2018 Civic Type R Ultimate Transmission Issue

[ggvicviper]

So I know that a lot of Type R owners have spoken about the 1-2 gear extreme crunch, it's pretty common knowledge by now. However, I thought I'd share more insight into how my issues tended to happen and what ultimately caused the big problem.

So occasionally, during a more spirited launch, the shift into second would be very grindy. Depending on who you ask, it happens more in either hot or cold weather. It didn't matter the temperature for my car, it would just happen here and there. And I've been driving stick pretty much exclusively since I started driving (took my road test in a stick!) and never really experienced issues like this moderate gear grinding until I got my Type R - my past '13 Civic Si, '11 Accord & '08 Civic had no such issues.

However, I noticed something a bit more severe upon launching from a sharper turn, albiet a rare handful of times. The gear would lock out of 2nd completely, and I'd have to shift straight into third and drive around for like a minute to unlock 2nd gear. And it would also be really tough to shift back into 1st in these scenarios as well. I noticed this coming off an exit ramp to a stop sign near my house. At the stop sign of the ramp is a rather sharp right turn, and that's when the transmission issues really manifested themselves hard. There's an additional sharp right turn as you go to the end of that block toward my house.

Then, it finally happened.

I did those two turns in a row from a stop (about 1 minute apart), and I got locked out of 1st gear. Permanently.

No driving around the block, during it and shifting around helped. 1st gear was permanently sealed. I took it to a local dealership the next morning, and it's (unfortunately) going to take some time to look at it. Hopefully something will trigger that many of these cars do need a transmission recall. I really love my car, I want to see it running as best as it can, and I want my experience to trigger a red flag with AHMC. I don't want to see this happening to anyone else.

Sponsored

 

[krees]

Hopefully you get it solved quickly. I've had a few lockouts but none permanent so far.

 

[Zeffy94]

I have a bunch of crunchy shifts every time I drive, and a few lockouts as well. None have been permanent - however at a light I got locked out of first and only through going from N-3-N-1 did it go back into gear. Most of my lockouts are actually in 4th or 5th gear, mostly going 3-4 or 6-5.

I like to describe my transmission as...moody. Sometimes it’s great, other times I feel like I’m breaking something. It’s really bitchy when I’m first starting to drive until the fluid starts flowing, and my ride is nowhere near smooth until then. Even shifting gently doesn’t seem to smoothen it out.

 

[ggvicviper]

Hopefully you get it solved quickly. I've had a few lockouts but none permanent so far.

Lemme tell ya, it sucks starting on 2nd from a standstill!

 

[ggvicviper]

More than two weeks after I dropped the car off, I have yet to hear that the dealership even LOOKED at the car. Getting really frustrated.

 

[jbuttke1179]

You should not be launching a FWD car with the wheels turned. I have seen instances where axles can be pulled from the transmission housings or where the knuckles will snap from the extreme angles. I hope you haven't done any permanent damage and the issue can be fixed.

 

[ggvicviper]

You should not be launching a FWD car with the wheels turned. I have seen instances where axles can be pulled from the transmission housings or where the knuckles will snap from the extreme angles. I hope you haven't done any permanent damage and the issue can be fixed.

I'm sorry, but I need to get on the long, high speed road from the stop sign at a turn when I get off the highway, and I have no choice in that matter. That's gonna require a spirited start to get up to speed right away. I cannot imagine that would wreck the car, because this isn't the first car I've had to do that with.

 

[Zeffy94]

You should not be launching a FWD car with the wheels turned. I have seen instances where axles can be pulled from the transmission housings or where the knuckles will snap from the extreme angles. I hope you haven't done any permanent damage and the issue can be fixed.

When you say launch, do you mean floor it and drop the clutch or?

Also, I got another 1st gear lockout trying to move off today. Thankfully it didn’t persist after putting it into 3rd and back to 1st.

 

[ggvicviper]

When you say launch, do you mean floor it and drop the clutch or?

Also, I got another 1st gear lockout trying to move off today. Thankfully it didn’t persist after putting it into 3rd and back to 1st.

Launch meaning start, not flooring right off the bat. Doing that at a turn is dumb, could easily lose control and drive into the grass. I give it a push once the wheel straightens a bit. That's when it would get crunchy to 2nd though, and what led to the 1st gear lockout.

We should start documenting use cases for these transmission issues.

 

[Zeffy94]

I do seem to notice a bit more crunchiness when I have my wheel turned more than a few degrees. It definitely seems more common to hear and feel a very large amount of notchiness when I’m turning at an intersection and shifting into 2nd with the wheel turned. Hmm..

 

[ggvicviper]

I do seem to notice a bit more crunchiness when I have my wheel turned more than a few degrees. It definitely seems more common to hear and feel a very large amount of notchiness when I’m turning at an intersection and shifting into 2nd with the wheel turned. Hmm..

There's a chance the torque push of the engine and the centrifugal force of a turn don't play nice with the gearbox. Maybe there's a stability issue there.

 

[ggvicviper]

Dealership opened up the transmission finally - and they said that 1st and 2nd gears were severely damaged. Honda likely has to send an adjuster down there to see what's up. Service advisor even noted that you see people complaining about these Type R tranny issues all over the net, so...

I've never damaged a gearbox or clutch in my life. I hope - for everyone's sake - that this is going to start a recall.

 

[Zeffy94]

Dealership opened up the transmission finally - and they said that 1st and 2nd gears were severely damaged. Honda likely has to send an adjuster down there to see what's up. Service advisor even noted that you see people complaining about these Type R tranny issues all over the net, so...

I've never damaged a gearbox or clutch in my life. I hope - for everyone's sake - that this is going to start a recall.

Holy shit. I’m honestly curious about my transmission being that I’m a learner. At the same time, I feel like I should stop thinking about it.

Hopefully they take care of yours though. To see 1st and 2nd severely damaged is indeed a red flag.

 

[Drew03]

Just about to swap out my MTF at 3,500 miles. Going to use amsoil syncromesh but now I'm super worried if they do issue a recall. They will try and dick with me about it.

 

[JT Si]

Just about to swap out my MTF at 3,500 miles. Going to use amsoil syncromesh but now I'm super worried if they do issue a recall. They will try and dick with me about it.

You could always just drop the Amsoil and refill it with Honda MTF in this scenario. It will cost a few bucks in wasted fluid but it could be worth it.

Sponsored