I've noticed on occasions when I need to quickly accelerate when in 2nd gear, the trans kicks down to 1st, and it seems to go to neutral instead & just revs to the limiter. Have to release throttle, let it engage 1st, then it's fine.
No other driveability issues otherwise. This has happened in D5 and SS.

Thoughts? Can the trans having too much fluid cause something like this? I checked the fluid level this weekend & it is a little above the top dot (checked via method in owner's manual). Meant to do the 3x3 this weekend, but ended up having to replace the exhaust manifold/cat on my wife's Civic, and I want to pick up a trans filter to do with the 3x3.

 

It cannot possibly shift into neutral by itself..
What you are experiencing its trans slippage which = Trans soon to be dead specially if the issue only happens in the first gears.

To elaborate.. For the trans to shift into neutral it will need some force applied to the shift fork and by design there is nothing inside the trans that can do that. In contrast trans slippage feels like the car stops moving and the RPMs shoot high pretty much like accidentally shifting into neutral.

 

about the only thing to try is a drain fill, replace external spin on filter and remove the solenoids and clean them.

 

Poorly worded on my part. I didn't mean that it actually goes into neutral, just that it seems that way, as 1st is not engaged. It only happens at or near WOT in 2nd, when it kicks down to 1st. Usually when turning onto a street & needing to get going quickly.

I've had this car for almost 5 years (in August) and have put around 50k on it since I've had it. The issue has always been there, as far back as I can remember.
Hot or cold (engine/trans) doesn't seem to have any effect on it either.

 

So basically when it auto-kicks down into 1st from 2nd it over-revs a little bit?

 

More or less. If I just roll onto the throttle in 1st, no issue.
It's when it kicks down to 1st from 2nd that it does it. I've never held it, always let off, but it revs off the limiter like it's in N.

No flares between gears or odd shifting otherwise.

 

That is a trans issue. Either the clutches in 1st are on their way out or its a fluid/solenoid problem not allowing them to hold

 

A healthy trans will hold 1st immediately after the downshift any kind of slippage is a trans issue.

 

Thanks, planning to do the 3x3 & filter after payday.
Is there a DIY on the solenoids?

 

Update:

Did the 3x3 & filter Saturday. Car drives much better, smoother shifting, manual downshift into 2nd is smoother (was a firm engagement with heavy braking effect).

Also tried to replicate the issue in the 1st post & it now downshifts to first with no issues.

 

make sure the atf level is correct now- using owner book method
and reading is BETWEEN the 2 dots, not at either- BETWEEN

over full will mess many things up! so will too low~

 

Checked the fluid after the 3rd rounds of drain/fill & it looked good.

 

that's nice, ck it again!!

 

Toasted trans. REST IN PEACE