2002 Civic Transmission blows at 44,000 Miles!

Hi,

I had a 2002 Honda Civic EX for one year. Previous owner did all
maintenance required. Car always run like a charm. Yesterday while
driving uphill on a mild slope the transmission just blew-up! The car
came to a complete stop and in the middle of the road and it would not
move forward or backwards. My mechanic wants to charge me 4K to rebuid
it. I almost passed out! Aren't these cars supposed to be reliable?!

I called a specialized transmission shop and they cannon believe that a
transmission would just blow in a Honda with 44K miles, specially
without any warning. They want to diagnose it and would charge me 2K
worse case-scenario.

Honda dealership wants to look at it and they say they might be able to
do something since I am only 9K out of the warantee, but if they have
to replace it it would be even more than 4K. Hell, the ftranny reight
from Japan would be 400 bucks!

I am sooo disapointed with Honda! This is my 3rd Honda. My last one
was stolen and I took my chances buying a new one just for the
reliability! I am sooo pised! Any advice?

Patty

 

I would call Honda Customer Relations (1-800) and tell them what you told
us. Hopefully the previous owner did not have the transmission fluid
changed with non-Honda fluid or you're in trouble. The 4K figure from your
mechanic is a way bit steep! Stay with a Honda repair facility or Honda
rebuilt transmission. Don't worry too much about transmissions from Japan.
They make about everything right here these days. Honda makes a very good
(not perfect) product and I bet they will stand behind it. Good luck.

 

wrote in

Honda has extended the transmission warranty to eight years on certain
models. Call your local dealer.

 

I believe that most of the tranny issues have been with Accords with V6
engines but... Was the fluid low? Generally, low fluid will cause
overheating which in turn usually offers clues (smell, odd shifting,
etc.) prior to failure.

OTOH, if a major component just grenaded, it would behoove Honda to make
good for customer relations reasons.

Keep us informed..

JT

 

Thanks for the postings. For some reason my car's V6 engine does not
fall under the extended warantee. The car was properly maintained,
including a 30K inspection (including transmission fluid change) at
30,000 done at an Honda dealership.

I am going to get this diagnosed agan at a trany shop, and if they
agree with my mechanic that it is a blown transmission I will haggle
with Honda and see where I can get.

I calle a dealership in Seattle, they told me that I am shit out of
luck, basically. Then I called the dealership in Kirkland (town 10
miles away) and they were a lot more responsive. The customer support
lady contacted their manager and he says that they might be able to do
something. I will need to find out what the something is...

I will keep you posted on this one

 

Your Civic has an inline 4-cylinder engine, not a V6. The extended warranty
applied to Accord V6, Odyssey, and some V6 Acuras.

I am guessing that perhaps the dealer who did the tranny fluid change messed
something up, because Honda auto trannies mated to 4-cylinder engines are
damn near bulletproof.

Please do.

 

We thought it was out of norm too. My son-in-law was driving to work a few
months ago in his 02 Civic EX , stopped at traffic light and noticed the
car hesitate shifting between 2nd and 3rd gear, very next light on the
shift between the same two gears the engine revved up and the tranny was
dead. would not move front or back. We had a Honda extended warranty on
ours and they took care of the problem. All they had to say was that they
have seen a few Civics suffer from trans failure with little or no
warniing. I asked our service writer what failed in the trans and he said
that they did not know because Honda did not want them to open it up , but
to send that unit to them for disasembly. I hope Honda helps you out on
the repair.
Scott

 

Wow, this is exactly what happened to me! Thanks so much! I will
mentioned this to the dealership+ Honda of America.

I am wondering if they might be testing something new in some cars and
we were the guinea pigs this time.

I am glad you were in a safe place, my tranny failed in the middle of a
curvy mountain road, the car was stuck in the middle of the road for 2
h waiting for the tow truck (we couldn't even push into the shoulder),
people going by kept yelling at us to "get of the road", it was very
upsetting and pretty dangerous!

Thanks again!

 

Honda's are very reliable cars. I have a 1997 Honda Accord with 242,000
miles on it and has run smoothly so far (knock knock). No transmission
problems. And I am not very regular on maintainnce except for oil
change, just the routine. Some junk yards do sell honda transmissions
which are much cheaper then rebuilts. U will have to try online or in
or around where u live. These transmission are some time from low
milegae cars which were in a collision.
Good Luck

 

If you go the junkyard route, then these guys have a network where they get
parts from each other, know who has what and can generally find stuff,
whether it is their area of expertise or not.

Earle

 

I forgot to say that our Civic had 53,000 miles

Scott

 

It sucks when stuff happens...

So are you the first or second owner of this car? I can't decide from what
you have written below. The first and last statements seem to contradict
each other.

Either way, Honda will likely help if you're the original owner. If you're
not the original owner, don't get belligerent with the Honda CR rep. lest
you get told to pound sand.

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Regards,

RC Man

 

I baught a 2002 civic, auto tranny. The previous owner had it on a lease so
probably never maintained it...who knows. But the tranny was going through
1st and 2nd gears in a weird way in my opinion. My own mechanic felt it
wasn't that bad in his opinion. Anyhow. went to the dealer, and they changed
the tranny free of charge after a 2 minute test drive. So yours is also
covered by honda's warranty. just go at the dealer and have it replaced.