About a month ago, I bought this civic and transmission was slipping back then (it would go into high RPM about 3000 and more and then it would shift up to next gear). It will be my spare car. I took out for driving time to time. Last two times I took out for drive I would lose the transmission (engine was running fine but the transmission would not work neither on Drive or Reverse). when I lose the transmission I would park the car on the side of the road and wait a while and transmission would start running again properly.
SO the question is what is wrong with the transmission? Is it the shifting solenoid acting up? Is it the linear solenoid acting up? Or the filter clog in the transmission? Transmission range sensor?Or is it something else?
No way to tell over the internet. If you need a sol’n immediately, ask the repair shops around town who’s the best tranny shop in town, then go there and ask for a diagnosis.
If I had that problem on an automatic equipped vehicle first thing I’d try is to have a proper transmission service done. Usually that means dropping & cleaning the pan, replacing the filter, and a fluid re-fill. They may or may not use a transmission flush machine. But don’t let them only do a flush and nothing else, if it is possible to drop the pan and replace the filter. That’s not possible on every car so doing the “flush” alone is the only option sometimes. A proper service will sometimes fix this type of problem. And it doesn’t cost that much, short money usually. Eventually the transmission will have to be taken apart and all the wearing parts replaced. But hopefully that won’t be necessary anytime soon for your car.
fyi, Honda trannies are particular about the type of tranny fluid. Best to only use Honda oem fluid. Was the fluid replaced just prior to this all happening? If so, it might not have been the right fluid spec for your car.
I never buy a car without a good test drive before signing the paperwork.
My test drive includes a highway where I can maintain 55mph for at least 5 miles, 5 miles of the roughest roads nearby, and 5 miles of either many turns or a lot of sharp curves to see if it handles well.
Had you been on the highway for your test drive you may have had the problem then and decided not to buy this car.
Assuming that the fluid level is correct, GeorgeSanJose is right. Take the car to a good local transmission shop (not a chain) for a diagnosis. Don’t be too surprised if some expensive work is needed, as there’s a good chance that’s why the car was on the market in the first place.
The more I read these comments and these links, the happier I am that my Civic has a manual transmission. Those 2001 Civic automatic customers really got hosed.
Sorry, my friend, I couldn’t resist.