2006 Honda Civic Si: Popping Out of 3rd Gear

I will be very interested to see the result of this please keep us posted.
 
-Spargo

This happened occasionally on my 06 Acura TL 6-speed. I hear an effective fix is to replace the Honda transmission fluid with *GASP* GM syncromesh.

mptlptr: that really works? because my Si has this issue also when it's cold.
 
7 driver: double clutch upshift? i thought double clutching was only used for downshifting?

Yep, Amsoil Syncromesh also works like a charm. I haven't experienced any of the third gear roughness I noticed prior to replacing the stock fluid.

i'll look into replacing the stock fluid then. thanks for the advice everyone!

Doublecheck the forums; I don't know about Hondas, but in Miatas a lot of drivers solve crunch 1-2 shifts with GM synchromesh fluid with friction modifiers. Not sure how different that makes it...

Dragonz,
 
Yup, double clutch upshift. You double clutch an upshift for the same reason you would double clutch a downshift: because of synchros that are weak (old RWD Alfas, '07 Honda Civic Si's) or non-existent (vintage gearboxes). Or you just want to take it easy on the synchros. Synchros typically work harder on the downshift than on the upshift because the rev differences are greater, but they still do work whether going up or down so long as the input shaft is spinning at a different rate than if the clutch were out.
 
As a side note, my cousin gave me a book on the Ferrari GTO. In it Phil Hill is quoted as saying he hated having to drive the GTO and he complains bitterly about the gearbox, saying that he preferred the lightweight gears of a non-synchro tranny and that synchronizers were for klutzes.

This is definately a problem that plageus all 6-speed Hondas (Acuras) built in the last few years. Ever since the weather has turned frigid here in Chicago this problem has aggrivated me more and more, and I think my tranny fluid is going to get swapped soon. 
I'm taking it into the dealer on Thurs (12/7) so hopefully they will change the fluid.  I have also read on some forums that the transmission is commonly overfilled at the factory and that can result in some of the 3rd gear problems.  In addition, apparently Honda is using a new manual transmission fluid so maybe they have caught on to the problem.  I'll let you guys know how my visit to the dealer goes...

yes please do, could you email me how it goes? by thursday, i'm sure this update will be buried under new entries. my email is dragonzsoul@gmail.com thanks!

My 2003 Acura CL-S 6MT hasnt had nay tranny issues so far and its right at the 40K mark.
 
OTOH Ive heard about this popping out of gear issue for some time, even before the Si debuted. It was an issue for some RSX-S owners too. Ive heard about changing the fluid to GM synchromesh (which is really good) or the Royal Purple ( I beleive) tranny fluid. I hope this simple measure works for owners as Honda/Acura certainly dont need anymore embarrasing transmission issues.
 
But what strikes me as funny is that the Acura TSX 6MT hasnt had any issues and its closely based around the same mechnicals of the RSX-S/Si.

Could it be related to the hanging RPMs issue? This was another symptom shared with the 1987 Ford Escort 4 cylinder / 5 speed.

Hm...my '97 Civic EX (5-speed of course) after about 45K miles decided to scrape every time going into third gear. I just stopped using third gear. I think my brother put straight gear oil in it and that got rid of the problem long enough to trade it in...probably not a good idea for your car though.

I've had this problem with my car also. I love driving my car but when this happens it makes me feel as if I don't know how to drive my car, especially since I really never drove a car with a manual transmission regularly. When I take my car to get an oil change this week i am going to bring this issue up at the dealership.

I have a Civic Si 2006 which I bought, new, last May.
 
11,000 miles
 
I have experienced the popping out of 3rd gear that peopel have mentioned here. I'll try the GM fluid.
 
HOWEVER,
 
LAst Tuesday I got ont he highway and noticed a burnign smell and the fact that pressing the accelerator revved the engine but didn't move me any faster.
 
Blown clutch.
 
Got it to the dealer. They said "Wear and tear - you pay"
Called Honda Customer Relations and they agreed to pay.
Car is fixed - got it back yesterday.
 
Now I dont' "ride" the clutch. I've driven standards all my life. The car before the Civic was a 1993 Saturn with 125,000 miles on it. No clutch problems.
 
Is this a common problem with Hondas? I don't drive it hard. Was I just unlucky and got a bad clutch?
 
Kinda of unhappy that I even had to call custo relations to get them to pay but I guess that's how it works. So much for th evaunted Honda customer service.

gregg140: I got my 06 Si last April, put on 18,000 miles, and haven't had this popping out issue as well. I have talked to several 6th generation Si owners like us and there's been mixed feedback on the problem. Although I do experience the 2-3 upshift grinding when the transmission hasn't been give time to warm up, as reported by Brent.
 
In regards to the blown clutch, I don't believe it's a common problem with standard transmissions from Honda. Prior to this Si, I had a '93 Civic Si that ran just fine on the same clutch for 13 years. Perhaps the newer Si's clutch is more sensitive within the initial range of pressure on the pedal than what you were used to with your 93 Saturn? Either way, it should be good habit not to ride the clutch.
 
-Darrell

I have the same problem with the popping of the 3rd gear. But after my first grind I adjusted a bit so I never had a problem after that... I think the way the gears are positioned/engineered is slightly off than usual standard short shifting gears. not sure if it was how Honda wanted to engineer this car.
 
Anyone know who to actually talk to about the sticky 3rd gear? Apparently my area, the mechanics more or less say...It's how they made it.
 
Lastly anyone have an update article about this? From honda? or anything?

I have a 2006 Civic SI as well, and have experienced both the hanging clutch and the blown clutch, though I have closer to 19k miles on it. In fact, my car is in the shop right now, and after seeing gregg140's remark, I put in a call to Honda Consumer Services as well. I am optimistic that they can help me out with the repair.

i got a 07 civic si, havent had the gear grinding problem. hey when you guys turn your lights on, the speedometer and tach dim right?

damn im stupid, forgot about the button to brighten and dim the dash

Is this bad for a Standard Transmission clutch:
 
You are at a stoplight and NOT the first person in line.
 
The light changes and the car ahead of you SLOWLY moves forward.
 
You let out the clutch but not all the way, while giving some gas to get moving. With the Si, you cannot get entirely into first gear because that would have you going too fast and you'd ram into the person in front of you. Before the clutch is fully out you depress it again and move into second to maintain that speed.
 
Is this "riding the clutch"? Does it damage the clutch or wear it out faster?
 
If so what should one do? Wait until the person in front is far enough away such that yuo can get the car fully into first gear?
 
thanks

As far as popping out of 3rd gear goes:
 
I've observed that it's sometimes difficult to get it into 3rd gear. Not nearly as smooth and easy as the other gears. It seems to have to do with the speed you are going. When it's difficult, if you don't get it fully into 3rd...it pops out. Since I observed that, I make sure it's fully in 3rd before letting go of the stick. It hasn't popped out since.

This started happening to me after I had the clutch replaced after around 18k mile, Dealership said "Wear and Tear", I took it somewhere else to get it replaced for 1/3 the price. The showed me the plates, and the said that the clutch springs were loose due to too much pressing the clutch. The pads didn't even look worn.
 
Is it my Si or has this happened to others?

I have an 07 SI Coupe which i bought in June and this 3rd gear problem is drivin me nuts. When shifting into 3rd gear its never smooth and sometimes pops out causing a grinding noise. Also sometimes when down shifting to 3rd it catches somethin on its way in and you gotta pull it out and put it in the gear again. The car has about 6k miles on it . Lookin at previous log, some people suggested changing the tranny oil to Amsoil Syncromesh. Im wondering if anyone has tried this and seen this 3rd gear problem go away or have found a way to fix it?.....Thanks guys

I was looking hard at the '07 4DR SI, but now I am leary due to the tranny issues. Many have mentioned using afer marketing tranny fluid, will this void Honda's warranty? I am sure anything car manufacture looks for anything to void warranties.
  
Thanks

Tuesday December 04 2007 - 9:45am
 
Hello to all you other '06-'07 owners and to you curious would-be Si-owners.
 
I am currently writing this comment from my local Honda dealership. I have experienced the sluggish 3rd gear from since the first week I purchased my '07 Civic Si. The third gear started out being a little stiff but overall shifting was smooth. After the break-in period of about 1000 - 1500 miles, it got much worse. The first 3rd-gear grind occured somewhere between 700 - 1000 miles, and thereafter I'd say I get the missed-gear and/or grind at least once or twice every two weeks...each time that it has happened it wrenched my heart.
 
Anyways, I'm at about 14,500 miles now and I've gotten fed up with the 3rd gear issue. Last Friday I brought my car here and spoke to the manager of the service dept. and told him all about the issue. Apparently, Honda recognizes the 3rd gear issue for both the Civic Si and the recent S2000s as well. Both cars are recommened a transmission fluid swap from the original fluid to Amsoil Syncromesh (as others on here have already stated, I am just plugging that Honda verifies and in fact recommends this fluid). So I got my transmission fluid changed to the Amsoil Syncromesh for no service fee since my car is stil under warranty. The manager told me everything should run smoothly now and to give it another try and if the same problem persists even after the transmission fluid swap, then the warranty will cover for even a transmission overhaul if it is required.
 
Well, I drove my Si around this past weekend and I will say positively that the transmission fluid does in fact improve the smoothness of the shifting. However, my third gear still seemed 'damaged' from all the grinds it had received before I got the new transmission fluid. Even though it's improved a lot - it still hangs a bit. And as fate would have it, while driving yesterday the third gear didn't take and it kicked my shift knob right back at me...and if I wasn't already familiar with the routine then I would have grinded the gear yet again! Upset, I brought the car back and told the service manager that the problem occured again and that even though the transmission fluid probably would have fixed the problem if I got it changed from day one - it is simply now a problem with how damaged and frayed my 3rd gear is and also how damaged the shaft that slides in and out of the gears has gotten from being chipped at from the 3rd-gear 'grindage'.
 
Well, the result of that long story is that I am now sitting here at the dealership while the manager is waiting on confirmation with Honda Tech to see what parts they're going to need for a transmission overhaul. My Si is fully paid off, still new, and under warranty thankfully. I am expecting that it will be fixed to the state that it should have been in when I purchased the car. We as a consumer deserve the best in performance from our Civic Sis. If you are truely concerned about the long-term health of your transmission and you are experiencing the 3rd-gear issues - then I suggest you go look into it at your dealership and get it fixed while your warranty will still cover it.
 
It really is a shame that some of the '06 - '07 Civic Si transmissions are faulty by default from manufacture. If you're looking into buying one, then make sure the car has had the Amsoil Syncromesh fluid put into the car before you take it off the lot...it will make your life so much easier. I'm pretty certain you won't have any problems at all if you buy the car with the Amsoil Syncromesh already in the car.
 
I will be posting another update with further news about my car for the curious. Good luck everyone.
 
Vincent T. (Maryland)
'07 Civic Si Nighthawk Pearl w/ Nav

Okay guys, I have big/good news:
 
The service manager at my local dealership got the word in and told me that Honda now officially recognizes fauly transmissions for its 6-speed transmission cars - as far as '03 Civic Si all the way to recent '08 models - including S2000s, Accords, and 6-speed Acuras.
 
There WILL be a fix issued in January 2008 - the exact date is not announced or known yet. This is not a total recall on all 6-speeds. Cars will be addressed in a case by case basis - basically if someone has a problem and it is recognized as being related to the confirmed 6-speed transmission issues - your dealership is obligated to fix your car for you free of charge, even if your car is no longer under warranty (past mileage or years).
 
The fix:
 
I didn't get very many details but basically I was told that for the the '06 - '07 Civic Si models (maybe '08 as well) that there is a transmission kit in the works that will fix the problems everyone is talking about - basically a crappy 3rd-gear and the hanging, grinding, and rejection when shifting. The tranny fix will change the gear syncrhos for gear 1 through 6 and will fix and improve the shifting of not only the 3rd gear, but of the gear box entirely. For those of us who get this fix, they will basically give you a new transmission - new fresh gears and re-synchronized, etc. Awesome.
 
Conlcusion:
 
So, everyone who's experiencing any problems at all - nows the time to bring your Si into the dealership and bring up the problem and ask about the transmission fix that's been announced. If the manager or service worker has no idea what you're talking about - tell them to contact Honda Motor Corp and ask because they should have been updated with instructions about the coming transmission fixes - the manager I spoke to didn't know but he had the intelligence to look into my problem further to find out if there was one.
 
Good luck everyone, by the Jan 2008 this issue should be taken care of once and for all, so go get your Si fixed. To anyone looking into buying the Si - I suggest you wait until January comes around so that the fix takes. Just make sure you're buying an Si that has the new transmission layout and the new required transmission fluid in it.
 
Vincent T. (Maryland)
'07 Civic Si Nighthawk Pearl w/ Nav

Thanks Vincent,
The information you provided was needed and accurately desribed the problems I was experiencing. It saved me the bother of trying again to get my dealership to work on the problem without "replicating" it first. I read your post to the Service Manager, and then he finally understood (or accepted what I had been telling them).
 
Steve2333

Hello everyone it's me again, I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.
 
It is now the middle of January 2008 and I haven't gotten in contact with the service manager at my local Honda dealership concerning that transmission-kit fix yet. He said he would call me when it's available but of course he probably would forget...
 
So, this coming Monday I'm going to probably stop by the dealership since I need an oil-change and new air-filter anyways, and while I'm there I'm going to see if the fix is available yet. I seriously hope it is because my car has gotten MUCH more sluggish since my last post. I'm now at 16,000 miles and I'm beginning to think my clutch is burnt or something. It just doesn't feel the same way anymore. Or maybe I just need that oil-change and air-filter but I doubt those two maintenances would make my car sluggish like that at all. (20% oil life, air-filter I think is recommended for change at 12- 15k miles.) It is definetly drive-train related.
 
I mean, when I really want my car to go fast, I can MAKE it go fast, but I feel as if I have to really press on the accelerator more lately. I don't remember having to try as hard or give as much gas for it to push, and I really don't get that "kick" when i accelerate anymore. But defintely not a full blown clutch just yet.
 
In either case, I've already sort of been promised by the service manager that if my clutch was worn out or entirely "burnt" then he would go ahead and associate it with the faulty 3rd gear issue. Hopefully my clutch and everything is fine, but if they're not then I hope they will indeed fix it without me having to pay for the parts or service.
 
Although of course someone could always say it is the driver's fault and that the driver pay for it - but in this case, since Honda is officially taking responsiblity for the faulty transmission issue - I believe they'll cover any other RELATED issues and treat it as a special case since it is highly probable that those other mechanical problems are related to the gear/shifting issues. So if you're going in to get this fix, remember to ask them to perform a full vehicle inspection in case your clutch and whatever else is screwed up.
 
Has anyone else already went ahead and found out more information or received the gear fix? If so, please explain to the rest of us how it went and how your SI is doing now. I'll update again after I find out more information about the fix - whether it's available or not yet, etc.
 
If anyone has questions or comments you are welcome to email me:
 
vinc@umd.edu
 
Vincent T. (Maryland)
'07 Civic Si Nighthawk Pearl w/ Nav

That's awesome Steve I'm glad you didn't have to wait for those service guys to replicate the scenario in their test drives. I find it probably impossible to replicate the issue unless one of them actually owned you car for a few days and drove it from cold start to run a few errands. And no one has the time or the trust to loan their car out to someone just to show them what the problem is.
 
It is good that your service manager took my post at face value. Originally I printed out this threat before I posted on it to show MY service manager. He tried to replicate the problem, but to no avail.
 
At least he knew about the Amsoil Syncromesh and changed that for me for free. But after that didn't really work to well, he found out about the transmission fix by Honda. So I'm thankful for that and I hope we all get that fix soon.
 
Did your service manager also learn about the transmission fix and have you received it yet or are you still in the process as well? Let me know how it goes for you, good luck.
  
Vincent T. (Maryland)
'07 Civic Si Nighthawk Pearl w/ Nav
email: vinc@umd.edu

If you're looking for a quick answer without reading my previous posts, I'll sum it up.
 
Honda has announced a transmission fix for the 06 - 07 Civic SI (and any other Honda 6-speed that qualifies for the fix). The announcement is on their official service bulletin. Any Honda dealership should be able to draw it up to see for themselves. If the service manager still fails to figure out that this is a Honda recognized, kindly ask him to contact someone at Honda Motor Corp about it and they SHOULD be able to inform him about the fix through the phone.
 
Again, the fix involves basically overhauling your existing transmission and changing a few of its mechanics around. THIS IS BASICALLY A NEWLY LAID OUT GEAR BOX. You will probably want this even if you don't experience 3rd gear issues because this is what Honda is putting out there as a fix and as a new transmission lay out. I suggest that if you have an 06 and 07 SI, that you bring your car in and see if the fix is necessary for you or not. Personally, I'd try to get it done just to stay up to date with the parts. Unless of course you have an aftermarket tranny or something.

On another forum someone responded to my post with:
 
"Where's the announcement? Do you have smething offical or is this just something that the tech said?"
 
Unfortunately it's not that easy to view the official Honda service bulletin. You can view service bulletins through certain websites that charge you around $20 - 30 for a detailed print out of a particular service bulletin...but I'm not going to do that when I've already been told about it personally by my dealership. Basically, I'm just sharing what I've learned about the issue from my own findings at the dealership. I've done as much as anyone can about the problem. My local Honda service manager drew up a Honda service bulletin that addresses the 3rd gear problem officially. He told me that there is a fix that is due in 2008 as early as the month of January. I was then told I he will try to contact me about it when the fix is available. I have been going to this dealership for maintenance on my old 97 Accord Coupe LX SE, 98 Civic EX, and Honda Oddysey as well as my 07 Civic SI. I am treated very well there so I don't think I was lied to. There is no reason to lie to a customer about a false fix.
Only someone at your Honda dealership can assure you about the fix if you don't take my word for it. I'm merely relaying what I was told by a professional. Again, this is why I suggesting that anyone who is experience this very same problem should also take their SI to the dealership and inquire about the problem and fix.
 
In either case, I'll update this forum and every other forum I have posted on about how everything goes when I bring my car for regular maintenance tomorrow on Monday. I'll speak to the service manager again to see what's up with the release of the fix. I'll post again then.

Went in today for an oil change and asked more about the 3rd gear fix.
 
Here’s what I was told:
 
Unfortunately he said the parts are still being made but they should be done soon. The reason why it's taking so long is because Honda Motor Corp is trying to manufacture enough of these parts to be able to meet the demanding number of complaints for repairs.
 
Also, he said Honda does in fact recognize this problem officially – meaning it’s in their books. However, it simply just isn't listed in their service bulletin yet because why would they list it now when the parts aren't even available yet? So he wasn't able to give me a service bulletin # or code for the fix since it just isn't available yet. At least I was informed about it still thankfully.
 
So, when the parts are finally manufactured and there is a nice surplus of them available, Honda will then at that time list the fix on the service bulletin making the service available.
 
Furthermore, information about this fix will probably NOT be sent out to people in the mail like past service announcements have been simply because it is not a universal problem that all owners experience. Honda probably finds it more efficient to not alarm a high number of owners who don’t have to worry about this particular repair. Although there are a large number of SI owners who are experiencing this, it is still considered an isolated problem and not an epidemic problem. Therefore it will not be treated as a recall since it does not endanger the driver. If you feel that you have the problem, then it is your responsibility to bring your vehicle to be inspected.
 
Since this is not yet listed on their service bulletin, in order to get your dealership to acknowledge this fix my service manager suggests that you have your dealership's service manager call the Honda Tech line and ask about a fix concerning the "06-07 Civic SI 3rd gear problem" (or however you want to say it) and someone over the phone should know what he's asking about and will confirm and inform him about it.
 
After that, it's just a matter of waiting for the parts to be made but at least the service manager at your dealership will know that it's for real. My service manager assured me not to worry because they will know when the parts are available because when they are finally complete every dealership should be receiving an official bulletin posting about it. So get your name on a memo with your dealership so they hit you up when the fix is available.
 
Finally, most of you are probably worried about not being able to get this fix because the service team at your dealership is still giving you a hard time about replicating the problem. The service manager at my dealership only tried to replicate the problem with me because at that time he had no idea what the problem was or what caused it. He told me that he only tried to replicate the problem to try to identify it. However, now that he knows that Honda officially recognizes that there may be a case where there is a problem with a vehicle's 3rd gear and gear syncros, he no longer needs to try to figure out what could be wrong. So, once the parts for the fix is available, all he’ll have to do is have the service team take a look at my transmission and other related parts, inspect them to see what I need, then order the parts to fix it up.
 
It should be that easy for all of you. If not then I’m sorry that your dealership doesn’t treat you nearly as good as they should like the way mine treats me. If it comes down to it, you can always tell them that you’re going to give the service manager and his team a bad rating when you get your next service survey call about the services you’ve recently received! Or even threaten to call customer service and tell them directly about the poor manner in which you are being treated. That will make him treat you better, trust me. Sometimes you have to be a jerk too -just don't over do it.
 
I hope this answers most questions but if anyone has more questions just ask me via e-mail and I'll get back to you asap.
 
Good luck
 
Vincent T. (Maryland)
'07 Civic Si Nighthawk Pearl w/ Nav
email: vinc@umd.edu

I initially reported this problem to my dealership toward the ending of February 2007, the second week of owning the car. I've fought with them several times since with the same result, "we cannot replicate the issue."
  
Finally fed up with the dealership I went online to see if anyone had a resolution for the problem. That was how I found this thread. I went back to the dealership after printing out the thread with Vincent's comments from December 5th but still had no luck getting it fixed. My only options were to try to get them to test drive it for more than 1/2 a mile, or to wait until the transmission died, at which point they would have probably made me pay for it as they did other users. So instead I decided to wait until January for the service bulletin.
  
I went in earlier today and asked if there was a service bulletin for the transmission of the 07 Civic Si. I was told that there were 2 recalls and 2 service bulletins for the Civic, none of which applied to the transmission. When I explained my problem to the service manager, he stated that one of their service advisors was working with Honda's techline to address a similar issue for another customer, and that he'd give me a call if the information or bulletin became available.
   
Has anyone been able to fully resolve this issue one way or another yet?
  
Derek - 2007 Civic Si Sedan

Where to start...
 
I bought my '07 Civic SI in April of 07. I originally noticed that the car would "rattle" in the morning - the first time I shifted from 1st gear to 2nd gear. This problem went away after about a month and no longer does this. I chalked this up to being a new car.
 
About a month or two ago, I noticed that when I press the clutch in, sometimes I get a "squeaking/grinding" kind of noise coming from the shift pedal. My wife found some YouTube videos with owners having the same issue. The fix for this was to take it to the dealer and have them lubricate the appropriate piece. I have yet to do this, because I wanted to do this during my next servicing. This only happens randomly and not every time I use my clutch to shift - but it does happen more often than not.
 
I also noticed the third gear issue mentioned in this forum - when switching from 2nd gear to 3rd gear, the clutch will either grind or pop out of third gear. It almost feels as if I need to throw the car into 3rd with force and not let off of the clutch until I feel confident that it will not pop out. I had originally figured this was an issue with how I was shifting as I normally would not blame a new car. However, after reading this forum and realizing that other Honda Civic SI owners are experiencing the same issue, I now see that it might not just be the way I shift.
 
The more important issue... Yesterday, I noticed that I wasn't getting the power that I normally get when starting out. Again I didn't think much of it - thought of it more as a cold day kind of issue. Then this morning (while still being cold) the car was doing the same thing. When starting out in first gear - very little pick up - whether the engine was warm or not. However when I was in 5th and 6th gear going down the highway, if I pressed the accelerator the engine would rev up to 5500 - 6000 rpm's. Although I am probably one of the least knowledgeable persons you will ever meet when it comes to mechanics or cars in general, I was 100% positive that something wrong with the clutch this time, and it was more than a user error.
 
When I got off the highway and pulled up to the stoplight, I could smell a weird "burning" kind of smell in the car. My wife and I wondered if it was coming from our car or someone else's since we have a new car. However, when we got to work, approximately 4 miles from the stoplight, it was confirmed that the smell was indeed coming from our car and the car has VERY LITTLE power.
 
I have called the dealership and had it towed in and I am awaiting there phone call. But I am sure, especially after reading some post that there are some definite clutch issues that need to be addressed. My question is - do I need a new transmission, an overhaul, what? And if so, will it take care of ALL of these issues? This is my first NEW car and I am a little worried that this issue will just pop back up in the future if they don't take the appropriate steps now to fix it now. Any suggestions?
 
Thanks.
David - '07 Civic Si Sedan - Rallye Red w/ Nav

Just found this TSB#1205 on www.nhtsa.dot.gov it was posted in 05 but the description is similar. I am haveing the same problem in my 06 Accord with the 3rd gear and have been harassing the dealership about it but to no avail.
 
Description is as follows:
Service Bulletins Summary
 
Make: HONDA
Model: ACCORD
Year: 2006
   
Service Bulletin Number: 1205
NHTSA Item Number: 10018868
Summary Description:
TRANSMISSION GRINDS AT SHIFTS, SKIP SHIFTING. *TT

Honda has released an official TSB announcement for the 3rd gear grind/pop out issue. Parts are available for the fix. This problem should now be recognized at any of your Honda dealerships, and service should now be offered - if not, bring in a printout of the TSB and shove it in their faces, link below.
 
Honda TSB 08-020:
 
Transmission Grinds When Shifting Into 3rd Gear, Pops Out of 3rd Gear, or
Is Hard to Shift Into 3rd Gear
 
SYMPTOM
The 6-speed manual transmission grinds when shifting
into 3rd gear, pops out of 3rd gear, or is hard to shift
into 3rd gear.
 
NOTE: These symptoms can be intermittent and
sometimes more noticeable in colder climates.
 
PROBABLE CAUSE
The transmission has a faulty 3rd gear synchronizer or
3-4 shift sleeve.
 
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Replace the 3rd gear set.
 
VEHICLES AFFECTED
2003–07 Accord V6 with M/T: ALL
 
2008 Accord V6 with M/T 2-Door:
From VIN 1HGCS218.8A000001
thru 1HGCS218.8A003478
 
2006–07 Civic Si 2-Door: ALL
 
2008 Civic Si 2-Door:
From VIN 2HGFG215.8H700001
thru 2HGFG215.8H701973
 
2007 Civic Si 4-Door: ALL
 
2008 Civic Si 4-Door:
From VIN 2HGFA555.8H700001
thru 2HGFA555.8H702465
 
View entire TSB here:
 
3rd Gear Grind/Pop Out Honda TSB 08-020 PDF file
 
Good luck!
 
Vincent T. (Maryland)
'07 Civic Si NHBP w/ Nav
email: vinc@umd.edu

I have the same problem in my 08 si sedan, however, it only happens like the article stated, when the engine's cold.

My 2006 si coupe clutch went out at 18k miles, dealership claims it was 'wear and tear'...yet my 3rd gear pops and grinds ALL the time. Can the clutch have gone out due to the defective tranny???

Hi I just got very interested in this 2007 civic si 4 door. It has 19500 miles and its a little beat up nothing too bad! I took the car for a spin and got grinding not from 2nd to 3rd but 1st to 2nd! Anybody know if this will be covered by Honda? I really like the car but if I have to pay somebody to rebuild the trans. forget it! I will call Honda tomorrow and find out. When is the factory warranty end on this new civics?
 
Thanks!