Honda V6 Auto Tranny
 

wanted to post in tech forum but more traffic here

been looking at used 1st gen honda pilot recently to haul things around.
been digging up more and more horror stories of Honda V6 transmission failure...and this ranges from Oddysey,Ridgeline, Accord to even the TL and RL.
what do these owners/honda mechanics think of this problem, is it pretty widespread or just overblown on the internet? I know some have been recalled before for it. My understanding is the 03-04 pilot are more prone to tranny failure.

any tips on how to look out for these when shopping for a used honda v6 vehicle with an auto tranny? (aside from transmission fluid colour and smooth shifting). When you bring in for a inspection before the transaction can mechanics inspect it properly?

Sincerely,

the guy with limited tranny knowledge (unlike asian_XL)

my parents had a 03 since new and have no problems with it

maybe look for key things like tow hitch, the tow kit from Honda comes with a honda tranny cooler, with aftermarket chances is they wont.

I had an 2000 Accord V6 (probably one of the most notorious ones) with an auto that was a soldier until I got rid of it at 260,xxx km. Original tranny.

I've read the horror stories, did a fluid change every year, and it was strong for the 5 years that I had it. So essentially it all comes down to luck...

If you can test drive it before, you can usually tell if it shifts smoothly; if you hear clunks, especially between second and third, I'd be a bit wary.

It's hard for mechanics to diagnose it properly I think. I took the car before I bought it to a transmission shop (high acclaimed in the lower mainland), and the guy said it's on its last leg, and that I should just replace it as soon as I can. :fuckthatshit:

I had a 6th gen before ('98 accord V6)

Transmission did not shift smooth at all. Alot of times it would drop really hard into 2nd gear especially if I put my foot down a little bit from a dead stop.

Parents have a '99 Odyssey, bought used with 130k ish in 08?, transmission failed at just over 150k in 2012. Got it rebuilt for something crazy like 3500 and its beginning to act up again now. Just threw a CEL for torque converter.

Even my TL doesn't have a very good transmission. There is some gear engagement lag where after i shift from P to D you have to wait 2-3 seconds before it finally catches up. Doesnt shift the smoothest when cold. Going to do a fluid flush and pressure switches soon, hopefully that helps.

Moral of the story is buy one if you know its been properly maintained, i heard these transmissions are even sensitive to the brand of fluid you put in. Will be a big headache if anything goes wrong and pricey to fix.

gosh that's terrible
so much for Honda bullet proof reliability...even if you have a strong motor it's gonna be a moot point with the tranny being the weakest link

sounds like a lot of luck involved so you pretty much have to be meticulous with the maintence to reduce the chances of losing your transmission.

^That's essentially it.

Honda manual gearboxes ARE bulletproof. I don't know why they had so much trouble in the last decade.

That being said, it's not EVERY tranny. And as someone said, only use honda ATF. and Never EVER flush it. Only drain-refill.

its a lack of lubrication that causes failure of the second gear clutch packs. i believe on certain models all they ended up doing was adding in an oil jet to help the lack of lubrication in the area. i previously owned an 03 tl and the trans on it had to be replaced because of a very noticeable hard up shift from 1st to 2nd gear. your best bet would be to just find one with a repair history that shows the transmission has been replaced.

Honda ATF didn't help my tranny.

Luck of the draw if yours will last or not. Like others said if it takes long to get into engage drive, probably torque converter issue, and if it seems to slip between 2 and 3, stay away. I bought my car with a light flare/slip thinking it would last a while and 3 months later $3k tranny rebuild. So far no problems, bought it with a two year warranty incase.
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^which year?

03 accord v6 coupe