I'm interested in buying a 99 civic automatic. Very clean looking car but the thing that had me concerned was the way the transmission shift. From 1 to 2 it shifts fine but It holds 2nd gear like it doesn't want to shift up to 3rd it doesnt' shift till around 3000-3500 rpm, It over revs in gear. I've never experienced a car with a slipping tranny but if you ask me this doesnt feel like a slip because its always in gear. The tachometer also did this thing where the needle would just wobble up and down. There is also a CEL for a p0420. Today I test drove another civic that was only a year up to compare shift quality and it was the same way, over reving in gear. when it shift up it was smooth no jerky feeling like you would feel if you put it in D with the motor reving around 3000 in nuetral. I've never driven an automatic civic so Is this a coincidence that both trannys are going out or is this normal on these hondas? One guy told me that it was fine and even suggested I take it to a shop before I buy so I can see for my self.
Pre-purchase advice please help!!
- Thread starter DavidR
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steve.21
New Member
After seeing this I paid attention where mine shifted at (97 lx with 6,000 miles on a rebuilt transmission) and from 2nd to 3rd is around 3k. And the CEL code is for the cat below threshold. As far as the tack wobbling I have no idea.
By chance do you know if the transmission has been rebuilt? And how many miles on the car?
By chance do you know if the transmission has been rebuilt? And how many miles on the car?
Never owned an auto Civic, but have driven a few.
One of the reasons why I have stuck with 5spd manuals when it comes to the Civic, I don't like or trust how the autos shift.
I hated the automatic is my '97 Accord, hard shifts then it finally started to s*** the bed and slip.
One of the reasons why I have stuck with 5spd manuals when it comes to the Civic, I don't like or trust how the autos shift.
I hated the automatic is my '97 Accord, hard shifts then it finally started to s*** the bed and slip.
Don't know if it's been rebuilt, has 156K on it. I asked the guy if he could have the check enginge light delt with to maybe see if the transmission problem (if there is a problem) could be engine related. He seemed confident that the car was running good that he would let me have a shop inspect it. It donesn't feel or sound normal, the engine revs way to high in gear for this to be normal. I told him when we were in the car test driving it that it feels like it didn't want to shift. I hear these transmissions are crap so i'm kinda intimidated about buying an auto. I'd like a 5 speed but they are vary hard to come buy if you looking for a decent looking one with original miles under 160K.
steve.21
New Member
The reason why I asked is that mine went out at 136,500 and the transmission shop said that that is about the the average for it. What my transmission did was from a stop, feel like I spun the tires every time I started to go and shifted slow. About a quarter second from shifting to catch the next gear for power. Now, I only notice mine shifting about 10% of the time. I don't want to make you paranoid about the car breaking on the way home. But just remember that there are a lot of civics on the road and for sale.
you think so? The engine just gets so loud that it doesn't seems right, I test drove it again today after he got the check engine light fault fixed. Said it was a bad 02 sensor so no more CEL did the light check to make sure he didn't just pull the bulb, No more wobbling tach needle, But still feels like it's hanging on 2nd gear like it shifts according to engine speed not the cars speed I could be going down hill at 30mph with my foot on the gas and it still wants to rev until 3500 before shifting to third. I test drove a 2001 civic lx that one of my co workers is selling and gear shifting feels great very different than the 2000 that I really want. But I don't know if these two have the same transmissions.
Crapter
New Member
3000-4000 rpm is where i manually shift my car for the smoothest shifting/best mpg so i don't see that being much of a problem! That's my personal preference tho
sullivan01
New Member
The tachometer also did this thing where the needle would just wobble up and down. There is also a CEL for a p0420. Today I test drove another civic that was only a year up to compare shift quality and it was the same way, over reving in gear. when it shift up it was smooth no jerky feeling like you would feel .
