My daughter has a 2003 V6 with an automatic transmission. The car has 198,000 miles and is on it's 4th Dealer transmission. The latest tranny has been in the car about 25,000 miles and will not shift out of 1st gear (Same issue on all previous transmissions). Dealer says it's time for another transmission. I would like to check the TCU/TCM before she has another transmission put in the car. How do I go about doing this test?
She is able to get the car to shift if she starts out in first and manually shifts, but when the transmission shifts it is quite harsh. I'm thinking that this is a control issue and not a transmission failure since the same thing has happened 4 times before. any thoughts or advise is greatly appreciated.

 

Humm, well you are in CA so that is an issue...outside of CA almost any parts store will scan for codes for free

Know anyone with an ODB-II scanner?

 

The car is in Scottsdale. The dealer is now saying that the problem is that shift solenoid A is stuck on, and the clutch pressure control valve is stuck on. That the only fix is to replace the transmission for a 5th time.

Can anyone recommend an independent transmission shop in the Phoenix / Scottsdale area? There has to be an alternative to another $4,000.00 transmission.

 

If check engine light is on, I would somehow get the codes accessed.

My 2003-2007 shop manual lists cause of "AT does not shift" as mainshaft speed sensor defective or countershaft speed sensor defective. If this applies to your daugher's car, then fix is relatively easy.

First step is to get to an auto parts outlet, get the codes (Pnnnn) and write them down. Don't accept a verbal explanation of the codes. Too many are similar.

good luck

 

So she took it back to the dealer to have the codes read. They got P0752 and P0747. However when they cleared the codes the ran and shifted fine. She left and about two hours later check engine light came back on and transmission started the doing the same thing as before.

At this point she is thinking about having the codes cleared and going to a different dealer and trade it in before it occurs again.

Any thoughts

 

See following links for explanations of P0752 & P0747.

OBD2-OBDII Engine Light Trouble Code P0752 HONDA - Shift Solenoid Valve A Stuck On | Engine-Codes.com

OBD2-OBDII Engine Light Trouble Code P0747 HONDA - Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid A Stuck On | Engine-Codes.com

Outlook doesn't look good. Suggest draining/replacing ATF w/ new Honda ATF and removing solenoid A for cleaning and function check (battery voltage to connector and ground to other connector pin. Solenoid should throw.

good luck

 

Where is solenoid A located? And why do you think the transmission would run fine after the codes are cleared?

 

It's on the external body of the transmission. I don't know on V6 auto trans where its located. Maybe someone else does.

I found locations for 98-02 V6 on youtube:
good luck

 

2003 accords are notorious for transmission failure,it will just keep failing after replaced. I believe its recalled.

 

Unfortunately, I think 99lx is right. Just went through this on my step sons 02 model. We put a used one back in it. The junk yard we bought it from said they sell them as fast as they can get them in due to all the failures.