kimr

Hi:

My friend has a '98 Civic 5-speed (1.6?) which she has maintained perfectly. It's now has 110k on the clock.

Three weeks ago she paid a local stealership ~$1,500 for a complete clutch job: new disk and throw-out, new pressure plate, new slave cylinder, and flywheel resurfacing. Oh, and she said they replaced some seals too.

Today, for the first time since this repair, she got on the freeway and headed north to see her family. She put the car in fifth and, with the cruise control engaged, drove 45 miles (@ about 65mph) when suddenly the transmission flew out of gear and the engine revs pegged out. Neither her hand or foot was touching the shifter or pedal.

Anyway, she resumed driving, shifting up through the gears as before, and almost as soon as fifth gear was selected and the clutch was released, the tranny banged out of fifth again.

At this point, she aborted her trip and turned around, but en route home she (wisely) used only fourth gear. This got her to the exit ramp but she described the gear linkage "feel" on the surface streets as very "loose" and that 1st, 2nd & 3rd "sounded funny."

I asked whether she meant she felt something strange via the clutch pedal; she said "no, it was in the shifter."

Anyway, she got the car back to the same dealer who initially did the clutch, but she is understandably very worried that when she calls on Monday the service department is going to tell her she blew up the transmission (or have some other equally bad news).

She is convinced the dealer screwed up the tranny/clutch job and that today's events are the consequence.

Since I've done more than a few clutch jobs (on RWD cars), she called me for an opinion (and I, in turn, am asking yours!). The transmission has never given trouble and in fact had never been in fifth gear (following the clutch job) until today. Given these facts, I'd be inclined to give any odds that the clutch job of three weeks ago and the transmission problems suffered today are related. Trannies don't just suddenly go from perfect to spitting out fifth gear, to being loose and noisy, all in the space of an hour.

So please, opinions, anyone? Could a linkage problem cause something this severe? How should I advise my friend to "arm" herself against another big bill, and not allow herself to be steam-rollered?

Thank you very much.

K

ezone

Sounds like it needs a trans now.
The best hope is that it is only low on fluid and refilling it restores normal operation with no unusual whining or growling noises.
But I sort of doubt that is going to be the case.

Get a professional to gather evidence. Metal chunks come out when the fluid is drained? How much fluid was in it before draining? Clear jug to drain it into (it only holds around 2 quarts). Paint strainer as it drains to catch any chunks that come out. Evidence.

Oh wait...you say it is back at the dealer that did the original work? I guess you will get to see just how professional they really are---How they handle this mistake... Nobody likes admitting fault, especially if it will be expensive.

"Nobody likes eating crow, but a big glass of integrity washes it down well."

My guess is the trans fluid didn't get refilled when the previous work was done, or possibly an (axle?) seal that got replaced failed and leaked. At any rate, it still sounds like this started because of insufficient fluid.


The dealers warranty should have been at least 12/12. If things don't go well in the service department, go up the chain to the General Manager, the owner, or call the 1-800 customer assistance number.

kimr

Ezone: You are great! But she's not going to be happy...

(PS: Sorry 'bout posting under the wrong 'generation.')

ezone

Thanks. Hope I'm wrong, but I bet I'm right.

I'm a dealer tech. I guess I'm one of the few that actually care about more than a McJob.

There's a section for "Wrong Generation"? I musta missed that. LOL