Rep Power: 0

My wife has a 04 civic VP with a auto trans with 70,000miles. I bought this car new and take good care if it. I have given up trying to download a service manual so where is the best place to buy a paper copy?
Did Honda fix the auto in 2004 or is it a ticking time bomb?

its my first post so take it easy on me

 
Rep Power: 307

I noticed on my 05 that the automatic was made in Japan. Chances are yours was also. I don't know if all the 7th gens autos were made there or not ?? Anyone still got their window sticker from an 01-02 ??

I have been doing my drain and re-fills at 25k mile intervals. And suggest using only OEM fluid.

 
Rep Power: 811

i do. it says transmission: japan

get the honda service manual at handaaccessories.com for $80 its well worth it. and just change the trans fluid once a year or every 10k to keep it in good shape. you only drain 1/3 of the fluid each time thats why its better to do them more often. i dont know if the 04 fixed the trans or not. i know mine still slips but im pushing as much life out of it as i can. currently at 88k miles and it started slipping around 50k. i have a 2002 with auto. if your trans is still not slipping at 70k, you are prolly okay and got a revised version with the defect fixed.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well thats good news. I had the trans flushed at 60k (honda ATF) and i'm planing to dunp and fill at 75k(honda ATF) I was thinking about adding a small cooler and a filter. I'm still debaiting that. Any thoughts?

This would not be an issue if my wife knew how to use both feet

 
Rep Power: 811

cooler and filter is extra insurance, not sure how much it would help tho. ive been running a cooler since the car had 20k on it and i still had problems later. it will only help things tho. most trans failures happen from excessive heat. but i know for sure the 01-02 and maybe later models have defective clutch that wears out too fast. so nothing prevents that.

 
Rep Power: 0

Now I've heard a rumor guys about 7th gen a/t and I don't know if anyone can corroborate it or not but this is it.
My girlfriend was looking for a new car not too long ago and this black 6th gen caught my eye at a small garage. I got out to check it out and began talking to him and somehow we got on the subject of 7th gen auto trannies. He dropped this doozie on me and told me it was out of the mouth of a honda tech: Honda subcontracted a new manufacturer for their torque converters/pressure plates yada yada (auto transmissions are still a mystical mystery to me) 01-05 and due to an error in manufacturing some material was used that should not have been and was not compatible with Honda Brand Transmission fluid. It actually softens the pressure plates and stuff and over time it just wears out regardless of how well you take care of it, or some **** like that. Said the guy (the honda tech) had broken down several transmissions that were just gummed up with broken down garbage and they knew it was the honda transmission fluid doing it.

Has anyone else heard anything about that or is this guy nutz?

I had about forgotten it until now, I'll do some digging and see what i come up with.

 
Rep Power: 0

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/C..._failure.shtml Well it's no mystery to these people that Honda Auto Tranny's suck.

My transmissions slips, but...eeeehh i've got 192K on mine, I've had a pretty good run and good luck to boot I guess.

 
Rep Power: 811

its not the fluid, its an actual defect in the secondary clutch carrier. the material used makes it wear down fast even with normal driving, and once pieces of worn clutch circulate thru the pump and clog it, goodbye trans. its already been released as a TSB by honda, so they knew about it but wanted to wait til the warranty expired before releasing the bulletin.

 
Rep Power: 0

well hold up there a minute...if you had a problem with your tranny wile under warranty, and this TSB WAS in existance, honda would replace transmission no problem. TSB is a Technical Service Bulletin, meaning is applys when there is a problem with the vehicle WILE IN FOR SERVICE. they DO NOT send out TSB's to customers, it is applied to vehicles when in for SERVICE. ACURA has had a TSB for all TL and CL transmissions, as well as certian RL's. also, there is a TSB for most RSX MT 01-04 for a new third gear set. only when you complain to the dealership does this get rectified. RECALLS get sent to the customer, they are for safty issues only. a transmission slipping is not a safty concern, a powersteering hose bursting and spraying oil on the exhaust manifold and starting a fire is. (one of the TL's common recalls)

 
Rep Power: 811

the problem is, they did not release the tsb until the 01-02 civic was out of factory warranty (which is only 4 yrs if i remember). the tsb was posted in 2006 or 2007 i believe. i would have loved to get a free trans, but they simply said your car is past the warranty period (over 40k miles). when i called corporate, they basically said the same thing, except that they may have decided to cover a portion of the labor to put in a new trans, but that mine was not actually broken at the time. i even tried to get my extended warranty to cover it, but they too said if its not broken, they will not cover a new trans just because it slips. if the tsb was released before i hit 40k miles, then sure i wouldve walked into the dealer with the tsb and said fix my trans for free.