3rd gear

[dragndrop]

I have had the 3rd gear fixed on my car and it is miles better now. There is still a slight notchiness there but it is no where near as bad as it was and, since the fix, it hasn't once refused to engage 3rd or popped out.
The best thing is that when I am giving it the beans I don't have to worry that it won't engage 3rd when changing up from 2nd and end up looking like I can't drive!

[beggs]

have same problem with mine 12.000 miles thought it was just me have never had a car grind 3rd as much

[R-2]

Mine very occasionally does not quite engage in 3rd. Hasn't happened often enough to be annoying but i shall certainly mention it when i'm next at my dealers. Especially if there is a fix out for it.

Mines an 08 model!

[Dimplyred]

At the risk of sounding a bit like Brodick, I've never had any problem with mine. I was talking to a CTR driver the other day, who I saw at the petrol station, who said he was having problems too.

[SHADEMASTER]

Originally Posted by R-2

Mine very occasionally does not quite engage in 3rd. Hasn't happened often enough to be annoying but i shall certainly mention it when i'm next at my dealers. Especially if there is a fix out for it.

Mines an 08 model!

If your car is an 08 model it should already have the gear box upgrade,
give it some time,
I had a slight 3rd gear problem, after about 1200 miles the problem disappeared (or i got used to it)
Cars built before R number R-8000 seem to have a bigger 3rd gear problem (cars delivered after September 1st have the upgrade or so the dealer told me)

[Sporran]

mine is fine (0 though 3rd doesnt feel as nice as all the other gears, but no crunching, popping well anythign just goes in, just not as smooth as the rest.

Did bounce the limiter today though in 3rd, was going with a Megane R26 lol.

[Dalboy]

Originally Posted by Sporran

Did bounce the limiter today though in 3rd, was going with a Megane R26 lol.

Hope you were on a track as that sounds over speed limit to me

[Sporran]

nah my brother in law is a farmer we used one of his fields

[R-2]

Originally Posted by SHADEMASTER

If your car is an 08 model it should already have the gear box upgrade,
give it some time,
I had a slight 3rd gear problem, after about 1200 miles the problem disappeared (or i got used to it)
Cars built before R number R-8000 seem to have a bigger 3rd gear problem (cars delivered after September 1st have the upgrade or so the dealer told me)

Not so sure! Done just under 2000 miles. When it happens (which as I said is not very often) just doesn't feel right. Its like the gear stick bounces back out of the gate.

I don't think its me being useless honest!!

[SHADEMASTER]

Originally Posted by R-2

Not so sure! Done just under 2000 miles. When it happens (which as I said is not very often) just doesn't feel right. Its like the gear stick bounces back out of the gate.

I don't think its me being useless honest!!

Mine never done what you described above, if it is as bad as that i would go back to the dealer.

[Stephen B]

Originally Posted by R-2

Not so sure! Done just under 2000 miles. When it happens (which as I said is not very often) just doesn't feel right. Its like the gear stick bounces back out of the gate.

I don't think its me being useless honest!!

exact symptoms to mine done it about 6 times in 1st 3 months then you adapt/forget about it but it's still there, mines been much better since fix, downside is I don't refrain from really ragging it now for fear of an embarassing shift

[uncler]

Originally Posted by R-2

Not so sure! Done just under 2000 miles. When it happens (which as I said is not very often) just doesn't feel right. Its like the gear stick bounces back out of the gate.

I don't think its me being useless honest!!

R-2, I have exactly the same issue. I think our cars are pretty close to each other in production line numbers and when they were delivered (both 08 models, delivered end of last year). I don't have the problem much anymore (although I'm not certain if thats just me getting used to it) but every once in a while it sort of feels sticky and I have to give it a pretty hard shove to push it into 3rd. Been caught out a couple of times and had my change accompanied by a nice crunching sound!

I think I will mention it next time I'm passing the dealers, but saying that things have improved since the car was new (on about 1500 miles now). What a dilemma!

[R-2]

Originally Posted by uncler

R-2, I have exactly the same issue. I think our cars are pretty close to each other in production line numbers and when they were delivered (both 08 models, delivered end of last year). I don't have the problem much anymore (although I'm not certain if thats just me getting used to it) but every once in a while it sort of feels sticky and I have to give it a pretty hard shove to push it into 3rd. Been caught out a couple of times and had my change accompanied by a nice crunching sound!

I think I will mention it next time I'm passing the dealers, but saying that things have improved since the car was new (on about 1500 miles now). What a dilemma!

Interesting that you should get it too. Our R numbers are very close i think and what you describe is exactly the same for me. I'm definitely going to mention it to my dealer when i'm next there but tbh it doesn't really bother me that much as it happens so rarely
However Stephen B i agree that it can be a little embarrassing

[Stephen B]

Originally Posted by R-2

Interesting that you should get it too. Our R numbers are very close i think and what you describe is exactly the same for me. I'm definitely going to mention it to my dealer when i'm next there but tbh it doesn't really bother me that much as it happens so rarely
However Stephen B i agree that it can be a little embarrassing

as already stated, I was unsure whether to push the issue at 1st service as I had adapted to the problem or it had gone of it's own accord [no pun], but I wanted the piece of mind of a full investigation and some fresh gear oil, the dealer says he changed it, and I have no reason to doubt him as it does appear to be a whole lot better and not a single 3rd gear issue since.

the only negative on the issue was forking out £11 quid for insurance cover on the painfully slow Jazz

[azinho]

Just had my 2007 fn2 3rd gear problem checked by my local garage (kettering honda) and they have diagnosed a faulty syncro & honda have backed there descision to replace the fault,to my delight! Thought it was gona take endless test drives & the usual fob off.

Car also is getting new window rubbers that have folded in,keep an eye out for them.

[allymfc1981]

I had the same problem, 3rd and 4th syncromesh gear fault, i returned mine to honda dealership and it was repaired after loosing car for 3 days, gear box now smooth, however i got a letter from honda saying the handbrake rachet mechanisms dodgy, waiting on part, due march i hope

[Jeroen1000]

I've been reading up on the issue (most information came from an US forum where some models should have the same 6-speed tranny as our CTR - but can anyone say for sure?) at hand here and I have only been able to find out that there should be an official service bulletin soon, describing a fix. 'Soon' being the word used for the past few months.

The fix would not simply consist of a 3rd gear replacement synchro and new tranny oil. Rumour goes, the tranny lay-out itself would undergo changes, and the shifting fork would be replaced also.

Now, the main reason for the absence of a service bulletin would be the lack of mass prodution of the parts required to do the needed tranny overhaul. Honda woud only issue a bulletin when there are enough spare parts to address all (or most) complaints. However, the person having stated the existence of a bulletin (haven gotten the information from his dealer), later on said there wasn't one yet due the the reason I pointed out above. I'm not saying he isn't telling the truth, but there is the obvious fact no one can prove its existence with some hard evidence.

I'm expecting my R in 2-3 weeks. When it arrives the 3rd gear issue may be resoved. I'll let you guys know if it is. Are there any owners out there with a Type R deliverd in January/February?

Maybe we could make a list to follow the alleged fix's 'evolution'. Something in the form of : Ordered on: dd/mm/yyyy; deliverd on : dd/mmd/yyyy; '08 model (check your VIN)?: Y/N; R-number: ; how many km/miles have you driven?:
Do you have the issue: Y:N

PS: here the link to that forum: 3rd Gear Solution under way - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum

My apologies if this info has been posted in this thread already. I've lost track of what has been posted where since I have been reading up for serveral hours.

[Pottsy]

Originally Posted by Jeroen1000

..most information came from an US forum where some models should have the same 6-speed tranny as our CTR - but can anyone say for sure?...

Yes, it's the same box.

[Jeroen1000]

Originally Posted by azinho

Just had my 2007 fn2 3rd gear problem checked by my local garage (kettering honda) and they have diagnosed a faulty syncro & honda have backed there descision to replace the fault,to my delight! Thought it was gona take endless test drives & the usual fob off.

Car also is getting new window rubbers that have folded in,keep an eye out for them.

To all drivers who have had (a) syncro('s) replaced: Several fora I have consulted fear this is only a temporary fix. They believe the problem will come back.
The best thing you guys can do is fax or write Honda HQ and ask for clarification on the matter. If no one is willing to do this, I would be more than happy to. All this speculation is driving people mad. And we all know there are anti-Honda fans out there too, wanting nothing more than to annoy people.

[portabuddy]

greetings from Canada, as someone that has the problem currently and has had the gearbox rebuilt. the problem will only get worse.

my issues started at 10000km. the third gear would not engage and pop out of gear once a month, a few miles down the road it would do it once a week until the gear wouldn't engage several times a day. at 30000km i had the transmission repaired, it was torn to bits and the replaced the gear-set, synchronisers, shifter fork, rod, bearings and locking rings.... 1000km later third gear began popping out again and so did 4th. I'm now at 36000km and want to sell the car its that bad.


it looks like your dealers are turning a blind eye to the problem as are ours... tell you the truth it seems like not as many people hare have the problem as on 8thCivic.com - 8th Generation Civics which is about 300-400 but the fact that there is a problem globally should mean something...


here is what I'm talking about.

(Don't mind the driver on the wrong side...)




and a somewhat reccent press release