So i test drove my car today for the first time (after the BHG job was finally done...i bought it with the BHG so i never drove it) and when I first shifted into drive, i felt a kick/jerk. Then, when i was driving, i felt it jerk again when it switched to second.

I used to have an old accord that did this too, and i was told it was normal. Is it fixable? I've heard that the problem is just motor mounts, but I want to be sure before I spend the money. could my tranny be going out? motor mounts? tranny mounts?

Also, my steering wheel is wayyy cocked to one side. When I'm driving straight, the steering wheel has to be almost like I'm making a left turn. It doesn't pull, and it drives straight, but theres a little bit of play in the steering wheel. Someone told me to get an alignment. Any ideas?

any help would be appreciated. My brother told me just to drive it, but since i got the car so cheap I'd like to fix it..i want it to be problem free.

The automatics seem to shift a little harsh. I used an automatic additive made by the same company that makes seafoam ( I can't think of the name) and my transmission seemed to shift a bit smoother.

Yes, get an alignment and they will center your steering for you.

 

anyone try the "BG SMOOTH SHIFT FORMULA"


i thought about it but its 40 bucks!

 

Its probably your rear transmission mount; its a common problem for Legends that comes with age or sometimes gets noticeable after an engine swap.

You'd have to replace the mount eventually. Sometimes a tranny service makes a slight difference in the shifting. Dont get suckered into tranny service at the dealer or a lube shop - they will kill your tranny with a power flush. All you have to do it to take it to your mechanic, put it on a lift, loosen the drain bolt, drain and refill with a bit more than 3 bottles of Genuine Honda ATF. My mechanic charges $10 for the labour and I am sure your mechanic won't charge much either. Don't bother with tranny additives. Honda transmissions are very finicky. The only thing I would try is Lubegard but the damn thing is harder to find than the holy grail. On a side note, a few of the obssessive compulsive members here (myself included) do a tranny drain and refill every other oil change. It may be excessive but for the cost involved, it is a cheap insurance to keep your transmission running strong for a long time.

 

i had a little bit of jerkin .. but i mean.. you only feel it when ur giving it from 1st to 2nd.. if ur just cruising .. you feel nothing... ??:woot:
i felt a diff in shifting after i seafoamed my car too ..

 

I had the same "steering wheel not straight" issue when I bought my sedan and what had happened was, that when the previous owner had it towed
on a flatbed, the tow truck driver put the chain hook around the 'radius arm"
of the rear wheel and bent the hell out of it when he cranked down the tension. It is easy to see. Just look under the car from the back and look in back of the rear wheel. It is a curved flat-bar just perfect for a tow truck driver to put a hook on. Closely compare both sides and see if they match identically. I put a new one on and "Presto" , steering wheel level....

 

i just took a closer look at it and I think i might have the same problem as you.

I test drove it the other day, and i noticed that everytime i turned i would hear a tire screeching noise. I was in a shopping center today, and realized that i could hear the same noise everytime i went over a speed bump too!

I pulled over and took a look at the car from a distance and noticed that my REAR DRIVER'S SIDE wheel is sitting bent. its not noticeable unless you look at it, but the top part of the wheel is farther inside the wheel well than the bottom.

Does that sound like the same problem? this would be a good spot for a tow truck driver to put the hook on because the other side has the muffler in the way.

 

I think you should at least take it in for an alignment...they will tell you there on the spot if its a simple alignment issue, or if parts must first be replaced...

Also, check out the 4x flush for the auto tranny in the DIY section....I hear it definitely helps!

 

^^ Sam O Nela has a good idea. That is actually how I found out that the
radius arm was bent. My tire shop says it happens all of the time. Always watch where the tow guy hooks up to your Legend. After they put a new one on, they did a four wheel alignment and no more steering issues.

 

my shifting (automatic) is pretty harsh too compared to the toyota camry that I drove previously. I mean, all the automatics that I have driven in the past have been really smooth. Couldn't even notice a shift. But on the Legend, you can feel it shift. I kind of like it actually. I think it's pretty normal for the Legends.

 

Hondas/acuras (at least from the '90's) always have a bit harsh or positive shift to them especially when pushed hard. It is normal and they are designed that way.

 

yeah, thats what i've seen among other hondas too.


i feel like mine is different though; i even get a kick when i first shift into drive. and then it only happens again when it shifts from 1st to second gear. after that, its pretty smooth.


on a lighter note, i was pretty amazed at the excelleration; it was SO much different from my old accord.

 

This is the part that looked bent to me. on the driver's side. its called the lower arm B in the pic:

 

If it jerks when shifting into drive and then on the 1-2 shift, it is probably the rear trans mount. I know that jerk into drive on the accords was usually the front engine mount.

 

my legend does the same thing, just not when shifting into drive. you can feel a kick when it shifts from 1st to 2nd. its almost like on a manual when you let off the clutch too fast

 

any1 tried lucas transmission slip, i put half a bottle and it work for 1 or 2 days then acted up again. btw what will happen if i put to much tranny fluid will it do anything to my tranny b/c i put the half bottle of lucas tranny fluid without draining out any fluid, now its a tad bit over the full mark.

 

i tried the lucas transmission stuff, didnt feel any difference. still shifting hard between 1st and 2nd and slipping between 3rd and 4th. For some reason it doesnt slip if I switch gears from D3 to D4.....

Going to flush and fill tranny soon and see if that makes a difference

 

http://www.acura-legend.com/vbulletin/f4/hard-shifting-automatic-122537/

 

Rear control arm B

quanaman,
Was the rear control arm B bent, and was that what was causing your steering wheel to be not level?

 

quanaman,
Was the rear control arm B bent, and was that what was causing your steering wheel to be not level?

Yes, actually. The rear, driver's side lower control arm B was bent out of shape. I contacted my tow truck driver and he said he would pay for the install if i could get the parts.

I ordered a set from Ari, but haven't received them in the mail just yet, hopefully tomorrow. I suspect that its what's causing my steering wheel problem, but I can't be sure yet because its not fixed. I've been driving it, but not at highway speeds and only to class and back (about 4 mi/day)

I just want it fixed as soon as possible. Once the new control arms are in place I'm going to get a 4 wheel alignment....In the meantime i've been cleaning it up almost everyday; the interior was pretty beat and nasty because of some cigarette tar and just not being well taken care of...gross.

 

Check rear tranny mount!:thumbsup:

 

quanaman: about your transmission. does the the shift from park to drive still feel like a kick after the car has been warmed up for 30 mins? my tranny shifts a tad bit harsh to but its MUCH better when the tranny has been fully warmed up. do you have a kick from drive to reverse as well? i have a kick going from any non-drive gear to drive and on the 1-2 shift. the rear tranny mount may be worn but most likely its just an old transmission showing its age. if the shifts/kicks smooth out as the car has been fully warmed up, then you can confirm that your tranny just needs to get warmed up. also you can try checking/changing your fluid if it's been a while.

 

i was driving home today, and thats exactly what came to my mind. It does it more when its not warmed up. When it warms up though, it seems to shift almost fine. I think i'm just going to change the fluid and hope for the best for now at least.

 

Actionjackson:

I got my lower control arm B in the mail today (thanks to Ari for fast shipping) and had the driver's side one replaced. I compared my old one with the new one and it was bent WAY out of shape. My steering wheel went back to its place and is almost perfectly aligned now. The car also feels A LOT more stable when driving.

thanks again ActionJackson, I would have never thought my tow truck driver could have bent my control arm, and would never have thought that my steering wheel could be crooked because of the rear wheels.

Thanks guys!

 

You are welcome....Glad that I could help. As soon as I read your post, I had a feeling that the same thing had happened to you. Some Joe-Shmoe auto repair place would have replaced your rack and pinion and who knows what
else on the front end and still not have solved your problem. That's what
is great about this forum and the people who contribute. Enjoy the ride......