Honda Jazz Gearbox Problems [Manual]

**Poeter** · 01-10-2009 07:20 PM

Hi guys,

Just thought I would share my bad experiences about my jazz's gearbox. It's Honda Jazz 2005 VTI-S

Started out with rumbling noises coming from the engine bay. Thought it may had been the release bearing giving way since the noise disappears after disengaging the clutch.

So we took out the gearbox and hoping to find the release bearing or pivot bearing destroyed. However, the ugly truth revealed that gearbox was making abnormal noises when we spun the input shaft with our hands and the oil that was drained is near black.

My mechanic had checked the clutch thoroughly and it was too normal to say it caused the rumbling noises. With evidence pointing against the gearbox, it was concluded that my gearbox was ruined despite shifting still felt very smooth.

As a result, I was recommended to buy a brand new gear box from honda. My mechanic highly advised that a 2nd hand gearbox is a heavy risk to further expenses in future, since the condition of a 2nd box is unknown. I was told rebuild is almost as expensive as a brand new gear box due to difficult labour, large amount of time and expensive parts.

Therefore, I am unfortunately losing up to 4k from this gearbox problem which include labour + new gearbox + new clutch + rear engine oil seal.

At the moment, I just hope i made the right choice to get a new gearbox

I know some people think it's stupid to pay for a new gearbox because a honda jazz 2005 on average are selling between 11k to 14k. However, I'm quite attached to this car since I am the first owner + first car and do have plans to keep this car for a long time.

Some of my friends says I may had gone for a cheap 2nd gearbox and then sell the car to buy better car. I'm reluctant to do this since I do have a fair few mods done to the car already and I don't have enough money to afford replacing the car with a better or newer car.

Not really much I can do now since I've already committed to an order for a new gearbox. However, just curious if I could handle such a situation differently than I did?

**kongfu** · 01-10-2009 07:41 PM

you should claim this under honda warranty

4k for a gearbox replacement under your own expense sounds a bit ridiculous.

anyway as you mentioned, if you love your jazz and plan to keep for another 5 years go for it.

hope you enjoy every minute of it!

**Poeter** · 01-10-2009 08:28 PM

haha i wish i had warranty but i only had 3 yrs.

Knowing Honda, I reckon Honda will fight against the warranty claim anyway.

I will get my mechanic to inspect the ruined box to find out what went wrong. Could be my bad driving, could be I haven't changed gearbox oil regularly enough or I drove too hard on Wakefield. I certainly don't want to see it is due to Honda's gearbox being weak by design.

**aaronng** · 01-10-2009 09:45 PM

If you went to wakefield, you should have replaced the gearbox fluid with fresh Honda MTF after that trackday.

**Poeter** · 01-10-2009 11:16 PM

Yea I think I should done one for each track day.

I've been 3 times and only done the fluids once.

**aaronng** · 01-10-2009 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by Poeter

Yea I think I should done one for each track day.

I've been 3 times and only done the fluids once.

That's not good at all. Have you tried replacing the MTF first to see if the rumbling goes away?

**kongfu** · 01-10-2009 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by aaronng

If you went to wakefield, you should have replaced the gearbox fluid with fresh Honda MTF after that trackday.

+1 engine and gearbox oil change after track day is essential mate

**Poeter** · 02-10-2009 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by aaronng

That's not good at all. Have you tried replacing the MTF first to see if the rumbling goes away?

Haven't tried but I think should've done so first before the gearbox was take out. But initial guess was clutch.

**aaronng** · 02-10-2009 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Poeter

Haven't tried but I think should've done so first before the gearbox was take out. But initial guess was clutch.

Next time if you come across a similar problem:
- If the sound is there while driving and goes away when you press the clutch, then it could be from inside the gearbox.
- If the sound only happens when you are pressing down, holding down or releasing the clutch, then the cause could be from the clutch.

Makes it easier to make an initial guess as to the source of the problem.

**Poeter** · 02-10-2009 07:39 PM

in my case, it had both symptoms.

**redmugenjazz** · 02-10-2009 07:50 PM

hey i've got the same problem its like ratting noise in gear 5, sounds like its comming from the underdash passenger side. it only happens when gear 5 is engaged.

**dan125** · 19-12-2009 07:24 PM

If you already had the gearbox out, you should have taken it to a handa dealer and got them to replace your mainshaft bearing. Would have probably cost under a grand due to not having to pull the box out.