Used 2002 Acura TL Consumer Reviews
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Nice car
adam, 12/15/2006
2002 Acura TL 3.2 Type-S 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is a very nice car. It is very reliable and has never broken down on me. If I were to buy another car I would have to go with the same car, because it is very fun to drive (goes when you press the gas).
Title? ? GARBAGE
Willie Hopkins, 11/16/2015
2002 Acura TL 3.2 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A)
7 of 10 people found this review helpful
Do not buy this car, don't even think about it, if you want something sporty and luxurious go for Lexus Honda/Acura will never have my business again, this car is on its 5th transmission and I refuse to get it replaced again the car is known for its transmission problems and recalls the car has been wrecked once due to the cars bad transmission at 75mph it dropped into 1st gear and all the tires locked I spun off the road and had to get towed that was when I was told I'd need my 5th transmission 5 thousand miles in and its already sliiping and locking. Save yourself some trouble and never buy an Acura or a Honda this is dangerous and outrageous especially the fact that the company will only replace your transmission with one that has previously failed after usually giving you the run-a-round this is the worst purchase I have ever made and I advise any buyer to do research on this car before you buy it. It's awesome if you want to replace a transmission every 40-40k miles cheap interior,boring styling but to each his own I suppose have fun. You might get more use out of it as a yard ornimant because it probably wont leave your driveway one day!
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2002 Acura TL for sale near you
3 of 16 listings
- 3.2 Sedan w/NavigationMSRP: $2,99921 mi away
- 3.2 SedanMSRP: $3,99564 mi away
- 3.2 Type-S SedanMSRP: $2,496234 mi away
See all 16 listings
Unreliable dressed up Honda
Hate TL-S, 07/23/2005
2002 Acura TL 3.2 Type-S 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought this car for its power and handling - was I in for a let down. I have a vibration from the front end - I use only Michelin Sport A/S - had this issue with OE's too. Well major issue is the transmission. I am on my 3rd. Seems to go out every 30k on me. I have 70k miles on it. Since the last transmission - car does not have the kick / pick-up. Revs like a rocket before I get any good speed. Not sure what they have done since the last transmission repair. I've lost lot of power and handling in this car. Acura TL-S has a known tranmission problem - would stay away from it. All they do is replace it with a remanufactured transmission and hope it last.
Bad transmission
cp, 06/26/2010
2002 Acura TL 3.2 Type-S 4dr Sedan w/Navigation (3.2L 6cyl 5A)
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
We purchased this acura from a private ownership @ 47,000. It performed beautifully until the transmission went on @ 116,000. I had it serviced at 104,000 and nothing was wrong with it. I have learned that a rebuilt one from the acura dealership would cost $4900. Hello, anyone in there! I paid over $14,000 and still owe $8800. This is truly a LEMON of the technology aged vehicles.I have been told I can build a case with acura that is so far a joke because they told me that I will not get enough credit because I take it to another service provider for the car serviced. If I took it to an acura dealership, I could receive more credit for a new rebuilt transmission. Discrimination?
I love my 2002 TL-S and so will you!!!
incinerary, 10/13/2013
updated 01/09/2020
2002 Acura TL 3.2 Type-S 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A)
6 of 9 people found this review helpful
I've owned this vehicle for 7 years and have put on 134,000 miles in that time. My car currently has 302,000 miles with the original engine and transmission with no rebuilds or replacements. It has overall been a very reliable vehicle needing less than $1000 in non-routine maintenance during my ownership. Some of those repairs include new hydraulic hood supports, EVAP Canister and Shut-off valve, right front upper control arm, oxygen sensor, both fog light units, right rear caliper, and other small miscellaneous items under $30. Some upcoming repairs it will need include engine mounts and the rear stabilizer bar and end links. I also always use Genuine Honda parts, which are all very easy to find online. Very impressive reliability if you ask me! A big issue with these vehicles involves the transmission, or is it the owners? As a YouTuber who has received many comments and questions on my videos, a vast majority of these problems come down to the owners not maintaining the transmission fluid (letting it get black!) and filter, or the solenoid screen filters were clogged (which is an easy fix). The notorious 'code of death' P0740 turned out to be a small dime sized solenoid screen filter that can simply be cleaned out with an air gun or brake cleaner. I also recommend doing a 3-quart drain and fill every 15,000 miles using Honda DW-1 ATF and changing the exterior ATF spin-on filter every 30,000 miles. Although it's pretty expensive at $63, I highly recommend using the Genuine Honda ATF filter. Sometimes people have had to resort to replacing the solenoid all together, but $325 is a lot cheaper than a $2000-3000 rebuild! After 302,000 miles, my car sometimes misses up-shifting into 3rd gear, or shifts slowly when very cold, but works just fine otherwise. Other than that, all I've done is keep up with all the fluid change intervals, including Mobil 1 Extended Performance Synthetic Oil and FRAM Ultra Synthetic Filter, lubricating caliper slide pins with 3M silicone paste, and the rest using Honda fluids (not aftermarket!) including transmission fluid/filter, coolant, power steering fluid, and brake fluid. I also use Lexol pH cleaner and conditioner on my leather seats and the result is a flawless interior after all these years (smells good too!). I absolutely love the styling on this car. The Aegean Blue Pearl paint is incredible and has garnered me many compliments. There's a little rear fender rust, but that can be repaired. The ride quality and heated bolstered leather seats are very sporty, comfortable, and supportive. There's plenty of space both in front and in back for adults. It has been a fantastic vehicle for both daily commuting and long vacation drives. The interior is cozy and quiet at under 87dB with mostly wind noise at freeway speeds. The Bose sound system sounds great and the stock 8" sub should offer enough bass for most people. I added 3 10" subs in the trunk, and there's still plenty of cargo space. The powerful V6 offers plenty of power for overtaking vehicles and the manual sport shift function is fun. Gas mileage is pretty good at about 27mpg combined between mainly highway driving under 70mph and some city driving. Now with my new commute I drive a little faster at 80mph on the freeway which drops it down to 24mpg combined. Keep in mind this car takes premium gas. Night time driving is great as the HID headlights are not a cutoff style beam, are very bright, and all original after 17 years. The central rear view mirror is auto-dimming and the passenger mirror tilts down when in reverse which helps a lot with parking. Their heating function works fast in the winter too. As you can tell, I could probably talk about this car all day. I love everything about it and struggle to find anything bad to say. I love it so much I started my own YouTube channel! I'll admit the transmission fluid needs some extra attention, but if you can manage that this car will be very reliable and fun. If you're considering buying this vehicle, check the transmission dip stick to ensure the fluid is red or at least a light brown and not dark, black, and burnt! It's your choice to take my advice throughout this review, but that's what it takes to get to 300,000+ miles on these vehicles. Acura's are very easy to work on and the parts are cheap and easy to find. There are also tons of instructional videos on YouTube as well as Honda/Acura service centers everywhere. Owning my TL-S has been an overall incredible experience and I hope it can last for years to come! I love my Acura and so will you!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value