Honda transmission problems: Civic, Accord, CR-V

TSS parts for Honda transmissions: external cartridge filter and Rojo and Dorado overhaul kits

In short

Honda's conventional 4-, 5- and 6-speed automatics are parallel-shaft units; newer models use CVTs or 9- and 10-speed automatics.
A flashing D on the dash is Honda's warning of a possible transmission problem: avoid hard acceleration and get it scanned soon.
The most documented hardware failure is second gear on the 2003 and 2004 Accord V6, 2002 to 2004 Odyssey and 2003 and 2004 Pilot, covered by a 2004 recall.
Judder at steady speed isn't always the converter: on several models, Honda found deteriorated fluid and fixed it with software and three drain-and-fills.
Honda CVTs take HCF-2, and many of their problems were fixed with software updates.

If your automatic Honda bangs into gear, judders at steady speed, slips or flashes the D on the dash, this article covers which transmission each model has, its most documented problems according to Honda's bulletins and recalls, what its trouble codes mean, the fluid each one takes and which parts get replaced.

Which transmission does my Honda have?

Honda builds most of its own automatics, and its conventional 4-, 5- and 6-speed units are parallel-shaft designs: the gears ride on shafts, like the countershaft and secondary shaft Honda mentions in its bulletins. Many recent models use a CVT, and recent large SUVs and minivans use 9- or 10-speed automatics. Parts catalogs list these codes:

Model	Automatic transmission
Civic 2001 to 2005 (except CVT versions)	4-speed: BMXA, SLXA
Civic 2006 to 2011 1.8	5-speed: SPCA, MPCA
Accord 1998 to 2002	4-speed: BAXA, MAXA (4-cylinder); B7XA (V6)
Accord 2003 to 2007	5-speed: BCLA, MCLA (4-cylinder); BAYA, MAYA (V6)
Accord 2008 to 2012	5-speed: M91A, B90A (4-cylinder); B97A, B98A (V6)
Accord 2013 to 2017	CVT (4-cylinder); 6-speed (V6)
Accord 2018 to 2022	CVT (1.5 turbo); 10-speed (2.0 turbo)
CR-V 2007 to 2011	5-speed: BZHA, BZJA, MZHA, MZJA
CR-V 2012 to 2014	5-speed: B5RA, B5SA
CR-V 2015 and later	CVT
Odyssey 1999 to 2001	4-speed: B7TA, B7YA
Odyssey 2002 to 2004	5-speed: BYBA
Odyssey 2005 to 2010	5-speed: BGRA, then B36A, P36A
Pilot 2003 to 2008	5-speed: BVGA, PVGA, BVLA, PVLA; P34A, P35A from 2006
Pilot 2009 to 2015	5-speed: PN3A, PN4A
Fit, HR-V, newer Civic and CR-V	CVT

Confirm the code on the transmission's label or give the VIN to your parts seller before ordering. Some years differ by market: the 2014 and 2015 Civic was a CVT in the US but a 5-speed in Mexico, and the 2006 to 2008 Fit was a CVT in Mexico.

Flashing D: what it means

It's how Honda warns of a transmission fault. The 2004 Accord owner's manual says that if it flashes while driving, in any shift position, "it indicates a possible problem in the transmission", and other Honda manuals add to avoid rapid acceleration and sudden starts. Have it scanned soon: the fault is stored with a code. Some cases from Honda's bulletins:

2001 to 2004 Civic that won't move when Drive is selected, with the D flashing and code P0730.
2002 and 2003 CR-V with code P1706 (transmission range switch open). Honda also recalled those CR-Vs because shift cable corrosion could keep the driver from shifting into Park.
2016 to 2019 Civic, CR-V and Accord CVTs with code P2817: the computer misread a pulley's pressure, and Honda fixed it with software.
2016 to 2020 HR-V: Honda added code P271E so the D flashes as soon as the CVT belt starts to fail.

Honda even tells its technicians not to test-drive with the check engine light or the D indicator on. We found no official flash-code table we could verify: read the code with a scan tool.

2003-2004 Accord V6, 2002-2004 Odyssey and 2003-2004 Pilot: second gear

It's Honda's most documented hardware failure. In 2004, Honda recalled more than a million vehicles, including the 2003 and 2004 Accord V6, the 2002 to 2004 Odyssey and the 2003 and 2004 Pilot plus several Acuras, because heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears could chip or break the gear teeth and lock up the transmission. The remedy was a revised oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to second gear and, on higher-mileage vehicles, an inspection, replacing the transmission if the gears were discolored. A later class action settlement covered the same three Honda models.

Judder at steady speed: often not the converter

Torque converter lockup judder, roughly between 20 and 60 mph, is usually diagnosed as a bad converter. But on the 2013 to 2016 Accord V6 and the 2012 to 2015 Odyssey, Honda investigated and found the converter wasn't the cause: the judder came from deteriorated transmission fluid, which breaks down faster than expected under intermittent high heat loads. The fix was a software update plus draining and filling the transmission three times, with a drive cycle in between.

On other models Honda also started with software: on the 2012 to 2014 CR-V it updated the programming and replaced the fluid, and only if the judder returned did the converter need replacing. On the 2012 to 2015 Pilot, vibration between 30 and 65 mph came from Variable Cylinder Management combined with the lockup converter. Honda also extended the torque converter warranty on some 2005 and 2006 and 2011 and 2012 Odysseys. If your transmission judders, our guide to why an automatic transmission slips or shifts hard also helps.

Harsh, erratic or delayed shifts

Honda issued several bulletins for these symptoms, and most were fixed with software or a new computer:

2002 to 2004 Odyssey: erratic or harsh shifting with the D flashing; the bulletin ended in a PCM replacement.
2014 and 2015 Odyssey: hard downshift or clunk around 6 to 13 mph, from the transmission software settings.
2016 to 2020 Pilot and 2018 and 2019 Odyssey with the 9-speed: harsh upshifts from abnormal adaptation values; the transmission computer is updated and needs at least 500 miles to adapt.
2013 and 2014 Accord slow to engage after sitting, and 2015 and 2016 CR-V that stalls in Reverse on a cold start: in both cases fluid drained out of the torque converter.

CVT: slipping, surging or noise

Honda's CVTs have their own bulletins too, and most were resolved with software:

2015 and 2016 Accord and CR-V: an incorrect learned value could make the belt slip at highway speeds, with code P1890. Software fixed it, but if the code was already set, Honda replaced the transmission.
2016 Civic 1.5 turbo: rpm surge at highway speeds under light throttle; the transmission computer is updated.
2016 to 2020 HR-V: risk of belt breakage. Honda updated the software and extended the CVT warranty to 7 years or 150,000 miles.
2014 and 2015 Civic and 2015 Fit: recall for possible drive pulley shaft damage, fixed with a software update.
A CVT low on fluid makes pump noise under acceleration, according to Honda.

If your Honda has one of these symptoms, ask a dealer whether software updates or campaigns are pending for your VIN. Sun Transmissions has a guide to the top symptoms of CVT problems.

2001 to 2005 Civic and other cases

2001 Civic: per Honda, a power surge could damage the engine computer, setting P1705, flashing the shift indicator lights and keeping the lever from leaving Park; the computer was replaced.
We found no Honda warranty extension for the conventional automatic in the 2001 to 2005 Civic: the extensions for those years covered the CVT versions (HX, GX and Hybrid).
2016 and 2017 Civic CVT that won't come out of Park or crank, with code U0038: an internal transmission computer fault.
If you're stuck in snow, mud or sand, don't rock the car between R and D with the wheels spinning fast: Honda warns it damages the transmission.

Common trouble codes

Code	What it points to, per Honda
P0730	Incorrect gear ratio; on the 2001 to 2004 Civic, a car that won't move in Drive
P0740	Lockup control system; Honda says not to replace the solenoid without a diagnosis
P0741	Torque converter clutch performance or stuck off; on some 2017 models, a cracked lockup piston
P0780	Mechanical problem in the hydraulic system, or after replacing solenoids or the transmission
P0710	Fluid temperature sensor; Honda says not to replace solenoids for this code
P1705 and P1706	Transmission range switch (shift lever position) shorted or open
P1890	CVT speed control system: the belt slipped
P2817	CVT pressure control solenoid; on 2016 to 2019 models, fixed with software
P271E	CVT belt monitor (HR-V)
U0038	Lost communication between the transmission and engine computers

Sun Transmissions explains codes P0730, P0740 and P0741.

What fluid does it take?

Conventional automatics: Honda ATF. The 2004 Accord manual calls for Honda ATF-Z1 and allows DEXRON III only temporarily, since continued use can affect shift quality; Honda's more recent bulletins call for Honda ATF DW-1.
CVTs: Honda HCF-2, not to be mixed with other fluids.
9-speed automatic: ATF Type 3.1. It has no dipstick and the level is critical: per Honda, too high and it shifts hard, too low and it slips.
To change it, Honda drains and fills, drives a short distance and repeats three times, and it doesn't recommend aftermarket flush machines.

Do Honda transmissions have a filter? Yes: an internal filter and, on many models from 2006, an external cartridge filter.

How it's diagnosed and repaired

Scan it: if the D flashes, the fault is stored with a code.
Check the fluid level and condition, and that it's the right Honda fluid.
Ask a dealer about software updates: many Honda transmission problems were fixed that way.
Don't replace the converter for judder without ruling out the fluid and software, or solenoids for codes P0710 or P0740 without a diagnosis.
When repairing it, confirm your transmission's code: 4-speed parts aren't 5-speed or CVT parts.

How much does the repair cost? It depends on what failed: a software update or a fluid change isn't the same as a rebuild. Get a diagnosis before accepting a replacement transmission.

See TSS parts for Honda

TSS parts for Honda transmissions

The TSS catalog lists more than 100 parts for Honda and Acura transmissions. The most requested are:

External cartridge filter 25450-P4V-003, TSS's best-selling Honda part; per a Honda parts catalog, its current number fits many Accords from 2008, Odysseys from 2007, Pilots from 2006 and CR-Vs from 2015.
Internal filters for the 2001 to 2005 and 2006 to 2011 Civic, the Accord, the CR-V and the 2015-and-later CR-V CVT.
TSS Rojo and Dorado overhaul kits for the 2001 to 2005 Civic (BMXA) and 2006 to 2011 Civic (SPCA), the 4-cylinder (BCLA) and V6 (BAYA) Accord, and the B36A family (Odyssey, Pilot and 2008 to 2012 Accord V6); we explain the difference in TSS Rojo vs Dorado overhaul kits.
Linear and shift solenoids, friction and steel plates, pistons and seals.

Before ordering, confirm your transmission code with the label or the VIN. To buy online in the US, Sun Transmissions has the Honda collection.

TSS is an aftermarket brand with OEM-comparable quality and quality control on every product. You can buy it from our authorized distributors: in the United States from Sun Transmissions, and in Mexico the full TSS catalog at Transmisiones Veinte 07.

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