My '07 has about 124K miles on it. I've had no problem shifting until a few days ago. It then got VERY difficult and I found I had to force it into all gears. This has been intermittent. Yesterday, I went back to the oil change place where I had the transmission fluid changed. They said it was dry (no leaking) and the fluid level was topped off. But, I could barely shift driving in and it was much better driving out. The clutch never feels any different when I can shift and when I can't. When it was bad I shifted at higher RPMs to try a clutch-free shift (so I was taught). I did all the stuff with putting it into first as I stopped.

I see other messages about similar problems from years ago but nothing where it just happens and then magically fixes itself. I've always been good about the fluids and changing them when specified. Ideas?

 

I suppose this problem occurred just after the JizzyLube place changed the trans fluid? I'd immediately expect they didn't use the correct fluid.

Get Manual Transmission Fluid from your local Honda or Acura dealership, drain and fill the trans using the correct fluid.

 

Actually, it didn't happen right after at all, so I can't point to them. They say they use Honda-branded fluid. I figured it was a slow leak but, they guy said it wasn't leaking. Who knows if that's the truth. They won't let you go under the car to see what they're doing. I weird thing it that it will happen and then stop.

 

Clutch fluid full?

Engine running, try to engage reverse does it grind the gear?

 

http://youtu.be/wiCAJ8ULnaI

A little video about Jiffy Lube

 

All the gears are the same - if one works, they all work. I drove it this afternoon and it was OK, though there were a couple times that it seemed like it was going to start giving me problems. I'm driving it really carefully. Though, it never just didn't shift like before. I never had to force it into gear. By "checking all fluids" at the lube place, I would think they would be checking the clutch fluid. It is a good question though.

I have to say, by the other messages written over the years about issues like this, even when the miles are really low, I think there's some defect in the car causing this. I've been really disappointed in the quality of the car. I know it is a cheap car, but my expectations are Honda quality, not Ford quality. This car is Ford quality, if that.

 

I would not expect anything at all from those places. If they got oil and filter on it and no leaks you're doing pretty good.
You can't really say that until the problem is solved and the true cause is known.


I thought the 07-08 Fits have been reliable enough (aside from the well known coil issues) to buy one with a problem at 200,000 miles (dirt cheap), go through the engine and fix the problem, and put my GF in it. She loves the car.
Oh yeah its got an automatic trans in it.

 

I have an 03 with an MT that has done 220,000km with very little issue. Gearbox has whined for half of those kms and seldom gives issues going into reverse. I do all the maintenance myself and always use genuine Honda fluids, I've never seen anywhere but Honda use OEM fluid.

How long have you owned the car?

 

I've bought the car new in '07. '07 was the first year for Fits in the U.S. I never heard of an '03 Fit. I'm going to check on the fluid. If I need to, I'll take it back to the dealer and have it changed. The only issue I've had was around 100K I got some chattering in the clutch when shifting. Putting in higher octane gas has mostly gotten rid of that. I was going to put in injector cleaner but didn't since the better gas fixed it. I have always done the maintenance at the dealer except for the last two oil changes.

 

I'm going through this right now. After bleeding my clutch twice and still no results and topping off transmission fluid I'm 99.999% sure it's the springs in my clutch... Which I think is happening to you.
I had the same results as you. If I need to get around town I rev match every gear and have to turn the car off at stops and start it in first.

 

The weird thing about my car is it is inconsistent. It can be almost impossible to shift and then be fine. Right now it is OK, though I'm really careful about RPMs and being gentle. When it would barely shift it wouldn't go in no matter what I did! I'm experienced with high miles MT's and this wasn't like anything I had experienced before. That's why I thought it was fluids. If it was the springs, I don't think it would get better.

 

Mine is also intermittent. One day I was driving and I couldn't even put it in gear. A couple days later I tried giving it a go and it was perfect. So perfect I was in shock, and then when I got home it completely turned back to the same issue. So I'll see what's the issue this week.

 

I'd be really curious what you find out. I'm so paranoid that I'll be driving and all of a sudden I won't be able to shift. It's probably some part they should have recalled. I won't get started on how Honda cost me $2K!

 

Well considering there's some forums about how the springs on the clutches for these cars tend to break more regularly than other vehicles, gives me the impression that it's the issue.
Also, I'd like to ad that there's a lot of play with the engine mounts as they get older, making it harder on the components of the vehicle like the exhaust manifold and clutch disk.. Since the motor is positioned the way it is, it'll put a lot more stress on the clutch disk springs since the motor is moving forwards and backwards. So with old cracked mounts, I could see where the springs end up being over exerted to the point they can't take the pressure and break.

This is just a theory. But we'll find out this week.

 

Bad throwout bearing can cause many of the listed symptoms, but once your in there you always do the clutch..

The trans and engine are tied together, the clutch only sees the torque between the crank and input shaft, you can get shuddering if a mount goes bad because tire/axle torque overwinds the powertrain though. Rust is the biggest reason springs break in clutches, there is enough venting in the bell housing to allow water intrusion.. Salted roads make it even worse.

 

The "intermittent" has me puzzled. Otherwise I would say synchros (but only on some gears).

So I am going to go with fluids. Luckily this is the cheapest thing to check. Go to Honda or do it yourself. I have changed the rear diff fluid on a CRV. It was not "fun" but it was OK.

Honda makes a big deal about their special fluids. From what I've read, they're right. It's annoying - what is this a BMW? - but it seems to make a difference.

 

OK. So I'm driving to different places, making a number of stops. The car drives OK when I leave home, but not great (barely driveable). It got worse as I drove. I make the first stop and when I start the car back up it was shifting better. I made the second stop and when I started the car up it was shifting OK. I make the third stop and when I started it up it WOULD NOT shift AT ALL! If I put in the clutch and tried to put it in 1st or 2nd, the car would actually move forward very slightly but would not go into gear in any way.

I tried turning it off and back on a number of times, with it in a variety of gears but it would not go into gear in any way. THEN I tried turning it off and taking out the key. I put the key back in, pushed in the clutch (needed to start) and started the car. IT SHIFTED FINE!!! Really! OK, tell me what would cause that. I actually had a service guy from the dealer on the phone when this happened and it was clear he hadn't the faintest idea what would cause that. So, there is some weird thing between the ignition and the computer maybe??? I drove home with very smooth shifting the whole way.

It's like the Honda Twilight Zone!

 

Clutch not fully releasing, disc dragging....for some reason.

Input shaft splines need lubed? Pilot bearing bad? (hear any noise?)

 

No noise and the clutch worked absolutely fine as described above.

 

weak piston seal in Clutch slave and or master cylinder.
Bad or tired Pilot bushing.
Bad throwout bearing.
Bad/failing transmission cluster bearing.
Wrong Lube in trans.