nophilangie

Hello! I recently purchased a "beater" car. 1998 Honda Civic Lx Auto Transmission. 221k Miles. Let me start off by saying i know my way around a car, however when it comes to auto transmissions i don't have much experience. When I first purchased the vehicle, the previous owner who claims he was a mechanic (i've heard this before) said he had just replaced the transmission fluid. I checked it and it seemed full and clean. After about a month of me driving the car during the winter i noticed the car starting to shift hard when putting car in reverse and then when selecting to drive D4. This was only happening when it was really cold and once in a while. After a while it started to become more noticeable and now when I'm driving all the time the car seems to be "slipping" or rather the rpms seem to "hang" when the car should be shifting to the next gear. I notice it will shift down hard when slowing down as well. I have been gentle with the car since I've owned it just because of the mileage on it.

I have done some reading about this generation of civic and everyone seems to be having tranny problems a lot earlier in the game than me. I have recently checked the fluid again and it seems a little more burnt than when i first looked. I've made an appt. with honda to do a drain and fill a few days from now because i don't want to take the chance and I'm thinking maybe it will help.

I've also read this:https://www.heeltoeauto.com/files/pi...ssionflush.pdf and will be speaking with the technician working on my car before he starts the job to ensure this is the procedure they will be following since Honda is charging me $95. I'd do it myself but i don't have the tools or space at the moment.

Is their any chance it could be the throttle cable or one of the transmission solenoids? Ive even read that you can take out the 7.5 amp fuse in the control panel box to reset the engine computer and people have been having luck with that.

**Pictures posted are just to see color of fluid not the level**

Please help!!

Thanks!

ezone

For only $95 I'm sure you won't be getting what is outlined in that information bulletin.

For that price at my local dealership you will only get a single drain and fill of the trans fluid.....and no guarantees that will solve your problem.


With over 200k miles and your description, I'd expect it is time for an overhaul/rebuild/replacement trans.

old97civic

If you know your way around the vehicle you can do the drain and refill yourself, all you need is a 3/8" ratchet. The square drive goes directly into the auto transmission drain plug, which is on the passenger side. It's been a few years since I changed mine so I don't remember if I took the passenger side wheel off or not but that might help depending on how high you can lift the car.

Draining this way allows you to swap out 3 quarts at a time, so if you want to get most of it out you have to do it 3 times with a short bit of driving in between. A long skinny funnel is good for filling with new fluid.

nophilangie

If I had the space or tools I'd do it myself but my current living situation doesn't give me that option.

I can hope for the best at the dealership. But who knows... the best i can is talk to the tech before the job is done. Thanks for the input guys 😊

Wankenstein

First place to start is to recheck ATF it per the service manual to be sure is at the proper level.

My best guess is that the seller did a recent drain and fill along with an additive such as Lucas "Stop Slip" before selling you the car. The lucas additive probably worked long enough to get it sold. 220K is a crapload for any automatic and I wouldn't be surprised if the current one was either rebuilt or a replacement at some point.

Start with inspecting and cleaning shift solenoid screens. Inspect and relube shift cable on transmission housing first before even considering adjusting shift points. If ATF looks clean and new as you stated it's doubtful that even a 3x3 ATF drain and fill will help the issue. Doubtful that an ECU relearn will solve the issue.

If you do the above and nothing helps then (at your discretion) maybe try an additive such as Seafoam Trans-Tune or Lucas Stop-Slip. I am not advocating this and never tried it an automatic but, may get lucky and stave off an expensive rebuild (if you go that route).