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How would they know that the used one was good and wouldn't fail soon after?

 
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Your shop, if ordering for you, should get at least a "tested good" statement from the salvage yard it came from, or preferably 90-day guarantee. The one on ebay I linked above is from a reputable dealer (and they have a pretty good rating on ebay)

If from car-part.com, I would get one from 2003-2005, NOT 2001-2002 (those were the bad years)

 
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You mean INFAMOUS?

 
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I don't think there are any good years. My 05 has a failed bearing at 97K miles and also has had a hesitation when starting out if it sits a few days for the last three years. A big problem all of them has is an internal filter that cannot be changed and it gets clogged from the friction materials over time.
It's an intentional design to ensure failure.
This is a must read before you decide throwing more money into it:https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...stigation.html

 
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If we'd known that, we'd have never bought a Honda. It's just that the Corollas of the same model years ( that we can afford ) tend to have clogged piston oil holes ( designed too small ) and burn oil.

So we don't know what reliable car to get in the 2000-2003 year range, that gets good MPG and we can afford.

It's a shame that Honda apparently wants to screw its customers - in our case the low income people who can least afford it - but I don't see other manufacturers being much different.

As far as that filter issue, did I see some of the rebuilders saying that they could also do the filter differently? I don't recall now.

 
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I talked to my rebuilder and he didn't have any suggestions for different filtration. There might be alternatives but I haven't found anyone in my local area that would do it.
We wouldn't have bought one either but it was almost new when we did and these issues were not really apparent then.
I could have a bought a new Hyundai at the time for less than what I paid for this POS and I'm sure it would have been a better car.

 
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Most smaller and "budget" cars have issues, especially when they pass 100K miles. Honda Accords and Acura TLs in this year range also have auto transmission issues, and since Honda does not build their own transmissions (AFAIK), I doubt they set out to make it "design-to-fail". The TL was definitely not a budget car when it was new.

The Civic has the advantage of being able to buy inexpensive used parts, including transmissions.

I noticed one Chicago area JDM parts reseller advertising them for $298 on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/01-05-Honda-Civic-DX-EX-LX-1-7L-SOHC-FWD-Automatic-Transmission-SLXA-JDM-D17A-/181961750035?vxp=mtr

 
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The SLXA is a is a Japanese made transmission but not necessarily JDM since it was installed on J vin cars imported to the US.
It's probably just another junk transmission needing a rebuild or nearing a need of rebuild.
I've bought used Japanese engines from "Japan" before and they were junk. They could be brought in from anywhere in the world.

 
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I can't say I have bought this particular transmission for a Civic, but if you scroll down in that ad there is more information about it. As far as I know, the seller has a decent reputation for low mileage engines for Honda cars, at least in my area. Among other things, their ad states:

Quote:

MILEAGE IS BETWEEN 49-65K

THIS TRANSMISSION WE HAVE IN STOCK WAS REMOVED FROM A RUNNING HONDA CIVIC IN JAPAN

AND IMPORTED TO US DIRECTLY

I would guess that they buy engines and transmissions as a unit, and after they sell the engine, there are probably surplus auto transmissions left. Most people who are looking for an engine don't have much use for an automatic. I am sure you would do a lot better with a rebuilt to spec transmission, or an external filter, but those options are usually much more $$ and/or work, and the OP has said more than once that cost is the main issue here.

edit:

I should also have said that I am not recommending this specific transmission for this car in this particular thread. It was meant as an example.

 
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IF I was a mechanic, but the transmission place here said that it could wind up costing us $2600 for them to rebuild it - about 2/3 of what the car is worth. But we get a "free estimate" so I guess it pays to find out. Could be less expensive?

I noticed some leaking beneath the car before it failed, so I'm thinking of warming up the engine and checking the fluid.

 
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Wasn't someone saying, awhile back, that the Japanese like to change their engines often? So that would make sense.

 
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No, they don't just change their engines, they change their entire cars as the taxes in Japan are so high that it's better scrap them. They usually won't bother maintaining them like we do because if scrapping them so early.

 
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The OP in another thread mentioned they have another car. I'd suggest the OP cut her losses and concentrate keeping the other car in good shape.

 
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Oh yeah that was it. It was a source of low mileage engines for the United States.

 
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Quote:

Originally Posted by old car fan

The OP in another thread mentioned they have another car. I'd suggest the OP cut her losses and concentrate keeping the other car in good shape.

We're very ambivalent. Yes, we have the other car but we JUST bought this one around September for around $4300 and put a few hundred more into it, then the trans went out. But it has other problems too. But we're low income ( not poverty - just low ) and cant afford to just give it away and buy another. Neither can we afford $2600 if it needs a rebuild.

I wrote everything down in a file:

It just seems like throwing good money after bad. We paid $4200 for the car and put about $400 into repairs, and $300 into window tint ( for the UV protection only ).

Plus, we were told by the previous owner - a liar - that the left front was hit by an elk when they were driving it in the mountains. The driver's front fender was supposedly replaced by him, but appears to be a pretty bad looking junk yard part that's dented and has bad paint, and there's no wheel cover on that corner.


AND the car vibrates when accelerating, before it's warmed up, so I suspect other problems but don't know enough about it. ( just guessing that the previous owner may have been in a more serious accident and didn't want a dirty title so he did the minimum work required to cover it up, then sold it. )

AND the previous owners ruined the old window tint by apparently using cleaner with ammonia and melted it into the back windshield, so they had to scrape it off, destroying the heater wires in the process, to put new tint in. But it's no fun driving in the winter with the rear windshield frosted over, so that's $300 to replace, plus new tint.

Plus something about that accident apparently made it where the driver's window won't go down all the way and that needs fixing.

Plus the two rear door lock actuators need replacing. One barely works and the other doesn't at all.


The U-joint clicks while driving and will eventually need replacing.


The speedometer bounces sometimes, then stops other times – maybe a loose wire?


So we don't know what the heck to do. If it can be fixed for less, we still need the car.

 
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That is sort of a joke, like when I said in another thread that most of us don't repaint our cars every time we change the oil...

Japanese taxes and vehicle inspections become increasingly expensive after a car reaches 5~6 years old (not sure the exact age when the cost starts to go up). After 10 years, it is cheaper to buy a new car (not all cars, but most economy/mid priced models). So, cars are either exported or broken up for salvage (fact). There is no law that tells you to scrap your car at any specific age, but most people who work for a living can't afford to keep a typical Honda or Toyota at ten years. You can google "Shaken", or just Japanese car inspection, to find out more.

The pretext is safety and low emissions. The real reason is that the Japanese government feels a need to support the car industry. In Japan, the auto industry IS the economy (opinion).

Used cars usually go to Asia or other Pacific Rim countries. Engines, transmission, front clips etc, land any place there is a market, like the US. As of a few years ago, over 250,000 engines from Japan are imported into California alone.

Wikipedia Article on Used Japanese Cars and Engines

The reason why Japanese engines are typically lower mileage, is the price of gas in Japan (about double US prices), shorter distances, lack of parking, etc...

As far as your situation goes, I would try to find an exact p/n replacement if you can. I am not sure which transmission your car would have, SLXA, BMXA, or whatever, but there will be a small label on the transmission that tells you what it is. Having an even slightly different transmission installed can be tricky, because there are typically electrical switches, and sometimes other subtle mechanical differences that make a conversion to a different trans difficult.

$2600 is a really high price, IMO, but in any case, a used transmission is cheaper, typically half that price.

Sample Rebuild Costs

 
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As I've said before though - I'm not a mechanic. I can change my spark plugs but NOT a transmission.

 
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That is a long list, if you plan to pay a shop to fix it all.

For comparison, I spent $2,800 on a 2002 Civic Coupe with a good (so far) auto transmission, but knowing I would be spending around $1K on tires, parts, service, and repairs in the first year, and that I would have to do some of the work myself.

I would consider paying someone to put in a used transmission, driving it for a few months, and then selling it and getting something you like better.

 
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If the transmission is leaking, and low on fluid, you should probably top it off first, you can't trust the symptoms if the fluid is low. If that does make a positive difference, and if you don't know when the fluid was last replaced, I would do that next. (One of the first things I did when I got the car.)

 
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Interesting, IF we can find someone who can do that.

Well the rest of the stuff would cost money, over TIME, so it's not as bad. The fender panel - I might be able to do that myself - understand it's maybe half a dozen bolts and could be done from the outside.

The vibration is concerning but isn't constant - intermittent.

 
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Find a local salvage yard that has a transmission for your car, for example on car-part.com (I see several in Colorado offering auto transmissions for your car). Call them and ask for the name of a shop they do business with. They will be happy to give you a name, if it helps them sell you a transmission.

Let's face it, salvage yards don't stay in business catering to guys like me, who buy one or two parts per year, most of their business is repair shops and body shops.

I would guess that for around $1~1.2K, parts and labor, you could get it done. It might take a few calls though, and you may have to talk to a few knuckle-draggers, as Tom & Ray would call them...

edit:

Vibration could be something as simple as a tire or wheel out of balance.

 
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OP..it's been two weeks ago since you asked the initial question of: is your transmission shot. It's well documented that the the early 7th gen automatic transmission are prone to early failure. Unfortunately, in those years/models Honda contracted out the manufacturing for automatic transmissions to Mitsubishi and they used inferior plastic parts that parlayed into issues.

A Google search on this subject would quickly lead you to threads that tell you the choices: junkyard replacement or rebuild the one in question or sell the car as-is. Unfortunately, neither option is cost effective but, repeating the same question at this point is redundant and not going to provide an answer. I suggested previously that you should try Lucas Stop Slip because at this point you have nothing to lose and it's the cheapest option. Will it work? who knows.. but probably won't make things worse.

If, there is a trade school in your area that teaches automotive repair and they happen to take in people's cars for the students to work on.. you might be able to go that route and save some expense.

 
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Thanks! Will look into this, this week.

No, I know what out of balance tires feel like. This is during accelerating at times, more before the car is warmed up.

 
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Yes, thanks, I plan on that first, this week. I had it changed when we got the car around September, but if a significant amount leaked out, that could explain this and save us a LOT of money. First thing I'll check. Gotta let the engine run about 15 minutes, then check it.

 
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You know, this car has been sitting in the driveway for a month now and I've been thinking about it. This slipping thing happened after the transmission fluid was changed for about a month and it happened when it was really cold and I was driving up a steep hill before it warmed up.

But just out of curiousity, I warmed the engine fully up and tried putting it in gear in the driveway and it seemed to be engaging. Is it possible that this isn't a complete failure?

So I checked the levels while the engine had been running for 15 minutes and it was up to just the top mark on the hashed area of the stick. Is it possible that if I add some more, it might run ok? ( or am I wishful thinking? )

I'm also wondering if the mechanic used Honda fluid. He says he did, but...

Or is it just simply failing at 131K miles?

 
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read the links on transmission - they start slipping, but some take a long time to fail, others no time at all. if it is still moving the car, you can flip the coin and see what goes. or not.

fender and rear door locks are the last things i would be thinking about

1) Transmission - decide what to do - swap in used one? (drive for a day to see how it feels)
2) clicking CV joints - these might need attention - they fail, it will be same as transmission failing - car will go nowhere.
3) acceleration vibration - might be soemthing, or not (have them check when changing the CV joint - (PS: pricewise, it's easier to change whole shaft)

Speedo - could be the trans? or the sender in the trans. Bad if you get speed tickets, mostly.
Window - i would worry if it did not go all the way up (good for the thieves, bad for owner (plus rain)

 
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Slipping is not a complete failure, that is correct. Complete failure is when the transmission does not engage at all. Hesitation when shifting, racing for a few seconds when shifting, slipping under load, those are all first signs of trouble, but not a hard failure.

On many (most) cars with conventional auto transmissions, the trans does not warm up completely just idling. Not sure on the Civic, but someone will probably correct me if I am wrong. To be on the safe side, you have to drive it a few miless, or at least I would shift through all the gears (Rev, Park... down to lowest D gear) a few times, if I was not going to drive the car b/f checking the level.

If the level is at the top mark, I would NOT put any more in. This can make things worse, because if overfilled, the fluid may start to foam up inside the transmission, and then you do not have the proper fluid pressure because of the aeration (foam), and that can cause slipping too. Most people just accept that this is counter-intuitive but true, but well I had to make this mistake b/f I really believed it...

Slipping is usually caused by low pressure. Low pressure can be caused by a worn or bad fluid pump, or because the internal filter is full of worn fiber residue, or the transmission cooler is blocked. There is also usually a pressure regulating valve, etc...

The wrong ATF can cause slipping, but I doubt that a qualified mechanic would but the wrong fluid in. If you suspect this may have happened, it will cost you around $80 in Honda transmission fluid to find out. Basically, you will need about a case of fluid to drain, fill, run and repeat the process 3~4 times to get most of the wrong fluid out, because some stays in the trans even after draining all that comes out in a gravity drain.

 
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Thanks guys. I guess I was just clutching at straws in hopes that this could be pulled out of the fire. But I'll get it to the transmission place for an estimate and if they say it needs a complete rebuild ( $2600 ), it's toast.

We bought the other Civic - a 2000, for $3200 in nice shape, so...

 
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Without fishing through your posting history, what went wrong with the trans in this car? What was the symptom(s)?

Drive a few minutes and it 'lets go', no movement? Shut it off and wait, then it will drive again for a short while?

Or did it have RPM flare up between gear shifts?

No matter, either set of symptoms means it's time for overhaul. (overhaul = rebuild)

--------

Is it still driveable now? How well does it drive? Would someone else notice a problem right away?


-----------------------------------------

Trans shop should be able to give the free estimate over the phone LOL

It will be for a complete rebuild no matter what. $2600 sounds typical.
It's what they do. You don't spend a bunch of time to yank a trans out and only do half of the job.


Question, what will their guarantee on it be?
What if you drive it out of town or out of state, and the rebuilt trans decides to crap its drawers--leaving you stranded?
Got any clue how much it costs to have a tow truck drag your car home or to the trans shop?

Is the transmission shops guarantee good at other trans shops nationwide? (Are they ATRA members in good standing?)

 
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It was about 15 degrees out and we drive it about a block, cold, and then started up a steep hill and suddenly there was no drive, like it was in neutral. Had to turn it around and get it back to the driveway.

I'm not sure. It's been sitting in the driveway for a month. I warmed it up the other day and it seemed to engage ok in the driveway, but I need to drive it about a mile to a transmission shop.

I think they just want someone to invest in bringing it there. The guy said they have arrangements with a tow truck operator, to tow it there for $65, refundable if you spend over $1000.

I'm wondering if it could be a solenoid, something else? Who knows? Something inexpensive? I'd hate to toss the car away for $1000 when we paid $4200, and it be something inexpensive.

It's weird, because we JUST had the trans fluid changed about 2 months before this and he said he used Honda DW.

Good question. This is the closest shop to us:

http://www.independenttransmissions....placement.aspx

Who knows?

Says so at the bottom of their page.

But again, this is academic. Unless it's something inexpensive, if it costs the full $2600 for a rebuild, we can get a 2000 Civic like our other one, for $3200, so why mess with it? Cut our losses. ( if you read up the thread, there are other issues with the car, but more routine stuff )

It was also mentioned here that someone might put a used one in, for maybe $1000, but that remains to be seen and investigated.