As the title implies, I'm absolutely fed up with the 5spd automatic in my 2013 Civic. It's not driver error, because everyone who drives the car has the same problem. When I drive my Elantra, it ALWAYS knows what gear to be in, and I never have issues. Ironic, considering it has an extra gear. The Civic is NOT having any mechanical issues, and I just did a drain and fill with DW-1 fluid at 49K. No change in performance before or after. I'm VERY good at keeping a transmission in the gear it wants, and have NEVER had any problems with a car switching gears as much as this car does. I'm also very good at 'hyper-miling' and squeezing the mpgs for all they're worth (I recently attained 44mpgs in the Elantra on a road trip). So I know how transmissions work, and know how to help them when driving. No matter what I do or how I drive, this car can literally never make up it's mind and just pick a gear. From a stop, getting the car up to 55mph at a normal to slow pace usually involves 7-10 shifts. This is with NO change in elevation/grade, and NO change in throttle input. I keep my foot deadly still on the pedal and it still is confused.
It starts in 1st.....2n1st....2nd...................3rd......2nd...........3rd...........4th............5th....55mph
It's absoutely maddening! I've tried grannying it, same result. I've tried accelerating faster, same result. I've tried variable inputs at different times to try to help it, same result. The only time it actually shifts properly is if I hit 4 grand (rpms) or higher before each shift. Then it actually works correctly, but then I obviously lose fuel mileage like crazy.
Yes, I know the ECON mode changes the transmission shift points, among other things. Yes, I've tried experimenting with it. I get the same bad results (although different) and worse fuel economy (I've gauged it over 10 tanks each way, definitely worse with ECON on, and this is also true for my Elantra's ECO mode). No help there.
What is also worth noting is the MASSIVE drag the A/C compressor puts on this engine (1.8L). The trans still acts up whether the A/C is on or off (worse when A/C is on due to varying engine load), but you can really tell when the compressor stops, because you take off like a rocket with the same pedal position. I'm having it checked this weekend to make sure it's normal (it seems to be, air works perfectly), but it cycles excessively (seems to be Honda's compressors in general in my experience 
). 7 seconds on, 4 seconds off. At a stop, under heavy throttle, cruising at 70mph, doesn't matter. Always 7/4. It only changes if it's on full blast and the doors are open. Then it doesn't shut off at all.
I just can't see this transmission lasting 2-300K, or even 150K by shifting this much. Even if I take pristine care of it. I'm about 1 or 2 indecisive shifts away from installing a shift kit or (more likely) buying a hand-held tuner to stop the insanity. I'm to the point of pure rage. I don't know what else I can do, but I refuse to accept that this is normal. I've driven many Hondas. Never had this issue on others, but then again they all had 4 gears. I'm even going to go on the record and say the original, never repaired transmission on a family member's 98% city-driven 2005 Pilot @200K is WAY better than my Civic's.You all should know how notorious those transmissions are for being junk. Hopefully that conveys how irked I am with this.
Does anyone have any advice, input, cures, product recommendations... anything? Thanks in advance for help, and thanks for reading my rant novel.
). 7 seconds on, 4 seconds off. At a stop, under heavy throttle, cruising at 70mph, doesn't matter. Always 7/4. It only changes if it's on full blast and the doors are open. Then it doesn't shut off at all.
I just can't see this transmission lasting 2-300K, or even 150K by shifting this much. Even if I take pristine care of it. I'm about 1 or 2 indecisive shifts away from installing a shift kit or (more likely) buying a hand-held tuner to stop the insanity. I'm to the point of pure rage. I don't know what else I can do, but I refuse to accept that this is normal. I've driven many Hondas. Never had this issue on others, but then again they all had 4 gears. I'm even going to go on the record and say the original, never repaired transmission on a family member's 98% city-driven 2005 Pilot @200K is WAY better than my Civic's.You all should know how notorious those transmissions are for being junk. Hopefully that conveys how irked I am with this.
Does anyone have any advice, input, cures, product recommendations... anything? Thanks in advance for help, and thanks for reading my rant novel.
!
