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Honda Accord (2008-2012) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Joe,

    My 04 4cyl Accord has a faint whine as does my 4cyl Tacoma pickup. Both have timing chains, not belts. Although I can't prove that the chain is the source of the noise, that's what I'm suspecting is causing the whine.

    Mrbill
  • temj12temj12 Member Posts: 450
    I have an '05 4 cylinder with a manual trans. I purchased the car new and noticed the whine when I hit the interstate. I have always assumed that it was the gearing. It is a high pitched whine. I also have a timing chain.
  • hkmhkm Member Posts: 20
    I got a service reminder yesterday. Any one knows how much this B1 service costs for a 1 year old 2011 Accord with 17.5k mi on it.

    WHen I checked some forums online- the prices paid ranged from $67 to $489- this is the reason I ask.
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Does your Accord manual state that you need to do this B1 service? Follow the manual's schedule and save your money. Dealers seem to dream up numerous unnecessary services that Honda doesn't require.

    Mrbill
  • carymattcarymatt Member Posts: 3
    Refer your dealer to TSB 10-080 (Creaking)

    My 2011 Accord EX-L Coupe at 14,500 miles developed a body flex noise that was driving me crazy. I have to take 12 left turns and 12 right turns a day going in and out of a six story parking deck, so at least 24 times a day that noise was grinding on my last nerves.

    I just got my Coupe back from the dealer today after they did the repairs listed under the TSB and the noise is finally GONE!
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    What was the nature of the TSB? Does it effect only coupes?
  • hondalovahondalova Member Posts: 189
    Okay, when last we left our superhero he ws dealing with package shelf and headliner rattles as well as poor gas mileage. Dealer has been very willing to listen and take a run at repairing squeaks and rattles. So far we've fixed the package shelf rattle (tied to some holding clamps related to the rear shelf). I also found that the cross-brace rods under the shelf make a metallic flex squeak unles they're fully inserted in their mounts. Best to shake them a little (gently) back and forth to work them in.

    However, I continue to have headliner noises above the passenger seat (dealer has stuffed felt tape in 1/2 a dozen different places - better each time but not a total elimination). My brake pedal still squeaks - they had fixed that by replacing the pistion assembly where it meets the master cylinder but it came back about 6000 miles later. This time they lubed it and it came back about 60 miles later but seems to have lessened a little since then.

    My last and latest problem is that I keep getting a "cush" sound from the rear of the car. Dealer is convinced it is related to rear package shelf assembly, but I stilll think its more suspension related. Whenever I go over a soft bump I hear a "cush" sound as the suspension travels and settles. Tends to happen most under 45 degrees outside - almost not at all above 50 degrees.

    Now my son tells me my cyclops light is out. I'm so freakin' tired of going to the dealer and I don't want to call Honda of America b/c all they'll do is dump on the dealer. Despite their limited success in fixing these problems, I do believe they are trying hard and don't want to cause problems for them or anger them.

    Any suggestions or ideas?

    -FS
  • carymattcarymatt Member Posts: 3
    http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=65961

    Follow the above link for a copy of TSB 10-080. Affects all Accords -- Sedans and Coupes. There are five pages of places listed where your creaking may be coming from.

    PS: I spoke too soon. My creaking came back after being silent for two weeks, so my dealer agreed go over the car again.

    I still don't creak when going straight or on bumpy roads now. My creaking seems to be confined to right turns at speed (a 90% turn from one road onto another).

    It still seems to come from the same area a before, but before they did repairs I would also get the sound when making left turns, so I'm wondering if when they fixed one spot another is starting to flex.
  • Honda30Honda30 Member Posts: 16
    I get a click sound in my 2011 EX sedan 4 cyl. coming from the package shelf area. Will post up re where it is when I find it.
  • Honda30Honda30 Member Posts: 16
    Has anyone had the computer update re the cold starting issue done. This is suppose to correct valve timing and injector issues at cold start which Honda claims can cause the engine to burn excessive oil if not corrected. This is Service Bulletin 11-049.

    If so, have you noticed any change in performance, driveability or gas mileage?
  • badtrannybadtranny Member Posts: 33
    edited July 2012
    My LX-P needs new rubber. I guess for the first two years I was pretty happy with the Dunlop OEM 7000 series tires that came with the new car (215 60H 16"). But, I am hearing that a road hazard warranty isn't available for that tires replacement. I have used the warranty before on other brands of tires, and cars. It is a nice option for the money.

    Living in Connecticut, I need traction for rain and snow. And I would prefer a quiet tire, the Honda is noisy enough. I would love to have a tire that gets about 50k of good service too. The current tires have come up short. I will take part of the blame for not getting the tires rotated more often.

    Any brands, or models for this particular car that are proven performers? Keep in mind, I have to have the H rated tires since that is what is called out for. Why?? It isn't a Ferrari!!
  • guitar4himguitar4him Member Posts: 19
    I recently replaced OEM tires on my 2008 with Michelin Defender's. The OEM's had 56K and had gotten really noisy even though I had been meticulous about rotations and pressure. I think the OEM Dunlop tires are junk. The Michelin's are really quiet and are rated at 90K. Michelin includes some kind of road hazard coverage with those tires.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's very hard to combine the qualities of long-wear and good traction----the two concepts are somewhat contradictory.
  • icyou812icyou812 Member Posts: 77
    edited July 2012
    I put Goodyear Assurance Comfortreads on mine. The Dunlops are more responsive and corner like nobodies business, but they rode like a rock and were horribly noisy. I replaced them at 40k even though there was 4/32 left. The GY tires ride better and are quite a bit quieter, but there is only so much a tire can do for the Accord. It will always be a noisy car. As far as traction goes, they are good so far in the rain, acceptable in the snow, but I leave my car parked in the garage if there is much snow and take the 4X4. Dedicated snow tires would be the way to go. As far as mileage goes, they are supposed to be 80K tires I believe. I have 20K on them so far and are wearing fine. No road hazard warranty though. If you have a Costco you belong to, they have road hazard included on all tires they sell. Obtw, my gas mileage didn't drop or gain with these. Still managed 33mpg @ 75mph and the trunk stuffed full traveling to Colorado and back last month. For me, they are a good compromise. You will find there is no perfect tire, at least that has been my experience.
  • sidbsidb Member Posts: 26
    Just bought a brand new Accord SE . Driving back home from the Dealership , i noticed a kind of major vibration/noise.

    It happens only when the car is in Drive Gear, with break pressed , and with the AC compressor running.
    If i switch off the AC compressor , this vibration/noise goes of.

    I can even reproduce the issue at home .

    Start the Car .
    Start the AC Fan,
    Put the car in D .. The Engine RPM goes down.
    Press the AC Button , the compressor starts .
    And the CAR/engine vibrates so much , that i get vibration sounds from even back of the Vehicle.
    Switch off the Compressor , and the vibration and sound stops.

    This vibration/noise wont come , if i don't put the car in D (i.e start the car and leave it in park , and switch on the compressor).

    Is it possible , that the engine is just so new (around 40 miles) ,and that's why engine is still not at its peak.

    Pls suggest..
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Ah, I think I know the answer here. When you turn on the AC on just about any modern car, a switch is supposed to boost engine idle speed. So either this switch isn't working, OR your AC compressor is loose on its mounts.
  • sidbsidb Member Posts: 26
    Thanks for the quick reply , and it really makes sense.

    I think the switch may be the issue , because if the compressor is loose the noise/vibration should come also when the car is in parking gear , not just D gear.

    Or my be the engine still needs some break in. I will go to the Dealer on the weekend.
  • ahqahq Member Posts: 37
    I drive a 2010 Accord LX. It has close to 25K miles and I've had it for 26 months now. The LX and SE share the same mechanicals, although there were some minor tweaks between 2010 and 2012.

    I've noticed some rather unrefined moans and groans coming from beneath the hood, in addition to some low level vibration (kind of a thrummy sound or feel) when the A/C is running, or when I turn the steering wheel while pulling my car out of a parking space at engine idle speed. The engine also surges a bit upon start-up. I think this is just the way the Accord is, at least the 4-cyl models.
  • sidbsidb Member Posts: 26
    Just for information .. The RPM when my car is D , but brake pressed is around 650, when i switch on the Fan it jumps to 750 , but stays 750 when i switch on the AC , ie the actual compressor.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hmmm....well I don't know how that particular car's system is set up but I don't see any reason why merely switching on a fan should cause a rise in RPM--I wonder if the compressor WAS actually engaged at that time.

    It's possible that a loose compressor might only vibrate in gear and not at idle in Park. In any event, such vibration is way out of the ordinary and must be checked.
  • sidbsidb Member Posts: 26
    This is my 4th Honda , I cant believe that the Honda quality has gone done by this much.
    Having these issues :
    1. Constant Grinding Noise coming from the engine ( Most Probably the Serpe Belt), the noise increases in the compartment , when the AC Fan is on.
    2. Single Knocking Sound ( as if something moves and hit some thing) when accelerate from stop.
    3.A weird sensation(happens randomly, like a jerk/or the accelerator depresses itself) in the accelerator pedal , while driving.
    4.AC Throwing out water off the Vent.
  • jodar96jodar96 Member Posts: 400
    edited September 2012
    I have had 84, 94, 2001, and 2009 Accords. My 2009 is an I-4 EX-L manual. What you describe as a grind, I call a whine. I have the same issue and I do not like the whine at all.

    On the phone, the service advisor said he needs to hear it. I told him I thought it is the power steering pump noise. He said it could be the timing chain. I will be very disappointed at Honda if it is the timing chain. Honda has been building this generation 2.4L engines since 2003 and the 2009 model has the issue??

    At 47K miles, the car also uses about half a quart of oil between the oil changes. The rest of the car is fine. The gas mileage was a very decent 34mpg on the last road trip.

    The seat comfort is not the best and year after year Honda has no intention of benchmarking other brands' seat comfort. I will wait and see what the 2013 Accord feels like. I also will consider the new Altima next time around.

    One thing about the Accord and Civic that no one can deny is their incredible resale value. Bought a new 2010 Civic LX-S manual for $16K, 18 months and 20K miles later, sold it for $15,500.

    Joe
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Joe,

    My 04 I4 also has a whine to it, it's very faint and other people I mentioned the noise to don't notice it, but I can hear it. I've also suspected it's the timing chain since it's a similar noise to my I4 Toyota truck which also has a timing chain.

    I can live with the faint noise over the need to replace a costly timing belt.

    Mrbill
  • kikixokikixo Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2012 and I noticed that wierd sensation where it jerks during very low speeds. I thought I was just sensitive since I used to drive a 2000 Accord with transmission problems. I'm hoping this 2012 accord doesn't have a transmission problem either
  • jodar96jodar96 Member Posts: 400
    Does anyone know where the coolant bleed off screw is on this 2.4L engine? I appreciate an accurate answer. There is no screw around plastic thermostat housing, nor is there one in vacinity of metal piece that attached to the engine and upper radiator hose.

    Thank you,
    Joe
  • jimbo222jimbo222 Member Posts: 7
    I know what you are talking about. I think the automatic transmission is programmed to shift into gear as quickly as possible. I tended to drive with the rpms as low as possible. My 12 accord shifts less jerky if you give it more gas and shift in the 2-3k range. After 3000 miles I think I have adjusted my driving style
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Don't think there is one. You bleed the system by running with a loose radiator cap at idle.
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    Brought my 2010 EX-L V6 in for the B12 service @ 29,200 miles. Once again (had this issue with my 2008) I'm told the rear pads (allegedly improved rear pads) need to be replaced. They said they would also turn the rotors. Why is this still an issue? My front pads were both @ 9MM and the rears were @ 4 & 3MM. I told them I would let some other repair shop profit from Honda's poor engineering. I was going to browse the showroom to check out the gen 9's but had to bad a taste in my mouth at the time. They did look nice from a distance. I can't believe that an entire 5 year generation run was produced with such a well documented design flaw.
  • ahqahq Member Posts: 37
    I have seven months left on my three-year lease on a 2010 Accord LX. It has close to 28K miles on it and I recently started to feel a very slight pulsation through the brake pedal during prolonged consistent brake pedal application (4-5 seconds), e.g. slowing down while driving downhill at freeway speeds. I'm on the fence on whether I'll buy the car and keep it for the long haul, but regardless of what I do, it looks like I'll probably have to get the car a brake job before the end of May.

    Anyhow, my understanding was that there was some sort of brake service campaign (or recall?) for the 2008, 2009 and early 2010 Accords. I looked up my car's VIN and it isn't covered under the campaign. I'm hoping that the rear pads are in good shape, but I guess I'm not too surprised that the front rotors may have to be turned at close to 30K miles.
  • icyou812icyou812 Member Posts: 77
    I actually was able to get 43,000 miles before I replaced the rear pads on my '08 LX w/mt. Not sure how I got that lucky, perhaps it is because I use the engine to help brake by downshifting while coming to a stop. Letting a independent shop do them is probably the better choice, that's what I did. They put on Raybestos ceramic pads and replaced the rotors at the same time even though they weren't warped or damaged. I'm not sure how thick the rotors are on these, but most of them any more shouldn't be turned like the days of old when they made things to last. Take too much thickness away and they won't be able to dissipate heat and end up warping. I've put on another 23,000+ miles since with negligible wear on the pads so far. As an added bonus I have way less brake dust orange spots on my silver paint after a winter of driving here in the rust belt. I could eliminate it all if I would go ahead and put ceramics up front too. At any rate, ask for Raybestos brake parts, they are worth the extra cost!
  • 2hondaguy2hondaguy Member Posts: 14
    edited November 2012
    Still driving my 2008 EXL-V6. Original tires replaced at 50,000 miles. Rear brakes replaced at 49,000, and still drving on original front brakes with 61,000 miles. I am what i call light on the brakes. Hit on the Honda Rep, mention the previous class action law suit regarding brakes. maybe you can get them to help pay for some of the brake job. Keep receipts if they don't help. There could always be another class action suit against Honda.

    When my rears were replaced i was told that there were "clips" installed to help keep the pads away from the rotors. This was the fix according to my Honda mechanic who knows his business. OEM pads were used which i believe are ceramic. Rotors were not turned.

    Good luck with the brakes. Other than this issue i still think you are driving one of the best cars for the money on the market.
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    I'm not going to let this singular issue tarnish my general impression of the car. I agree that the Accord is still one of the best cars going. I just have an issue with handing money over to Honda for an issue that's been ongoing since the release of the gen 8's. My brother owns an auto repair shop and has quoted me $264 for new rotors and ceramic pads. I'll get it done next week and that should hold me until I get my 2014 or 2015 Accord Touring model. I hope they keep the Touring addition around that long, checked out a few and they are really sweet.
  • Honda30Honda30 Member Posts: 16
    Considering the hundreds of complaints on the internet about the front seats in the 08 to 12 Accords being very uncomfortable, I was wondering if anyone has received any satisfaction from Honda re this issue! My wife owns a 2011 and the seats are very hard and will cause back pain. Did not realize how bad they were until we took a long trip recently.

    Thanks
  • icyou812icyou812 Member Posts: 77
    I doubt Honda would ever admit there ever has been an issue with their seats. You could ask in the seats thread: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f194d64/210!make=Honda&model=Accord&ed_ma- keindex=.f194d64 . I didn't take a long enough test drive and found out the next day after buying mine how painful they are. In the seats thread you will find instructions from people that have disabled their active head restraints and that has helped. My wife doesn't have any problems with the seats so doing anything drastic is out. I finally bought a $60+ Tempurpedic lumbar support pillow and it has helped quite a bit. Instead of putting the curved surface facing my back, I have the flat surface towards it. It takes up the space from the seat bottom to the spot where the active head restraint bar hits me in the back. Now that cold weather is here the memory foam is a brick and I need to thaw it out holding it up to the vents with the heat blasting. I have read how people have just given up and traded for something else. My car is paid for and I don't want another car payment, so I just deal with it. Fortunately I have another car and a pickup that don't kill my back, so my wife can drive our 08 since her back doesn't mind it.
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    What do you think? Should I buy a brand new 2012 ? My 2001 Accord has no rust, drives like a dream, and has 125,000 miles. The original front brakes lasted 75,000 miles, and the original rear brakes are still in place (I often use the manual transmission to lower the speed though).

    On one side the car is old (time wise), has no side airbags, and might need some repairs soon. On the other side it was unbelievably reliable (almost no repairs in 12 years), babied, dealer maintained, rustproofed, etc.

    Am I looking for trouble ? My 2001 looks willing to go for longtime. Any advice ?
  • hondalovahondalova Member Posts: 189
    Don't do it. Honda has become a marketing based company - abandoning their prior focus on pure engineering. I have a 2011 EXL V-6 Coupe (Manual) with 36000 miles and I hate it. Tons of rattles and noises (dealer's been great but it persists)- car is geared way too short yet gets crappy mileage (averaging 23 mpg on 90 percent hwy commute-my 2004 V-6 Coupoe avgd 27 on same cycle). Just not happy and, as nice as the new ones look, Motor Trend said "you'll never have any fun in it."

    Keep your old one or go look at another brand. I've been a Honda loyalist since my first car in 1991 but this will be my last and I'm gonna get out of it as early as I can.
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    Your manual V6 is a 6-speed, not 5-speed, right ? The new 2013 manual Accord is 6-speed too. This terrifies me, and is the only reason for thinking at trading (and getting one of the last 5-speeds (2012)). Did it ever occur to you to mix the 6th speed with R (reverse) ?

    For instance, when switching from 5th to 6th, could you put it in R (by mistake, because you pushed too much to the right ) ? Or when switching from 4th to 5th, could you push too much to the right, and reach the R level ? I always loved my 5-speed setup (the double-H layout).

    I really love my manual 4cyl 2001, and would like to keep it.
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    Also, if you are still here, I don't know why you say:
    "car is geared way too short YET gets crappy mileage ".

    Cars geared short, keep the engine at higher RPM at a certain car speed, so always get crappy mileage. To save gas, the idea is to have the engine at the lowest possible RPM. Probably they wanted it sporty. Which is childish. You can always downshift if you want to waste gas, and pollute the planet.

    What is your RPM at 75 miles/hour ?
  • icyou812icyou812 Member Posts: 77
    I'd say keep your old car. Are the repairs it will need just normal wear and tear items? A few repairs are a lot cheaper than a new car. There have been a few times I sold a car to only regret it later. I have an 08 LX with a 5spd. manual tranny. I had problems with it grinding and popping out of 3rd gear. Problem solved with BG Syncroshift 2 gear lube. Best shifting manual I've ever owned. It would take a little getting used to driving a 6 speed. As to having a car geared "short", I have a 01 Nissan Sentra SE with a very gutsy 2.0 and 5 speed manual. It turns 3750rpm at 70mph on interstate, but will still get a respectable 31mpg. Sporty - yes. Childish? I guess that's a matter of opinion. I like having torque right then and now when I go to merge on interstate and if I want to pass on the highway I don't have to bother to downshift. It did take me a while after I bought it to get used to the hum of the motor, I kept thinking I needed to shift up even though I was already in fifth. I bet if it was geared like my Accord it would get upper 30's. If polluting the planet is a major concern for you, a new Accord probably has less emissions than your 01. I think they have cleaned up the emissions quite a bit. As for me, I'm on the fence whether I would buy another Accord. The third gear issue and the way the dealer treated me, door seals shrinking and pulling out, squeaky glove box door were bad enough. The worst part has been the back pain from the seats. I would advise you to rent one and take it for an extended drive to see if you like it or not. Good luck whichever road you pursue!
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    Thanks icyou812, that's actually very good advice. The back pain would be a major problem for my wife. Me too I dislike dealing with car dealers. That's why I kept my previous car (Volvo 240 wagon) till 18 yrs old. I traded it for $20. It's very likely I will keep this 2001 Accord for 18 years too. So I would have to step into a car showroom just once more, 6 years from now (for the rest of my life). This looks good.

    About your car, popping out of the 3rd gear, this looks like a major safety concern to me.

    About my 2001 Accord, it requires no repairs of any kind right now. It actually drives like a dream. They offered me $1,000 for it (?!?!?!).

    Thanks again
  • hondalovahondalova Member Posts: 189
    edited December 2012
    Not sure - haven't driven since I saw your post - but if I recall correctly, at 80 mph, I'm just shy of 3000 rpm (like ~2850 - 2900 or so). The problem is, at 45 mph, I'm around 2400 rpm in 4th gear and 1900 rpm in 5th gear. Every 4 cyl. Accord I've owned previously (all 5 spd. manuals), my 1999 Nissan Maxima GXE (5 spd. manual), as well my 2004 EXL V-6 (6 spd. manual) were all at around 2000 rpm at 45 mph in 4th. So, while its very peppy when I pull out from a corner onto the main road, I have to run the 1st three gears quick and then settle into 4th and then 5th almost immediately. This is a not a car you windout 2nd or even 3rd gear in. Plus, I've sensed some slippage under hard acceleration in 3rd gear but haven't been able to reproduce it for the dealer.

    What I wish, was that 1st thru 4th were a little bit longer, with 5th at or a little longer than 1.0:1 for use above 50 mph and 6th a 60 mph and over gear. With so many American highway speed limits at 65 mph and above across the USA today, there's no reason I should be solidly in 5th gear already at 45 mph.

    Then there's the rattles - I've had the package shelf issue (dealer largely fixed but still getting a pneumatic sounding "cushhhhh" sound from that area) and numerous internal rattles (headliner clips along the top of the passenger door headliner edge, glove-box, rear shelf cross-rods in trunk, cyclops light tabs, sunglasses case, and passenger side vanity mirror cover-door, to name most but not all).

    Finally, there's the mileage. In this world, with gas prices skyrocketing, how Honda could put out a car that gets 4 mpg LESS than their previous generation version on the exact same commute, is just astonishing. And yes, I'm well aware of the change in the EPA test cyle and the need to break the car in, etc. Car has 35000 miles on it since May, 2011 and I'm struggling to average 23 mpg on a more than 90% highway commute. I am not a heavy throttle person, though I do tend to move with traffic on the highway. Simply unacceptable from a car that, even under the NEW cycle is rated 19/26 when the old car was averging 26.5-27 mpg real world on the same commute. Even on a long (500 mile) trip, I only averaged 24.5 mpg where I had averaged 30+mpg with the old car only a year earlier.

    Wish I'd kept my old 2004 - I loved that car and got rid of it only b/c at 170,000 miles, it was starting to burn oil and I was still on the original clutch. Thought the $$$ would be better spent on a new car than repairs and boy was I wrong. :(

    -FS
  • jodar96jodar96 Member Posts: 400
    I say they are decent cars and are worth keeping.

    I bought a 2009 Accord EX-L 5 speed with 34K miles in Nov 2011 and I am happy with the car. I think I am OK with the seat comfort. They are not great and that push at your lower back is a crazy design and if it gets to me I know how to fix it by taking the back cover off and messing with plastic back plate and cables. It gets 34-35mpg on hwy driving.

    It drives and handles better than Camry and Altima. I drove them both. At 50K, it has the original well worn tires and brakes. I have done oil changes, air and cabing filter change and tire rotations myself. I just changed the battery on my own before it has a chance to act up in freezing winter.

    This car is very trouble free compared to let's say a 2008-2010 BMW 528i that I am been watching for a while. Those cars have battery draining and water pump issues. most carfax report on used ones show multiple trips to dealership for issue.

    Hondas are STILL very reliable compared to so many cars out there and have umatched high resale value.

    Joe
  • icyou812icyou812 Member Posts: 77
    $1000 trade in? Wow, that's an insult! :P They think a sucker is born every minute. The third gear issue was frustrating. It started at only 5k miles, and only whenever it felt like it. Dealer couldn't reproduce it. It exhibited the same symptoms many Civic Si and Accord coupe's had with their 6 spd. transmissions. Got the runaround from the dealer until I talked to Honda of America customer service. I finally put in BG Products Syncroshift 2 synthetic gear lube and it has shifted smooth as silk since then. I have not been back to that stealership since! I have a local trusted shop take care of it now. Whenever I'm back in the market for another car I will be checking out the Nissan dealer where I bought my Sentra (it was the second one I bought from them). They were no nonsense easy going folks. I didn't try to lowball them and made a fair offer and told them I was willing to buy that day. Salesman only went to the manager once and came back to shake my hand. These were super clean low mile used vehicles. I will give them a shot if I decide to buy a new car in the future.
  • hondalovahondalova Member Posts: 189
    I don't think you can hit reverse when trying to go into 6th - I believe there is a lockout function that prevents this from happening when the car is moving forward at more than a couple of mph (not that I've ever tried it as I want to keep my tranny IN my car and not out on the ground). I know that, when I'm standing still, I can't put it in "6th" - only in reverse and when I'm moving, I can't put it in reverse, only 6th.

    This is not a problem and, if that's the only reason you're avoiding a six-speed manual, you are worrying about a non-issue.
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    edited December 2012
    You are right. I test drove a 2013 6-speed manual transmission. The whole "R" branch of the gears layout disappears when the car is moving forward. You cannot push the lever to the right more than the 5th-6th level. So it's safe.

    I still don't understand why they build a 6-speed gearbox though (given that the 6th speed of a 6-speed gearbox has the same ratio as the former 5th speed of the older 5-speed gearbox). You have to shift more often, without getting any extra ratio. It may be a stupid marketing thing. Showing off that ... wow ... I have a 6-speed now !!!
  • hondalovahondalova Member Posts: 189
    You got it brother. What they've done is to simply cram the ratio spread of a 5 spd. with 6 gears instead of keeping the original five ratios and making a 6th "super-overdrive" gear that would solve almost all of the mileage problems this car has without the need for expensive and complicated cylinder deactivation systems. If the gear ratio spread were just a smidge bigger in every gear from 2nd to 6th, this car would easily get 28-30 mpg on the highway, even with the 271 hp. V-6 and no cylinder deactivation.

    I might add that such systems usually don't do squat to improve mileage if you travel in traffic, even at hwy. speeds, b/c the minute you touch the throttle, all 6 cylinders reactivate. So, if your commute is made in traffic where you are constantly managing the throttle up/down 2-3 mph to avoid a collision with closely packed cars around you, you don't get the mileage advantage. It only works if your commute allows for long stretches of hwy. speed on cruise control - otherwise you are never in cylinder deactivation mode.
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    I agree. All 6 cylinders permently fired, and a gear box keeping the engine at a lower RPM, would be better.

    The reason I am driving a manual is because when I put the car in a certain gear, I feel the engine rigid coupled with the road. I get absolute constant power. I feel connected to the road. No computer driven power change of any kind. What they did was to add 2 layers of software between my engine and the road. One is the computer driven automatic transmission. The 2nd software layer is the cylinder deactivation software. Why in the world would I want 2 extra computers between me and the road ?!

    If I want to buy computers, I go to a computer store. I definitely don't go to a car dealership. It's funny they keep adding computers in cars. I think they got it all wrong. They think we want computers, not cars.

    In the new 2013 Accord they removed money from steering (hydraulic steering replaced by cheaper electric steering), they removed money from suspension (fancy double wishbone front suspension replaced by cheaper MacPherson struts), and they pumped money into electronic gadgets ! Why do they think we want to buy electronic gadgets from a car dealership ?! It beats me.

    I can type this text, safely from home, on one of my 3 computers. Why would I need more computers in my garage ?!
  • badtrannybadtranny Member Posts: 33
    2008 Accord LX-P, four cylinder, Auto trans. 56k miles. Original owner.

    I was coming home from work when I stopped to fill up the gas tank. I left the head lights on and the battery has reached its useful life. When I went to start the car, it cranked slower, of course the battery is shot, but it did start. As I pulled away from the pump, there was some jerkyness. Then the Check Engine Light came on. I figure the lower voltage of the battery was the cause and I stopped the car, and shut if off to see if the light would go out. It didn't. Then, as I traveled down the road just a bit, the VSA lights came on. A couple of more shut down and restarts didn't help. The car runs rough as though it is only running on a couple of cylinders.

    My guess as of today is that the emission equip has taken a hit, and/or the computer.. I can't read the codes until I get a new reader. My 2003 Acton will not link up and read the codes. I charged the battery up last night and problems still exist.

    I am going to try and borrow a reader to see what I can gather for additional information. I posted a similar note last night under Questions, but I can't find it and any possible replies.

    Any thing that I should be testing first? Thanks. :-(( :sick:
  • rodutrodut Member Posts: 343
    I forgot to mention removing the money from the transmission (gear transmission replaced by a cheaper belt transmission (CVT)).

    Funny stuff: instead of saying: "put the car in gear", owners of the new 2013 Accord should say: "put the car in belt" ! Yeah ... but they have computers ...
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    There are many types of CVT transmissions and not all use belts. Looking at the Toroidal type that Nissan has used it looks as complex as any set ratio auto tranny. Check out the variety in use or developement at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission
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