Third gear not fully engaging/popping out...

[Paradox Lost]

I'm relatively new to Honda, and I hope I'm not bringing up a worn-out issue here, but prior to purchasing my 07' Si, I was driving my brother's 05' RSX Type-S I noticed that when the car is still somewhat cold, it wouldn't completely shift into third gear, and the shifter would sort of pop out. Basically, I really had to make sure it was in third before letting off the clutch. I brought this issue up to my brother, and he basically mentioned that Honda's/Acura's have basically developed a reputation for this, so I didn't think much of it.

When I bought my Si, RIGHT OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP, it popped out of third the same way on the RSX. I've had the car for about a month now, and it's happened two other times, but it's grinded those times because I let off the clutch without realizing it wasn't fully in third. Is this naturally occurring on the tranny, and I should just make sure it's all the way in third, or should I bring up this issue with the dealer? Thanks in advance. :)

EDIT: N/M, posting this thread yielded one in which my question was basically answered. For some reason, and I feel silly mentioning this seeing as I am by no means new to message boards, I can't figure out where the delete thread button is.

[radiocontrolhead]

to acctually answer it, my si has the same problem. Sometimes i'll catch it because i can feel that it's not fully engaged adn i'll catch teh clutch movemnet right at the engagement point and just shove the shifter in.

I know this doesn't really help you right now, but yes, i'm experiencing it.

[Paradox Lost]

Originally Posted by radiocontrolhead

to acctually answer it, my si has the same problem. Sometimes i'll catch it because i can feel that it's not fully engaged adn i'll catch teh clutch movemnet right at the engagement point and just shove the shifter in.

I know this doesn't really help you right now, but yes, i'm experiencing it.

Yeah, ever since it was happening more and more on the RSX, I've been paying closer attention to ensuring it's all the way in third, but from all the threads I've been reading, an important point seems to be being made again and again- take the car in, for as long as more and more people report having the same problem, the harder it will be for them to ignore it.

I'm sure if I just invest some extra concentration on third gear in particular, I can avoid any problems, but I'm not too fond of having to concern myself with something that I really shouldn't have to concern myself with in the first place.

[KSMatic]

lol, you guys have the same bs as the RSX..

sadly, the design of the tranny went from EP3/RSX to you guys..

get it fix at the dealers.

[Paradox Lost]

Originally Posted by KSMatic

lol, you guys have the same bs as the RSX..

sadly, the design of the tranny went from EP3/RSX to you guys..

get it fix at the dealers.

Do you know precisely what needs to be fixed, and hence what is causing the problem? It would be interesting to find out, seeing as so many report the same problem.

[strCIVIC]

what's up with these tranny's?????? my ex coupe auto so ***..when putting from park to drive..you gotta wait till the clicks stops completely..if not it kinda grinds a little... and i think japan made these trannys...

[CivicWithNav]

we should get a petition for honda to fix the problem

[Downpour]

+1.
at first i have ignored this problem, but at 3500 miles, its getting more and more persistent.

[biglos]

its a prob that happens to almost all new civic owners that i known...i have talked to 4 si owners locally that all have the same prob in either 2nd or 3rd gear...i actually took my car back to the dealer to tell them about it, but they have no knowledge about it...so i dont know...

[aki]

Man, don't just gripe about on forums, take it to the dealer. I got my 3rd gear syncro fixed and it's pretty much fixed. Still a little notchy. My guess is the shift link also needs to be replaced, but I can live with that.

[si_civic]

Lovely. I was thinking to myself this has to be a rare problem. Today it happened TWICE. One time I grinded because it wasn't fully into 3rd, other time I shifted in to 3rd, popped out.

[KSMatic]

Sycnro's (i think thats how you spell it) needs to be replaced for third gear.

thats the fix for RSX but it will do it later down the road.

There is another fix that usually fixes this issue, just flush out the tranny fluid with redline or royal purple.

[Paradox Lost]

Originally Posted by aki

Man, don't just gripe about on forums, take it to the dealer. I got my 3rd gear syncro fixed and it's pretty much fixed. Still a little notchy. My guess is the shift link also needs to be replaced, but I can live with that.

That's what I plan on doing, but I wanted to confer with others who may be experiencing the same problem before going into the dealership only to have the service providers say to me "oh, you know those Honda transmissions, you really have to make sure it's in third before letting go of the clutch- they all do that".

[Pukuyo]

i have the same problem. i'm taking mine in for service on monday. i'll let you guys know what happen. this is the second time i'm bringing it in regarding this problem. first time i brought it in, they didn't find anything, but it's got worse, so i'm taking it in again. and if i don't do anything about it, i'm afraid it'll get even worse.

[SiRyan]

Originally Posted by aki

Man, don't just gripe about on forums, take it to the dealer. I got my 3rd gear syncro fixed and it's pretty much fixed. Still a little notchy. My guess is the shift link also needs to be replaced, but I can live with that.

What dealership did you get yours fixed at, I have the same exact problem and it annoys the hell out of me and makes me feel retarded when people are with me.

[GALAXY~SI]

Yea i have the same probelmo the car tends not to fully engage 3Rd resulting in the car grinding and you look like you cant drive.

dealers can fixes this

[samx109]

funny thing that happens to me too.. most of time i have to double check if i completely put in 3rd gear or not.. =(

[Paradox Lost]

Okay, so I went ahead and sent it into the dealer today, although for a different problem. But I went ahead and had them check out the issue with third gear anyway. So I get a call from them a few hours later, going over the inspection, and regarding the tranny, my service provider asked if I had the transmission serviced. I said no, and he proceeded to tell me that whoever PDI'd the car when it first came into the dealership put in gear oil (I think he said gear oil) instead of transmission fluid, and that was causing the problem with third that I had been experiencing. Not only that, but they overfilled it, as well. So, it seems they think this is the root cause of my third gear problem.

Nevertheless, considering that so many others seem to be experiencing the same problem, and also that I experienced the same thing on the Type-S, I doubt this is the underlying cause- unless the same guy is running around putting the wrong type of fluid in everyone's Si and Type-S. So, we'll see what happens.

By the way, the main reason I brought it in was for a strange creaking noise that seemed to be coming from my rear suspension, and it turns out that my rear passenger side shock needs to be replaced.

[Pukuyo]

i brought mine in as well, and this is the 2nd time i've brought it in for the same problem/complain. they still haven't found anything. they we're saying it could be the way i shift. i mean wtf? i've been driving for more than 10 years, so it's not my shifting. plus it only happens on 3rd gear and no other gears. also, they found the same "overfilled" transmission fluid in mine.

[penguix]

Originally Posted by Paradox Lost

Okay, so I went ahead and sent it into the dealer today, although for a different problem. But I went ahead and had them check out the issue with third gear anyway. So I get a call from them a few hours later, going over the inspection, and regarding the tranny, my service provider asked if I had the transmission serviced. I said no, and he proceeded to tell me that whoever PDI'd the car when it first came into the dealership put in gear oil (I think he said gear oil) instead of transmission fluid, and that was causing the problem with third that I had been experiencing. Not only that, but they overfilled it, as well. So, it seems they think this is the root cause of my third gear problem.

Nevertheless, considering that so many others seem to be experiencing the same problem, and also that I experienced the same thing on the Type-S, I doubt this is the underlying cause- unless the same guy is running around putting the wrong type of fluid in everyone's Si and Type-S. So, we'll see what happens.

By the way, the main reason I brought it in was for a strange creaking noise that seemed to be coming from my rear suspension, and it turns out that my rear passenger side shock needs to be replaced.

that doesn't make since to me because 1) I'm 99% sure (I used to work at a dealer) that the tranny is filled at the factory and not the PDI (after all, they get driven off the trucks and to the gas station before the PDI) and 2) I don't see how you can overfill the tranny case when there's a fill hole on the side (it would simply spill out immediately if you put in too much...)