hishorselover

I love my 2012 Civic! I purchased it last year with 34,000 miles on it. It now has 45,000 miles. I've noticed that it feels like it shifts at odd times. My husband describes it as a "shudder" or "buck". It's becoming fairly predictable. We have had the transmission kit changed and 3 different mechanics have diagnosed it and come up blank. I've tried different grades if gas as well as using the economy setting with no change. Is this normal for a Civic? Is it the transmission or something else? I can live with it but I am the type of person who keeps a car for 10 years or more. I don't want to pay for this car for the next few years if it's not going to last me. My son has an '05 Civic with 250,000 that drives much nicer than mine.

ezone

Could be TCC shudder, but so far I haven't seen it in the 12 and newer Civics myself yet....

We recommend trans fluid services every 30k, using ONLY Hondas ATF DW-1 fluid.

Simple drain and fill, if you can change engine oil you can do the trans fluid.

If that doesn't take care of it, the powertrain has 5/60 coverage unless your warranty was voided for some strange reason.

hishorselover

Thanks for your input Ezone. We did have the transmission fluid changed and the problem seemed to disappear but only for about a week. We did have the fluid changed at a Honda dealership so hopefully they used the correct fluid. All three mechanics (one being a transmission specialist) are saying the computer diagnostic system finds no problems. It's frustrating! It happens anywhere between 10-40 miles per hour and is worse when I'm moving between 10-20 when in traffic. However, when on the highway, if I simply let up on the gas pedal even slightly it feels like the car shifts. I'm going to run your thoughts by my husband, see what he thinks. I do still have a warranty on this vehicle.

hishorselover

Thank you for your response Ezone. I wish I had more knowledge about cars. I will run this by my husband, I'm sure it will make more sense to him. We did have the Transmission fluid changed (by a Honda dealer so I'm hoping they used the right fluid!). The problems seems to happen mostly at low speeds. It is the worst when I stop and then begin to go. The car seems to sort of jump. It also happens a lot if I am in stop and go traffic going between 10-20 MPH. Also, when on the highway, if I take my foot off the gas, the car will jump, feeling like it shifts. Other than that the car runs great and I love it.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

You almost need to learn to slow acceleration (ease into it) and avoid heavy throttle.... & adapt to grade logic.

The worst was slowing to a red light that then turns green, and then accelerating. It will jerk & buck like something is wrong.

And yes, your ATF was due for drain & fill.

ezone

HAHAHahaha.

Have you taken any of these mechanics for a ride with you so they can experience your complaint first hand?
Have you been to any real, experienced, Honda techs with this complaint, and taken them for a ride to demonstrate the issue?

OK so I'd HOPE they use the correct fluids.....and I may assume now that the issue probably isn't TCC shudder.
Oh...yeah they can and will upshift and downshift a lot compared to some other cars, depending on throttle inputs, loads, road speed, and incline or grade.

What Craig mentioned, "Grade Logic" is something that may take some getting used to.
My own car is a 12, it did take a while before I got used to it. It will downshift during some seemingly minor uphill grades.

Maybe you can compare with an identical 2012 Civic just to see if yours acts significantly different? Test drive a used one at a dealer?

hishorselover

CraigW....yes, hills and merging onto the highway are a bit of a challenge I have been trying to change the way I drive...I can control the bucking when I come to a full stop but can't seem to do anything about the random bucks while driving at higher speeds. It's pretty bad at spots where I don't come to a full stop then start again.

hishorselover

eZone....my husband did take a mechanic out from two of the places (Honda and the transmission specialist). He was able to demonstrate what we are talking about but because the computer can't find anything they just send us away. Maybe it is typical for this car. I hadn't thought about taking out another 2012 Civic for comparison. Good idea! It just kills me that my son's Civic that is 11 years old and has more than 5 times the amount of miles on it rides like a dream! But mine is prettier

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Is this while just cruising at highway speeds ??

Are you doing any acceleration, or deceleration at or near the time it bucks ??

ezone

"Bucking" is not a comforting description IMO.
I know they can upshift and downshift rather often but it should still be fairly seamless and smooth.

hishorselover

When I'm on the highway it can only be felt when I take my foot off the gas. EVERY time. It literally feels like the car is shifting gears...that's the only way I can think to describe it. After the "buck", the car will continue to coast normally like every other car I've driven. When I am driving on back roads, going say...30-40 miles per hour, it will do it randomly. I would say the worst is when I'm consistently decelerating and accelerating while in traffic.

ezone

........Find an identical car to drive for comparison.

hishorselover

eZone...I am going to find another one to drive for sure. I want to tell you what happened this morning. I was driving downhill and had applied the brakes slightly while going through an intersection. Then I continued to coast down the hill. I was going 40 MPH. Still going downhill but I pressed the accelerator slightly because I was near the bottom of the hill and didn't want to continue coasting. I felt resistance from the pedal and the car sounded like how it does when you are accelerating to merge onto the highway...only the car didn't accelerate. Nor did it decelerate. I looked at my instrument panel because I half expected the car to stall. I noticed my RPM's were at 1.5 (which is typical for my car) but bounced up to between 2.5-3.0, then it felt like my car shifted and all went back to normal. This whole thing lasted only about 5 seconds. When I told this story to someone they said they had experienced something similar with two prior vehicles and for one it was the Coil Pack and the other it was the Oxygen Sensor. She said that in order for the problem to be diagnosed she finally brought it to her mechanic right away so the code wouldn't have time to reset and would actually show up when diagnosing. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this please.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

^^^^^ Are you by chance a left foot braker ???

ezone

The resistance 'feeling' of the gas pedal should not change or vary, it is merely a lever/spring/sensor assembly that provides an electrical input to the powertrain computer. There is no physical mechanical link (cable, rods, or otherwise) between the pedal and the engine anymore.

Anyway.....
Do you keep the ECON button switched on or off? This sounds like it may be on.

EDIT: Or left foot is on the brake pedal? (thanks Craig)

This sounds like Honda 'grade logic' in action, combined with a somewhat rapid change in the gas pedal input that may cause the computer to 'anticipate' further aggressive throttle input from the driver.

As long as the shifts aren't overly harsh, it is likely that you are experiencing some normal downshift and upshift actions.



Gotta get back to work. Find another identical car to drive, and.....
Please google 'Honda grade logic' and read what others have to say about it. Forums are full of people questioning why they act the way they do, and other people trying to explain the hows and whys of the system.