That was the first time the transmission went out, and avery green honda stated they contacted american honda, and stated they would take care of the transmission for me. they did and it last about another 2 years and 40000 miles complete failure so I brought it in to concord honda and they stated that avery green used my extented waranty instead of replacing with honda transmission. so they used the same company and exactly 2 years later and alittle over 40000 miles and failed again. i called honda and they would not take any responsibity.

I was driving on the freeway, going approximately 65 mph when my Honda downshifted into second or third gear. It felt like I hit something or slammed on the brakes. My son and his girlfriend were in the back seat and they both screamed. The car skidded and luckily I was in the right lane and pulled off on to the shoulder and then off of the freeway. I then tried to drive slowly and turn the car around, but it would not go into reverse. My son and his girlfriend had to push me backwards, so I could turn around. My car would then not go past 3rd gear. I drove in 3rd gear with my emergency lights on to a place where I could have my car towed.

My car has been serviced exclusively at the Honda dealer where I purchased it and always early. I have never missed a service and only have 59,000 miles on my vehicle.

I called American Honda when I wasn't satisfied with what the dealer offered me, but American Honda wouldn't do anything more for me. They told me they would give me the warranty transmission price of $2,800.00 and they would pay 30% of it and I would be responsible for the other 70%.

I was a Honda lover. My last Honda Accord went over 200,000 miles. I now feel that I got a bad transmission and American Honda will not stand behind their cars. I am very disapppointed in American Honda.

I just bought this Honda Accord 2003 last September, September 9, 2008 to be exact and now I'm having transmission problems what the HELL this is such BULLSHIT !!!!!! It started with a family trip to Disney Land for our daughters birthday we were on the 5 towards L.A. when my car just dropped out of gear I was driving 65 then all of a sudden it was as if I was rear ended the car jolted back I looked in the window no one was there. Then I noiticed my car would not excellerate past 30 miles per hour but my RPMS were going off the chart. We had to get the car towed to Honda now they are telling me I need a new transmission sorry but that I looked up all of Hondas recall and sure enough 2003 Accord was there for what transmission failure now they are telling me I need a new transmission and it's going to be 5k yeah rite I'm gonna fight Honda on this because my car was deffective and now they need to fix it!!!!!

Same problem w/ the V6 transmission as so many other - revs way up and "maybe" shifts. Wife called in tears, she was driving down the road and the transmission locked up and car screeched to a halt. Took the car in to Honda dealer and they want $5K to replace the transmission. Repair work is 50% of cars blue book value - yeah, sure. Not sure what I'm going to do now - so much for Honda quality.

Update from Jul 12, 2009: So I drove my Accord out of the local Honda dealers and took it to a decent transmission shop. Diagnosis was that the torque converter had come apart inside the tranny and destroyed both pressure solenoids and covered the other 4 solenoids with clutch fluid. Both of the pressure solenoids had to be replaced but, the other 4 were salvageable. Total out the door for the repair was ~$2,750. That stung given the age/mileage of the car but, far better than the $5K the dealer wanted.

After getting the Accord back I promptly sold it - good riddance to bad rubbish.

Problem - I have had with the 2003 Honda Accord transmission, and Honda Canada is refusing to provide any compensation whatsoever.

Here are the basic points: Our 2003 Honda Accord experienced major transmission failure on May 25, 2009 while traveling on the 401 highway. The extended warranty that we took was five years or 100,000 km, whichever came first. (However our vehicle had 68,000 km). The warranty ended only a few months ago, in December 2008. We took our car to a local Honda dealership to have our car diagnosed, and they said a new transmission was needed. Honda quoted a price of $4000 to fix the transmission, (which was out of my price range). We decided to take it to Mr. Transmission which was $2000. This vehicle had problems since the very early stages. In the first month of ownership, the car would not start one day. One month later, there were further problems: deteriorated 110199 VTEC solenoid seal, AC spool gasket, and O-ring. The Service Manager at the time informed us that it was "due to a manufacturing defect". One of the customer service reps asked me if I would consider compensation for the transmission alone. I responded that the labor cost was nearly as much as the transmission itself. However, when we spoke with him next, he said he had made a mistake and said that Honda would in fact NOT compensate us. When I mentioned that the 2003 Honda Accord Transmission found on the Web (Bad cars) was one big issue, the other Rep who accompanied Craig quickly claimed this was just a small percentage. This further frustrated and angered me because he basically explained that I got a substandard product after paying the same amount of money. Hence, this "small percentage" of customers who did not get a reliable and dependable automobile should be compensated for. I would gladly take a rebuilt transmission as compensation.

We are wondering if anybody able to offer us any advice with this matter

Hello All

First of all, WOW!!! I didn't think I was going to find this many people with the same problem. The only good news that I have is that I can cut and paste from other postings to tell of my own woes.

6/25/09 ( Over 90 degrees) My car (2003 Accord, V6 EX, 109,500 miles) decided not to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear and it would seem to be in between shoot the RPMs all the way up and after 3 or 4 seconds it would shift very rough. I was on the highway and the tires locked up for about 2 seconds and then the car shifted down to 2nd gear and it did not move from that gear. I basically dragged the car home then to a local dealership, where I bought the car. I was driving over there, I would incur similar problems and all of the sudden the check engine, TCS and the TCS triangle light came on and the D (for five on clusters) started flashing.

I can't believe that my extended warranty just expired (9000 miles on one contract and 4000 miles plus time on the original contract) and that my car's transmission is shot! After reading all of this, I will think twice before buying another Honda because I have been consistent with the maintenance and this is what I get.

There seems to be is some sort of recall on this but it will just cover the check up. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/results.cfm

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 04V176000 Component: POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Potential Number of Units Affected: 1099796

According to the dealer, mine was already checked

I have already called the law firm working and left a message

I encourage everyone to call this number: (212) 566-4356. This is Stamell & Schager Law Firm in NY and someone has already started a class action lawsuit. They said there is a good chance of this becoming a reality considering how many people have already added their name to the list. You must take your car to the dealership first and get a price quote for the repairs before you can add your name to the list.

Also, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1 (888) 327-4236 and report the problem. The more voices that are heard the better!

Here is the number for Honda America: 1 (800) 999-1009 just in case you missed it in the posts below.

THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE KILLING YOURSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE HIGHWAY JUST IGNORE THIS AND GO PAY $3,600.00 (refurbished) TO HONDA. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A WARRANTY AND WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY CALL THEM AND GET YOU NAME ON THE LIST. I was also offered a 3 year/ 36000 mile warranty after I get it fixed.

AGAIN: CALL (212) 566-4356. This is Stamell & Schager Law Firm in NY AND LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

On a side note, I have actually have had this car lose control on a slippery road (no apparent reason), which put me into a 360. As I was in the 360, the engine shut off. It was surprising that a normal, manic driving road during rush, that no one was around when this happened. I think God had them stopped at a light somewhere.

I have had two other recalls done: Wiper blades stopped working and radio display went black.

The other problem that I have now is that I cannot always remove the key when I'm done driving. I have to wiggle the shifter to unlock the ignition.

This is for another complaint

Hey guys, ok my has the same problem as the 175 complaints before this. firs the car started not shifting to from 2nd to 3rd gear but it would just stay in between shoot the RPMs all the way up and after 3 or 4 seconds it would shift ver rough. the one on 06/23/09 i was switching lanes on the highway and the tires locked up for about 2 seconds and then the car shifted down do 2nd gear and it did not move from that gear. i basically dragged the car home and tried to unplug the battery to see if it was something electronic, took the car for a ride and first it fell like when you shift w/o a clutch with a manual transmission for about 1 minute then the car got stuck in second gear and again it did not move from there. All of the sudden the check engine, TCS and the TCS triangle light came on and the D (for frive on cluster) started flashing and the car was also beeping. i stopped at auto zone on my way home and they scanned and the reading says it has something to do with with a solenoid on the transmission or there is a some sort of short circuit on the transmission.

GUYS, ther is some sort of recall on this but it will just cover the check up. what kind of campany issues a recall just for them to tell you that u need a new transmission and then you are on your own. At this moment the car is at honda dealer to get the check up and i am hoping the transmission does not have to be replaced. i have already called the law firm working on this and they said they will call me back soon.

PEOPLE. PLEASE, PLEASE!! CALL (212) 566-4356. This is Stamell & Schager Law Firm in NY. SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM.

THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE KILLING YOURSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE HIGHWAY JUST IGNORE THIS AND GO PAY $3,400.00 TO HONDA. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A WARRANTY AND WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY CALL THEM AND GET YOU NAME ON THE LIST.

i also wanted to add that this will be my last Honda ever, and i also feel bad for all you out there that ignore the problem and think it will not happen to you. THIS WILL HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER WITH YOUR 2003. This car used to be my baby and it was never abused nor i used to race since my insurance is already high enough.

At this moment im hoping that if it has to be replaced Honda will pay for the whole thing or atleast give me a temporary fix. i will keep the info updated on this issue and feel free to contact me for details by clicking on the post.

AGAIN: CALL (212) 566-4356. This is Stamell & Schager Law Firm in NY AND LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

Update from Jul 3, 2009: Hello again, so here is the solution to the problem, so the car did need a brand new transmision. i called honda again and they gave my case to a case manager (Joshua). he was very polite about the situation and even called me just to let me know that he was going to handle my case. So today 7/03/09 i called my dealership and SURPRISE!! honda will pay full price for the transmision and the labor. This aproach will def. keep me in the market for a new honda and i do have to apologize if i said anything too rough about the company in my original write up. Right now the car is at the shop getting fixed and hopefully ill get it by the end of next week.

PS. i also have to thank Mike at majestic honda in west warwick RI, for being so nice about the whole issue.

Update from Jan 12, 2010: Hello again. Im going to ahead now and take back all the good things i said about Honda when i updated my complaint. My tranny is acting up again luckily not as bad as the last time. I will never buy another honda im life after this whole issue. Shotty overprices cars.

I own a 2003 honda accord. My problem first started when the car would rev up to a higher rpm but would not accelerate. It would not shift btw gears. It did this randomly for about 3 weeks but then it stopped so i did not worry about it. On Friday June 12th 2009, i was driving on the highway about 65 to 70 mph and the car all of sudden felt like i had slammed on the breaks. It kept doing this on and off, then at one point i had got off the highway and was on a side road that i had to turn around on. I was turning around and was in the middle of the road (it was back dead end road) and was sideways in the middle of the U turn and the car would not reverse. I put it in reverse however it would not go. I was stuck in the middle of a road sideways and could not go anywhere. After trying several times taking it in and out of reverse it finally reversed. I drove it home however it would still skip gears and also jerk so bad that it felt like i was slamming on the breaks. I drove it to the Honda dealership in Oklahoma city - eskridge Honda- and paid 90 for a diagnostics test. THey called me about 45 mins later and informed me that i had transmission failure and would need to replace my transmission and quoted me price of 3400.00!!! My first instinct was "this car is a 2003 Honda"- i cant believe the transmission is already having to be replaced!!! I have kept this car in top notch service getting all the required maintenance checkups/service and oil changes. I immediately went home and got on the computer to see if this was a common issue and to my surprise found that it was a huge common issue with the 2003 Honda accords. IT was the weekend when this occurred. I will be calling Honda corp first thing in the morning (Monday). THis is absolutely absurd for this to happen is such a so called great car "Honda". I am hoping the pay for the replacement and there should be a recall on this! It could have caused a severe accident.

Well, even though my problem is EXACTLY the same as every single one listed below on this site, I figured I would document the problem anyway.

I purchased my 2003 Honda Accord V6 coup (automatic transmission) in June of 2008 from the original owner. She had EVERY scheduled maintenance and oil change done at Carmichael Honda, CA (near Sacramento) and had kept meticulous records. She said there had been no problems with the car and after an inspection, the car was deemed to be in perfect condition.

In May of 2009, with approximately 109,000 on the car, I experienced my first gear-slippage when the car was shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. I was stepping on the gas and the RMPs revved up to 6K or 7K but would not go forward. I was on a slight incline and decided to let up on the gas and gently try and accelerate again. Same thing happened so I shifted into neutral, then back into D2 and tried again. After doing this a few times, it finally engaged and I could continue on my way. This happened again the same night and by then I knew something was VERY wrong.

This problem continued for several weeks, occurring more frequently as the days passed. A friend of my Mom's used to work for Honda in Shingle Springs, CA but now works for an independent mechanic. When she told him about the problem my car had been having, he said that this exact problem was VERY common in 2003 Accords and mentioned the recall in 2004. Because he was very knowledgeable and close to home, I took it to him for a diagnostic ($120). Within the day, he called to confirm that the transmission was completely shot and needed to be replaced. This is when I started to look online and found out that the 2003 Accord transmission problems were not merely common, they were an EPIDEMIC!!!

Next, I called Honda in Shingle Springs to see if they had any experience with this type of problem in the '03 Accords. The service rep Casey told me he had never heard of this problem, which I now know was a COMPLETE AND UTTER LIE! He said for him to take any action, I would have to bring it to the dealership and they would have to do their own diagnostic. From there, he said he would contact Honda Corporate and ask for assistance. I will be sure to get the claim number and name of the claim manager so I can contact him or her directly if needed. I would HOPE the dealership will go to bat for me but if not, I will take things into my own hands.

Today, June 10th, I am dropping my car off at the dealership and will have more to report later. I am going to keep this complaint updated as others have before me. It has been very helpful to read what others have written and yes, I read all 173 complaints!!! At this point, I am unwilling to settle for anything less than 100% coverage from Honda despite being out of warranty. In addition, I expect a FREE loaner car while my car is being repaired and I would like a reimbursement for the TWO diagnostics I have to have done. It is very clear that this problem is not due to consumer neglect or lack of maintenance. I have done ALL that could have been done to keep this car in good working condition. And while 110,000 is A LOT it is a mere fraction of the mileage my other Honda have had before a major repair was required.

I encourage everyone to call this number: (212) 566-4356. This is Stamell & Schager Law Firm in NY and someone has already started a class action lawsuit. They said there is a good chance of this becoming a reality considering how many people have already added their name to the list. You must take your car to the dealership first and get a price quote for the repairs before you can add your name to the list.

Also, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1 (888) 327-4236 and report the problem. The more voices that are heard the better!

Here is the number for Honda America: 1 (800) 999-1009 just in case you missed it in the posts below.

Stay tuned for updates

Update from Jun 12, 2009: Today is Friday June 12th, and after many phone calls and hours of debating, pleading, arguing etc., I do have some news to report.

After it was confirmed by my Honda dealership yesterday that my transmission was indeed shot, I was given an estimate of $3,490 to replace it in addition to a laundry list of other repairs that need to be done (supposedly). I had already faxed over all the service records from a different Honda dealership and the service rep said those would be helpful when asking for 'assistance' from Honda. The next day (today), the service rep called to say that Honda would split the cost of the parts and labor 50/50 bringing my total to $1,500. HOWEVER, this agreement was contingent upon the repair of my axles (can't remember exactly what is wrong with them) which would be another $650. Grand total: $2,150. This would include a 3-year, 36,000 mile warranty. I told him this wasn't good enough and said I would call him back after I made a few phone calls.

I called Honda America and spoke with a man I could HARDLY understand who was LESS than helpful. He said that the 50/50 split was WAY more than most people were offered and I should be happy. He said there was nothing more he could do and I could take it up with the District Parts and Services Manager if I wanted to press the issue. He advised me not to do so as Honda could rescind their offer at any time. I asked if he had the contact information for this person and he said no, but my dealership would.

I called the dealership back and asked for the number of the District Parts and Services Manager to which they said that is a private number and is never given out. I was then transferred to the Manager of Shingle Springs Honda who I then pleaded my case to. He was aware of my situation but said there was nothing else he could do. I explained that me and the previous owner had done EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER to keep this car in good working condition: frequent oil changes, regular scheduled maintenance and other check ups....what more could be expected??? Was he just saying I had plain old bad luck??? After much reasoning (and perhaps some begging) he said he would call the District Parts and Services Manager one more time and try and negotiate a better deal....but NO PROMISES! I told him that I appreciated the effort and would be waiting ot hear back form him on Monday. He was very agreeable and I hope that he will give it his best shot.

Again, stay tuned for updates....

VERY IMPORTANT!!! (read to the end)

After about 6 years of smooth operation (~110,000km). The transmission started causing trouble. Every so often, the transmission would jump to 1st gear. Sometimes, the gear wouldn't shift at all causing the engine to reach high revs. We had to pull over off the highway a few times (very dangerous). Turning the car off and on was a very short term fix.

We called Honda in hopes of a discount for a new transmission (Hondas should last 10+ years). Honda asked how many times we had replaced the transmission fluid during our 110K km. We told them once, but they argued that it should have been replaced TWICE (which I later uncovered from the manual to be a complete lie!). Honda refused to help. What a shame, I thought Honda was supposed to be the only honest and reliable car company. Guess not.

We decided TO HELL WITH HONDA and let the accord roll off a cliff. Just kidding. Sorry, please keep reading. We decided we didn't want to pay 4 grand for a new transmission since 4 grand is about half the current value of the car. Instead, we decided to buy a refurbished transmission off of a totalled 2005 Accord (with the intention of selling the car to an unsuspecting buyer ASAP). Now this is where the shock comes in...I know what you're thinking and no, it doesn't have anything to do with compatibility of the 2005 transmission.

We heard about a very good and cheap car mechanic with a lot of experience. Normally, I wouldn't consider taking a toy car to this guy, let alone a real car. But we really didn't care about the Accord anymore, we just wanted it fixed, sold, and forgotten even if the fix was temporary with duct tape. Okay, are you ready for this? The car mechanic suggested that the problem may not even be the transmission's fault. He told us that the person who replaced our transmission fluid accidentally added about 1 Litre more than he was supposed to. This would explain a lot. Excess transmission fluid really can cause the transmission to slip. It also explains why turning the car off and on again was a short term fix (i.e. the pressure would settle).

Sure enough, after spending about sixty bucks (yup, $60), the transmission feels like new again (knock on wood). I guess we won't be getting rid of this car for a while now.

I was shocked to have this kind of a problem with a Honda, which has such a good reputation for reliability. When I called customer service I was certain that they would recognize the issue and offer me a discount due to their obvious design problem. Instead they offered nothing and left me out to dry. I owned several Toyotas before buying a Honda and never experienced this kind of issue. When I pay extra for a car - which I do with Hondas and Toyotas - I expect superior performance. Honda has really disappointed me. Next time around - which will be soon - I'm going back to Toyota.

We felt a slippage in the transmission on our 2001 Honda Odyssey with 128,000 miles and got a good sale value before it went up. Two days after we sold it and before replacing it (possibly with a 2009 Odyssey - I may be a glutton for punishment) the transmission on my 2003 Accord failed. I started to feel it slipping a couple of weeks ago and still am in disbelief that a reputable and well cared for car has let me down. I cannot believe all the other posts like this one. I looked up the 2003 Camry and saw 4 posts for transmission issues. Since I am in the market for an Odyssey I will try to negotiate a decent cost on repair. I really am not up for buying two new cars at once and unless I am well cared for may have to look at Honda alternatives.

Update from May 26, 2009: The dealership went to bat for me and negotiated some assistance from Honda Corporate. It paid off to be loyal to the dealership and have my service work done there. The warranty on the repair was 3 YEARS 50,000 miles so that was better than the local transmission shop offered as well. They also beat the lowest price I had found on a new Odyssey and I was totally impressed with my test drive. I am bummed the transmission failed on the ACCORD but I have been treated fairly and am pleased that Honda helped me out with the cost of the repair.

At first the car started shifting slowly or clunking slightly when shifting into third gear. I figured I'd have the fluid changed as part of the 60000 mile service. Then the problem got worse -- driving in speed up/slow down traffic on a busy street, the front wheels locked up entirely after a downshift into third gear. It released and shifted into gear and I was able to continue driving, but needless to say this was a scary situation -- easily could have resulted in an accident. I took the car into the dealer and they reported that the transmission would require total replacement at a cost of $3600. I found this forum, read some of the posts, and spoke to both the dealer and Honda customer service requesting a good will discount. The most they wanted to do was a 10 % "major service" coupon discount. I shopped around some transmission shops and got some lower quotes, and moved the car away from the dealer. THEN the dealer got in gear, called Honda themselves, and Honda offered to pay 25 % of the cost on the condition that I provide all my service records. $2700 is still more than the estimate I received at the transmission place, so I went that route instead. I guess I'll see how it turns out. I'm disappointed that Honda didn't offer me at least some assistance up front, because a major failure of this type at only 62,000 miles is pretty ridiculous. My impression of this car and of Honda in general has definitely changed as a result.

I see a lot of people with the same problem and this is awful that a car like honda would have this problem and this is not my first honda at all but now i am really considering with going with another manufacture. i have a 2003 honda accord i bought it new on vacation in florida and drove it home because i fell in love with it so about 5 months after owning it it started making noise. took it to dealer for oil change and so i asked about the noise they said thats nothing, that all honda make that noise. so of course i bought it because i was a new car so i guess it would just go away. no it did not it just stayed until recently when i had it at the dealer and i was talking to one of the honda tech that i have had become friends with and he said that the transmission was going to go he said not now but soon. Yes it did about 2 months later i was driving going About 60 mph on i495 and the car jerked hard and the car slowed down, and so i got off the highway and took the streets and about 3 miles that car stopped. so i parked it turned it off and waited about 5 min and turned it on and it drove about 1 mile until it jerked again the i stopped it and shut the car off then tried it again. but that was it. it would not move and the check engine light turn on and the green D flashed and that was it so i had to call a tow truck to drive me about 4 miles to my house and that was

$ 95.00. so the next day i called honda customer service were i got a rep that took my compliant were a honda rep called me to let me know that i should bring the car in do have it check out so this were im at. will let you know more when i get more information but seriously this problem should be recalled also make a complain with the department on nhtsa.com so that they me this a recall or go to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

Same issues already reported, failure of 2nd gear. When I took it to the dealer they said it was a classic issue, they've had others, related to the previous recall, since Honda could have replaced it for free during the recall they would most likely offer a goodwill replacement. According to the tech adviser, he had been successful getting Honda to pay 80% of the cost of replacement. He said he would submit the goodwill request on my behalf and get back to me. The next day he called to say he was right, they would pay 80% and I had to pay 20% but he would have to call back to schedule the replacement when they could get a transmission delivered. When he called back he said he had misread the quote and I would be responsible for 80% and Honda would cover 20%. Since others on this site and other sites have reported more satisfactory service from Honda and since I expected better service I spent nearly 4 weeks trying to talk to managers and others who could get a better deal or at least honor the original price I was quoted. Many excuses later, including the service manager taking a vacation, I was stuck paying the 80% to get the transmission replace. Some of the excuses include, Honda has changed their policy recently... Due to the economy... Their policy is not to do anything after (pick one) 60,000 miles, 80,000 miles, 90,000 miles.

The only slim positive is that they were giving me the "warranty" pricing and it supposedly comes with a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty on the refurbished transmission. However I was not able to get anything in writing regarding the warranty so who knows.

And of course my car is one with the odometer issues so the actual mileage on my car is about 3% less.

This was my first Honda and probably my last and I also don't feel the need to take it to a Honda dealer for service any longer. Spread the word, HONDA NO LONGER STANDS FOR QUALITY AND RELIABILITY.

First reverse went out, then 5 minutes into driving on the highway the highest gear went out, then 3rd. Honda dealer offerd to pay for $700 at first, then I complained more and got it up to $1,300 kicked in. This is at 84,000 miles. This is such a crock. My 1998 Toyota Camry that I just gave to my daughter has over 160,000 with no major problems. What has happened to Honda? Heck, I could have bought a way less expensive car and had less problems? I used to love these things. Our 2002 Odyssey also had the trans out, but at least it made it to 134,000. I hope someone can tell me the class action suit that is going down and a contact.

Thanks for letting me vent.

My son owns one of these cars and his transmission suddenly downshifted to a low gear while on the highway. He was traveling at about 60 mph. We looked into the problem on the internet and found way too many complaints for the same issue for this to be an isolated incident. We contacted Honda and got the same run around we see others on this site talk about. Neither the dealer or Honda Motor Co. were aware of any common problems with this transmission. Estimates for repairs ran from $3200.00 to $4500.00. Knowing a little something about automatic transmissions I decided to take on this rebuild myself.

When I was removing this transmission from the car I was somewhat surprised to find there was no external transmission fluid cooler like you find on most other cars with automatic transmissions. After removing the end cover my suspicions were confirmed. The 3rd gear clutch pack was very dark. Upon dis assembly I inspected the frictions and discovered they were deteriorated from operating at a very high temp. When I disassembled the valve body I found a filter screen totally clogged with pieces of the 3rd gear friction plates. The main separator plate was also discolored like it was operating too hot. All other clutch packs showed signs of normal wear. I rebuilt the transmission and installed an aftermarket transmission cooler. The car seems to work fine at the moment but it is really to early to tell if the problems were solved. I don't understand why Honda wouldn't have installed a trans cooler on these cars at the factory or at least during the recall they had on these transmissions a few years ago.