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2002 Accord SE Abrubt Unexpected Downshift

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  • January 23, 2013 at 5:01 pm #495091
    John RamseyJohn Ramsey
    Participant

      While going 60-65 mph set to cruise in my wife’s 2002 Honda Accord it will abruptly downshift from Overdrive to 3rd gear on level ground causing an engine braking effect. I’ve checked the ATF fluid and it is at the appropriate level. (Might be a little high). This has occurred 3 times to me. The speedometer reading has not changed abruptly to my awareness.

      Does anybody have any clues?

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    • January 23, 2013 at 5:51 pm #495106
      college mancollege man
      Moderator

        try correcting the atf fluid

        January 23, 2013 at 9:57 pm #495135
        John RamseyJohn Ramsey
        Participant

          I intend to change out the fluid when the weather gets above the single digits; however I’m skeptical that overfill is the problem.
          The car came into my possession from my in-laws several months ago and until that point it was professionally maintained. I have not bothered with the ATF fluid until now, and this unnecessary downshift is a somewhat new problem. If the fluid being overfull was a problem wouldn’t the the problem have made itself known earlier?

          January 23, 2013 at 10:24 pm #495143
          college mancollege man
          Moderator

            maybe/ maybe not. sometimes it could take time to add undue
            stress to the internals. example- say your car runs hot but
            does not over heat.sure the car drives but damage is being done.
            which later shows up.Has the check engine light came on? Another
            thing was the transmission ever serviced? If so was Honda OE fluid
            used? if not that could be part of the problem.

            January 24, 2013 at 9:54 am #495350
            VictorVictor
            Participant

              Is the Ck engine light on ? Check for codes,The oil being a little over full is not the problem. Also check the TV cable,it could be bad,or out of adjustment.

              January 30, 2013 at 2:53 am #496896
              EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
              Keymaster

                I’ve experienced this myself in the past and it’s a VERY dangerous situation. Bottom line, you need a transmission. Those transmissions were prone to failure unfortunately. I don’t believe any fluid changes will help you at this point. I would recommend you install a remanufactured transmission. I don’t recommend you have it rebuilt unless you go with a reputable rebuilder with experience with those transmissions and a dyno to check it before it’s installed in the vehicle.

                May 28, 2014 at 6:44 pm #603817
                John RamseyJohn Ramsey
                Participant

                  A year’s worth of perspective on this topic and what I’ve found is that the problem is brought on by cold weather and cruise control. When it gets below freezing, we don’t use cruise and this is not a problem. When it’s warm, this issue never presents itself.

                  Thanks for all of the replies!

                  May 28, 2014 at 8:42 pm #603871
                  EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
                  Keymaster

                    Thanks for the update. That’s a very odd thing. Perhaps there’s moisture getting into the cable for the cruse and freezing up. Very strange.

                    Thanks again for the update.

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