2001 honda accord check engine - d4 blinking
 

When I got home last night my check engine light was on. The D4 indicator on the dash was lit up and blinking. Car has ~137,000 miles on it.

It has been shifting a bit strange lately. If I hit the accelerator too hard it will engage very hard when shifting. It will rev up and then drop into gear. If I'm easy on it it shifts quite nicely.

Hopefully I'm not looking at a nasty repair. It's also due for an oil change, hasn't been done in a year ... it's because it doesn't get over 3k miles per year. It's going on this weekend for that.

D4 light blinking means there's a code stored in the Trans Control Unit (TCU). See DIY forum procedure for checking OBD1 codes. Same procedure as Check Engine Light, but D4 light will flash the codes.

Post your codes for further guidance.

good luck

"PO 780 Trans Malfunction" was the code. My mechanic isn't a transmission guy and said he didn't know what it meant. Told me if it happened again I should take it to a transmission place.

Car is shifting fine right now ...

P0780 says shift malfunction at Autozone.

If ATF has never been changed, suggest a drain/replace cycle w/ Honda ATF. This can resolve some problems. Some change multiple times, up to 3, to replace the non-drained fluid in torque converter.

AT problems in 2000 Accord V6's and 4's are not rare. It could be early sign of trans problem that won't go away.

good luck

ATF has been changed previously.

Does it matter 2000 vs 2001? Mine is a 2001.

Thanks for the reply

The problem TexasHonda mentioned was for 98-02 accords. He just mistyped your year accord.

This morning it started acting up more consistently. The blinking D4 came back with a vengeance. Every time I slow down / stop it has a hard time going into 1st gear. The more gradual the stop the easier it goes into gear.

Is it worth telling a transmission shop to just change the fluid first to see if that resolves the issue?

I'm in-town Atlanta if anyone knows of a good shop there by chance.

If you specify use of Honda ATF, it's worth a try.

You should be able to pick up 3qts (enough for 1 drain/replace) for perhaps $7-9/qt. Most any shop will perform the drain/replace, but insist they use fluid you purchased.

good luck

I took it to a small transmission shop ( recommended by a trusted mechanic & has been around 40 years ) that said they would have to take it apart to know what's going on. They said they checked the solenoid and it wasn't bad. They charge $450 to take it apart and $2300-$2800 to put it back together / repair. 1 year 12k mile warranty on everything.

Separately my father-in-law talked to a Honda dealer he trusts and they said PO780 was the solenoid.

I'm planning on taking it for a second opinion.

[QUOTE=drfence;309677]
Is it worth telling a transmission shop to just change the fluid first to see if that resolves the issue?
I'm in-town Atlanta if anyone knows of a good shop there by chance.[/QUOTE]

I am ITP Atlanta area also. Try Far East Motor Works in Chamblee right next door to PDK airport or Avondale Independent in Decatur near Avondale Estates. If you have any reason to go to Smyrna or Marietta, Motorcars International in Smyrna and Chris's Marietta Motor Works are good independent shop choices for Hondas in that part of the area OTP.