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Now going into this post, I know that the Honda Transmissions from 99-03 are pretty much doomed, but I don’t think this is quite the same symptom. The car does not have a D4 light flashing, in fact the light doesn’t really come on at all when it is in Drive. D3, 2, and 1 light up (when in those respective settings), but when D4 is selected there are no lights lit up in relation to the transmission. This may be unrelated, as many of the interior lights on the car have gone out and I’ve been replacing them. However, the car does have a really hard shift from 1-2, and hard downshift 3-2. The only way to get it to shift fairly smoothly is to give the throttle constant pressure any where between about 40-60% throttle, or by accelerating slowly and then giving it more gas as it winds through 2nd and 3rd gears. It has been going on for a long time, but it seems to be getting worse. I’ve looked into the shift solenoids, which are very easy to replace (at least they seem like it). Anybody with experience on these transmissions know what to try first? I can do a thorough testing of the solenoids, but if they are bad are they easy to replace? They appear to be in a casing of some sort, do I need any special tools to remove them from that casing? I can get the part from Rock Auto for under $10 per solenoid (The car is going on 13 years old and just barely under 200,000 miles, I don’t need high quality parts). The fluid was changed recently but seemed to make no difference, and just recently we had a half shaft (I was told drive shaft but it’s FWD so I’m skeptical about that term) break on the car, and after that replacement there was no change in the shifting of the transmission.
As a final note, the car will shift under full throttle, but winds up into the redline while shifting, although this may be normal. I’ve also had an issue on rare occasions where I am turning and get on the gas more as the car is upshifting by mistake, and in that process I’ve had the RPM shoot way up and then slam into second hard enough to spin the tires. One time was a solid chirp, the second left skidmarks on the road behind me from slamming in so hard. It shifts fine from 2-3 and 3-4, but anytime that it shifts into second it can be a really hard shift. If I am sitting still with my foot on the brake and drop the selector into 2, after 2-3 I can feel the transmission lurch into the gear, but the car doesn’t move because the brakes are holding it back. To me, it sounds like a stuck solenoid, and I’d like to know how easy they are to replace. However, I know that these transmissions are prone to failure and I’m asking for anybody with information and/or experience on these to share their thoughts. Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Vehicle Info:
2002 Honda Accord SE
2.3L I4 VTEC (NOT ULEV) -> I know these engines are different, but I’m not sure if the transmissions are.
Automatic 4 Speed Transmission
198,500 milesPS car is in need of tune up, but i don’t think that should have much of an effect on the problem. I am doing some work on the car soon and I’d like to address this issue at the same time if I can. I’d hate to do all new plugs and wires with valve cover and spark plug gaskets and the PCV just to have the transmission die. I already literally had that happen on my other car a month ago 20 minutes after I did a tune up. Two corners, and the transmission let go on my crappy Ford. I trust Honda over Ford any day, so if this is a fairly inexpensive fix I’d like to go ahead and just do it if it’s logical with this transmission.
God Bless,
Bryan
Plainfield, IL
17, Mechanic as Needed
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Replies
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The 4 cylinder transmissions did not have the same issues as the 6 cylinder ones did. That said, it does seem like you have a transmission problem. The usual things to be sure of with a Honda transmission is to only use Honda transmission fluid. It’s also important to only check the level when the engine is OFF and not running. Those are the biggest issues I’ve seen. More info on transmission issues here.
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-transmission-problems
As for the D4 light, it’s common for the bulb to burn out. It’s not likely to be related to your issues. For those I would make sure you’re using Honda fluid and it’s at the correct level. If it is and you are using Honda fluid you may have a transmission problem. If it was an electrical issue I would think that you would have a CEL. It’s possible that you have a D4 code but you won’t know until you replace the bulb. To pull the code you could use this method once you get the D4 light working again.
Given that it’s a 2002 however you should be able to read any transmission codes with a good scanner.
Good luck and keep us posted.
BTW as far as your tune up parts go, but sure to choose those wisely. Also, I would not recommend replacing the PCV if it’s a Honda part. More info here.
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-automotive-performance-issues
Does this sound like something that could be caused by a stuck solenoid? What mostly tips me off is the fact that under certain acceleration the car will shift fine. And how hard are the solenoids to replace? Do they pop out of the housing easily, or do I need any special tools? Thank you for what you’ve said so far
I drive a 97 Acura which is a fancy Honda. It really puts my mind at lease to see all these threads about Honda transmission failures. 🙁
Anyways about the lights – When you first turn the ignition switch, there are a bunch of lights that come on. P and D4 (or maybe D5 in such cases) should be two.
Yeah it is common for bulbs to fail in the dash or climate control, sometimes intermittently (how that is possible, who knows). In fact my Reverse light on the dash works when it wants to which isn’t often.
[quote=”bendres97″ post=115468]Now going into this post, I know that the Honda Transmissions from 99-03 are pretty much doomed, but I don’t think this is quite the same symptom. The car does not have a D4 light flashing, in fact the light doesn’t really come on at all when it is in Drive. D3, 2, and 1 light up (when in those respective settings), but when D4 is selected there are no lights lit up in relation to the transmission. This may be unrelated, as many of the interior lights on the car have gone out and I’ve been replacing them. However, the car does have a really hard shift from 1-2, and hard downshift 3-2. The only way to get it to shift fairly smoothly is to give the throttle constant pressure any where between about 40-60% throttle, or by accelerating slowly and then giving it more gas as it winds through 2nd and 3rd gears. It has been going on for a long time, but it seems to be getting worse. I’ve looked into the shift solenoids, which are very easy to replace (at least they seem like it). Anybody with experience on these transmissions know what to try first? I can do a thorough testing of the solenoids, but if they are bad are they easy to replace? They appear to be in a casing of some sort, do I need any special tools to remove them from that casing? I can get the part from Rock Auto for under $10 per solenoid (The car is going on 13 years old and just barely under 200,000 miles, I don’t need high quality parts). The fluid was changed recently but seemed to make no difference, and just recently we had a half shaft (I was told drive shaft but it’s FWD so I’m skeptical about that term) break on the car, and after that replacement there was no change in the shifting of the transmission.
As a final note, the car will shift under full throttle, but winds up into the redline while shifting, although this may be normal. I’ve also had an issue on rare occasions where I am turning and get on the gas more as the car is upshifting by mistake, and in that process I’ve had the RPM shoot way up and then slam into second hard enough to spin the tires. One time was a solid chirp, the second left skidmarks on the road behind me from slamming in so hard. It shifts fine from 2-3 and 3-4, but anytime that it shifts into second it can be a really hard shift. If I am sitting still with my foot on the brake and drop the selector into 2, after 2-3 I can feel the transmission lurch into the gear, but the car doesn’t move because the brakes are holding it back. To me, it sounds like a stuck solenoid, and I’d like to know how easy they are to replace. However, I know that these transmissions are prone to failure and I’m asking for anybody with information and/or experience on these to share their thoughts. Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Vehicle Info:
2002 Honda Accord SE
2.3L I4 VTEC (NOT ULEV) -> I know these engines are different, but I’m not sure if the transmissions are.
Automatic 4 Speed Transmission
198,500 milesPS car is in need of tune up, but i don’t think that should have much of an effect on the problem. I am doing some work on the car soon and I’d like to address this issue at the same time if I can. I’d hate to do all new plugs and wires with valve cover and spark plug gaskets and the PCV just to have the transmission die. I already literally had that happen on my other car a month ago 20 minutes after I did a tune up. Two corners, and the transmission let go on my crappy Ford. I trust Honda over Ford any day, so if this is a fairly inexpensive fix I’d like to go ahead and just do it if it’s logical with this transmission.
God Bless,
Bryan
Plainfield, IL
17, Mechanic as Needed[/quote]Bryan, it does sound like your transmission is starting to go out. But one thing you can try that Scotty Kilmer showed me is you can drain the transmission fluid, refill it with 2 quarts of Honda ATF and then add a quart of Lucas automatic transmission fix. Oftentimes that will make it shift smoother and fix any problems you have. But if that doesn’t do it then my advice would be get rid of the car because you’re looking at upwards of $3500 to rebuild or replace that transmission, and at that age with that kind of mileage you’re better off just getting another Honda. Btw, DO NOT buy a junk yard transmission for that Accord, they often don’t last long at all.
Based on your description it’s not likely a solenoid problem and since you’ve already changed the transmission fluid I’m afraid the writing may be on the wall. There really isn’t anything you can do about worn out clutches other than replace them. If you’re going to go that far in you might as well rebuild the entire thing. That said, if you’re not experienced at rebuilding automatic transmissions, then going with a quality reman is the best way to go.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Well, nothing’s changed much in the last couple of months. I’ve been busy with school but I was finally at least able to get out a shoot a video of it today. When I get the chance I’ll try to get a video of actually driving the vehicle, but at least I was able to get footage of the solenoids clicking with the car in the ‘on’ position but not running, as well as a shot of the engine when I manually shift it into 2nd gear. Let me know if this sparks any ideas:
PS thank you for everything that you’ve all said so far. I’ve looked at purchasing a reman on ebay for anywhere from $1100-$2000, but I’d still have to pay to have it installed unless I’m pretty darn sure I can do it myself. I agree with MusicCity on this one that if the tranny is bad I’ll just have to ride it out as long as I can and either replace it when it fails or just get another car. It’s been so trustworthy and has had very nominal issues to this point so it’ll be hard to give up.
I was able to get out and shoot a driving video. If you think I need a video of the gauges let me know and I’ll see if I can phone a friend to hold the camera for me. I tried to get my dash cam to stick to the steering column or something but with no luck.
Thanks again
If it had a stuck solenoid it wouldn’t shift at all. Hard shifts are usually caused by high line pressure. Might be worn components in the valve body or pump.
I would have it diagnosed by a professional before throwing parts at it.
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