The Honda Accord was equipped with various variants of the H5 transmission, including the B7XA, BCLA, BB7A, BAXA, B97A, B90A, B0YA and BAYA. In pre 1992-models the PX4B. But they aren’t without their problems though, so let’s look at some of the most common Honda Accord transmission problems, look at cost estimates and figure out what you can do about them.
What Transmission Do I Have?
Honda Accord Transmission Models
1992-Up Honda Accord: B7XA, BCLA, BB7A, BAXA, B90A, B97A, B0YA, and BAYA Transmission
Honda Accord Transmission Replacement Cost Estimate
Pricing varies by exact engine size and year. To be 100% sure on pricing, have your VIN# handy and use our Get An Estimate feature to look up your transmission by VIN#.
What are the DTC codes related to Honda Accord transmission problems?
P0766 – Failed Shift Solenoid D – This DTC can be stored when there is a problem with a shift solenoid or the valve body.
P2703 – Failed Friction Element D – This trouble code can be triggered by a failed friction element like a clutch disc.
P0720 – Failed Input Speed Sensor or Output Speed Sensor – This trouble code is caused by a bad speed sensor on the transmission.
P0730 – Incorrect Gear Ratio – This issue could be caused by a number of problems, including a fault in the transmission control module, dirty transmission fluid, or a bad transmission solenoid.
P0657 – Voltage Problem in the ‘A’ Circuit – This transmission problem is often caused by a short, or bad ground on the PCM or PCM wiring harness.
P0700 – Malfunction in the transmission control system – This DTC is often triggered when there is a problem with the TCM, a wiring harness, a solenoid, or the valve body.
P0715 – Input/Turbine Speed Sensor Malfunction – This code typically gets stored when the input sensor cannot read the engine RPM, which can prevent the transmission from appropriately shifting gears.
P0717 – Input/Turbine Speed Sensor No Signal – This trouble code is generated when the PCM does not get a signal from the input speed sensor, which will prevent the computer from being able to determine when the transmission needs to shift.
P0791 – Intermediate Shaft Speed Sensor ‘A’ Circuit – This error can occur when there is a problem with the intermediate shaft speed sensor, most likely due to a bad sensor, wiring problem, or a failed shift solenoid.
P0793 – Intermediate Shaft Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal – The computer will generate this DTC when it cannot communicate with the intermediate shaft speed sensor.
Honda Accord Transmission Recalls
2005-2010 Honda Accord – Automatic Transmission Control Module (TCM, PCM) (NHTSA Recall: 11V395000)
Summary
In 2011, Honda recalled 2005-2010 model year Honda Accords, equipped with the automatic transmission. Manufactured between July 1, 2004 and September 3, 2010, these cars had a faulty secondary shaft bearing that could fracture and cause all sorts of damage.
Consequence
According to the recall, “certain driving styles” (see: driving it like a teenager) could cause the outer brace (the round metal band that contains the ball bearings) to fracture. If this happens:
a) The engine could stall/the Check Engine Light could illuminate, if a piece of the broken bearing gets lodged between the idle gear and a sensor housing, or:
b) Part of the bearing could become lodged in the park prawl (the metal piece that engages Park), causing the car to roll away after it’s shifted into Park.
If the latter happens, your Accord could endanger everything from pedestrians to garden gnomes.
Remedy
Honda dealers were instructed in 2011 to reprogram the transmission control module to keep this from happening. If you’re unsure if the fix was performed on your car, you can call Honda Customer Service at 1-800-999-1009. Be sure to have your VIN number handy, and refer to Honda recall #: R89
1998 Honda Accord – Automatic Transmission Bearing Failure (NHTSA Recall: 98V018000)
Summary
Back in 1998, Honda had to recall 33,966 units of the Accord Sedan and Accord Coupe, to fix a problem that prevented the automatic transmission from fully engaging Park.
Consequence
It seems that a die used to cast the transmission cover, caused an irregularity on the right-side of the cover, which prevented the park prawl (the metal piece that engages Park) actuation lever from properly engaging Park. If this happens, America’s favorite family car would roll after being put in Park – endangering many people, places, and things.
Remedy
At the time, Honda instructed its dealers to install a collar on the park prawl, which would allow the actuation lever to move freely. If you’re unsure if the fix was performed on your car, you can call Honda Customer Service at 1-800-999-1009. Be sure to have your VIN number handy.
2003-2004 Honda Accord – Automatic Transmission (NHTSA Recall #: 04V176000)
Summary
A 1 million+ vehicle recall was issued in 2004, because the automatic transmission that was installed in the 2003-2004 Honda Accord seemed to be prone to early failure. Severe gear damage/breakage could cause the transmission to unexpectedly seize, which could obviously lead to an accident.
Consequence
Due to insufficient transmission fluid flow, excessive heat can buildup between the countershaft and the secondary shaft second gears (ATF absorbs heat and carries it away from moving parts), which can result in decreased material strength, chipped gear teeth, and in extreme cases, complete gear failure (i.e. it breaks). Unusual noises will typically signal a problem. However, a broken gear can cause the transmission to completely lockup, which would bring the car to a sudden halt.
Remedy
When the recall was announced, Honda instructed its dealers to do one of two things: 1) Vehicles with less than 15,000 miles received a special ATF oil jet kit, which was installed on a fluid return line. This kit was designed to prevent the problem by injecting cooled transmission fluid directly onto the second gears. 2) If the vehicle had more than 15k miles, the dealer would inspect the gears and either install the jet kit, or install an entire remanufactured transmission. If you’re unsure if the fix was performed on your car, you can call Honda Customer Service at 1-800-999-1009. Be sure to have your VIN number handy, and refer to Honda recall #: P38
Honda Accord Technical Service Bulletins (TSB)
None Found
Common Problems with the Honda Accord Transmission
Lack of Response
Leaking Fluid
Low Fluid
Burning Smell
Grinding or Shaking
Whining, Clunking or Humming
Refuses to Go Into Gear
Torque Converter Issues
Valve Body Issues
Transmission Noisy in Neutral
Gears Slipping
No 3rd or 4th Gear
No 1st or 2nd Gear
No Reverse
Dragging Clutch
Trouble Codes / Check Engine Light
Can I drive with a transmission problem?
If your Honda Accord can still make it up and down the road, you might say “It’s fine, I’ll just drive it until I can get it fixed”. But that is not always a good idea, depending on the symptoms. You see, there are a lot of (very expensive) moving parts inside of a transmission, and if something isn’t right, continuing to drive with a transmission problem could damage something else.
How often does a Honda Accord transmission need to be replaced?
The overall lifespan of a Honda Accord transmission largely depends on how well it was maintained. Factory design flaws also factor into this equation, along with how/how hard you drive. But on average, we’ve seen the Honda Accord transmission last for between 130,000-180,000 miles. A high quality replacement transmission however, can last considerably longer if all of the factory design flaws have been addressed and the vehicle has been maintained.
How are Honda Accord transmission issues diagnosed?
It is fairly easy to guesstimate what the root cause of your Honda Accord transmission problems might be, but you won’t truly know unless you have the right tools and experience. A good mechanic or transmission repair center will be able to connect your truck to a computer and find out which diagnostic trouble codes (DTC’s) have been stored. Once they know what to look for, they can perform a visual inspection to verify the problem.
How is a Honda Accord transmission replaced?
In order to replace your Honda Accord transmission, the truck has to be lifted from the ground in order to gain access to all of the parts that will need to be unbolted. Then the transmission can be lowered to the ground (typically with a transmission jack), so the new transmission can be installed.
Recommendations for Honda Accord transmission issues?
To save time and get back on the road faster, have your 17-digit VIN# handy and you can get an online quote for a reman Honda Accord transmission here, then find a local shop using our Find a Shop guide to install it for you.
How to Solve Honda Accord Transmission Problems
Solution A: Buy a Used Honda Accord Transmission
The quickest way to fix your transmission problems is to simply buy a used transmission or used transmission. These can be found at most junk yards, and they often come with a 30-90 day warranty. However, there’s no way to determine the actual condition of the internal components, so you could be spending a bunch of money to have the exact same problems. Plus, that warranty only covers the transmission if it’s defective, not the labor costs that you’ll have to pay.
Solution B: Buy a Rebuilt Honda Accord Transmission
Another option would be a rebuilt transmission or rebuilt transmission. A local repair shop will remove your transmission, then install a bunch of new parts during the rebuild. The problem here is, the skills and experience of each transmission rebuilder will vary widely from shop to shop, so you could have problems from something that wasn’t adjusted properly. And the 1-2 year warranty might only cover you at certain transmission repair shops, in a specific geographical area.
Solution C: Buy a Remanufactured Honda Accord Transmission
Many owners depend on their vehicle to commute and get things done. Their gasoline engines are designed to go 100’s of thousands of miles, so it makes sense to invest in a remanufactured transmission.
What Problem Does Your Honda Accord Have?
Let us know the year, mileage and problem you’re having as well as any trouble (OBD) codes you’ve found. If you’ve been given a quote or paid for a repair, we’d like to hear about that too!
What Transmission Do I Have?
In production since 1976, the Honda Accord has been one of the best selling cars in the US since 1979 and was the best selling Japanese car for 15 years between 1982 and 1997. It was the first Japanese car to be manufactured in the United States when production started in Marysville, Ohio in 1982. It has been consistently rated as one of the most reliable vehicles on the market by many road tests over the years. However, a few years have suffered from transmission issues – some of which required recalls. The name “Accord” has been used on a number of different vehicles including crossovers, wagons, coupes and hatchbacks, but the mid-size, four-door car sold in the US is most well known version of the vehicle.
2005 Honda Accord. While in park and every other gear but reverse there seems to be a very nasty ticking sound coming from the transmission that only gets worse when you change it out of park into any of the drive gears. Reverse the sound goes away. None of the drive gears will actually push the vehicle. Help
Where is the TCM located in my 2007 Honda Accord EXL 2.4 l 5 speed automatic
Hello, this is the second time this has happened. Check engine light comes on, car feels like it wants to jump forward when put into gear and then crawls away when you press on the gas, and the gear indicator is flashing (think alternating through each gear at hyper speed) This is a 2016 Honda Accord 130,000 miles. I took it to a Honda Dealer they said the check engine light was code: p0717 (intermittent problem) I was told to change my spark plugs, replace my brake fluid , and get an alignment. The service Rep said he honestly didn’t think the spark plugs would fix my problem so I should see how it works now that they had turned off the check engine light. Car didn’t drive for five days after I drove home from the dealership (10miles) drove it yesterday 7 miles on the freeway and as I exited the freeway: check engine light came on, car sputtered, and began to crawl (starting from a complete stop was like a fly swimming in a milkshake). Thanks for your time if you got this far.
I was told the transmission differential bearing broke in my 2006 accord and I need a new transmission. there is hickup sound when accelerating and a hoarse dry sound on highway driving when pressing the accelerator. Do I really need a new transmission? Oil leak is coming from above transmission from high pressure hose leaking onto transmission but was told transmission oil is also leaking. Bunch of oil above transmission that leaked down. Transmission oil is low on dip stick so want to do a transmission oil change and probably not a flush as it may kill the transmission. Transmission oil changed about 20000 miles ago and schedule change every 30000. Car has 184000 miles. Adviced to just get a new car and not to spend anything else on this.
2007 honda Accord, just reached 200k and automatic transmission starts to shudder into 4th gear. Car has heated leather seats, sun roof, otherwise in great condition. I am a gentle driver, second owner. Shop said take to dealer for replacement at 4k! Is it worth it? I really like the car and expected to reach 400k miles like my civic and mazda 323 did. Am I expecting too much? Thanks for your opinion.
Have 2004.accord LX with 183000 miles since last year had issues,when it would,rev up wouldn’t shift up or,down. I turn off the engine wait few minutes the,car gets going again, have changed transmission fluid twice, changed,filters ,checked all solenoid, replaced TCC. checked Dual linear, and single clutch shift solenoid. Cleaned and tested all solenoid. Replaced Speed sensor.
Since last month it barely goes into reverse, delay in reverse delay in first gear. Haven’t driven it since. Did replace the,two 2/3 and 4th pressure switches. Any idea ? Please help , will change two shift solenoid tomorrow,.because Even though it checks,out as far resistance and makes clicking noise when connected,to 12 V source, it may be defective,.may be not closing or opening the valves.
Showed it to.transmission shop when it was running, took.test drive and hooked up his computer, no codes all normal. I check with my Autel DTC tool, also no fault codes
Please help.
wheb shifting from drive (4) to park engine accellerates and wants to charge forward
Transmission stuck in 1st gear. Can get it to shift into 2nd by putting in neutral and back in drive for 2 seconds and just goes back to 1st
Error Code: P0842
2011 Honda Accord won’t shift to 2nd speedometer doesn’t work.wont start in park.
Here in the UK, I have a 2001 Accord with the 1997 cc engine with auto transmission. Does this UK/Euro spec Accord have the same auto transmission failure issues you mention?
I have a 99 Honda Accord LX 5MT. Bought it new and maintained it over the years. It now has over 170k miles. I just changed out CV axles, front suspension, breaks, front and rear struts, front wheel bearings. The oil seal on the transmission changed out. Now in process of changing out the half shaft bearing. Good maintenance in the vehicle has allowed it last this long. It’s a good vehicle.
I had a ’99 V6 Accord which i bought used with 90,000 miles.
I liked it plenty in the beginning but thought I felt something not right sometimes when shifting. My brother and his son, more knowledgeable than me with cars test drove it and said it’s fine. Well about a month later I had severe transmission failure! AAMCO rebuilt it for about $2g… Two months later their rebuilt Failed but was covered by their warranty. There were other issues also, too many to mention. WORST CAR I EVER HAD!!! Stay away from Honda!!!
2008 v6 Honda accord..less than 100K ..issue noticed in the past year that when tranny in drive, car seems to buckle through the gears. However when I manually go from 1st to 2nd and then drive..no buckling…I thought at first it was a timing issue so I brought it to mechanic and asked for a tuneup. 100 bucks later and still the same issue. Mechanic said fuel injection port needed to be cleaned????. I am pretty savvy and now I think it has only to do with the Drive portion of the tranny..thoughts?
2008 didn’t really have bad tranny problems did you change or check ATF fluid?
hi i have an o2 accord automatic transmission jdm f20b engine swap it runs fantastic but not shifting to 3rd gear.engine and transmission were never apart with approximately 65 to 85 thousand klms
changed everything i could think of known working shift solenoids pressure switches at an impasse now
What’s the 07 Accord v6 solenoid ohms reading should be?
i have 2002 honda accord f23a1 5 speed my star wars cars which is flawless in 99% . The clearcoat fade is only issue 18 years later 2/21/2020. LOvE LOVE THE Car !!!!
2014 Accord – visual inspection shows worn spots on the transmission flywheel. Mechanic wants to replace it. Wont start around every eight time. Have replaced starters twice. No help. Should I replace it and if so with what type?
What does a j30a6 fit or will it fit a 2006 Honda accord EX 4 door
Honda Accords were the best at their peak in the mid 1990’s but since then, they’ve gotten too big and no longer build quality say like Toyota does. I used to own a Honda accord at brand new until 400,000 miles. It was a 1993 Honda Accord. After that, I went into the mindset that that my next vehicle would be an Accord. But after 1998, and 2003 to 2004 transmission issue, the Honda corporation lost me. I went to Toyota Camry and they are great cars today in 2019. HONDA lost me as a loyal customer and I am sure many others. I never look to buy a Honda now. If they really want me to go back to their hey days of the 1990, they would need to start imposing stricter quality control but they got big and money led them an not quality anymore. My two cents.
So we bought a new 2014 Honda Sport.It has 120,000 miles on it.We have had the alternator replaced,2 new battery, serviced by Honda dealership.We are currently needing to replace the transmission and torque converter.Did we buy a fresh new lemon.Honda dealership in Florida says repairs are close to 4200$.
I’m having same issues and more. 2014 Accord EX-L w/3.5L. 109,000 miles. Replaced battery and alternator. Transmission shuddering. O2 sensor problem. Radio/nav system constantly losing power and rebooting. Trying to decide what to do.