Another Honda A/T kaput...

[pbm]

The parents of my daughters friend have a 2005 Honda Pilot.
The other day they dropped my daughter off in a late model Civic. I casually asked if they bought a new car and was told that it was a loaner because the A/T went out in their 2005 Pilot with 49K. I asked if Honda was going to cover it and she said they didn't want to but after much 'discussion' they seem to be coming around.
IMO, Honda needs to have an outside company build their transmissions because they are not doing such a good job inhouse.

 

[Blokey]

I dunno, my '00 3.2TL has 114K miles on its original trans.

So far so good...

 

[Nick R]

Maybe they should start buying GM transmissions. GM is very good at making reliable, well performing Automatic transmissions.

 

[cwing6]

My 2005 Accord V6 has 128K on the original transmission. Love the car, but I've never liked the way it shifts. Seems kind of jerky, especially into first gear or reverse from a stop. Its done it since day one. My 2007 Pilot's transmission is much smoother and my 1992 Olds is smoother than either of them.

 

[bepperb]

I'd agree, either the Aisin or GM/Ford 6speed would be a better fit.

FWIW, they switched over to a new 5speed IIRC around 2006 that fixes the problems. But, in a world of 6 speed auto's they're still at 5 in most apps, they had those troubles, their automated manual i-shift is terrible and unsellable in North America, it's a weak point from them but is something easily bought from suppliers, I don't get it.

Then again, had 6 Hondas but no automatics yet.

 

[cchase]

The automatic in ours has been pretty terrible from day one. In the past Honda has shown a reluctance to even acknowledge their problems.

There was a TSB on ours which we brought it in for, something about gears chipping. After getting it back, it would occasionally refuse to shift from 1st to 2nd. When we brought it back in, they told us everything was operating normally.

In general though, it's a sloppy transmission. It doesn't shift smoothly, it doesn't seem to know when to shift, it takes a long time to engage D from P or N, and it's been like this since day 1 of ownership.

A serious flaw in an otherwise nice car.

 

[Schmoe]

Honda transmissions are of a totally different nature that GM or anybody else for that matter. I lost one on my 02 Accord at 135K and Honda replaced it. Felt the same problem starting up on the same car at 208K, traded it in for the CRV. In a perfect world, I'd have the Honda 3.0 engine mated with my old 1990 3.3 V6 transmission than came with my Cutlass Ciera. That thing was smooth as silk up until I sold it at 220K miles.

 

[exranger06]

The original trans in my Accord is still going strong at 138k. This trans is actually known to be very reliable and can go over 200k easily. BUT it's the clunkiest, jerkiest trans I've ever seen. You definitely feel every shift. On hard acceleration, it feels pretty cool, kinda like a manual. But going slowly, especially in stop and go traffic, it gets annoying. Overall it's a good car, and best of all, it's paid for!

 

[TomYoung]

Originally Posted By: Blokey
I dunno, my '00 3.2TL has 114K miles on its original trans.

So far so good...


My 2001 TL has 133,000 miles. The original transmission was replaced at 50k and have had no problems since. But this is a concern, and am not sure how I would handle a tranny failure at this point.

My brother had a 2001 CL Type S that burned through two transmissions by 70k, when he dumped it.

It is excellent that you have had good luck, and I like Honda products immensely, but your experience is not illustrative. The Honda transmission situation was real and was/is a debacle.

 

[rjundi]

Honda sells plenty of cars with in house built transmissions. I don't think it will or should change. They hopefully have corrected the issues of the early 2000's but only time will tell.

I simply avoid automatics if possible in vehicle purchase. Unless someone can direct me to a fun to drive(powerful) vehicle with a responsive automatic transmission. They all seem too slow to respond to my intentions.

Rolling time bombs that will total a vehicle.

 

[sciphi]

I don't like the transmission in my fiancee's 09 Honda Fit. It's sloppy and will rev the daylights out of the engine with a little bit of throttle. Plus it cooked the fluid in 20k miles. I'm changing the fluid and installing a Magnefine to help it out some. We'll see how it goes.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
The original trans in my Accord is still going strong at 138k. This trans is actually known to be very reliable and can go over 200k easily. BUT it's the clunkiest, jerkiest trans I've ever seen. You definitely feel every shift. On hard acceleration, it feels pretty cool, kinda like a manual. But going slowly, especially in stop and go traffic, it gets annoying. Overall it's a good car, and best of all, it's paid for!



The A/T's in the 80's to mid 90's Hondas were great. They shifted a bit abruptly but were very durable. The problems (in the Accord line) began with the 6th generation (1998-2002) and have continued since in almost all Honda models. I would buy a 1995-97 used Accord before a 1998 to 2002 for this very reason. I wouldn't buy a new Honda right now but I would buy a new Hyundai in a heartbeat.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: pbm
Originally Posted By: exranger06
The original trans in my Accord is still going strong at 138k. This trans is actually known to be very reliable and can go over 200k easily. BUT it's the clunkiest, jerkiest trans I've ever seen. You definitely feel every shift. On hard acceleration, it feels pretty cool, kinda like a manual. But going slowly, especially in stop and go traffic, it gets annoying. Overall it's a good car, and best of all, it's paid for!



The A/T's in the 80's to mid 90's Hondas were great. They shifted a bit abruptly but were very durable. The problems (in the Accord line) began with the 6th generation (1998-2002) and have continued since in almost all Honda models. I would buy a 1995-97 used Accord before a 1998 to 2002 for this very reason. I wouldn't buy a new Honda right now but I would buy a new Hyundai in a heartbeat.



This should be clarified a little, the problem was not just for Accords, it was for any Honda and Acura model with a V6 and automatic transmission combo. The 4 cylinder models had good auto transmissions.

 

[brianl703]

No they didn't. The 4-cylinder Honda Civic had it's share of transmission problems too.

 

[demarpaint]

Having sold Hondas I quickly learned their transmissions were their achilies heal.

 

[AcuraTech]

99-03 transmissions were bad. 04+ are much better, rarely see any failures.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Schmoe
Honda transmissions are of a totally different nature that GM or anybody else for that matter.


True. Maybe its time they give up being different for different's sake and admit there was a good reason why GM, Chrysler and Borg-Warner set the template for the automatic by using planetary gearsets and multi-plate clutches.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
Honda transmissions are of a totally different nature that GM or anybody else for that matter.


True. Maybe its time they give up being different for different's sake and admit there was a good reason why GM, Chrysler and Borg-Warner set the template for the automatic by using planetary gearsets and multi-plate clutches.





Heavy sarcasm to follow.
Why do that obviously the transmission dying is not as bad as say losing an intake manifold gasket which everyone here makes sound like death.

My 96 Accord lost one at 70,000 after I had to have the head removed for losing a timing belt at 56,000. I had it fixed and traded it in on a 98 Z28. Never looked back.

 

[edwardh1]

honda- hard shifts, hard seats.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech

99-03 transmissions were bad. 04+ are much better, rarely see any failures.



Except that the Pilot in the OP is an 05'.
I agree that Honda needs to stop 'being different for being differents sake' and start making reliable, durable trannies like most other manufacturers. The A/T is the Achilles heal of Honda, IMO and I won't be buying another anytime soon.