Uncomfortable transmission

[jasongg06]

Have you guys noticed how uncomfortable the civic's automatic transmission is?

It's constantly shifting to see what gear its supposed to be in, and I feel every dam shift. Sometimes when i'm accelerating on a slight incline the transmission needs to downshift because the car doesn't have enough torque to get it up. When i let off the gas he transmission stays in gear and slows the car down, and then downshifts causing more jerking when i slow. When i gas from a slight roll, the transmission doesn't know what gear it wants so it's jerking n shifting again. I hate this transmission. The only time it's comfy, is when i'm accelerating slowly from a dead stop.

My last car was a 96 Honda Accord EX and i don't remember it being this uncomfortable. Most of the Toyotas I've driven have silky smooth transmissions that usually know what gear to be in. Why is ours so uncomfy? It is that much more efficient in saving gas?

[Gaspar_06_Civic_EX]

What you are describing is the grade logic built into the transmission. It will shift down on hills to help climb and shift down to help deccelerate. I think the tranny is very good for an automatic.

[Cybergypsy]

no problems here.....

[liuh]

nah man i feel the same way you do...

shift shock for the loss... this added + DBW lag = hell from a stop. People think I can't drive or something when they ride with me.

Maybe if some people aren't feeling it and others are then there actually is a problem? anyone else with AT that can comment?

[ventura]

I hear ya...I feel the same way about the shifting... I think the most pressing issue is the DBW lag. I almost got ran over trying to make a left turn the other day. Guess there wasn't enough power to make the car go with the AC, radio, and blinker. The car bogggggged soo bad, I thought it was gonna stall. Then it leapt out in front of a car.

[OblivionJin]

Originally Posted by ventura

I hear ya...I feel the same way about the shifting... I think the most pressing issue is the DBW lag. I almost got ran over trying to make a left turn the other day. Guess there wasn't enough power to make the car go with the AC, radio, and blinker. The car bogggggged soo bad, I thought it was gonna stall. Then it leapt out in front of a car.

lololololol. All the srt-4 owners gonna use this as their trademark for the civic.

[RODSCIVIC]

Use your other gears D3, D2 and D1, don't be afraid, they are there for a reason.

[ventura]

Originally Posted by RODSCIVIC

Use your other gears D3, D2 and D1, don't be afraid, they are there for a reason.

for Left Turns?

[RODSCIVIC]

Originally Posted by ventura

for Left Turns?

yeah, left, right, uturns. Try it, you will be hooked.

[djdefcon]

RODSCIVIC: If you are talking about using D1 D2 D3 to shift the car like a manual I wouldn't suggest doing that on a AT as you are going to royaly f*ck the transmission

[Izzy]

Well, I'm pretty sure you can use it as a semi-sequential. However, I wouldn't KEEP doing that. And the point is, you bought an auto for a reason. You shouldn't have to do the shifting for it.

[RODSCIVIC]

Originally Posted by djdefcon

RODSCIVIC: If you are talking about using D1 D2 D3 to shift the car like a manual I wouldn't suggest doing that on a AT as you are going to royaly f*ck the transmission

LOL! yeah if you do it 24/7. If you need to go up a hill etc. and do not want to feel the up shift/down shift put that B*tch into D3, get up the hill and go back to D. If you are making a turn with all your Ac on etc. put into D1, make your turn, get up to speed and back to D. Those gears are there for a reason. 24K miles, daily driven 150+ miles a day, not a single problem.

[ventura]

Originally Posted by RODSCIVIC

LOL! yeah if you do it 24/7. If you need to go up a hill etc. and do not want to feel the up shift/down shift put that B*tch into D3, get up the hill and go back to D. If you are making a turn with all your Ac on etc. put into D1, make your turn, get up to speed and back to D. Those gears are there for a reason. 24K miles, daily driven 150+ miles a day, not a single problem.

Lemme know when ya hit 200K and its still workin! Cuz I hang on to my cars for a while, I need em to last.

[RODSCIVIC]

Originally Posted by ventura

Lemme know when ya hit 200K and its still workin! Cuz I hang on to my cars for a while, I need em to last.

200K? Ill never see that in this car. It will be a while before I hit 70K. but I will let you know when I hit 36K by next April, after that my daily miles will go down.

[liuh]

i have an auto, i shouldn't need to shift...

but that's not what hte OP is talking about. I think we are talking about how the shift-shock just PWNS this car like a little school girl.

[zepharus]

I have the EXACT opposite opinion you do of the AT. You seriously need ot drive aBAD AT or one that really "hunts" to TRULY aapreciate this Honda AT. this is a VERY VERY good tranny. I have driven a lot of them. the tranny on my wifes 30K B9 Tribeca sucks ASS compared to my EX sedans...

[jasongg06]

Originally Posted by zepharus

I have the EXACT opposite opinion you do of the AT. You seriously need ot drive aBAD AT or one that really "hunts" to TRULY aapreciate this Honda AT. this is a VERY VERY good tranny. I have driven a lot of them. the tranny on my wifes 30K B9 Tribeca sucks ASS compared to my EX sedans...

Go drive a lexus of toyota and you'll see the difference. Heck, aside from a few rough upshifts, my 96 accords transmission was smoother. I miss letting off the gas and being able to coast for awhile. It's not like this on the civic, the moment i let off the gas, it starts slowing down quickly so i need to apply more pressure on the gas, i also can't apply too much or else it'll downshift and cause more jerking.

[jasongg06]

Originally Posted by liuh

nah man i feel the same way you do...

shift shock for the loss... this added + DBW lag = hell from a stop. People think I can't drive or something when they ride with me.

Maybe if some people aren't feeling it and others are then there actually is a problem? anyone else with AT that can comment?

Originally Posted by ventura

I hear ya...I feel the same way about the shifting... I think the most pressing issue is the DBW lag. I almost got ran over trying to make a left turn the other day. Guess there wasn't enough power to make the car go with the AC, radio, and blinker. The car bogggggged soo bad, I thought it was gonna stall. Then it leapt out in front of a car.

Yeah seriously, the whiplash i get from gassing first gear normally is like getting hit lightly by a car.

[antiprnt]

I'm on a AT sedan, and I go up and down hills pretty often. It does downshift pretty often, but when it does I dont feel any "jerk" or anything, I definately hear it downshifting though thats about it. And yah, they gotta fix that damn dbw throttle lag thing.

[taste]

I'm almost convinced it's the DBW.

I bought a manual in the civic, after buying brand new, an 04 6s Mazda wagon with an auto tranny. It was my first auto in 20 years of driving, and I kept it for 40K before I traded it in on the Honda. Absolutely couldn't stand the transmission, it never did what I wanted it to do.

So it should reason that I'd be right at home with the Honda's 5-sp. But shift 1-2 is damn hard in this car. Almost overly hard. With all the shifting I've done, I nail this shift 40-50% of the time.

For mine, its the freakin throttle. Combined with a 650 idle, it's never there right when you need it, and a manual is all about timing.

Same with the 1-2 shift, the throttle is never 'right there', always a step behind.

I'm holding out hope for this possible reflash for the R18s.