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Honda Accord VCM

2715 messages,  Last post on Oct 23, 2012 at 6:25 PM

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What is this discussion about? Honda Accord, Transmission, Sedan

Messages Page 268 of 273

#2664 of 2715 Still Fine by tmk53

Jan 19, 2012 (10:18 am)

I am now a month in my Accord Coupe EXL-V6, and things have been great. After careful attention I can say that there is no vibration or any change in car dynamics when it shifts in and out of ECO. There is a bit of transmission jerk when shifting gears, but nothing out of the ordinary. My last car had a ZF 6 speed automatic transmission which was the smoothest shifting tranny I have ever experienced, so the Honda has stiff competion in that regard. With 2000 miles on the odometer, there has been virtualluy no oil burn. My readout still has me at 90% of oil life. At this rate I will be well over 10,000 miles when an oil change is indicated, and I was wondering when most people are doing their first oil change? I am also averaging about 26 MPG with combined driving and a heavy foot, so no complaints there either. The car is rock solid at 110 MPH!

#2665 of 2715 Re: Still Fine [tmk53] by michael0137

Jan 20, 2012 (1:49 pm)

Replying to: tmk53 (Jan 19, 2012 10:18 am)
I wish you the best of luck. Our 2008 Accord EXL V6 smoothed out after about 3000 miles. I was never impressed with the VCM V6 for power, but accepted the car for what it was - until at 28K all hell broke loose one day while cruiing at about 50 MPH - car downshifted 2 gears, VSA light came on and D light started flashing. Stopped - read manual about gas cap after refilling possibly being the cause, turned the car off, got out - removed and replaced gas cap properly - resumed trip - about 5 more miles - same thing again bu this time the speedometer also stopped working. Limped back into NYC and took the car to the local dealer - Paragon Honda. They were stumped - had regional rep in - they replaced the tranny inlut and output sensors and pronounced the car fixed. Drove it on a trip and the car would not down shift when slowing for a corner, coming out in 5th. Downshifted when goosed, but othersie no. Honda insisted the car was "normal" - look, I had driven the car 28,000 miles and owned 12 other Honda/Acura products - it was NOT normal. I said screw it - sold it for wholesale on ebay to TX Honda dealer - bought 2008 Acura RL with 18K on it for less than the Honda had been new and LOVE IT. 29-30 MPG HWY at 75-80, AWD, a VERY underappreciated car. Good for me - got it for a song and am VERY happy. Never again ANY car with VCM.

#2666 of 2715 Re: 2012 EXL-V6 Coupe - So far so good! [tmk53] by dkulow1

Jan 29, 2012 (12:20 pm)

Replying to: tmk53 (Dec 23, 2011 9:05 am)
I'd love to be giving you a positive but sorry, no. I have been a very loyal Honda owner for about 20 years, Accords, a Ridgeline, CRVs and two Crosstours. My first Crosstour with VCM was exceptional. So good, in fact, that I replaced it with another. My mpg went from nearly 22 mpg to 15.7 mpg. The ECO light is rarely on in my second car. It is noisier. It is faster. Here is my real beef. Honda appears to be ready to do NOTHING about the reduction in mpg. Nothing. Dealer says there is nothing that can be done. Honda customer relations has no email or on line link. You have to use Twitter. You have to use Twitter. Twitter, for crying out loud. I am very discouraged and for the first time in two decades am shopping outside the Honda brand. I never thought that would happen.

#2667 of 2715 Re: 2012 EXL-V6 Coupe - So far so good! [dkulow1] by michael0137

Jan 29, 2012 (5:58 pm)

Replying to: dkulow1 (Jan 29, 2012 12:20 pm)
Sorry to hear that and very disappointing. Honda is losing market share and this may be part of the reason - abandoning loyal customers. I got the shaft with the Accord EXL V6 - supposedly repaired to "normal". Got the RL and love it bur what's next? Hyundai? Perhaps...

#2668 of 2715 Re: 2012 EXL-V6 Coupe - So far so good! [michael0137] by elliott2

Feb 04, 2012 (6:41 pm)

Replying to: michael0137 (Jan 29, 2012 5:58 pm)
Same here. After Honda's for 20 years, we're now Honda free after putting up with the 2008 Accord with VCM. Great looking car, ran like a piece of crap.

#2669 of 2715 Re: 2012 EXL-V6 Coupe - So far so good! [elliott2] by michael0137

Feb 04, 2012 (7:43 pm)

Replying to: elliott2 (Feb 04, 2012 6:41 pm)
What are you driving now? The RL is fantastic - cannot wait to see the new one at the NY auto show - V6 with 4 electric motors - power of a V8 with economy of a 4?? Have to drive that to believe it. BUT VCM - crap

#2670 of 2715 What are we driving now? by rcummelin

Feb 08, 2012 (7:19 am)

I mentioned in an earlier post that we had traded our 2010 Accord EXL V6(VCM) for a 2008 Lexus ES350 with 41K miles on it. We could NOT be more pleased with the swap. The Lexus is a "dream car" compared to the Accord. We drove the Lexus R/T to Las Vegas last month and both of us felt much more relaxed & less fatigued after the 500+ mile drive that we had in the Accord. Plus, gas mileage was almost identical, WITHOUT VCM and in a car weighing 500 lbs. more than the Accord. We are now looking forward to more highway drives in the Lexus--it is also fantastic!
 
We still have a 2010 Honda Ridgeline but it does NOT have VCM. The engine runs like it should and although the gas mileage is dismal/awful (18-19 mpg), we will likely keep it for awhile. About $150 worth of Dynamat reduced the road noise in the Ridgeline to a tolerable level. I still wonder why Honda apparently refuses to grasp the concept of a quiet vehicle. ALL Hondas are excessively noisy--why is that? Makes no sense at all.
 
If anyone from Honda bothers to read the posts in all the various online forums, they would no longer wonder why they are losing market share. Insanity!

#2671 of 2715 Re: What are we driving now? [rcummelin] by michael0137

Feb 08, 2012 (12:59 pm)

Replying to: rcummelin (Feb 08, 2012 7:19 am)
Glad you are happy - RL has some road noise too - endemic to Honda products - they do not want to insulate you as much as Lexus does. Going to try the Bridgestone Serenity tires - reading very good reviews - much quiter than the Michelins without any sacrifice in performance. Putting VCM way in the distance in that rear view mirror of life mistakes!!

#2672 of 2715 Re: What are we driving now? [michael0137] by jmillerjmiller

Mar 05, 2012 (5:07 pm)

Replying to: michael0137 (Feb 08, 2012 12:59 pm)
Well, I've had this 08 Accord EX-L V6 Navi a bit longer than most cars (got in Sept 08, have about 36K miles on it). It fits me well, and overall runs good. The VCM is a 'live with it' type of thing. The new rear brake pads the dealer installed squeal under breaking - i complained and they turned the rotors again - no effect. The TSD for the package shelf never fixed that rattle either. I fixed my own glove box door rattle shortly after purchase.
 
It just feels cheaper than the older accords (early nineties, for me). If I was buying a new sedan, Honda isn't it right now. Maybe they will get their act together again - and realize that sticker price isn't the only sell point.
 
Ordered a new 2012 F150 a couple weeks ago. When it arrives, the Accord is gone. Trade in was lower than expected, but the only way to get top dollar is to trade a Honda in at a Honda dealer, or sell it yourself. But there are a lot of these for sale, and I looked at how much Honda dealers were asking for certified ones of similar year equip and mileage.

#2673 of 2715 Too Bad for Honda by robtroxel

Mar 06, 2012 (6:26 am)

Michael,
 
When people like us leave the fold, Honda has a problem. Too hell with VCM and the Honda it is attached to! Fortunately there are great alternatives. Good luck on the Ford

Messages Page 268 of 273

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