2001 EX V6 Auto-Tranny - Is tranny good, or bad??
 

I'm a newbie...both to this forum and owning a Honda. My daughter is turning 16 and a guy at our church had this 2001 Red Coupe EX V6 with only 80k orig miles on the clock and the car is super super nice. So I bought it. After I started driving it, I noticed the tranny acting funny if I applied very much throttle at all. So, I read and searched the forums a lot and did the following: Changed the tranny fluid x3 with the OEM Honda auto-tranny fluid, replaced the pressure switches for gears 3 & 4 (that's all the Honda dealer said the tranny had). The tranny is acting much better....BUT....the two issues that remain are: When slowing from 45 mph to about 10-15 mph, then applying the throttle at a moderate level, there's a pretty distinct "clunk" that comes with the downshift....but doing this same thing with only applying just a little throttle, and it shifts gears smoothly. The second thing it still does is downshift hard when you romp on the gas....so at 45 mph, then floor it, you get a BIG "clunk" when it downshifts. Other than that all gears shift just right, there's no slippage at all, reverse works great, there's no unusual noise. So what do I need to do to fix the remaining two issues? Something tells me that soft-shoeing the throttle is not the answer...surely Honda didn't build these trannys to only take light throttle in these two scenarios? Oh...one other thing, the car generally only shifts from first to second at about 3,000-3,500 rpms, but if I get to about 2500 rpm's and let off the gas quickly, the tranny will still hang in first gear for about 1 second before going ahead and shifting to second....all my other cars immediately shift to 2nd if I do this same thing. Now, when it does this, it's a smooth shift, but just not sure why it "hangs" for an extra second? So there's three things I'm asking about here!! Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Sorry but you are not going to like my answer.

The auto trans in the 98-02 Accord's is not the best. What you are describing is the signs of one going out. It could last 3~4 years like this, or could go sooner.

Here is what I have found to be some of the best info on the trans issues with the 98-02 Accord's (and a few others):

http://www.sonnax.com/system/pdfs/35...pdf?1320330979

Thanks. It just seems odd that the tranny otherwise works/shifts beautifully with the exception of these two situations. There are no codes set either. I've read a few other forums that suggested the TPS sensor or the wheel speed sensor could also cause these same symptoms....seems far-fetched to me.....

Again, I know people have driven for long periods of time with the issue before it "goes" or gets to the point you have to do something.

Not sure if you read the link I posted......if so you know that keeping the fluid fresh will help it last longer.

The auto trans in the older ones (97 and older) and the newer ones (03 and up) are very well built.

These tranny's have a reputation...for sure. It just has to be babied! I have 182k miles and driving about 2 years with her slipping. She is just now gettimg to the point of no return. As long as I'm easy on the throttle she is easy in the shift.

Thanks for this link, although when I clicked through it went to the home page and still looking for the PDF.

We've been trying to keep the fluid fresh on my son's 99 EX V6; at nearly 130K it only "clunks" a bit in and out of 4th gear in stop and go, so we leave it in 3rd and save 4th for the freeway... Don't know if it helps but it's no worse over the past year or so.

Is adding an external filter on the coolant lines a strategy to consider?

Thanks to OP for this starting this recent thread.