2003 MDX transmission issue

[bmpiper55]

My MDX has 113K and over the last 3 months I have noticed on about 4-5 occasions that when it is cold (I live in Western NY) the mdx initial shifts into first, however once i try to pull out on the road it just sits and the rpm increases as i press the gas. i then tried once to manually shift into 1st and it went into gear and I then shifted back to D5 and it was fine. There has been no loud banging in or out of gear.I am worried that is could have initially started when at 95K the internal transmission cooler broke free and tranny and coolant fluids mixed through both systems. otherwise this MDX is mint. just wondering what you guys think
--Bryan

[HTL Motorsports]

Recommend that you flush your ATF couple times, see if that help..

[Tyler]

Sounds like it has the "dropping out of gear" syndrome?

[NewMDXOwner]

If your coolant has found its way into your transmission, that's bad news indeed!

Glycol In Lubricating Oil - Detection, Analysis and Removal

[richkuan]

Originally Posted by HTL Motorsports

Recommend that you flush your ATF couple times, see if that help..

Never do that! That could kill your tranny!! That's what my dealer did and killed the tranny on the spot!!

The cause of this issue has nothing to do with the tranny oil. Search this forum and you will find experience from many experienced people.

Again, DO NOT flush your tranny!!!

[jmoney6]

Your Sprag gear is going bad.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by richkuan

Never do that! That could kill your tranny!! That's what my dealer did and killed the tranny on the spot!!

The cause of this issue has nothing to do with the tranny oil. Search this forum and you will find experience from many experienced people.

Again, DO NOT flush your tranny!!!

No, thats a myth, that has never been proved. I recommend a drain and fill..

[yogi799]

Very common problem.

http://www.mdxers.org/forums/73-2001...low-speed.html

GEARS Magazine October/November 2009 Issue

[proman]

Originally Posted by Tyler

No, thats a myth, that has never been proved. I recommend a drain and fill..

What is a myth? What has never been proved?

Flush kills a tranny? If you search the forum, you will see it happened on his car already. That's why he warned us don't do flush. And if you search the net, you will see a lot of other stories. Have you ever wonder why "flush the tranny" is not a factory scheduled item?

Don't believe it? Go flush your tranny. You will get yourself a new tranny installed pretty soon.

[las4444]

No need to get caught up in semantics. The term Honda uses is drain and fill. Flushing insinuates that there is a power force flushing out the system, e.g., the machines found at many quick lubes. However, if you flush a normal tank toilet, less a little water column pressure, there no real force other than gravity. So whether you flush or drain and fill I cannot see any real difference. Using a machine that forces fluid through to flush out system should not be used on these transmissions.

[Tyler]

However, I was not referring to flushing the tranny. I have never recommended that flushing your tranny should be done. I was just pointing out that some people change their atf (by just doing a drain & fill), state that "Oh changing the fluid screwed up my trans..", that is a myth. That would be lack of maintenance due to the owner not changing it before or at the recommended mileage. When he said "flush" I insinuated that he ment drain and fill, hence why I wrote it at the end of my response to reiterate that we were suggesting only a drain & fill. A misunderstanding by all parties involved..

[las4444]

Originally Posted by Tyler

However, I was not referring to flushing the tranny. I have never recommended that flushing your tranny should be done. I was just pointing out that some people change their atf (by just doing a drain & fill), state that "Oh changing the fluid screwed up my trans..", that is a myth. That would be lack of maintenance due to the owner not changing it before or at the recommended mileage. When he said "flush" I insinuated that he ment drain and fill, hence why I wrote it at the end of my response to reiterate that we were suggesting only a drain & fill. A misunderstanding by all parties involved..

I agree. I have changed out enough fluid to prove that drain and fill of ATF fluid will not kill you tranny. It's considered the starting point when little tranny issues pop up.

[Tyler]

I actually recently put Mobil 1 atf instead of the Honda fluid, the shifting is incredibly smooth compared to the honda stuff. Plus it runs cooler..

[mijdirtyjeep]

I would also try a drain and refill, it is already messing up. Putting fresh fluid in it is not going to make it any worse than it is now. I would just hope it makes it better.

On a side note.

My wife's old 99 Accord I drained the fluid "at 150K miles" and refilled it with fresh Honda ATF. After that is slipped between 1st and 2nd gear when it was cold. Only would slip a couple times in the morning, but it never did it before I changed the fluid.

I do not blame it on the fluid change, but poor maintenance on the vehicle. We bought it from her mom with 120K on it and I know she sis not have it changed
It was like this until the day we traded it in and it had 232K miles on it.

[yogi799]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I actually recently put Mobil 1 atf instead of the Honda fluid, the shifting is incredibly smooth compared to the honda stuff. Plus it runs cooler..

Whoa, so it worked fine, eh? Dang. I wonder if there will be any side effects long term but I guess we'll never find out. I'd rather use Mobil 1 too. The store that sells it is closer.... It's equally expensive though.