Hello, I recently been having problems with my accord transmission. It all started after i replaced the fluid(130k miles). The reason to why i replaced it is cause the car was recently not shifting out of second. It only did it some times, So i thought it could of been dirty fluid or filter. Come to find out you cant change the filter unless the transmission is pulled. So i got dexron 3 from walmart. Pretty sure its the first time its been changed cause the plug never looked tempered with. Plug had magnetic gunk on it. Not alot but some. Changed it then took for test drive after going through the gears. Drove fine until i did a burnout/360 in a parking left and started heading home, on the way home it went out of gear, No gears would work (AT BTW). So i turned the car off and back on and it started going into gears again. On the way home it slowly slips out of drive and then none of gears will work. So i kept turning the car off and on every time that happened to get it home. I took the factory tcu out and seen parts on the board have been replaced, then on the back someone hotwire a wire from the top of the board to the bottom. So I got a used tcu of ebay same model number. Put it in and the tcu light turns red even with the car off. It told me a code while the car was running(after jumping the two pins in the blue plugin). It would flash one long time then 5 more times. Took that computer out and opened it up and seen 2 capacitors are blown at the bottom right of the board. The computer that was in the car to start with blinks(just blinks and doesn't stop) while showing nothing on the dash. Basically: When i start it up and put it in reverse it goes all the way into it, then put it into drive and it slips into it slowly and eventually slips out then non of the gears work till i restart it,sometimes it will slowwwly slip back into reverse if in that gear. Fluid is at full mark when car is off also. ANY IDEAS?

 

From your description, you need to source a functional TCU.

Also suggest you drain/replace ATF at least 3 times w/ Honda ATF to remove as much Dexron as possible. Hondas work best w/ Honda ATF.

If you want to remove all Dexron w/ minimum Honda ATF waste, check following youtube video.


good luck

 

will honda atf actually make a difference? And my first computer should work how it did before changing fluid if this works..

 

When checking the fluid do i push the plug all the way in then pull it out?

 

Can't remeber it the 4th gens had a "screw in" or "push in" trans stick......which is it?

If push, no threads on the stick - just a rubber seal, then push it all the way in. However, Honda likes for you to check the trans fluid when warm/hot and within ~1 minute of shutting the car off......their rules, not mine....I just have to follow them

So shut the car off after driving a bit and the car is to op temp. Pull the plug, wipe it off, insert plug, remove and check the level on the stick.

 

Update: I followed the video and put this in it and drained the crappy walmart dexron 3 i put in: http://images.oreillyauto.com/parts/...mv_atf_1qt.jpg

So did that went through the gears let it sit and kept toping it off. Drove fine at first then started slipping again, Not like before though. It will be in gear more and drive fine for like half a mile then slip out then wont go into any gears, Until restarted.. The computer is blinking one time. But i dont want to go by this computer cause its been rigged. Im going to replace the blown capacitors in the new computer i bought and see if i get any codes after that. I'm thinking it could be a shift solenoid, shiftier position cause sometimes it doesn't show me in neutral. ALSO removed the upper solenoid and cleaned gasket/screen was basically clean looking, sprayed carb cleaner in the holes as much as i could.

 

Oh and i also meterd both solenoids they was from 26-29. Just attempted to drive it to take a friend home, Kept slipping out at random times, Im pretty sure its the solenoid. When i went to put it in reverse while non of gears was working i heard a clacking noise coming from under the hood and it slowly went into reverse.

 

Went to junk yard today and got all solenoid replacements. Theyre way louder then the ones that was on it when hooked up to 12v, But the problem still exists . Going to get a new computer now to see if that does it.

 

did you find out the problem ? i have the same problem on a 1990 accord , was driving and just will not engage on any gear or reverse and makes a grinding noise when shift to park , but will not go actually on park ,cause the car its liked if it was on neutral, and i could turn both wheels by hand. i check the solenoids and both click and are pretty clean and the tcu its not blinking or no codes store after grounding connector. the fluid its pretty nasty , but besides the fluid what do you think, i check also the shifter cable and its moving the lever as it should. and i put a brand new cv axel on pass side , but the driver its pretty bad , but not broken.