Getting really fed up with this car(2002 civic ex) . I bought it used with a rebuilt transmission, no real big deal, right? Wrong! Within 60 days that one failed, stranding my wife. I was enjoying un employment at the time, so the $2,ooo rebuild job was especially painful.
After 1 year goes by I am finally working and the trans. has failed again, it has been serviced and cared for, but it is showing torque converter failure codes and several other codes; it is dead again.
Is there a reliable fix for this pos transmission design or a "cure for good" unit that I can replace it with? What about a change to a manual transmission? How involved it the swap?

I gotta say that the shop replacement/repair cost is really going to exceed the value of the auto, putting more into a 2002 civic ex than it is worth, money that I will never recoup for keeping a car with 175,000 miles on the road.

I have been very very disappointed in (this) honda and my bright idea about buying a reliable (hondas last forever, right?) used car to help in bad times has certainly bitten me on the butt.
Any help or advise (beyond setting the car on fire) will be appreciated.

 

2 grand for a tranny rebuild? ****!

 

If you get another auto tranny I would get one for 04-05 model years. They have been revised so they are more reliable. 128k miles on mine so far. Some people would also suggest getting a tranny cooler, could help extend the life of the tranny.

 

Haven't heard too much about the 7gen tranny's going out, but if you were to switch it I'd just go to a manual tranny, or like the person above mentioned, if you want auto try the 04-05.

I know how you feel though, because same thing happened to my 03 TL, which was known to have tranny problems. I took it to a pretty reputable shop and paid around the same as you but they re did the torque convertor and was running smooth for a year. I eventually just sold it because I didn't want to deal with any other problems either.

Sometimes you just need to calculate when it's time to just cut your loses.. sorry to hear man!

Your options are pretty much:

Rebuild current trans
Buy a used OEM trans
Swap to 5sp or 04-05 auto trans
Sell it

Good luck!

 

As noted by others; get an '04 or '05 transmission. Rumor has it that they utilized components of a higher grade than those in the '01 - '03 automatics. Or just cut your losses and get rid of it.


If you decide to do an automatic-to-manual transmission swap; there is a DIY in the FAQ's for that...

 

they use to make racing overhaul kits for the 01-03 trans but im not sure if they still produce them that would make it bullet proof.

 

I would have to agree with switching to a manual transmission. I have 160,000 miles on my '02 LX and have NEVER had a problem with it.

 

Get a junkyard trans put in and sell the car.