So the current 4 cylinder Hondas now join the 6 cylinder models, the ones built between 1997 and mid-2004, as having transmission that are as weak and unreliable as a baby gerbil.
What caught my eye was this: that rather than fix the mechanical problem of the bad/weak bearing (THAT would cost REAL MONEY!), American Honda will instead--get this--alter the software that controls the transmission.
This caught my eye because when I had to REPLACE the tranny in my 02 Odyssey, the only way Honda would do it was if they ALSO replaced the ECU. Apparently, the older ECUs couldn't be reprogrammed, and Honda "fixed" some of the code on those 5 speed trannies to try to prevent? delay? the onset of the inevitable problems. Apparently, what I got in my replacement $4500 tranny was the same design with the same design faults, with altered control code to make it behave a little differently to try to avoid the conditions that precipitated the failure.
Apparently, 73K miles over 9 years of my wife driving little kids around town is just too much for the Honda transmission, and maybe having the computer control it differently will help it along.
Whatever.
Anyway, the changing of the code in the current recall caught my eye ALSO because last year, Honda hybrid owners discovered that their traction battery packs were going bad VERY quickly. Of course, this is an emissions part--so Honda is obligated to replace those that fail over a period of time that's much longer than their standard 36 month warranty.
And that costs REAL MONEY.
So what does Honda do? They RECALL their hybrids, every SINGLE ONE of them, to do--what? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? That's right, CHANGE THE ENGINE CONTROL CODE. And what would that POSSIBLY do to a hybrid?
Yep. It puts less of a load on the battery, so that it WON'T FAIL DURING THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY PERIOD. And if it DOESN'T FAIL, then Honda WON'T INCUR THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING IT.
Great idea, right? Absolutely--if you're Honda. Stop and think now, what does that battery mean to a hybrid drivetrain? That's right, MOTIVE POWER. And suddenly Honda is programming your system not to use the battery so much, to try to limp it along? But...but...I still need motive power, don't I?
Yes, you do. And do you know where that motive power, that USED to be provided by the battery/motor system, will now come from?
Yep. YOUR GAS TANK. Which YOU pay to fill.
Suddenly, Civic Hybrid owners weren't seeing the 40-42mpg that they used to have. Suddenly, right after the car came back from the dealer, they're seeing....32mpg. Really? They could have bought a Civic LX and gotten THAT mileage. But they paid a few thousand more for the Hybrid--but now they're not getting any benefit from the hybrid drive system.
All because Honda has decided that, instead of fixing the underlying problem, they'd rather band-aid the issue and pass the problem along to the owner's wallet. On an ongoing basis, no less. (At least my transmission fix, while expensive, wasn't a monthly fee!)
This puts the current transmission recall into perspective. If Honda can address something purely inside code, with no parts replacement, they will--even if it means putting a burden onto the owner. As long as the burden stays AWAY from Honda, that's all that matters.
Honda price, Chrysler experience.
And now the owners of the cars under recall will have transmissions that behave markedly differently, and which can't rock them out of the snow when necessary. Because that might expose Honda's shitty design and manufacturing practices, and cost Honda money.
Fuck Honda. They can eat shit and die.