I am new to this site so if I am not supposed to be posting, I appologise...I need help! Have mercy on a sweet Southern girl that needs some help! So forgive me this once and I will follow the rules from now on....I just purchased a 1998 Honda Accord V6 EX and I love it...however, if I don't let it warm up for at least 15 minutes the transmission Jerks (a lot and hard) until it does warm up. Then it runs like new. I have paid to take it to 6 mechanics and none of them know what is wrong. I have had the fluid flushed...still does it! Any suggestions?

 

Well you should be fine posting this here this is the correct place for that don't worry about it. My old 96 Accord EX 4 cyl. was an auto with 74,000 miles on it and was taken car of very well and it use to shift hard when it was cold, it was just a really firm shift but I think that is normal. Is that what you mean by the transmission jerking around until it is warmed up? If it is not maybe you could try to describe it a little more.

 

Thank you for your help. Perhaps it is normal...however, it shifts so hard that I am afraid it will damage the transmission. The car has been very well taken care of so I don't think it has been neglected before I purchased it. So, that said, let me see if I can describe what happens a little better. When I get in the car in the mornings (very cold start) if I don't start it and walk away for about 15 minutes, when I put it into drive it hesitates for about 5 seconds and then jerks into drive. Then when it goes into second it will hesitate and then jerk into gear. Sometimes while it hesitates the RPMs go way up and then it jerks and the RPM's come back down. It does this until you are in 4th and if you have to stop it does it back down into first. It just feels like it isn't making a smooth transition into the next gear. Like it is "falling". Does that make sense?

 

I believe what you are describing is normal. All automatic Honda's shift hard with high mileage especially in the mornings. What I do, is i LET THE CAR WARM UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Toyota transmissions shift much smoother than Honda's.

 

That sounds like a bad transmission. The 6th gen accord v6's have lots of problems with transmissions. YOu may try and sweet talk your dealer into replacing yours or you can buy mine and have it intstalled.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rachel325 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thank you for your help. Perhaps it is normal...however, it shifts so hard that I am afraid it will damage the transmission. The car has been very well taken care of so I don't think it has been neglected before I purchased it. So, that said, let me see if I can describe what happens a little better. When I get in the car in the mornings (very cold start) if I don't start it and walk away for about 15 minutes, when I put it into drive it hesitates for about 5 seconds and then jerks into drive. Then when it goes into second it will hesitate and then jerk into gear. Sometimes while it hesitates the RPMs go way up and then it jerks and the RPM's come back down. It does this until you are in 4th and if you have to stop it does it back down into first. It just feels like it isn't making a smooth transition into the next gear. Like it is "falling". Does that make sense?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Okay, yeah I don't think what you are describing sounds normal, if the transmission is hesitating and slipping(if your RPMs are going way up, and the car is acting like it is not in gear) then I would say there is something wrong with the transmission. It reminds me of fords auto trany for the 5.0L the clutches in the tranny are slipping when it shifts to the next gear usually 3rd, does your car happen to make any vibrating noises when it shifts and the RPMs go up? You should also be able to feel the vibrations if the clutches are slipping in the auto tranny I would think, I know on the ford you can.

 

It does not vibrate. Is there anything I can do to prevent further damage? OR...am I just stuck purchasing a new transmission?

 

thatss the thing with the 98 auto tranny. they should not do it like the trany on the 90-97 did. we all know the 98-2000 accord auto tranny was bad. that is why honda started replacing all of them without a fee. and they extended their warranty.
the only thing i can say now is to check the motor mount. i find that dificult to be the problem since u took it to the mechanics. or torque convertor.

just take it to the dealer and explain the situation. they will have the right answers for u.

 

I agree, talk to the dealer, see what they can do to correct the problem for you. However, if they say this will cost you, leave it alone for now. Make sure you warm up your car, don't abuse your tranny, and drive it until it dies. I'll bet you'll get a couple of years at least out of that tranny.