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Honda Unresponsive Gear Shift

The Leading Repair Shop in Lowell to Fix an Automatic Transmission Lockup Issue in a Honda

by Mechanics Direct March 27, 2022

Although Honda initially started as a motorcycle manufacturer, it is currently one of the top automobile manufacturers worldwide. However, until auto manufacturers design parts that are resistant to wear and tear, vehicle components in your Honda parts are still susceptible to natural wear after extended use.

One such component that develops faults after an extended period of use is the solenoid in your Honda automatic transmission. The transmission consists of several parts, and its function is to transfer power from the engine to the driveshaft and rear wheels. The failure of any of its parts affects the transmission functionality and your vehicle’s overall performance.

The Lockup Solenoid

The lockup solenoid is located within the valve body of the automatic transmissions. An electric component automatically locks the torque converter when your car is driving at high speed or coursing through a bad road. The lockup solenoids prevent the transmission from overheating and also regulates gas mileage.

However, when the lockup solenoid of the automatic transmission becomes faulty, the torque converter will refuse to lock up at highway speeds or refuse to unlock itself. Hence, your vehicle may exhibit some of the following signs indicating an issue with the lockup solenoid.

  • Poor gas mileage: When the lockup solenoid becomes faulty and can no longer function optimally, your vehicle performance reduces. Your car will try to compensate for the loss of the function by overworking. When this happens, your car Honda will use up more fuel than it should and cause you to spend more on gas. Hence, call the attention of a Honda specialist to help rectify the issue.
  • Stalling engine: If your car experiences a stalling engine, a faulty lockup solenoid in the transmission might be responsible. You will notice that your car’s engine stops operating and turning and starts again independently. When the engine begins stalling, you lose control over your vehicle. Since other faulty parts in your engine can also cause your engine to stall, you will need a mechanic to help you examine your car and diagnose the issue before you can make conclusions that the lockup solenoid is responsible.
  • Check engine light is on: Whenever anything goes wrong within your car’s engine, the check engine light will become illuminated. You can find the check engine light icon on the dashboard. The light comes on immediately when you switch on your car to run a quick check. It should go off within seconds. If it stays on as you drive, then it could be because of a faulty lockup solenoid.
  • Delayed and unresponsive gear shifts: The gear is the most important part of the automatic transmission of your Honda. A fault with the lockup solenoid can affect shifting between gears causing slow or unresponsive shifting. A vehicle experiencing gear shifting issues is dangerous to drive, as you can no longer accelerate when necessary, such as merging with faster traffic.

Other symptoms of a faulty lockup solenoid include skipping, stuck-in, and upshift and downshift problems. Since you know your vehicle better than anyone, you need to pay close attention to it and report the slightest change to your mechanic before it causes irreparable damage. Performing routine maintenance at the scheduled intervals will also help detect problems in the early stage.

Honda Automatic Transmission Lockup Issue Fix

Mechanics Direct Lowell’s Leaders in Customer Satisfaction

To avoid having issues with the lockup solenoid in your Honda, you need to practice safe driving and properly maintain your vehicle. If your car is not properly maintained, it can easily experience premature lockup issues. When this happens, you want to ensure that you entrust your vehicle to a certified Honda technician for the repair. The best auto repair shop that is a host to Honda specialists is Mechanics Direct.

When you bring your vehicle to our specialists, we ensure that your car is repaired with the best tools. Our experts are ASE-certified and have a passion for providing the best repair and maintenance services for drivers in North Chelmsford, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tyngsborough, Westford, and Lowell, MA. Please call or visit our shop today to schedule an appointment or learn more about our services and maintenance programs.