02 Accord, V6, automatic, 135K miles, 80% highway

Bear with me here as I try and explain the problem. Started last week and only does it sometimes. I had it at the dealership all day Thursday and it never did it for them. They hooked it up to the diagnostic machine and no codes were thrown or stored. Check engine light or transmission blinking lights have never come on.
When in gear and stopped, the car will want to lurge forward and the engine rpm's will jump around some, between idle and about 1200. When you take off, it jerks around and you can feel it and the tach will jump around some more. When you throw it immeadiately in neutral when all this is going on, the engine purrs like a cat. It's just when it's in D. If I manually shift it into L1, the engine dies. When this is going on and you start off, it's like the whole car shakes and rattles. I just drove it a few minutes ago and it's doing it again, it's my wifes car. It's almost like the transmission is hunting for a gear. When you take off, it seems like it's dropping into second way too early and I liken all the shaking and stuff as like when you have a manually transmission and you start off in 2nd gear and low rpm's, you know, ka-chunka, ka-chunka. Once it gets going, it's OK. It hasn't died on us yet but I'm worrying about it as my wife has to go through a lot of bumper to bumper traffic in the mornings and evenings while driving through Oklahoma City.
I've read into transmission problems on the 6th gen's, but if this was a tranny problem, wouldn't this be happening all the time? And just like few minutes ago when it was doing it, I had to stop at a store and shut if off. On the way home after re-cranking, nothing. It's like nothing ever happened and the dealership probably thinks I'm full of baloney. I just don't understand why it hasn't thrown a code. I watched all the lights and guages when it was doing all this and nothing went on.
Suggestions? At this point I'm pretty convident that I've narrowed it down to the transmisson. Now the worrying really begins. I'm way over the mileage for the goodwill replacement if it is in fact the transmission. Maybe it's a solenoid or something. I replace all the ATF at every oil change, about 12K. Assume everything else is within proper working levels, i.e. oil, ATF, fuel pump, etc. I thought it might be bad gas because she drives so much, but not now.

what about spark plugs/wires?
my friend had the exact same problem in his eclipse and he just needed new plugs/wires. oh and also he had an oil tube seal that was leaking, it was replaced at the same time. i don't know if that effected anything thow.
that is what i would check first. i also had a similar problem in my accord but i had a cel and a misfire, i replaced the plugs/wires and if fixed it.

plugs and wires replaced at the dealership at 105K when I had the timing belt replaced.

how about your EGR ports????

my mother's 99 TL did the same thing, stalled when idling, had trouble idling, but was inconsistent.....

try getting those cleaned up (about $100-150 service) and let us know what happens..... :wave:

Yeah, I've had the same kind of things happen on my F150, and it's not the same. When ever it acts up, I throw it in neutral, no problems.

What if it has something to do with the PCM? Would that throw a code? Would taking the negative battery cable off for about ten minutes or so maybe help it reset?

IAC valve?

I hear you, but wouldn't that be always ocurring, not necessarily at idling? Seems the consesus is pointing to some sort of idle control. Boy, I hope this is that simple because I will very, very disappointed if the transmission is going. Been a great car so far....... calling Princess and Prince....

I'd also have it checked for a possible vaccum leak.

Update. Transmission was bad. Torque converter. 2600 to replace but I had them call Honda and they said that all I would have to pay is 500 dollars. Guess it doesn't hurt buying two new Accords in 4 years!!!

glad you got it fixed, but it did take a long time for honda to figure out the problem. :paranoid:
it should have been free just for that reason. :)

Congrats on the goodwill. Did they replace the whole trans or just the torque converter?

Going to keep it for the long-haul?

Sorry for the super long delay. The office "computer watchers" decided to turn this site back on. Anyway, it was a whole transmission replacement. True to their word, all I paid was 500 bucks and got it back the next day. I must say, we should all be VERY appreciative on this site. I can't begin to tell you how much money I've saved by simply reading all the comments. When the dealer first called, they quoted me around 3K. That's when I remember some other posters here recommending that you have them call the Regional office and this is exactly what I told the dealer to do. Sure as fire, it worked. I never would have known that by not reading and visiting here. But since that time, I've read more into the transmission ordeal. Big problem for Honda, but they are TRYING. Yeah I know, it shouldn't have happened in the first place, but that's spilt milk. This customer service is way better than Ford. My F150 has the dreaded spark plug spitting engine, for those of you that don't know, it's an ongoing problem and design flaw from Ford. The only fix, replace the heads. There have been over 1.5 million of these engines built, you think Ford will fess up or offer some sort of assistance? NO. You think this problem would be covered by the FACTORY extended warranty? It is NOT. Ford will not budge on this issue. There are some fixes out there, such as time-serts and helicoils, but it doesn't give you a warm fuzzy when your on a long trip with the family, let me assure you that!!!

Oh, yeah, we're keeping this one. It's my wifes car, 147K miles on it. Been reliable so far. With all that mileage on it, I wouldn't suspect it bring it a lot anyway. This will be the "drive it until it falls apart" car. Plus, it's paid for!!:banana:

schmoe

the modular ford engines that spit plugs don't require new heads. It is STUPID that Ford still insists on using only 4 threads per hole on most of their aluminum head engines.

The thing to get if they do that is a Timesert "bigsert" kit. These are hardened steel SOLID inserts that go into the heads, engine disassembly is not required.
The kit with inserts and tools is nearly $500.

They are pricey, our shop gets $100 per insert plus labor to install them, the farther back on the engine, the more labor.

Helicoils won't last, they tend to blow out or come out with plugs when changing them.

Ford has released an "out of warranty" bulletin that essentially says that the dealer is to buy a "rotunda" branded Timesert kit and use the inserts. This is after nearly 10 years of saying that no insert would work.

Thanks for the update Schmoe. Any oil analyses ever done on the ATF? What ATF had been used? Any aftermarket cooler or filter installed?

glad to hear you got it fixed:thmsup:
and DA is a great forum so much useful info:yes:

So was the 500 simply for labor? Did they offer you a brand new transmission or a reconditioned one?

Ben, dealer took the transmission before I wanted to take a grab sample. But, I had been in the practise of replacing the ATF with every oil change. That didn't help the situation. They said it was the torque converter. It is still stock, no cooler or filter installed. I know it's been talked about alot over on bobistheoilguy dot com.
It was a Honda certified reconditioned one with a 50K mile warranty. I don't know exactly what the 500 was for, I'm sure it didn't cover all the labor. It sounded more like a deductible to me than anything else.