Please help with my dumb transmission!

[dannyt0101]

So here is the deal. I have a 1999 honda passport v6. The check engine light came on and the check transmission light is blinking. the vehicle doesnt seem to be running or shifting any different. But i took it to the cut throat chain transmission places to have them check the codes and they both said they arent sure what is wrong and that the codes coming up are misc. or non-specific whatever the hell that means but of course they both wanna drop the tranny to find the problem. four and a half years ago i had the torque converter rebuilt at cottman when both lights came on then the same as they came on now with the big difference being that the truck at that time sounded horrible and i knew there was aproblem. didnt really matter because at that time it was under warranty and i didnt have to pay much. know is a differentstory because like i said it seems to be shiffting fine and driving fine. I do think my water pump is leaking dont know if there is any conection there. But i really could use some as i have a vacation coming up that i need to tow my small camper and i dont wanna make the problem worse. Again any help would be great. Thanx for reading.

[Ramblin Fever]

Do a volt meter check on your alternator. If it's putting out less then 14v while under load, get a new alt. Weird symptoms have been linked to a dying alternator.

I would NOT leave town in that truck with your waterpump leaking; they are known for freezing up. When you do the water pump, be sure to do the timing belt, and timing belt tensioner at the same time.

[dannyt0101]

ok, so here are some new updates. i decided to chance it and take it on my trip anyway because i didnt have much choice. my destination was about 100 miles away and very hilly. i was pulling my camper with a gvw of 3000 ibs. and my passport is rated for 4500 gvw. i got about 55 miles into my trip and i got a new light i hadnt got before. this time the a/t oil temp light came on. so i immediately pulled over and let it sit for about an hour.and then headed forward for the other 45 miles and it did not come on for the rest of my trip there. on the way home i got about 55 miles again and it came on so i did what i did on the way up waited about an hour and it never came on again for the rest of the trip home. now other people i have been talking to say i should have my tranny fluid checked and partially flushed with a new filter but almost everyone i talked to think either my water pump is going bad or i have a thermostat problem.

does anybody have anymore advice or ideas about this? Please help. thanks.

[Cat Fuzz]

It's unusual for an engine to overheat the transmission without the engine itself croaking in the process. The only other reason for the transmission temp getting to high would be slipping clutches. It sounds to me like the shop you took it to doesn't know much about the electronic controls of the transmission. There should be some codes in there and I'd be willing to bet they are gear ratio error codes of some sort. They will be manufacturer specific codes as opposed to a lot of codes that are the same no matter what car they are coming from.

[Ramblin Fever]

When WAS the last fluid and filter change??

AND, are you sure you have proper ATF level?

First and foremost, check your ATF level....I though you'd already had so I didn't mention it before, but that's always the first thing to check on these transmissions.

That truck should be able to haul that trailer without transmission issues, as long as the transmission has enough ATF in it to remain cool under load.

I pull a 4,000lb trailer with my '97 Rodeo automatic through very hill terrain in Colorado.

The thermostat and/or waterpump are not your problem; problem lies in low ATF level, dirty ATF, low voltage to the transmission, or internal transmission issues. Has nothing at all to do with your engine's temperature...unless your engine IS overheating too?? But you didn't mention that.

Keep us posted.