car.
As to the transmission failure(s) there’s the unknowns.
Did you have the first transmission serviced regularly? Based on the timing belt scenario I would guess not.
If that’s the original belt it should have been replaced about 8 years ago.
You had the transmission replaced last year. Replaced with what: a remanufactured, rebuilt, or a used unit?
If that transmission was a reman or rebuilt and it’s failed already then I’d say that you have a remanufacturer, rebuilder, or installer issue rather than an Acura issue.
Which one is it?
SHame you cant convert to a manual…the parts are out there but even doing the job meself I would need the donor vehicle to do the swap…and what CL had a manual? None in the US methinks…shame. Prob takes the same trans as an Accord…and thats a question for the Acura Honda Head forums…theyd know which trans was in there and what manual you could plunk in there…didnt they come with a manual at all? I know I know…you arent even considering this…I’m rambling duh…
The ONLY other Honda automatic that I ever heard of having any issues was the 97 and up Prelude Automatic…they were complete crap…a damn shame too… Now they can be converted no prob.
Are you SURE you are having Tranny issues again? The auto trans shift computer can go wonky on you making you think that its the trans…I have had success replacing the tranny computer and fixing Honda Auto trannys…last one was a 93 Accord that wouldnt shift by itself…but if you shifted manually it would go into every gear…swapped out the trans computer and BAM… Perfect operation. WHat symptoms are you seeing with your current tranny? Does it behave if you shift it thru the gears with the auto shift lever? What is she doing?
OK4450 is correct as usual with the warranty issue…what kind of trans went in there?
Thanks for the posts guys. To be honest the car runs but there is does stall if i speed up too fast and I must make complete stops. the check engine light hasn’t turned on yet but speaking with 2 different people it is just a matter of time before the transmission goes out. As for the transmission, it was a used one that was put in. I believe it had around 100k miles on it. the timing belt haven’t caused an issue yet and They still work fine but i was told that they should be replaced around 100k mark, which i had not done. I am unsure if it has been replaced or not prior to my purchase of the car.
Yikes…not what I wanted to hear
“the timing belt haven’t caused an issue yet and They still work fine.”
As one of our most experienced members says, your engine will run normally–right up to the milisecond AFTER the timing belt snaps. Once it snaps, your engine will have sustained several thousand $$ worth of internal damage–over and above the cost of the timing belt. Timing belts give no warning whatsoever of their impending failure.
“i was told that they should be replaced around 100k mark, which i had not done. I am unsure if it has been replaced or not prior to my purchase of the car.”
The replacement interval is actually 105k miles OR 8 years, whichever comes first. If it has never been replaced, that means the timing belt is approximately 5 years overdue. If you continue to dither over whether to replace it, the decision about whether to get rid of the car will be made for you when the belt snaps–with no warning whatsoever.
And, if it snaps when you are in the left lane, passing an 18 wheeler, or while crossing a busy intersection, or in any number of dangerous traffic situations, you could wind up paying with your life. Having no engine power, no power steering, and limited power brake ability simultaneously when the belt snaps is literally life-threatening if it takes place on the highway. For some bizarre reason, most folks seem to envision mechanical breakdowns taking place in their own driveway or some other convenient and safe place. In reality, it is more likely to happen on the road.
If you don’t know for sure (based on actual documentation) that the belt has been replaced on schedule, you have to assume that it has not been done. This is just one of the many, many pitfalls of buying a used car that did not come with full maintenance records.
“As for the transmission, it was a used one that was put in. I believe it had around 100k miles on it.”
If a transmission is not serviced every 30k miles, it is usually ready for failure by the time that it gets to around 100k miles. In other words, you bought a transmission that undoubtedly had very limited life left in it. Buying a used transmission is one of the most risky ways to try to fix a car.
And, lastly…
“the car runs but there is does stall if i speed up too fast and I must make complete stops.”
Huh? What does that “word salad” actually mean?
LOL…easy VDC easy… Love that info on the T-belt…I have certainly said the same to many of my friends.
If you can find where the car was originally sold from, the dealer that is, you could try to contact them with your VIN number. If the timing belt was changed by a dealer, they should be able to find a record of it. If you can’t find the original dealer, check with your local Acura or Honda dealer and see if they can help.
The transmission has a cable that goes from the throttle body to a bell crank on the transmission. the cable must be just taunt, no slack but no tension at idle either. All to often this cable has some slack in it, when the bell crank on the throttle body moves, the bell crank on the transmission does not move with it. Often the throttle moves up to a 1/8" before the transmission bell crank starts to move. This causes the transmission to slip on gear changes.
Not having the correct transmission fluid can also cause shift issues with this transmission.
As for the stalling. You either have a very dirty throttle body or someone messed with the throttle stop screw or you have a bad TPS (throttle position sensor). The throttle stop screw is NOT an idle adjustment. If someone tries to use it as one, then the computer doesn’t get the zero position information so it does not send signals to the IAC (idle air control) motor to control the idle.
Well based on the information would i be better off fixing the car or just getting rid of it ?
You need to get several opinions from mechanics who will do the work, then determine if its cheaper to keep her. Go to several because you need to find one that recognizes the easy fixes and won’t pad the bill. If you can’t find the right mechanic, then you might as well find a new ride.