Last Saturday I drove my '93 Accord SE (200k miles) up the mountain to the ski hill. I noticed a burning smell as we got out of the car--which I've also noticed before.

We made it home fine...but on Sunday morning, the car wouldn't shift out of park. I checked the transmission fluid and it didn't even hit the dipstick. I added two quarts of ATF and then the car was able to shift out of park, though it took a little more pressure on the gear shift than normally required.

This problem of requiring lots of pressure to get it out of park has also happened before, but went away or maybe I just stopped noticing.

Is my transmission ready to crap out on me? I'm pretty sure the cost of rebuilding/replacing the transmission ($2,000-$3,000?) is more than the car would sell for. Should I start looking for a new car? Would it help to change the transmission fluid? What about a transmission fluid flush? Would that help?

Thanks!

 

Check your brake lights. If the brake lights don't light up, then the brake/shift interlock could be the culprit.

At any rate, watch your ATF & don't let it get so low.

Honda automatics don't really like power-flushing. Drain & fill is the way.

What kind of ATF? Honda ATF-Z1?

 

Drain, fill, Lucas.

If that doesn't work, a junk yard tranny should be pretty cheap (a grand or less). Might as well keep the car IMO.

 

I know it's not the brake/shift interlock. I can hear it click when I push in the brakes and the shifter won't budge without the brake depressed.

I didn't use the Honda ATF--just what the guy at checker gave me and said would work. Should I drain and fill with Honda ATF right away?

Thanks!

 

Use Lucas!!!!

 

Check your owner's manual about the fluid. 93 might be earlier than Honda started selling "their own" ATF.

Other possibilities for the sticky shift lever...

Can you take apart the console? There's a cable from the base of the shift lever. Maybe the cable is corroded & moves with excessive friction? Or maybe something's messed up with the pivot of the lever itself?

 

Good idea Jim!

Check the function of the shifting mechanism at the tranny itsef. That way you can either eliminate or isolate the linkage assembly!