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I have a 2010 Honda Civic-LX, with an automatic transmission.

When I take the automatic transmission lever OUT of park (P) and pull it towards me to the DRIVE (D) position; it goes PAST the drive position and stops and LOCKS IN at the D3 position.

So, I have to always advance the automatic trans level FORWARD one position to the Drive (D) position.

Shouldn't the automatic trans lever stop and lock-in at the Drive (D) position?

Other than this peculiarity, I have no trouble with the car whatsoever.

Is there an adjustment somewhere for the lever, so it stops at Drive (D) position? Or is it supposed to lock-in at D3? I really dunno.....

Thanks in advance......mattandchris

 
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supposed to lock at D3. then if you want to move it from D or D3 into 2 or R/P, you have to press the shift button. the reason is so that you dont accidentally move the shifter into R or 2 when driving. I use D3 most of the time, some people like D but really it should only be used for speeds above 35mph or if you are on flat roads. if you find that the trans is shifting in and out of 4th all the time, you should just keep in D3 to avoid trans wear.

 
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really?..................now hold-on.........................

Yesterday I test drove a traded-in 2012 Honda Civic-EX, with an automatic transmission, at a car dealership.

When I brought the transmission lever back, out of the Park position (P).....It stopped and locked in at Drive (D) position......not one more notch down at D3 position, like mine does.

That's what prompted me to post, because it got me scratch'in my head worse than a flea-bit dog.

My 2010 Honda Civic-LX is the first foreign made vehicle I have ever owned. So I didn't know what to think, and that test drive got me suspicious of where MY transmission lever is "locking in" at on my 2010-LX.

Thanks for your input..................mattandchris

On a side note; Yesterday I found the Civic-EX on a Chevy dealerships lot. After a test drive, I offered the dealership $16.5K for the 2012-EX, that kelly blue book was appraising at $18.5K. I wasn't in any mood to budge off of my offer price yesterday either. My salesman brought the general manager over who then accused me of trying to buy the car at a lowball price so that I could then resell it in order to make $2K for myself. WTF???

 
Rep Power: 518

The shifter actions you described for both the 10 and the 12 are exactly as they were designed. (From memory here) There is no detent (notch) between N and D3 on the 8th gen civics (actually, a good part of Hondas entire fleet was like this for years and years), and starting with the 12 (9th gen) the detent stops the lever at D instead of D3. Both are as designed.

Also, I disagree with Gearbox on the speeds part, I drive everything in the highest D gear at all times. The computer will decide what gear to use based on RPM, vehicle speed, gas pedal position, and loads. The slower the engine RPM is (cruising/low load), the more gas mileage I can get. The computer will not let the engine or trans hurt itself.

Excess wear? Ummm, I dunno.


You mean the sales manager, don't you?
A G.M. doesn't normally do that stuff, and is the one to take your complaints to. He's the one that makes heads roll.
They also aren't going to sell for less than they have in it, plus profit. You tried to eat all their profit.
They hate when someone turns their own game on them.
But they can't bear to lose a sale either. They would bargain but won't drop as low as you wanted.

I would have put my checkbook away (make it obvious), said "I guess you don't want my money", and walked out.


I have no use for most car salesmaggots.

 
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on flat road yes i would recommend D. but if i did that here the trans would be downshifting every 5 seconds because it has no power. more shifts = more heat and more wear on the clutches. keeping in D3 may use a bit more gas, but nothing compared to the cost of things that break down the road from constant up and down shifting. just depends on the environment i guess and how much power you need.

 
Rep Power: 518

I got flatlands for miles here. Only hill on my daily commute is a bridge.