My Honda city - from dream to a nightmare

[drivecar]

Dear All,
I bought my city 2006 (steermatic) 2 years ago and for 1 year it drove like a dream. It’s a long story and below is the nearest I could get while searching on PW. The one line summary of the issue is it starts taking jerks while in R or D (both while driving and stalled). This usually happens while in traffic jams or low speed driving. Once it goes above 3rd gear it becomes smooth (though not 100% ok but 90% of time)
Well I know some of you will suggest the regular tips but in last 6 months there is hardly anything that I have left from plugs to ignition coil to sensors to fuel pump etc.
How the problem is no mechanic is able to fix my issue. Every mechanic has his own story to tell.
Please also note that his goes from bad to worse when using AC.
How here is the confusing part:
Few mechanics suggested changing gear box and few are suggesting changing engine altogether.
Now my confusion is, how to actually confirm what the actual issue is. I am sick and tired of these experimental mechanics now.
My query is if there is an issue with Engine howcome the car is totally smooth on P and N?
On the other hand the gear changing (when I put gear in P/N/D/R) seems flawless. The only thing I can’t confirm is the automatic shifting from 1st gear to 2nd 3rd and 4th etc. This part I can’t say much about.

Some people on other threads have mentioned something about clutch calibration etc.
Someone shed more light on it. Plus also note that 2 mechanics also talk about engine compression being poor. They didn’t check it while I was there. They told me this over call. Unfortunately I am so much fed up of mechanics that I am not willing to believe them for anything that they have not tested or done in my presence.

One mechanic at Tariq Road initially started talking about gear box change and 40,000 cost and when I discussed him in detail and he drove the car himself he took u-turn and said it looks like there is an issue with Engine.
I told him what if I speed 40,000 on gear/engine and still the issue is not fixed, he is going to return my money? He obvious answer was no. So I told him why I should let him play experiments with my car?

Guys please help
I want a trust worth mechanic for Honda City in Karachi. If anyone knows. Not the experimental ones.

I have already spend around 20,000 and still standing at ZERO POINT

[drivecar]

Apologies that i forgot to post link about the PW post i mentioned in the beginning above :

[ It’s a long story and below is the nearest I could get while searching on PW. . . ]

here is the Link. This issue looks similar to mine except that its City Vario. Mine is steermatic

City Vario knocking issue on D gear with AC

Hi All, I have recently bought a city vario 2006 model, Its running fine but it starts knocking/vibrating when its in a traffic jam or at a low speed. usually this issue comes when AC is on, I have done all the turnings, changed all the coils, cleaned throttle body etc but the issue is still there, my mechanic said its transmission issue, you need to change it to fix this issue, There is an initial issue in pickup sometime when AC is on, otherwise its working fine. Checked the car to 2 3 mech…

[arsalaanali89]

See Asif at Mohsin Auto's, his workshop is at wireless gate near malir halt. The guy is very good and very humble. Do call him before going, 03218751392

[owais8668]

I can feel your pain, how one feel.

Did your car engine reducing oil??
Any sort of smoke in morning??

Any heat up issues??

And whats the odo reading??
And you have any idea/info that whatever the odo reading/mileage is real/actual??

[shah_rukh1992]

u just hit him, a good honest guy, i maintained my city(idsi) from him. behind noman center gulshan iqbal block 5 .
sohail 03428076771

[osama96]

Dear
Your CVT gearbox need overhauling. Don't swap engine first try to replace gear oil (Use only Honda Genuine CTF Oil) if problem persist then go for overhaul of gear swap.

[babaralinawab]

I bought my city 2006 (steermatic) 2 years ago and for 1 year it drove like a dream. It’s a long story and below is the nearest I could get while searching on PW. The one line summary of the issue is it starts taking jerks while in R or D (both while driving and stalled). This usually happens while in traffic jams or low speed driving. Once it goes above 3rd gear it becomes smooth (though not 100% ok but 90% of time)

all you need to do is change valve body of cvt gear have vario and had the same issue

[khurem]

Well I don't know whether your case is same as my friend who had a Vario and he had experienced that. Mechanics could not identify that as it was not regular and happened only sometime. Whenever they tried, the issue didn't appear. But I experienced it while driving his car twice.

Anyways, different mechanics gave him different advice. But what I recall is that the ultimate solution was really simple and very inexpensive. Nothing to do with CVT or gear change. It was change in some plug, or something like that, and all was ok. The issue never appeared again for several years after that and he's happy with his car's performance ever since.

[alikhan7]

Did you check all engine mounts and cv joints

[pwuser149183354547]

i had same experience with my vario 2004 model and i tickled one and only one observaion, pakistani mechanics have not invented repaired an automatic cvt gear ever. even honda dont know it, i kept the car without honouring their advice of changing auto gear for 8 years and still i miss my city despit replaced with current prosmatech.
this is issue of throttle body adustment with power supply sensoors
i luckyli found a mechanic in pindi who twice fised it with a full tuning and vehicle performed smoothly for two years each time. Honda company advised to replace gear box at 100000km and i covered 200000km with this before disposal
keep surching as you live in karachi.
otherwise chang both engine and gerabox set from the stock of containers imported

[burhansheikh]

@drivecar I am having the same issue with my city 06 steermatic and experiencing the whole lot of stories from different mechanics. Just to know whether your problem got resolved??

Please let me know the ultimate solution for this.

Thanks

[askai37]

its only iacv sensor weakness. go and check yur iacv its denso indonesia. as yur iacv spindle sticks sensor become weak. only solution change throttle body or only iacv assembly(sensor + coolent inlet/outlet assembly)

[drivecar]

Did your car engine reducing oil?? - I dont know. But it seems its not. No mechanic complained of it as yet.
Any sort of smoke in morning?? - No

Any heat up issues?? - No

And whats the odo reading?? - 94000 ( Dont know if its actual or tampered )
And you have any idea/info that whatever the odo reading/mileage is real/actual?? (Mileage 2 years ago was 14 kpml and now its around 10kmpl )

[drivecar]

Bro i did replace gear box oil (but it was not genuine Honda it was some Korean one ) and the issue is still same

I am wiling to change CVT gear. The only thing i am worried about i want to be 100% sure else my 40,000 will go down the drain if the issue is not fixed

[drivecar]

Is changing Valve body easy thing to do? How much it should cost ?
I am asking this because i know the mentality of Pak mechanics. If the issue is minor one but needs hard work they prefer to simply remove the whole part (in this case changing the whole gearbox) instead of just one part (in this case the valve body)

[drivecar]

No i did not but what relation these two have with the issue i have mentioned. Sorry but i am not much technical so kindly guide.

[COOLTAHIR]

brother have you replaced cvt oil ? it is recommended to change cvt oil at every 40k kms.
i drove my vitz for 48k kms and as soon as it crossed 40k mark it started producing small jerks in lower gear and speeds.

[drivecar]

Are you sure this is the issue and it has nothing to do with Gearbox or Engine ?

[drivecar]

You mean the gear oil ?
Yes gear oil is replaced.

[babaralinawab]

Valve body is easily accesible and changed dont cost much 2500-3500