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I bought his thing new on 2004 and used this baby as a delivery vehicle for 4 years. Now, I did not work as a driver anymore so I use it became a family vehicle once again.
Ok, that was a history. Last three year (2007), very cold winter night in Chicago, shifted the trans from N to D. There was loud engaging... car couldn't move (I stepped on the gas pedal also) . I shifted back to Neutral, then D again, it still couldn't move I shifted to Reverse, it could move backward so I changed to D again and it could move forward.
On 2008, very cold morning in the winter in Michigan Yep, it happened again. I used the same trick (R and D). It could move.
On the same year, on the highway to work, all of sudden, speedometer changed from 70 mph to 80 mph and back to 70 mph in about 2 sec. I do not have the RPM gauge so I couldn't tell if the wheel spin faster because of losing grip? I remembered that I was at the curve and I tried to do a grip racing. err not exactly like that but same idea. I did not recognize that the engine were revving up higher or anything so I am not sure what happened. Before this incident, I change Z1 to Amsoil ATF so was it slipped?
After that incident, I changed Amsoil ATF to Valvoline Maxlife ATF using 3X drain n fill. Then, I did not see 70 mph -> 80 mph in 2 sec after.
Last year 2009 and today. The day before was the coldest day of the year. My car was outside all day so today when I shifted to D it refused to go forward so I have to do R and then D again to get it going.
Is this the starting point to become bad transmission? I plan to use this car for another 5 years. I hope it lasts.
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not exactly. this is a common problem in many cars where the fluid is just too cold and the trans is unable to shift gears. doesnt mean its broken, cause when the fluid warms up or summer comes, it will be normal again. eventually it may become a problem, but i recommend just letting the fluid warm up a few mins before putting it in gear on cold days.
Well 103k on original trans when I thought I would have been lucky to get 48k tops out of it. On cold mornings I get a little hesitation but it clears up quick. If I get 150k out of it I did real good and won't be alarmed at a rebuild. Guess I got one with a good 2nd pack!
__________________ 2001 Honda Civic EX Coupe Silver Metallic Auto-4
the biggest fail honda made with the newer trans is using only an internal panel filter, which probably became clogged with metal and chunks of clutch material within the first 5k miles. then no matter what you do, its still clogged with the break-in junk, even if you change the fluid. and this will inhibit fluid flow, esp with cold fluid. i think this is why so many people report cold shifting issues that clear up once the fluid warms up and can pass thru the clogged filter more easily. a drop in fluid pressure = slipping gears. this is worsened by a defective secondary clutch pack in some models that seems to disintegrate much faster than the others. eventually it gets so bad that the chunks will overwelm the oil pump and kill the trans. another factor is heat, these things run way too hot without a cooler. on flat road, when you are constantly in overdrive, i bet you will barely be within the heat limit. this would also explain why "extended change" honda fluid seems to break down in less than 10k miles (as evidenced by the bright red color turning brown/black). when the fluid breaks down, it becomes useless and can cause serious damage to the trans parts. many of these trans use dipsticks that are so loose, fluid can spill out due to the fluid running too hot (a very well known problem, esp in other domestics). it can also introduce contaminants. i have also seen a trend in newer cars that seems shocking to me. the trans is completely sealed from service by most diy guys, in fact there is no dipstick to even check the fluid! and the fluid they use supposedly lasts 100k miles. does anyone really believe that? are cars being designed more and more to be "idiot proof" because a majority of the population would rather not think about changing fluids or other maintenance? and these cars seem like their life is guaranteed to be only 100-150k miles if that, and then you throw it away and buy something else.
anyway, if you are stuck with a failing auto trans on these civics, heres my advice.
-if you have slipping gears only when fluid is cold, you still have time before a rebuild. once the slipping starts happening while warm, its time to shop around for rebuild.
-i would definately recommend the TCI master racing kit which includes new hi performance clutches and seals (the oem ones tend to shrink, and this also causes slipping) and also a new internal filter.
-i would also recommend changing the fluid of your new trans as soon as it starts to break in, maybe only after 1-2k miles, to ensure you remove the metal and break-in junk before it can start to kill everything again. after that, stick with 10k drain and refills with honda fluid. the honda fluid is quite good, altho others have reported amsoil synthetic atf is comparable or better. whatever you use, pick one brand and stick with it.
-dont forget to install a small trans oil cooler and external filter. there are many small coolers available from B&M and other companies that can be spliced into the atf cooler lines. honda uses part of the radiator as a "cooler" when in fact ive found that it actually heats trans fluid up faster on a cold day (thats right, the engine coolant warms up first and then in turn warms the trans fluid, NOT cools it). after operating temp is reached, the coolant and trans fluid run near the same temps, so basically you do not have a trans cooler with the oem setup, all you have is an initial trans fluid warmer! for the external filter, to grab particles and trap them quickly before they harm your new rebuild, i recommend the 2001 civic HX CVT oem filter, which has a convenient bracket and can be spliced into the cooler lines. usually the filter should be replaced yearly, but maybe more often when the trans is breaking in, and less often after that when you see the fluid is staying red much longer.
1. people have gone thru as many as 4 front mounts in 50k miles. if you look at the flimsy construction, youll realize why they break. usually only one arm breaks, and you can repair it with the energy suspension motor mount inserts. they are polyurethane not rubber, so you will get some extra vibrations, but it will never need replacing again.
Well, I got back from the dealership and my front mount is completely broken... I guess this is a common problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gearbox
2. LCAs are the same way, crappy rubber bushings. cornering at hi speeds will be dangerous, alignment will be off, and you may even hear some noises when they go bad. usually 50-60k they will be torn to pieces. ES makes a full poly replacement and those are beefy bushings. they make creaking noises in the winter when going over bumps, which is well worth having never to replace em again and keeping good alignment.
Wow another one right on the head. My control arm bushing on my passenger side is completely broken to where it is rubbing metal on metal now...
Quote:
Originally Posted by gearbox
3. rocking seat has nothing to do with the bushings. in fact, the original bushings were fine! its just the way they designed it. fail. im looking at getting an aftermarket seat to replace with. altho if i could find one, id get an LX seat (no height adjustment) from the same model year so the fabrics match.
You must be psychic! My driver seat has been "rocking" since I bought the car. Got it diagnosed as the bushings need to be replaced, I just have never done it.
Only thing not on the list is my transmission bearing. I am not sure what it is, but apparently it is making horrendous noises that are not supposed to be there. I think it is the first bearing, from what they were explaining to me. So when you look at the thing inside it is
this bearing >> first gear >> reverse >> 2nd >> 3rd...
So close to $3000 in repairs. I was thinking I got the only Honda lemon, but apparently these are common problems with these civics.
well alot of people will say that falls under "wear and tear" of parts. you should be lucky you dont have a ford explorer. my friend has a newer one with less than 100k and already he needed major trans work, a complete brake overhaul including new lines, and just recently a $2k repair for the entire climate control system that failed.
front engine mount is easy to diy, costs maybe $40 for the mount and an hour of time with simple tools. lca bushings, maybe $250 for labor both sides. and alignment another $80. just shop around, alot of these minor things are quite cheap.
Our transmission went out today at 133K. I can remove and install it myself. What would be best in my situation? Rebuild or get a new one from the dealership? Any ideas as to where I should look?
well my Honda factory rebuilt transmission i got installed in October is already having some issues. as of this morning, when i accelerate it makes a "whining" noise. i'm not talking about the engine whine or pur, i'm talking about a "whine" like if you were driving in reverse. it mostly goes away once i have been driving for 10-15 minutes, but it's still present.
any suggestions on what this could be? is it most likely a problem with the transmission? if it is, i will be royally pissed. good thing the transmission has a 3yr warranty from Honda, but i'm not a fan of having to drive back to the dealership. if i'm going to have to deal with transmission issues every 4-6 months, i'm going to kick myself for not getting rid of this POS 7th generation Civic and just going with the 2010 Subaru Forester that i was planning on doing (of course a job switch and relocation came around which made taking on a car payment not very smart)
whining usually means the trans oil pump is about to fail due to debris clogging it up. shouldve had another shop do the rebuild using tciauto.com master racing overhaul kit with red eagle hi performance clutches. the honda trans with honda parts will always fail due to defective parts. i dont think honda ever released an upgraded secondary clutch pack to replace the faulty one. just get the trans fixed again under warranty and sell the car while you can since you already spent the money on the rebuilt honda trans.
whining usually means the trans oil pump is about to fail due to debris clogging it up. shouldve had another shop do the rebuild using tciauto.com master racing overhaul kit with red eagle hi performance clutches. the honda trans with honda parts will always fail due to defective parts. i dont think honda ever released an upgraded secondary clutch pack to replace the faulty one. just get the trans fixed again under warranty and sell the car while you can since you already spent the money on the rebuilt honda trans.
i will take it in to have it checked out and hopefully replaced again with another Honda factory rebuilt transmission. is it really worth selling the Civic since i have a 3-year warranty on it? since i dropped $1,900 on the Civic's transmission repair, shouldn't i get my money's worth on the repair and drive it until the end of the warranty before i trade it in?
2000 Civic - EXi (D15Z4 Engine) ...... my AT issue is that during a uphill climb SOMETIMES it will down shift harshly... i could actually hear the "thud" during the down shift... changed the ATF from the agent...still no solution .... any ideas guys...????
Re: Who's had a bad transmission? *UPDATED* 
so I changed to D again and it could move forward. 
Yep, it happened again. I used the same trick (R and D). It could move. 
err not exactly like that but same idea. I did not recognize that the engine were revving up higher or anything so I am not sure what happened. Before this incident, I change Z1 to Amsoil ATF so was it slipped?
.... any ideas guys...???? 
