It is no secret that Honda is a highly reputable automobile company. However, one of the biggest issues that owners of Honda Civic have faced over the years is the transmission system failure. Models from this company have developed transmission issues since 1994. It doesn’t matter if you are using a Civic or not, once it is Honda, you are likely to have transmission problems years down the line.
We will discuss this issue in this post and also look into what you can do to solve the problem. Without further ado, let’s dive straight in.
Honda Civic Automatic Transmission Not Shifting: Common Causes
It is pretty simple to understand when we say that your automatic transmission isn’t shifting. It means that the gear stick isn’t moving. Another scenario is that you can move the gear stick but when it is in drive it doesn’t change gears easily.
If you are experiencing this problem, you must be frustrated and perplexed. Not to worry, we have put together a list of possible reasons why this is happening. Check them out below:
Low transmission fluid
Let’s face it, one of the chief reasons why we have transmission problems is “low transmission fluid” levels. Without this fluid, it will be very difficult for your transmission to move. This is because the fluid helps to reduce friction between the different parts of your transmission.
Interestingly, transmission fluid seldom runs low. If this happens, it is probably because the transmission is leaking. You need to fix it as quickly as you can because it can develop into more complicated problems.
Solenoid-related issues
If you were wondering what the solenoid is, here’s your answer: It is the component that controls the transmission fluid. Based on the relationship between the fluid and the solenoid, you can bet that its malfunction is because of this relationship.
What we mean is that when the solenoid gets faulty, it is mostly because of low transmission fluid. You may not even notice that it is bad until you have refilled the transmission fluid. After you have refilled and are still experiencing problems, your solenoid is likely broken.
Slipping gears
You may not notice this when you try to shift the gear stick. It is once the car is in motion that this issue comes up. Normally, you should have very smooth gear changes corresponding to the power that you give your engine.
If the gear is slipping, you will notice that your Civic’s transmission slips into neutral randomly. As such, you will be revving the car a lot before the gears change.
Locking gears
This is very similar to slipping gears. The only difference is that, in this case, the gear doesn’t shift at all. Instead, it remains locked on one level all through your drive. No matter how much pressure you apply to the engine, the speed remains the same even though the engine revs.
Jamming clutch
This is also a very common problem with the Honda Civic Automatic Transmission. In this case, you will notice that the car will experience gear slips and locks. However, it will be more intense because you wouldn’t get out of the first gear. It will also be difficult to move the gear stick from park to drive.
Overheating
Sometimes, when you are driving, you will perceive a burning smell. If it is coming from your car, it is likely the transmission fluid is overheating. This is mostly because the car is already low on the transmission fluid and the rest of it is burning up. If you notice this, you should immediately park the car and seek professional help.
Honda Civic Automatic Transmission Not Shifting: Fixing the Problem
We have already discussed a few common problems that may cause your automatic transmission not to shift. In this section, we will discuss a few fixes.
Refill the transmission fluid
This is the first thing that you should do once you notice that your transmission is not shifting. Like we said earlier, it is most likely not shifting because you are out of transmission oil. Ensure that you purchase the right transmission oil and pour it in the right location.
After this, allow the oil to circulate, and then you can try the transmission again. If it still doesn’t shift, then you have a more complicated problem.
Speak to a professional
For every other problem discussed above, you’ll need professional help. We don’t advise that you try to fix the solenoid or clutch by yourself. Instead, invite your mechanic to come and have a look at your car. This way, you can protect the vehicle from further damage.
