I took it to the Honda dealer and was told that it is a known problem for Honda cars. I need a new transmission. I don’t know if I should spend 2K on it and what other options I have. How can I tell if the transmission has problem? My car is Honda Accord 2001 with 103K miles on it.
By what you say The car still drives ok. When a light comes on it steers you to a area it does not tell you exactly what is wrong, could be many things.
Did they do any tests or look into it?
You can look up codes or maybe someone on here can tell what P0740 means.
How long have you had it,ever changed trans fluid,4 or 6 cyl.
Yes hondas had some trans trouble but car dealers have been known to try to sell things people do not need so I would check some more before buying a new trans.
Yes, Accords of that era have a well-earned reputation for “weak” transmissions, leading to early trans failure. However, unless Honda is willing to give you financial assistance with one of their bad transmissions, there is no reason whatsoever to take your 9 year old car to a Honda dealership.
The code that was displayed indicates, “Torque Converter Clutch Circuit/Open”, so there is a possibility that your transmission problem can be rectified with just the replacement of a TTC solenoid or repair to the wiring running to the TCC clutch solenoid.
Take the car to an independent trans shop that has been in business for at least 3 years. Ask friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers for recommendations.
Whatever you do, DO NOT take the car to AAMCO, Lee Myles, Cottman, Mr. Transmission, or any other chain operation, as these places will almost always tell you that you need a new transmission whether you do or not, and they will overcharge you for it. An indy trans shop is much more likely to give you an honest diagnosis, to do better-quality work, and to charge less.
If you merely need to have the TCC solenoid or its wiring replaced, take this opportunity to also have the trans fluid and filter changed!