2016 EX-T rolled backwards?!

Scathe

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Sorry if this is a known issue or has been posted before, but today I witnessed my 2016 EX-T (CVT) roll about 8 inches backwards in my driveway. The car was off and in park, and is not parked on a steep incline (there's a very slight gradient, but that's it). The car had been parked for about 30 minutes before this happened. It did not slide on snow or ice, as the driveway is clear and I saw the wheels actually turn while it was moving. It rolled back about 8 inches and then came to a sudden stop (almost as if the "gear" caught, or it automatically braked somehow), so it did not slowly roll to a stop, and it did not stop from reaching the bottom of the gradient. Got in and confirmed that it was indeed fully in park and not left in drive or anywhere in between park and reverse.

Any ideas WTH that was all about?! I'm not sure how reproducible this is, or if it was just a fluke, so it's hard to say if a mechanic could diagnose and repair whatever it was that caused it.

Edit: The car has about 48,000 miles, and to my knowledge, the CVT fluid is factory. Maybe changing the fluid would help? I've also noticed maybe a handful of times in the past 2,000 miles that the CVT has felt like it slipped while driving (or at least it felt a lot like how an automatic feels when it slips). Embarrassingly, I haven't actually checked the CVT fluid to make sure it's full and not burnt, so I should probably start there, but just wanted to see if anyone's heard of this and knows what it could be.
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SCOPESYS

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Sorry if this is a known issue or has been posted before, but today I witnessed my 2016 EX-T (CVT) roll about 8 inches backwards in my driveway. The car was off and in park, and is not parked on a steep incline (there's a very slight gradient, but that's it). The car had been parked for about 30 minutes before this happened. It did not slide on snow or ice, as the driveway is clear and I saw the wheels actually turn while it was moving. It rolled back about 8 inches and then came to a sudden stop (almost as if the "gear" caught, or it automatically braked somehow), so it did not slowly roll to a stop, and it did not stop from reaching the bottom of the gradient. Got in and confirmed that it was indeed fully in park and not left in drive or anywhere in between park and reverse.

Any ideas WTH that was all about?! I'm not sure how reproducible this is, or if it was just a fluke, so it's hard to say if a mechanic could diagnose and repair whatever it was that caused it.

Edit: The car has about 48,000 miles, and to my knowledge, the CVT fluid is factory. Maybe changing the fluid would help? I've also noticed maybe a handful of times in the past 2,000 miles that the CVT has felt like it slipped while driving (or at least it felt a lot like how an automatic feels when it slips). Embarrassingly, I haven't actually checked the CVT fluid to make sure it's full and not burnt, so I should probably start there, but just wanted to see if anyone's heard of this and knows what it could be.
That's very interesting and very distrurbing.

Forgetting about the Transmission, it sounds like the electric brake was not holding.
I had a similar problem with our 2018 SI, (which is a manual transmission.)

Car was parked on a very slight incline (very slight), with the electric Handbrake on.
Was NOT parked in Gear (more on that later)
After about 5 minutes, the car started to roll backwards, to the bottom of the incline !!!

as you say .. WTF

From now on, EVERY time the car is parked, we will make sure (out of habit every time) that we put it into gear, even on a level surface. NO longer trust the electric parking brake to hold !!!

Later that day, I tested the Electric Parking brake on a severe incline. It held perfectly.
Put it into gear, and slowly released the clutch.. Brake still held as the clutch started to bite, so the Electric Brake was then holding well.

Could I have forgotten to turn on the Brake .. I don't think so, but I am beginning to 2nd guess myself now,

Would be nice if the Car indicated that the Brake was off, when you left it and it does its "Beep confirmation" that the car had self locked and is secure.

Should not be too difficult to wire some simple relay electronics into the brake and horn, to trigger an additional warning sound if you leave the car with the Electric Brake NOT on.

Another SPRING Modding project !!
 

Overeazy

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Typically when a parking brake fails its the rear rotors or pads, I'd just have the brakes inspected.
 
OP
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Scathe

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Thanks for the advice. Does the electronic brake still apply when you have a CVT though? I guess i assumed that having it in park is a "gear" of sorts and the transmission itself holds the car in place, but I'm not really sure if that's the case with CVTs. I guess it would make sense that they'd use a braking mechanism instead, to prevent strain on the CVT belt while parked. So, when I witnessed the car come to a sudden halt, perhaps it was indeed applying the brake (it possibly sensed it was rolling and reacted to it?)

Alarming indeed. I will have the brakes checked and, for good measure, CVT fluid changed. Since it's coming up on 50k miles it's probably about due for both anyways. I've had the car for only about a month, and I don't have any service records, so the brakes could potentially even still be factory as well. They work great while driving and don't make any nose, but I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean anything.
 

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I can't say for the CVT but on the 6 speed the parking brake turns on automatically if the car is stopped and you take off your seat belt off with the engine still running.
 


kg4fxg

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Just glad you are not in Georgia. Very steep driveways here in either direction. Nothing is flat.
 

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Always leave my car in gear and put the e-brake on when parking, manual trans. I would do the same for the auto if you are on anything but level ground.
 

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My owner's Manuel mentions the possibility of the car rolling a very slight distance in certain conditions. IIRC... this is indicated to be possible even when in Park. I believe that the engine has to be running, though. I found it odd that it could happen. But I suspect the CVT. Not so much that it's defective; but rather that it can adjust a ratio by itself even when it's not engaged. That, to me, makes sense given the 'very slight distance' language. My point for posting is just to mention that Honda has published this information in my 2019 book. It may just be a CVT thing. But it doesn't seem to be a mechanical defect.

No idea why this would happen in a manual; unless it's a parking brake tension/heat/etc... thing. But I always left my manuals in reverse (highest ratio) and parking brake applied.

I hope that everyone finds a solution.
 

Troy Jollimore

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LOL! “Very slight distance” being an inch, maximum! The CVT would have a parking ‘pawl’, like an automatic. Basically, just a pin that comes out in the transmission for something rotating to hit against. You’re not supposed to rely on it without the parking brake, especially on steep inclines, but it’s something that’s supposed to work. A CVT can feel like a slipping automatic at times, but I’d see if you can replicate the problem and get it looked at, especially if you still have warranty.
 


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I have a 2016 Honda Civic Touring and my car rolled at my work parking lot till it hit a tree. Car was on park, and I always put the electronic parking brakes. Honda tells me that I might have forgotten to put the e-brake on. I mentioned that in the case I forgot, why would the car roll on park (CVT Trans). They are calling it an accident and have to deal with it myself. I came looking for some parts and decided to do a search and I find OP's situation.
 

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"Maybe changing the fluid would help? I've also noticed maybe a handful of times in the past 2,000 miles that the CVT has felt like it slipped while driving (or at least it felt a lot like how an automatic feels when it slips)."

The fluid has no effect on what you describe.

Look at the following drawing and you'll understand what may have happened.

https://www.hondapartsnow.com/parts...o-ka-cvt/at-transmission-case-components.html

Focus your attention on part 9. This latches the transmission when you select "park". There are 10 notches in the upper pulley where this parking pawl can engage. The upper pulley connects directly to the front wheels. I don't believe the CVT belt has any role in holding the car when "park" is selected.

Don't know how far the car would move for the pulley rotation between parking notches?
 

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This is scary. Good thing you notice it. I started using ebrake 2 yrs ago when I felt my car rolled a bit when I put it in park. Now I pull the ebrake every time I get out of the car or when my foot is not on the brake paddle, it's a habit now haha.
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