Place your bets - blinking "Drive" light on 2005 Accord.

[GoCougs]

Coming back from an all-day 200+ mile trip ski adventure that saw some moderately-taxing AT use (full car on mountain pass, lower gear hill holding, some high-speed wheel spin) and a few miles from home the drive light on the IP gear indicator started blinking. Yes, 150k miles but never any signs of tranny issues. Googlism shows that that is an OBD-esque system tied to tranny issues (which itself was enlightening - didn't realize how many sensors there were). Turning the car on/off/on and the blinking went away. Not sure if the codes are buffered. Will call the dealer in the morning. If the tranny is going/gone I won't be happy - 150k was my sell point and I'm actively interviewing replacements...

[Speed_Racer]

Can you pull the code from the OBD port? Free scanner checkout from some auto parts stores.

[Eye of the Tiger]

LOL. I know the answer, but I'll let you guys guess for a while. See if you can build a strawman around it.

[ifcar]

LOL. I know the answer, but I'll let you guys guess for a while. See if you can build a strawman around it.

Is immoral government involved?

[GoCougs]

Can you pull the code from the OBD port? Free scanner checkout from some auto parts stores.

Hmmm, interesting, maybe. Will call the dealer in the morning to see if the codes are buffered or not.

[CJ]

I'm thinking one of the many sensors, or perhaps the onset of transmission failure.

[JWC]

The only thing I've seen similar to what you described was slip caused by overheating transmission.  But, that was while in the mountains in the summer.   

Well, except for the mid-1990's, when Chrylser  transaxles would drop into limp-mode for no apparent reason, but always just a few thousand miles before failure.

[Rupert]

You were regulating the gears in your automatic? Well, the system (car) appears to have gamed your regulations.

[GoCougs]

Talked to the Honda dealer. Since the light went off with an ignition cycle they recommended NOT bringing it in for a diagnosis. They said if it happens again, then bring it in. The code is stored so I'm kinda curious and might swing by the local O'Relly's or w/e to see if they can read it.

[850CSi]

You were regulating the gears in your automatic? Well, the system (car) appears to have gamed your regulations.

lulz

[S204STi]

Sounds like catastrophic engine failure.  I recommend a Legacy GT.

[TurboDan]

My "unreliable" German car made it to 154K (when I traded it in) without its auto tranny prompting any malfunction lights, or slipping, even once. 

[CJ]

My "unreliable" German car made it to 154K (when I traded it in) without its auto tranny prompting any malfunction lights, or slipping, even once. 

But it also ate an engine, right?

[hounddog]

150k was my sell point and I'm actively interviewing replacements...

If you had bought a diesel, you could have counted on twice that many. 

[CJ]

If you had bought a diesel, you could have counted on twice that many. 

Diesel isn't for everyone.  I would take advantage of the merits of diesel, but many others can't.

[TurboDan]

But it also ate an engine, right?

Nope. It still had the original engine when I traded it in.

The issue that car had was that VW told owners to use dino oil and by the time they reversed and said to use synthetic some engines had already developed some sludge. They extended the warranty for the problem, but then refused to honor it when I experienced the issue. That's why I sued them that time (was settled out of court).

But aside from that issue (which wasn't the engine's fault -- just boneheaded owners manual authors I guess) I really just did regular maintenance items on that car. I think it needed a t-stat once but that was about it.

[AutobahnSHO]

LOL. I know the answer, but I'll let you guys guess for a while. See if you can build a strawman around it.

So what be your guess??

[GoCougs]

Well, the problem hasn't surfaced again, and I've been purposefully hard on it this week (starting out in 2nd, a fair amount of downshifting and jackrabbit starts).

My hunch is that I had gotten some gunk up onto the transaxle what with all that snow/dirt/wet driving, and buggered up a connector a bit.

[VTEC_Inside]

Starting in 2nd probably generates a fair bit of heat.

[GoCougs]

Uh...

Driving home tonight in Drive I went for a pass. It downshifted just fine into 2nd but at red line it did not shift into 3rd. It hit the rev limiter and unsettled the car a fair amount, and was altogether not a pleasurable experience. No manner of manual shifting solved the issue. I drove for about 30 seconds in 2nd, and then let off the gas, shifted into neutral, and then shifted into Drive, and that solved the problem. For the rest of the drive home I tried to replicate the issue but could not. Unlike the previous hiccup, the Drive light on the IP did not blink. I'm going to drop it off at the dealer tonight for a diagnosis.

A bit more Googlism says a common way these trannies act up is the shifting solenoids get weak. Not sure if this is a serviceable item or not. Probably not. This really sucks as 150,000 was my break point to get something else. I hit that about 6 weeks ago at the height of ski season, and didn't want to bother with another car as it would need snow tires and ski rack. I'm now at ~151,700 with what looks like a dying transmission. Trade-in the car is worth ~$5,000 - with a bad transmission that drops by about half at least, ugh. It'll take them a day to diagnose it (they already gave me a BS recommendation to change the AT fluid)...

[AutobahnSHO]

ouch.
Well, if the car is still going strong, a tranny replacement should put you good for another 100k miles, and they can be done a little cheaper if you go to AAMCO or wherever..

[GoCougs]

The issue with taking it for the real long haul is service is expensive - due at 200,000 miles will be struts, timing belt, brakes, AT service and tires - that right there is ~$2,500 (or was when I had it done at 100,000 miles) which is more than the car will be worth at 200,000 miles. A cheapo $2,500 tranny on top of that logically says to let the car go now for $2,500 as it's simply the least out-of-pocket $$ scenario.

[ifcar]

The issue with taking it for the real long haul is service is expensive - due at 200,000 miles will be struts, timing belt, brakes, AT service and tires - that right there is ~$2,500 (or was when I had it done at 100,000 miles) which is more than the car will be worth at 200,000 miles. A cheapo $2,500 tranny on top of that logically says to let the car go now for $2,500 as it's simply the least out-of-pocket $$ scenario.

A 2005 Accord, even with 200,000 miles, is worth way more than $2,500.

[2o6]

The issue with taking it for the real long haul is service is expensive - due at 200,000 miles will be struts, timing belt, brakes, AT service and tires - that right there is ~$2,500 (or was when I had it done at 100,000 miles) which is more than the car will be worth at 200,000 miles. A cheapo $2,500 tranny on top of that logically says to let the car go now for $2,500 as it's simply the least out-of-pocket $$ scenario.

That car is worth double that private party, at least.

[AutobahnSHO]

AND don't think of it in terms of what the car is worth- think what it would cost to get another car AS GOOD AS the Accord (once the repairs are done.)

Cuz you do all that work and it will easily be good for another 100k miles. You know the history. etc...

[TurboDan]

Why get it fixed at the stealership? One of the good points of owning a car like the Accord is that you don't have to run to the dealer for everything.

[GoCougs]

A 2005 Accord, even with 200,000 miles, is worth way more than $2,500.

The operative point is the worth of MY car at 200,000 miles, which won't happen for ~3 years so today that's equivalent to a 200,000 mile 2002 Accord, whose "good" condition trade-in value is $2,700, and that presumes all maintenance items are done I'm guessing.

[GoCougs]

AND don't think of it in terms of what the car is worth- think what it would cost to get another car AS GOOD AS the Accord (once the repairs are done.)

Cuz you do all that work and it will easily be good for another 100k miles. You know the history. etc...

I wouldn't want a car as good as the Accord; I want a new(ish) car:

1.) Spend $2,500 in maintenance/repairs on a $2,500 car; net = $0.

2.) Sell said car before it needs the repairs/maintenance; net = $2,500.

[GoCougs]

Why get it fixed at the stealership? One of the good points of owning a car like the Accord is that you don't have to run to the dealer for everything.

I'm only taking it in for diagnosis.

[GoCougs]

In other news, I have a 2012 Civic as a loaner. Shame on Honda for its road noise issues, shame on them to HELL.