Last Saturday, just normal driving, my engine light suddenly came on, and the (D) on the dash started flashing. Well holy sh*t, but I had to get where I was going about 1/2 mile away. The car had no performance problems during this time, drove normally. Of course no mechanic is open on Saturday.

When I finished my errand we drove home, light still on but I think the (D) stopped flashing. We checked the gas cap, checked the transmission fluid, let the car sit for a while and when I started it back up, no light. No problems. I had a lot to do this week and couldn't take it to the shop, and then I kind of forgot about it since it didn't come back.

I've driven it normally all week and seen no sign of the lights. I filled up the tank 2 days ago and made sure I clicked the gas cap several times.

This morning, the lights came back on the way home from the grocery store. I have to take it in to the mechanic on Monday, I guess, but has anybody had this happen? Mileage is 52,865. Thanks.

 

u can bring it to autozone or pep boys and see if there are any codes pulled

 

Find out the exact codes (in the usual OBD2 format of 'Pxxxx') and post them here

 

OK, so the mechanic looked at it just now and said it's either the transmission pressure switch, or the transmission itself. They will need to drain and strain the fluid to see if there are any shavings in it. Hopefully not - I can't imagine that happening in just 8 years and if it is, it has to be a warranty-covered problem. Anyway I need the car today but will update after they do their work tomorrow. (He reset the light in the meantime.)

 

Have them replace just the pressure switch and its gasket.

Make sure the correct switch gets replaced too, there is more than one to choose from.

It's not an uncommon failure, and is usually very intermittent when they do fail.

I don't bother with draining and straining fluid unless it really shifts or drives funny while the pressure switch is working right.

If it is due for fluid service, make sure they use the correct ATF, Hondas DW-1

 

Just now, driving home, it shifted hard (like a physical clunking feeling) from 1st into 2nd. The light has not come back yet. I stopped for a few minutes on the way home and when I started it up again, it shifted normally, no clunking. I really need it tomorrow but I feel that now I have no choice but to take it back to the shop since it's starting to shift hard. Cars. They never break down at a convenient time!

 

Auto transmissions totally operate on hydraulic pressure, they are very very durable.
Symptoms you describe are a sticky solenoid or bad pressure switch.

If you smell of the fluid on the dip stick it should not smell burnt or be black, as long as its a healthy and sorta clear reddish color your good to go. Straining the fluid is an old trick to get people to buy a new transmission, automatics by nature have some minor sludge in the pan that often contains some very very very fine metal powder from wear.

 

The fluid is still reddish-brown and clear, and does not smell burnt. I am not going to buy a transmission from this shop and it would do them no good to try and cheat me as it wouldn't gain them anything. He says he is going to take 4 quarts out and put Honda ZF-1 back in. I think it's got to be the switch as I am not an outrageous driver and the car is only 8 years old.

I really hate this kind of thing. As a female I have been lied to over the years by many shops because they believe they can get away with it, and while I am not a mechanic by any means, I do know a little about how engines work. But these days cars are so complicated that if you don't make it a second profession, you just can't tell what's going on for sure. One reason I buy dependable cars is so that I don't have to deal with mechanics very often! (Apologies to any of you who are mechanics and are honest!)

 

The improved correct fluid is now called DW-1.
The other is now obsolete.
Thanks for that.

If I were going to lie, cheat, and steal, I'd sure as hell pick something that pays better than this job.

 

These days they seem to be more equal opportunity seems like way too many shops try and gouge rather than build a decent relationship with long term customers.. I've even had shops that I know the people in from working on race cars at the track, try and screw me on work cause they don't recognize me in work duds.. Awkward,,,,,

FYI, the solenoids/switches are all pretty much on top of the transmission, under the air cleaner assembly. I can't believe what some shops want to change them.
I'd bet most could be cleaned and they would work fine but labor is $$$

On a side note:
There are couple ways of changing transmission fluid,, 1 is the cheaper method which is to swap out whatever is in the transmission (Does not drain the torque converter.) This is what most do.

The other is to do a real flush, its more expensive it involves connecting a supply of the new fluid and a barrel to drain the old fluid, you then proceed to run the engine and pump replacement fluid in as you drain fluid out, it uses about 3x the number of quarts, used to take gallons to do a Chevy Pickup..

The third I've done is drain the transmission, remove the inspection plate and drill a small hole in the torque converter and drain it. Then you TIG weld the hole back shut. (I know this sounds freaky but it works well and allows a simple refill to refill.. ) They used to put a drain plug on the converters way back.. Miss that..

 

No, not these.

Flushing with chemicals and machines is strongly discouraged (i.e. quicky lube style).
The only Honda approved method involves multiple drain-and-fills.

 

Yeah, sorry to be a b*tch this morning. I get kinda paranoid sometimes, it hasn't been a good week and I was scared that something major would go wrong. This shop has been honest with me and they have a lot of following within my neighborhood, so I didn't have any specific reason *not* to trust them, other than that I have heard of shops cheating people when it comes to transmissions.

The slip says they used H-1 ATF fluid, I hope that is right. They did the drain-and-fill method so didn't get all of it out, but added 3 quarts back.

They did change out one of the pressure switches, doesn't say which one, but since it was hard-shifting between 1st & 2nd gear, that probably was the one.

Total cost was $265.64. They also kept it all day, but gave me a POS loaner (which I didn't need as I took hubby to work and kept his 4Runner).

Back in business till the next service light goes off!

 

I was not talking about using any cleaners or chemicals, you simply cycle enough fluid through to get all new fluid in there,, it just takes a lot to do it right.

I do all kinds of stuff that Honda doesn't approve of.. LOL

 

So is H-1 fluid OK for my auto transmission, or ??

 

Never heard of it myself.

Want us to guess what it might be, or do you want to ask the shop?

 

I'll ask them tomorrow. I'm assuming it's Honda but it could be some generic Honda off-market stuff. What would you put in? DW-1 or Amsoil? Or ??

 

A lot of shops don't want to stock 173 different fluids that are absolutely correct for every car on the road.
They want to stock a drum of something that will work OKAYISH on the majority of the cars they see.
Okayish meaning "good enough to get it out of the shop and hopefully down the road for a year or two".
So they get a drum of cheap generic trans fluid, then stock a bunch of additives to try to make it less incompatible with so many different specialized trans requirements.

Problem is, the cheap fluid usually doesn't meet current specs for any manufacturer....and no amount of additives can make it right if the base fluid isn't.

Biggest problem is the cheap fluid usually starts breaking down long before the correct fluid would.

The average consumer can't tell any difference, and bad effects don't normally happen right away, so the consumer wouldn't know to blame the trans service they had just a couple years ago.



Hondas ATF Z-1 was a semi-synthetic fluid (IIRC) and is obsolete, replaced by DW-1 a few years ago.
Hondas ATF DW-1 is a full synthetic fluid.
I'm a long time dealer tech.
I use the correct Honda fluids in Hondas.

By doing so, I will never have to try to convince anyone nor explain to a judge that something other than the Honda specified fluid was installed because it is okayish for their car.


Some shops can't afford to use the correct fluids, and I can't afford not to.

 

The mechanic just told me that H-1 is a Honda product and is the correct fluid for my car. Could it be that he is using a non-synthetic fluid? Nevertheless, I am going to buy the correct synthetic and at the next oil change, it will be put in (and I will watch to be sure they do it).

 

Call any Honda dealership parts department and ask for this H-1 fluid.
I'm pretty sure you won't be able to find any H-1 fluid at any Honda dealership.
The closest letters anyone will mention is the old Z-1, if anyone has been there long enough to remember it.

I've never heard of H-1 ATF, and there is nothing on our shelves with those letters.

'Nuff said?

EDIT: Maybe they are just calling it by the wrong name. Do their bottles say Honda on them?

 

Much like pouring orange juice on your Frosted Flakes, then you add a bunch of milk flavoring and try to pass it off as milk and cereal.