Give it to me straight - am I the one ruining my transmission?
Posted by KeyMonkeyslav@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 170 comments
So I'm gonna bite the bullet and ask - is it possible that I'm the problem?
Long story short:
I've had 2 cars crap out on me with transmission in the past decade. Is there a way to drive the car, or a habit that one could have, that ruins the transmission of a car faster? If so, what are they? What could I do differently to treat my transmission better, as it were?
Long story long:
I've always considered myself a relatively good driver, but for the second time in 10 years, I have had a car completely crap out on me with no warning - and both times, the transmission broke fully and had to be replaced (at which point I chose to replace the cars.)
Both of them were Honda fits of different years. The first time, the Fit was used and pretty old with over 100k miles on it. I had been driving it for 2-3 years, but I chalked it up to the previous owner or just bad luck.
The next car I had unfortunately met an untimely end in an accident. (Nothing terrible, but bad enough to need a new used car again.)
This time, I got a other Honda fit - 2015, with 10k on it. Dual Clutch Transmission. It was 7 years old at that point, but in what I thought was good condition. I drove it a lot because I live an hour away from work, and my commute is through the mountains, so it's a lot of uphill/downhill switchback roads. But it always felt and drove fine. I replaced transmission fluid once and never thought twice, though sometimes the gears shifted weird.
It broke on me in a flat tunnel. 'Check transmission' light suddenly came on, and in 30 seconds I was clunking to a stop. Popped the hood and smelled burning. Had to put it into neutral to roll it down the hill until I found phone service and could call a tow truck. I had that car for 3 years total and put 60k on it.
Basically the question is - I'm planning on getting YET ANOTHER car. Going for a Toyota this time, hoping there will be less issues. But the problem is - what if the issue is me?
Relevant info - we live in an area with lots of snow in the winter. Winters aren't that cold though, relatively. Summers are pretty hot.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
OkMathematician4028@reddit
Those ford DCTs are junk i wouldnt worry too much
Think_Composer_2458@reddit
Just buy an EV, one of the usual suspects. You got no idea how liberating it feels to own and drive an EV. No maintenance other than topping up the windscreen washer fluid, not getting ripped off at the service station, smooth, silent, powerful driving. I've owned mine for 2 years and it's been the best experience ever. Cost wise, it cost me 1$ worth of electricity for every 100km of driving, and that's literally all cost I had in the past 2 years (plus the windscreen washer fluid đ). I've no worries about range, and simply charge at night. Tires are still fine, I've not burst into flames and if my battery gives up in 10 years time then I'm more than happy to get it replaced.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
At this point in my country, an EV is still out of my price range. There's also not many changing stations available where I live (in the boonies in Japan). It's not exactly a viable solution for me at this time.
OneThree111@reddit
I think its just the way modern vehicles are made. I had a 2020 F-150 3.5l ecoboost, and babied it it the whole time I owned it. Still started to feel like shit at about 90k miles.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
First - I am not technically familiar with the DCT in your Fits. But I have had horrible luck in the past with conventional Honda transmissions - Honda has real hits and misses with their transmissions.
This is a big reason I have converted to Lexus over the years for automatic trans models. The Aisin units they use are generally the most reliable auto transmissions you can get. I also have owned several Volvos and have my step son in one now - but thatâs ok because Volvo has used Aisin (Toyota) transmissions since the 80s at least. My dad has a GM vehicle, but I have not repalced that because, yep, you Guessed it, his Chevy has an Aisin (Toyota) transmission.
I tune and can rebuild auto transmissions. I donât LIKE doing it. So I generally buy cars with Aisin transmissions. And OP, whatever transmission you get, understand that the fluid has to be changed periodically despite what the dealer or some ill-informed mechanics tell you. You donât have to believe me, you can take it from Aisin, who insist on this (I would post their info on this, but no uploads allowed).
xXCodfishXx@reddit
IMO the Honda DCTs are excellent. Yes Honda made two transmissions known for problems, the automatics used in v6 cars from 2000-2008, and early CVT models, but other than that I think there are automatics are very reliable, but I can understand why you'd feel apprehensive. Was it a different type you had fail?
camarcuson@reddit
For fluid change, does that include flush? My Toyota dealer insists on a flush.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
At 115k, if itâs never been done, what I would do (and have done), is go ahead and flush it out. The WS will be shot at this point. Then do a drain fill every 30k going forward. When you do the drain/fill, use MaxLife, itâs better than WS and lasts longer. Or get the flush done somewhere else, have them use MaxLife (they probably would anyway, itâs great stuff).
âFlushâ just means to pump all fluid out and get all new in. Itâs not a âpower flushâ or anything. People are really confused about that and donât understand transmissions in general.
camarcuson@reddit
Thanks! I'm new to this concept, so this helps. The only issue I notice is downshift while coasting 2nd to 1st, I can feel it "grabbing", like using engine braking.
Spiritually-Fit@reddit
I would recommend a drain & fill but not a flush.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
Thank you for the reply. That's actually very good to know.
I've heard transmission fluid should be changed every 30k - is that enough or should it be more often?
JCC114@reddit
Unless itâs a cvt transmission that is very early. Lot of traditional transmissions now claim lifetime fluid (people in the know, donât believe that), but 60-100k is not unheard of in change intervals. I have had a couple vehicles that I doubt ever had a transmission services go over 220k miles, and were still going fine when I let them go. If they were nicer vehicles I would have done the service instead of just putting 50k+ of my own miles on them. CVT transmissions need to be maintained constantly at those 30k intervals. Traditional automatics it really seems luck of the draw. Some go out early even if serviced and some go 300k+ with no service, but I rather service them then not even with things seeming random. Itâs an expensive fix, and cheap maintenance so do the maintenance.
Neat-Substance-9274@reddit
It is not early for a Honda transmission, including CVTs. (We did the first change on my wife's Insight at 18k and it made a huge difference) The 6 speed in my current Odyssey has a 30k factory service interval. (a fluid change that drains & refills about 1/3 of the fluid) The newest Honda 10 speed has a 50-60k change interval, replacing just over 1/2 of the fluid. The CVTs tend to drain all the fluid when doing a change. Both of our transmissions have had software updates. Honda transmissions are not like any other, here is the story why:
https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1968hondamatic.html
Some of these patents have expired or Honda has licensed tech because the latest 10 speed is far more conventional.
JCC114@reddit
The Fit is a CVT garbage so it should have been done every 30k. Honda is more aggressive on intervals then most in their traditional automatics with them being 60k service normally. Sure there are some examples otherwise, but thatâs why my range was 60-100.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
30k on a regular basis, yes - thatâs. Good interval. Not necessary on a brand new car; can go longer to start.
The general idea is that because a full change is more difficult, keeping some % of healthy fluid/additives in at alll times is good enough. And it is. You could in reality do the same thing on an engine. Just change 2quarts of engine oil every 3k miles and do that forever. It would work pretty well.
redline83@reddit
Actually many but not all Aisin units suck, the most reliable autos are ZF 8s.
Fun fact: VW Jetta and Golf 2.5 5cyls mostly ended up in the junkyard from the Aisin automatic transmission before engine.
mlw35405@reddit
I would have to disagree and say the 6hp and 8hp are equally reliable. Fun fact - ford 6r80 is a licensed copy of the 6hp, and chrysler did the same with the 8hp.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
Ah, I can see you know very little beyond the last few years of reading online commentary. If you study, listen more than talk, you will be able to eventually overcome this massive deficit. Threadcrapping with nonsense is no way to go through life.
percthirties@reddit
when you shift from reverse to drive, you still drifting backwards or do you come to a complete stop first?
look_ima_frog@reddit
I have a relative who will NOT maintain a constant throttle position. He drives by basically pumping the gas pedal. Vroom. Vroom. Vroom. Just never stops modulating throttle position. He will dip into it to like 80% to maintain pace, then drop back to 0% and repeat endlessly. I've begged him to stop doing that, to just maintain a steady throttle position with minor adjustments but he will not. He's burned through multiple automatic transmissions. He will never listen to me and seems to think that all cars have crappy transmissions. Also, it's sickening riding with him. Like, literally, I get motion sick so I avoid riding as a passenger at all costs.
If you are doing this, please don't. Spare your passengers and your transmissions.
TheBigMan1990@reddit
Get buddy a stick shift-itâll still annoy the hell out of his passengers, and the people following him⊠but at least the trans will be fine, lol.
Kent89052@reddit
I had a manual transmission go out, on a Nissan with only 50k miles. But it was only 3rd gear, so it was still drivable
-_Dare_-@reddit
I love that a whole gear can just shit out and you can keep driving the car like
"eh fuck it. Barely used that one anyway."
Kent89052@reddit
I considered that, but I was worried that there was probably shrapnel floating around inside that might damage the other gears.
TheBigMan1990@reddit
Oh, manual transmissions can go out too-I think Iâve killed at least 5 manuals. A couple of those horrible Subie 5 spds, a 5pd from a 95 Mustang, a 5 speed from a 96 Honda civic, and I remember one of my cars had the throw out bearing shit the bed so hard that it totally chewched the input shaft⊠I donât remember what model it was thoughđ€·đ»ââïž Could also be more that Iâve killed and donât remember.
But being on and off of the gas isnât going to kill it, that can be hard on autos because itâll constantly be up shifting/down shifting/up shifting/down shifting. A manual will just stay in whatever gear it was stuffed in, regardless of what you are doing on the throttle.
hankenator1@reddit
Never killed a manual but I did decide that I was putting unnecessary strain on the master and slave cylinder by holding the clutch and being in first at traffic lights after needing replacements on 4 cars across 3 manufacturers (Honda/acura, Jeep, and VW). After I stopped holding the clutch down unnecessarily I never had to replace hydraulic parts.
Going into year 32 of only owning manual transmissions.
TheBigMan1990@reddit
Yeah, Iâve only driven 20 some odd years with a manual. The majority of those broken transmissions happened because they happened to be in cars that I routinely drove like a complete ass-the only one of those that was a daily driver was the â96 civic, and that trans died because a seal went and it leaked all of its fluid out into the bell housing, and I drove it dry for awhile, it would have been fixable too-but a d16 manual trans? back then they were a dime a dozen, I think I even had a couple in my back yard that I could take.
WhyNWhenYouCanNPlus1@reddit
did you remember to pay for your monthly third gear subscription?
pessimistoptimist@reddit
third gear is weekly sub. forth is monthly and fifth is a premium addon across all plans.
Firedcylinder@reddit
The point is that a manual transmission will handle driving like this better than most automatics will, not that manual transmissions are somehow indestructible.
Maleficent-Tree4926@reddit
Driving like this would literally do nothing to a manual unless you are riding the clutch while simultaneously driving like your accelerator is digital.
Content_Fig5691@reddit
That's just a Nissan feature
mynameisatari@reddit
Why would this be a problem? My dad does that a little bit. Not revving the car or anything, but he keeps on fairly gently modulating. What I mean he usually adds the gas slightly then lets it coast and so on. He says it's good for fuel consumption.
Gadgetman_1@reddit
This undulation is causing the transmission to shift up and down all the time. And no, it isn't good for fuel consumption. Accelleration takes a lot more fuel than keeping a steady speed.
If a car has a Cruise cntrol, switch it on. THAT will save him fuel!
TheDuckInsideOfMe@reddit
Unlocks the torque converter too.
Gadgetman_1@reddit
On those Automatics that have them, yeah. DCTs doesn't have a Torque Converter, though.
Turbulent-Pay1150@reddit
Actually pulse and glide can get fuel consumption 2x-3x steady state. Not great for the car. Horrible for the passengers. But hypermilers do it.Â
Shot-Swimming-9098@reddit
This is a well documented hyper miler technique, but it's specific to hybrids. From "top" speed, you only use enough throttle to engage the electric motor, which will leave you lightly decelerating. Once you slow down enough that you need to engage the gas engine, you run the car back up to "top" speed.
I don't think this works in a car that isn't a hybrid.
Turbulent-Pay1150@reddit
Certainly does - results out there for Mitsubishi tiny gasser and other cars. Some of them are stupid for sure. VW, for example, if you leave it in gear and pulse and glide will actually stop injecting fuel on their manual transmission so "pulse and glide" does increase mpg when done "well". I'm no fan as I've grown older I find smooth is the better appraoach for the car, for me, for my wallet. Of course, I also went full EV and smooth blows away the best that hybrids or ICE cars can do even in their dreams for efficiency, smooth, speed, and quite cruising but that's another point.
Cool-Conversation938@reddit
Thatâs not the same.
Constant randomly stabbing the gas pedal is not good for mileage.
Gassing it until you can coast for blocks or miles down a hill can be
mynameisatari@reddit
Thank you!
exclaim_bot@reddit
You're welcome!
mountainunicycler@reddit
The best for fuel consumption is perfectly smooth pedal use. Thatâs why most people save fuel when they turn on cruise control (and your dad definitely would)
mynameisatari@reddit
Thank you!
mountainunicycler@reddit
You can beat cruise control by optimizing for uphill vs downhill, and by slowly (like over the course of several minutes) accelerating or decelerating with the hills to keep the engine in an optimal RPM, but most people canât drive more efficiently than cruise control set to the same average speed.
Skid-Vicious@reddit
No, itâs not good for anything, efficiency or longevity. Steady as she goes, thereâs enough variability in humans that if you try to be a human operated cruise control, thereâs enough variability will still be plenty of variability.
People get some strange ideas about cars and driving
Skid-Vicious@reddit
I would cut that friendship off just from that lol.
Economy_Reason1024@reddit
girlfriend drives like this. ive told her it makes me sick, but she just gets pissed off when i bring it up.
ShoddyJuggernaut975@reddit
You sure its not the car? Im pretty good in my own car, but my in my parents' toyota I cannot maintain a steady speed with a steady throttle position. My brother, who is normally smooth, has the same problem in their car.
Environmental-Gap380@reddit
My dad had a 77 Jeep Wagoneer that had a stiff throttle. It was difficult to just give it little gas. It would be really firm, but after putting more pressure on the pedal, would suddenly loosen up, so youâd almost floor it. My friends gave me crap about until I let them try it out. Still loved that Jeep. It had other quirks like you had to pump gas into it really slow. The filler neck to the tank was either too narrow or didnât vent properly, so the nozzle would get back pressure too easily, and it either stopped the pump, or worse it spilled out.
itsjonduhh@reddit
I hate this habit of driving too! Could you explain where it causes the failure in the transmission? If I word it to the driver in the context of "you're going to trash your transmission" that could be enough for them to stop doing that.
UniquePotato@reddit
Youâre jolting all the engineâs power in to the transmission and then letting off, making the momentum of the car jolt the transmission over and over and over again. Compared to allowing everything to be smoothly turning over.
Think of it as the difference of kicking a shopping cart every 10 feet or just pushing it steadily through the store
Maleficent-Tree4926@reddit
Simple, your torque converter is going in and out of lockup. You are literally wearing out clutch packs.
cwerky@reddit
You would likely be causing excessive up and down shifts that wouldnât happen if you maintained a constant throttle position.
itsjonduhh@reddit
Safe to say it can create stress fractures throughout the transmission over time?
UniquePotato@reddit
Yes, and all bushings will take an unnecessary beating
itsjonduhh@reddit
Much appreciated!
Maleficent-Tree4926@reddit
I see this so often and it's so asinine. Every car now has cruise control, use it.
averynicehat@reddit
I had a buddy who didn't have throttle issues, but when driving on the highway he was like a terrible lane keep assist. He'd keep the wheel straight for a while and as the car eventually crept too close to either side of the lane, he'd make one big jerk adjustment, sending us creeping to the other side of the lane. Repeat. No small adjustments.
Less-General-9578@reddit
if yur a highway driver use Cruise control and the resume feature. all done, no more problems.
Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit
This is how my stepdad drove. I always got queasy in the car when he was driving unless he used the cruise control on the highway (which was rare).
Late-External3249@reddit
My father-in-law does the same thing. He also has a habit of drifting to the left, then correcting right. I asked him if there was a problem with the steering and drove his car. Turned out it was just him. Thankfully, he doesn't drive any further than the corner store these days
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
I actually know exactly the type of driving you're talking about. I've been in a car with someone who did that before and it was absolutely nuts.
Thankfully I do not do that but - that's a good thing to warn about regardless!
ratmanmedia@reddit
So, Honda has never had a great track record with DCTs from my knowledge (here in the US we only got CVTs to my knowledge).
They also used dry clutch DCTs, which even Ford was notorious for fucking up with the Focus(?) for a few years.
I think for car #1, itâs hard to say. If it was a DCT model it could be due to a lack of maintenance from the previous owner.
For car #2, I would chalk it up to bad luck + Hondaâs inconsistency on good transmissions for the last 20 years or so.
Rare-One1047@reddit
The Ford Fiesta dual clutch transmission debacle lead to a write-off for Ford that was measured as parts of a billion with a "B" and I have no doubt was part of what lead to them stopping production of sedans in the US.
IIRC, BMW had some issues with theirs too, or theirs were the only reliable ones? It's been a few years, I'm sorry I don't recall specifics. But I wouldn't go near a dct.
ratmanmedia@reddit
Honestly, Iâm not very familiar with BMWs beyond knowing the ones all of my friends have owned spent more time on flat beds than on the road đ
VW group makes a good DCT (DSG) that uses a wet clutch. The diesels they made regularly hit 500K, my gas Rabbit (Golf) hit 200k before I sold it. My GTI is sitting at 100k right now.
Adept_Ad_473@reddit
Might be some psuedo-science at play, but when my wife's odyssey developed transmission problems (slipping in 1st) I took the car to a transmission mechanic friend to do a rebuild. I asked him to "autopsy" the transmission and let me know if he could figure out the cause of failure.
He ended up showing me a shiny smooth clutch plate, all the friction material was gone. He explained that this was a known issue for this particular transnission, exacerbated by frequently stomping on and then releasing the throttle, particularly when dealing with stop/go traffic.
My wife was notorious for this driving habit, and she also had a hard time speed-matching a highway speed, often following too closely, braking, and then throttling again in a way where she was basically "pumping" the throttle at highway speed.
Im pretty confident that her driving habits contributed to premature failure. She changed her habit and never had an issue after the rebuild, or after 100,000mi on the next car.
Take it for what it's worth.
Much-Standard1732@reddit
Aslong as youâre not constantly super heavy on the gas and coming to a full stop before switching gears thereâs not much to be doing wrong
Imaged_for_posterity@reddit
This^. I drove a minivan that crapped out its transmission. I and constantly âgun itâ off a red light turning green, or leaving from a stop sign. Transmission tech explained to me that minivans were not sports cars and werenât designed to haul that kind of weight from a complete stop. Lesson learned.
Romeofud@reddit
You likely had a transmission fluid leak. Next time ensure to have the tranny checked for leaks before replacing the fluid.
nortonj3@reddit
get a VW with a DSG transmission. It's a computer controlled manual transmission. Will work great for your needs.
the problem is with Honda Fits, they are okay at suburban and city driving, not your mountainous region. you need something more powerful and robust.
I don't know why, but I think you are in New Mexico. Or in the Northeast.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
I'm in Japan haha đ and I'm afraid a VW is kind of out of my price range, at least here.
nortonj3@reddit
im gonna suggest an electric car. they only have 1 speed transmission. (direct drive), and you could get a lot of power back on the downhill side of the mountain.
get one with dual motors. it's all wheel drive.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
I'm not rich enough for an electric vehicle đ
nortonj3@reddit
if its and buts were candy and nuts...we'd all have a Merry Christmas.
Rich enough to buy transmissions year after year.
rodr3357@reddit
If you can describe your driving style more that would help, to have the trans go in two Hondas with pretty low miles (100k is definitely low miles for major failure in a Honda) does seems really unlikely
The top thing that comes to mind is if when reversing, you shift to drive while the car is still moving backwards
HotmailsInYourArea@reddit
I mean, were I you I'd be looking into whether the transmissions in Honda Fits tend to go out regardless. A massive amount of models across basically all brands have had that problem, one time or another.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
That's definitely been a thought, and it was partially confirmed by the fact that the 2015 Honda DCTs had a warranty extension to 9 years, and I was just lucky enough to have mine break on the 10th year... So I suppose there is that.
Just wanted to cover my bases. I'd like to drive this next car longer, and I'll take whatever info will help me do that.
ingodwetryst@reddit
Confused why you replace the whole car when transmission breaks? Is that easier in an automatic or something? When my hoopdee's manual transmission died, I just had a pick and pull one dropped in for a grand or two.
Br0boc0p@reddit
If it costs 7000 to replace the transmission or 5000 to go grab an 04 Accord you cut your losses with the broken car.
ingodwetryst@reddit
Is this an automatic thing? Has to be right? I replaced a transmission for a grand in an 09 civic right before covid. 5-7k is so laughable, sorry. How dumb that I can spend 1k and keep a car running but apparently automatics are just doomed for the scrap heap? Guess what they mean by 'cheaper repairs' is "you can actually do repairs"
SoggyBacco@reddit
Most of it is charging for time and labor, it's also way cheaper to just swap in a new trans but for older cars your only option might be a full rebuild
Front-Mall9891@reddit
Yup, my Corolla was 5K for the transmission and thatâs if nothing else was broken from the flex plate exploding
dh373@reddit
Usually by the time the transmission goes out, replacing it costs more than the book value of the car. And most non-mechanics are at that point very afraid that they will end up with additional very expensive repairs if they do repair it. Things may be a bit different now with used car prices being so high and such...
BobDerBongmeister420@reddit
My 2003 fit killed 2 transmissions. In my other cars i broke none.
samocamo123@reddit
20k miles a year through mountain roads is gonna be hard on any transmission
Mitchell_Races@reddit
Aren't those fits known for auto trans issues? Hey something that's been serviced, which is rare. Previous owner of my Xterra towed and off-roaded it regularly, I now do the same. The original transmission is still smooth as ever thanks to regular services by is both since it was brand new. 210k and counting. Also, Honda has always had a few models with transmission issues it seems. In almost every car, the manuals a more reliable option which would definitely be the case here to.Â
Drfresh49@reddit
Fwd transmissions are just unreliable. I had 200k on a rwd transmissions with over 450whp.
Nstraclassic@reddit
Where do people come up with this shit
Drfresh49@reddit
I didn't come up with it. I overheard it from the mechanics that work at my fil's transmission shop lol. I'm not trying to argue. You guys know more than the guys that work on them everyday
Nstraclassic@reddit
You most likely misheard them or heard it out of context. Either that or your fil hires goofballs. This is why you dont parrot shit you hear without having any knowledge of the subject yourself.
redline83@reddit
My sister in law is a nurse and sees patients all day but that doesnât mean sheâs a medical journal or canât come up with some random bullshit.
Aloha-Eh@reddit
That's still going to make a difference if it's a good transmission or not.
redline83@reddit
I think itâs mainly because FWD are cheaper cars and will have cheaper transmissions.
mlw35405@reddit
Ford 10r80 and gm 6l80 would like to have a word with you.
godlords@reddit
Silly take
Drfresh49@reddit
It's not a take. It's true. Rwd autos are different from fwd autos. Have you ever seen them disassembled?
godlords@reddit
Yep. Definitely different. Nothing to do with the fact that FWD autos are definitely not fundamentally unreliable.
proscriptus@reddit
You don't even have to be riding the clutch, just driving with your foot resting even lightly on the clutch pedal can wear out your throwout bearing. Driving with your hand pressing down even lightly on the shifter is bad too. I lost my third gear synchros from doing that when I was a kid.
Downshifting a lot is really bad for your transmission, use your brakes, that's what they're for.
Don't shift too fast, jamming it through the gears is bad for your transmission.
imperial1968@reddit
They have cvt transmissions, and you are buying them with higher miles, that is why you are having problems. Those transmissions don't last
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
I mentioned in the post it was DCT, but I suppose your point still stands. In my country, most automatic vehicles have CVT. I've yet to see a different one.
imperial1968@reddit
Honestly, that sounds like mechanics in your country do a lot of transmission work.
imperial1968@reddit
Sounds like a manual transmission would be the way to go.
Khidorahian@reddit
Good luck with the baby :)
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
Haha thanks! Hopefully it'll be smoother than dealing with the car đ
Vegetable-Trifle-916@reddit
Wifeâs friend bought âtheâ Escape with know motor problems, well wouldnât you know a few years after purchase it goes bad! What did she do?? Buy the exact same model a few years newer again cause she liked it! Few weeks ago my wife tells me sheâs having the same issues as escape 1⊠Iâm like I told her the problems and the fact she bought another exact same car I canât help!!!!
Sacrilege454@reddit
"Easing" into accelleration is horrible for a transmission. Te.perature spikes in the clutches and converter if used, or wearing out the clutch in the DDCT. Accellerate with meduim throttle input and light throttle to maintain speed.
__slamallama__@reddit
The only things you can do to an automatic trans that are truly damaging and can lead to catastrophic failure are shifting under load. Backing out of a parking space and putting it in D before it stops rolling backwards. Putting it in reverse while you're still rolling forwards. And the biggest one is neutral dumps (car in neutral, Rev the engine and throw it into drive to launch it)
teslaactual@reddit
Do you follow the maintance schedule in your owners manual? I.E. getting the transmission fluid changed and looked at the indicated intervals? Its something a lot of people overlook and it will cause transmission failure
Skid-Vicious@reddit
Slapping it into D while still rolling backwards is a common transmission killer from âgood driversâ.
thefavoredsole@reddit
Are you in the US? The Fit here never came with a dual clutch that I know of. Just a standard trans and then the CVT for the 3rd gen. Ive been looking into getting a fit for the last few months, and that damn CVT is what has kept me from getting one. They use a metal belt that eventually breaks and you can not buy parts from Honda. So its completely toast. Transmissions have been Hondas Achilles heel for the last 20 or so years. Namely the automatic on v6 models. But now with CVT it still seems to be a problem. Toyota uses an e-CVT that uses planetary gears instead of a belt, and they're considered one of, if not the most reliable transmissions of all time. I currently have a Lexus with that ecvt now with 365k miles on it. Not a single issue
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
Nope, I'm in Japan.
That's good to hear though, because the cars I'm looking at next are also CVT, but Toyota so I'm assuming it'll be a little luckier.
thefavoredsole@reddit
Ah gotcha. I was also looking at the Acura ILX and TLX, I'm not sure what those are called over there, but some of those also come with the dual clutch transmission. I'm not sure if that's the same transmission from the Fit. I could not find a single one with over 300k miles on it. Which led me to believe it's not as reliable as the Toyota stuff either. You can find dozens of Toyota and Lexus with CVT for sale with over 300k. That's my little test to see how reliable cars are.
thefavoredsole@reddit
Also, it does need mentioned, that the Honda/Acura stuff is generally a lot more fun to drive. Faster, and quicker shifting. I suppose the trade off is not quite having the same reliability as something less engaging like Toyota/Lexus
AbjectFee5982@reddit
Toyota is junk after 2009/2010
IBringTheHeat2@reddit
I have a 2008 Corolla with 315k. Did a trans fluid and filter change at 250k and havenât touched it in 5 years and 65k miles and runs great. Iâve checked the fluid a few months ago and itâs still pink.
Take a look at Nissan transmissions, they just explode even when theyâre pretty new. Some transmissions are just junk
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
Good to know! Feeling better about passing on the Nissan Note I was considering đ
bigboy1959jets78@reddit
I have the Nite with 130,000 on it and am preparing for the worst. However the Altima Rogue and Murano are the ones you usually hear about the CVT going way before it should. Mine is a 2015
MeesterCHRIS@reddit
Looked at a Nissan transmission, it exploded.
TheBigMan1990@reddit
If a Nissan transmission is in the forest with no one to see or drive it⊠will it still explode? (Probably, Nissanâs CVTs are likely going to be the cause of death for that company)
mlw35405@reddit
It exploded and had to be replaced because it couldn't be rebuilt. And you cant look at the new transmission or it'll explode as well.
Aloha-Eh@reddit
My Mom has a 2011 Altima she bought new, with the 4 banger engine and of course, the CVT.
It's been a great car for her, so much so I've been surprised to hear they aren't well regarded, with lots of tranny issues.
I have heard the V6 engine has too much power for the CVT, but the 4 cylinder engine is still a lot of fun, and so far so good around 130,000 miles on her car.
LemonNumber7@reddit
In an automatic one of the worst habits people get into that ruins them fast is what I call lazy shifting.
When reversing, you dont use the brakes to reach a full stop before shifting to drive. You just tap the brakes and then drop it in drive. The trans grabs and then forces the car to a stop. Then it drives forward like normal. But it ruins the transmission. Like doing a mini neutral drop everytime you drive.
t3mp_user@reddit
also creeping in slow traffic may be an issue, similar to driving an manual at speed below 1st gear essentially riding the clutch.
Maleficent-Tree4926@reddit
Exactly this. Exact reason why DCTs are garbage for DDs. Stop and go will toast one of these and I'm pretty sure the vast majority of people don't know how to drive these properly as they don't have a clue how they work.
threejackhack@reddit
One word for you: manual
skankhunt1738@reddit
Manuel? đȘ
mlw35405@reddit
Owners manual is about the only manual you're going to find in a new car.
Mutated_AG@reddit
More than likely you just got unlucky. Unless you do something like pump the gas while cruising or driving through New York stop and go the whole life of the vehicle. Also remember transmission needs fluid done every 40-50k no matter what ANY dealer says. Lifetime fluid is bullshit
JackHacksawUD@reddit
My hot take is that DCT transmissions aren't cut out for daily driving in economy cars.Â
PresentSquirrel@reddit
I actually agree with this.
nt2237@reddit
Hard to say. Best way to make a transmission last a long time is to change the fluid every 60k or once a year. Some transmissions can benefit from an even shorter interval. Also there is some wisdom in that this is less effective if the trans is not new. Beginning this cadence on a worn transmission won't help as much. Finally, the longest-lived type of transmissions are the Paice-style hybrid transaxles found in Toyotas and some Fords. These can routinely get above 400k. Source: a car I bought at 60k and drove up to 415k.
Abolish_Nukes@reddit
Not your fault unless you drop it into drive while itâs still rolling backwards or you jam it in park while itâs still in motion.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
Good to know. I'll try to be careful about those two things, as I admit I haven't been paying enough attention to that. Thank you!
AbjectFee5982@reddit
Honda Accord 9th Gen ABS/VSA Issues - DTC Code 81-20 / 81-19
Recently had to deal with ABS/VSA issues on my 2013 Honda Accord Sport. To troubleshoot and get it fixed was a nightmare, to say the least, and the two local mechanics I went to had no clue how to fix it and kept pushing bogus/unrelated costly repairs. Come to find out that this is a known common issue for 9th Gen Honda Accords (+1,000 complaints to NHTSA). Hopefully, this post will save folks who are dealing with similar issues some time and money.
Car Details
Issue
The Low Tire Pressure/TPMS Indicator (!) on the dashboard blinks for about 60 seconds then turns solid, and also illuminates the VSA and EPS lights. These 3 lights will stay on during the entire drive until the engine is turned off, and the cycle will repeat upon the next car start-up. Trying to recalibrate TMPS via the carâs instrument panel will lead to a âcalibration failedâ error message.
Using a DTC code scanner tool (make sure the tool can read ABS codes), the following code comes up:
Fix
If you get either of the codes above, it means your ABS control module has issues (this is the electrical component that attaches to the ABS pump). Typically the soldered connections inside the module are either broken or the sensors themselves have failed because of planned obsolescence. Most mechanics including Honda dealerships will advise you to replace the entire ABS pump, which is costly (thousands of dollars) and Iâve read there were long wait times to get the parts due to chip shortages.
AbjectFee5982@reddit
High-Level Fix Summary:
Detailed Fix Guide:
If these issues happen to your car, please submit a complaint here so Honda issues a recall:Â https://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Accord/2014/brakes/service_brakes-2.shtml
MuchoRed@reddit
Good info, but wtf does it have to do with OPs transmission?
AbjectFee5982@reddit
It's safe to assume the used the same 1-2 transmissions or 1-2 engines in their car
So if it happens to 1 it happens to another
Nobodyknowsmynewname@reddit
The Accord used a CVT. OPâs Fit has a DCT. Completely different type of transmission.
AbjectFee5982@reddit
Reguardless they say both the cvr and DCT is bad
No-Island8074@reddit
Honda transmissions have been trash since the mid 2000s. I no longer recommend hondas as a reliable vehicle for this reason.
Different_Split_9982@reddit
Automatic transmissions are a weak point. Learn to drive a manual transmission especially in a Honda. The car will last 500,000 miles with basic maintenance.
Ok-Translator4641@reddit
Just driving steep mountain roads daily takes a toll on cars, that would be my guess especially after 60k miles in 3 years. Lots of people drive mountains daily but 20k a year is impressive.
mrkprsn@reddit
You can do two things to try to make a tranny last longer. Change the fluid at 50k, 75k, 100k, etc. and keep the RPMs under 3K.
Important-Year-2861@reddit
Are you changing from forward to reverse before the car has fully stopped? Iâve seen a few do that and shock the transmission.
Jumpy_Childhood7548@reddit
How many miles at each failure?
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
110k on the first, only 60k on the second one.
Jumpy_Childhood7548@reddit
And the trans fluid was changed at the miles recommended by the manufacturer roughly?
Turbulent-Extent-898@reddit
I had hondas and every single one blew transmission. Lived in the mountains of puerto rico. Funny my toyota friends never had issues
_no_usernames_avail@reddit
If you have backroads and hills and a long drive, why not look at a manual?
Iâve had really good luck with Honda manual transmissions; have avoided autos for a few decades when manufacturers started to move to CVT.
Had to replace the clutch / throw out bearing at 270k on an Acura RSX after I put 120,000 miles on it. But all the gears are still decent. Have an 03 civic si with original clutch and transmission as well.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
I understand that manual might last longer but the investment for me is about time and money. I'd have to learn and then test into a completely new license in order to switch to a manual transmission car, as is mandatory in my country. I only learned manual in theory from my stepdad when I was about 17, and I remember none of it.
Plus, I'm about to give birth in like 4 months, so I'm not really open with my schedule, nor with my wallet. It would be more trouble than it's worth at this point in my life.
ElectronicActuary784@reddit
Iâd say itâs a decline in quality of cars with addition of complex systems that are more inclined to fail.
My friendâs 2007 Accord auto died on him after 7 years.
This year both my fords had major failures and it wasnât economical to fix them.
This was after engine mounts failed and had to be replaced. One vehicle wasnât even at 80k miles and the other just hit 100K when the transmission control module failed.
godlords@reddit
Nope. Get a proven Aisin transmission in your next car and change the fluid every 30-60k if you want to avoid this. The only way you can burn them out, is ringing out your 2nd gear at 60mph countless times. Ignoring the obvious clutch smell every time you do it.
AbjectFee5982@reddit
High-Level Fix Summary:
Detailed Fix Guide:
If these issues happen to your car, please submit a complaint here so Honda issues a recall:Â https://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Accord/2014/brakes/service_brakes-2.shtml
optigrabz@reddit
Do you come to a complete stop when you shift from reverse to forward?
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
I've been hearing about this tidbit a lot and to be honest... this may be the issue. I admit I haven't really paid attention to it before, but I know I tend to be impatient with that sort of thing. I'll be working on fixing it with the new car going forward.
JCDU@reddit
If we're talking automatics, there's nothing you can do "wrong" if you're putting it in drive and driving. As long as you keep the thing serviced it SHOULD be good for the life of the car.
Kgtv123@reddit
Modern DCT transmissions (I'm talking 2019+) still have issues with specifically constant up and down mountain roads, often times in automatic between going up one hill and back down another the trans does not do a good job of telling what gear it should be in and if you're not holding it in a specific gear or engine braking down the hill it will often times overheat the transmission, no enough to immediately cause a problem but enough to where if this is regularly happening on your commute it will cause an early failure of key components getting extraneous wear
redline83@reddit
Only cheap DCTs. BMW and Porsche DCT have no such problems and can be absolutely thrashed at the track.
Kgtv123@reddit
Audi is literally the brand that has this problem most commonly but only on their cheaper models like the A3/A4 due to poor transmission placement not allowing it to dissipate heat
404notfound420@reddit
Changed the trans oil and then it shifted a bit weird and didn't think anything of it. Answered your own question there. Transmissions are very very particular about what oil they take so yes you probably significantly shortened the life of it.
KeyMonkeyslav@reddit (OP)
Sorry, I may not have been clear - the issue of it sometimes shifting weird started way BEFORE I changed the transmission oil and then continued sporadically after with no change. I just mentioned both things at once. I don't believe they had any impact on each other.
404notfound420@reddit
Fair. Imo modern cars are simply built to fail just after warranty to force buying a new car. Planned obsolescence.
91-BRG@reddit
I don't know what the "big" battery is, but the hybrid battery starts the car, the 12v boots the computer. If you press the start button and nothing happens start with the 12v
Turbulent-Pay1150@reddit
When you had the transmission fluid changed was it with Honda fluid? Â Iâve heard of many cars having issues if the fluid is out of spec across many brands.Â
Rocky-Bologna@reddit
When I first started reading this, I chuckled and thought to myself, "Sounds like a DCT." I have a Ford Focus, so I have some experience in that department.
It's not you.
mlw35405@reddit
Get a corolla and never look back.
yawa-wor@reddit
Not a car person and not sure how accurate this is, so if it applies to you, do some more research to confirm.
But one thing I've heard that's a common bad habit and not good for the transmission, is switching from reverse to drive or vice versa while still rolling in the opposite direction. For example, reversing out of your driveway, and then putting the car in drive while still rolling back a bit rather than waiting until you've come to a complete stop.
Again tho, I'm not a car person. I have no idea what or how much damage this can cause, after how long, if it depends on type of transmission, etc. It's just something I've heard a few separate times. If you do this, probably don't, but also again, please research it for yourself and don't take my word for it.
MagicGator11@reddit
Maintenance brothet, maintenance. It's either bad design or neglecting maintenance.
Gold-Combination8141@reddit
Always make sure brake pedal fully pressed in before you shift and in automatics only use the low drive gears when absolutely necessary