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Hi guys,
I have bought Civic Vti, Prosmatic, 2001, 144000 km, just a couple of months ago. This is the first time I have ever got an automatic. The car shifts gears smoothly, no jerks and jolts. If I keep a steady pressure on gas pedal the gears shift at ideal rpms. The pick of the car is also excellent on both petrol and CNG. The problem is: sometimes I have felt that if the car is motionless and there is something like a small brick or sill-like protuberance, the car does not move forward. The same is the case with the reverse gear. Once the car did not move up a ramp I changed the gear from D1 to D3 and even D2 , it did not drive up, even though I revved up the engine. The rpms remained steady around 1000, no jerk was there and no gear slip was noticed. I reversed the car a bit and then the car moved over that awkward hump very easily. Yes if the car has the slightest momentum, it easily overcomes the hurdle. I hope I have clarified the situation. I haven't changed the transmission oil, because the mechanic said the colour of the oil was still good enough. He said it could go for a couple of months. Is this something normal with auto trannies? Or I should do something about it. Please help!

 
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Sounds average to me.
If it runs good and shifts gears smoothly, I would not worry about it.

Small engine, low power. Can't climb up a street gutter curb from a stop, but will roll over easily if the car is already moving. Sounds about right.

CNG fueled cars are rare over here in North America.
Honda builds cars that are CNG fuel only, or petrol only for our market. We have little infrastructure for CNG refueling so there is little demand for them in most areas.

We don't use the same terms over here, I'm not certain what "prosmatic" means (yes I tried Google). I understand it is the automatic transmission, but Honda has more than one type available.
Maybe "prosmatic" refers to the gear shifting program in the computer, here they refer to it as "grade logic control".
Which transmission does your car use--- 4 speed automatic, or CVT?
(CVT = Constant Velocity Transmission.)
Whichever transmission it has, make certain to use the correct fluid from a Honda dealer source. CVT requires a specific fluid that is not common anywhere but a dealer.
I recommend transmission fluid changes every 30,000 miles or 50.000 km.

Hope that helps.

 
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Thanks for the reply. My Civic is 4 speed automatic. It is 1600 cc. I will check it on petrol to see if it does the same or performs normally. But still there is somewhat uneasiness in my mind, that all the cars I had with manual trannies didn't have the problem: just depress the gas pedal and off you go over a hurdle. Here I give extra gas but of no use.

 
Rep Power: 517

Drive a similar Civic, drive the same way to test.
Compare the similar car to yours.

CNG may be less efficient, therefore lower power. The 1000 RPM comment makes me think the engine was low on power.

Try it using gasoline (petrol).

HTH

 
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ezone, very considerate of you! I will test drive another car and check mine on petrol, then I will let you know. But I think I should also change the tranny oil. Hope it might help, as the car has done 144 k kms. And I don't even know when the previous owner got it changed. What do you suggest?

 
Rep Power: 517

Replacing the fluid is maintenance. It won't help a transmission that is already failing.

If you have no information of the history of services, then get the fluid changed right away.

The trans fluid is Honda ATF DW-1 here.
Other fluids can make them "shift funny".

Procedure is simply drain and fill.
Most of the Hondas over here have no external filter to replace, so we can only change the fluid.
There is a drain plug on the bottom of the trans, a 3/8 inch square drive ratchet will fit. You will drain about 2.5-3 US quarts out.
Reinstall plug, refill the trans through the dipstick hole.

I start with 2.5 quarts, then check the fluid level and add as necessary. I try to set the fluid level toward the low part of the marks on the dipstick, because the fluid is no longer warm by the time this is done. After the car is driven and the transmission is warmed up, the fluid level should be at the top of the marks.

To check the fluid level, you are supposed to check after driving so the fluid is warmed. Turn the engine off. Check the fluid within one minute of turning the engine off.
(Honda is the only manufacturer I know of that specifies to check the transmission with the engine turned off.)