P500 Just got a 520 home, shifts really hard

[johnnyrockets]

First post here and first side by side. Woot.

The dealer dropped it off and I took it for a spin around the block. It’s shifting so hard in automatic or manual mode that it throws me forward. The delivery guy was happy to take it back but after waiting a week for the delivery, I decided to hang onto it and see if I could find any info. So far the dealer has no idea, I think I got the first one in the area. Worst comes to worst, they’ll pick it up again and fix it under warranty

Any ideas? A couple things come to mind but I haven’t tried anything yet. I’d noticed the other new 520 thread mentioned transmission issues that turned out to be a weak battery. I put it on a tender overnight, haven’t tested again yet. It was also super cold here in NH yesterday, I think it was 18 degrees. I did warm it up for a 20 minutes or so but it didn’t make a difference. The only other thing that comes to mind is just break-in period. I was literally putting the first mile on it. I checked the manual and ithe machine itself will change the display if it thinks there’s a transmission issue. According to the machine, all is well. lol

 

[Admin]

 

[futzin]

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on your new buggy. Abrupt shifting is characteristic of these machines when new. It will smooth out some with usage. Just drive the hell out of it!

Let's see a couple of pics!

 

[ohcountryboy]

I was having shifting issues with my new 520 and posted about it on another thread on this forum. In automatic mode would shift really hard and throw the driver forward; in Manual when trying to shift into third gear, it would not go into third gear, and the engine light would display -- also, the MPH would display as zero while driving. Dealer picked it up and worked with Honda to resolve the issue -- while I don't have a lot of details, the mechanic said that there was a connection issue from when the 520 was originally assembled. It runs and shifts great after the dealer had it in the shop for two days. May be different than your situation, but thought I would share this information with you. Good luck.

P.S. - This was my first sxs as well, I learned from the dealer to pay attention to the display, to see if any codes were displaying. One thing that was interesting was that the dealer was getting a code that they said "didn't exist"....therefore they worked with Honda to determine the issue. One thing was somewhat helpful I think, I was taking videos of the display, for my situation, and emailing to the dealer to show them the issue I was seeing.

Below is an image of the display with the engine light showing and MPH displaying zero while trying to shift into third gear - other codes would display as well intermittently, e.g "-", "1", "2".

 

[906UP]

Welcome Mr Rockets! What you're describing is pretty normal for the P500/520, it will get smoother. They are known to shift kinda abruptly in auto. Run it for a couple hundred miles and report back, a clutch adjustment is easy but I would recommend getting it broke in first.

 

[johnnyrockets]

I’d mentioned it to my sales guy yesterday and the service department really wants to dig into it so they’re coming to get it Tuesday. I couldn’t ask for anything more from them at this point.

Going to take it out again this morning and see if charging it helped.

@ohcountryboy No codes but I’m getting exactly why you describe in automatic mode with it throwing the driver forward. I’ll test in manual mode in higher gears. I stomped on it in automatic last night and got too cold to top it out. lol

 

[ohcountryboy]

If similar behavior can provide with my dealer information if u want it, so your mechanic can talk to my mechanic. Just a thought

 

[States]

Don’t know if it is normal but my 500 does the same

 

[J80]

First post here and first side by side. Woot.

The dealer dropped it off and I took it for a spin around the block. It’s shifting so hard in automatic or manual mode that it throws me forward. The delivery guy was happy to take it back but after waiting a week for the delivery, I decided to hang onto it and see if I could find any info. So far the dealer has no idea, I think I got the first one in the area. Worst comes to worst, they’ll pick it up again and fix it under warranty

Any ideas? A couple things come to mind but I haven’t tried anything yet. I’d noticed the other new 520 thread mentioned transmission issues that turned out to be a weak battery. I put it on a tender overnight, haven’t tested again yet. It was also super cold here in NH yesterday, I think it was 18 degrees. I did warm it up for a 20 minutes or so but it didn’t make a difference. The only other thing that comes to mind is just break-in period. I was literally putting the first mile on it. I checked the manual and ithe machine itself will change the display if it thinks there’s a transmission issue. According to the machine, all is well. lol

I bought a 2020 model and it shifted really ruff and at 20 miles on the on the machine I decided to put a front locker in and when I did that I changed the front and rear differential fluid to mobil 1 synthetic 75-140 gear oil and it made a huge difference in the shifting and down shifting of the machine. I just changed the gear oil again just a few days ago in both front and rear with the same Mobil 1 I mentioned above and I did a slight clutch adjustment and it’s awesome compared to what it was new. It has 230 miles on it now

 

[lee]

The P5 series is a little peculiar in there shifting habits.
I have a 2018 P500 - basically the same transmission (same everything other than what is in the cylinder).

When cold:
- It dose not like to shift out of low until the engine has warmed up just a little ~5 minutes or so.
If I try to shift it manually or in auto it often gets stuck between gears and the dash displays the horizontal line.
If it dose that, shut it off, key on (but not started) and down shift to 1st, try again.
No idea why it dose this but it should not, one of theses days I will bother to ask around a work and figure out what is up (guy there is pretty hip on honda stuff).

- If I am paying attention, in manual mode, let it rev a little, let off the throttle and up shift.
This usually works.
Once it has done the 1 --> 2 shift one time it it ok after that.

When warm:
- If down shifting leave the throttle cracked a little until the lower gear hits.
For whatever reason if the engine is pulling against a closed throttle body butterfly the engine braking is neck snapping.

- When upshifting you can feather the throttle for a little improvement in smoothness.
I just mat the pedal and don't worry about it.

Other thought:
- I like the auto down shift thing.
I know lots of guys complain about it, I think they have control issues (as in the low end computer in a entry level SxS knows more than they do).
But this is my thing, when I was rocking a 2015 my wife would slow down, and slow down, and slow down until the engine was chugging.
So not only did I need to share the driving but I was often risking sleeping on the couch (cargo trailer / toy hauler wannabe doesn't have a couch - probably should work on that).
Now with the 2018 the tranny down shifts on its own and domestic tranquility is maintained with out me having to say anything.

 

[Mbradley42]

I bought a 2020 500 in August and it shifted pretty rough when I got it, I read on here it was a pretty normal thing so I kinda ignored it and in my machine the more I drove the piss out of it the better now it has almost 400 miles and I have no more worries it shifts great now. Just my experience though.

 

[skinnyman]

A test drive would have solved the problem for me.

I have 500+ miles on mine and what is happening is I am getting used to the quirky shifts. For the price I shouldn't have to get used to it. Many have tried different oils to some success, I guess. Clutch adjustment seems to have the most effect.

My 2007 Rancher 400 electric shift with 6600 miles is super smooth in auto or manual mode, upshift or down its hard to tell when it shifts. SWEET. I thought that is what I was getting in a Pioneer 500.

 

[Mortdog]

The P5 series is a little peculiar in there shifting habits.
I have a 2018 P500 - basically the same transmission (same everything other than what is in the cylinder).

When cold:
- It dose not like to shift out of low until the engine has warmed up just a little ~5 minutes or so.
If I try to shift it manually or in auto it often gets stuck between gears and the dash displays the horizontal line.
If it dose that, shut it off, key on (but not started) and down shift to 1st, try again.
No idea why it dose this but it should not, one of theses days I will bother to ask around a work and figure out what is up (guy there is pretty hip on honda stuff).

- If I am paying attention, in manual mode, let it rev a little, let off the throttle and up shift.
This usually works.
Once it has done the 1 --> 2 shift one time it it ok after that.

When warm:
- If down shifting leave the throttle cracked a little until the lower gear hits.
For whatever reason if the engine is pulling against a closed throttle body butterfly the engine braking is neck snapping.

- When upshifting you can feather the throttle for a little improvement in smoothness.
I just mat the pedal and don't worry about it.

Other thought:
- I like the auto down shift thing.
I know lots of guys complain about it, I think they have control issues (as in the low end computer in a entry level SxS knows more than they do).
But this is my thing, when I was rocking a 2015 my wife would slow down, and slow down, and slow down until the engine was chugging.
So not only did I need to share the driving but I was often risking sleeping on the couch (cargo trailer / toy hauler wannabe doesn't have a couch - probably should work on that).
Now with the 2018 the tranny down shifts on its own and domestic tranquility is maintained with out me having to say anything.

This spouse comment on not downshifting is one of the funniest and true statements for many owners of the manual p500 era’s. I too was a victim of this. I sold my 2015 this fall and I am waiting patiently on my new p520. I may tape over the manual /auto switch. So as to not confuse my spouse. Lol

 

[Mbradley42]

The only time my 500 is in auto mode is when the woman drives it other than that it's in manual mode it gives you more control over the shifts

 

[HondaTech]

A test drive would have solved the problem for me.

I have 500+ miles on mine and what is happening is I am getting used to the quirky shifts. For the price I shouldn't have to get used to it. Many have tried different oils to some success, I guess. Clutch adjustment seems to have the most effect.

My 2007 Rancher 400 electric shift with 6600 miles is super smooth in auto or manual mode, upshift or down its hard to tell when it shifts. SWEET. I thought that is what I was getting in a Pioneer 500.

The Rancher 400 is a hydrostatic transmission. It doesn't actually have any "gears". This why its so smooth, your not shifting any gears.

 

[Bomersteve35]

Welcome to the group

My wife's was the post with the battery problem the dealer said it wouldn't load test so they replaced it. We took it on about a 20 mile break in trip before having problems. And the dealer tech changed the battery and did a clutch adjustment. He said he adjusts all the 500 clutches at the first service as they seat in from break in each needs a little tuning in. At the first service I plan on changing the gear oils a lot of threads say it helps.

 

[AmosMoses]

I just bought a 520, I noticed the same thing and mentioned it to the dealer. He said mine was the fifth one they sold and they all shifted the same way. I only have about 20 miles on mine, but have noticed it has gotten smoother since it had 2 miles on it.

 

[futzin]

Take 'em out and wring 'em out! They're fine . . .

 

[alloutdoors]

Having own three different Pioneer 500 units, they all became "softer" to shift around 500-700 miles with a couple oil changes in between.

 

[alloutdoors]

Welcome to the group

My wife's was the post with the battery problem the dealer said it wouldn't load test so they replaced it. We took it on about a 20 mile break in trip before having problems. And the dealer tech changed the battery and did a clutch adjustment. He said he adjusts all the 500 clutches at the first service as they seat in from break in each needs a little tuning in. At the first service I plan on changing the gear oils a lot of threads say it helps.

Great.... these units are extremely sensitive to battery load, so something to always keep an eye on. In fact, I put a battery tender on my unit to just keep the battery topped off at all times while not in use.

 

[Aerolite]

I was prepared for the clunky shifting before I got my 520. Read about it here and the dealer also said that's the way they are at the beginning. He said to give it a good 400 to 600 km's to completely break in. It certainly was noticeable when we took it for the test drive, especially in automatic. If I hadn't been aware of it I would have been WTF, lol. After 160km's and it's first oil change, I'm starting to notice a difference already, especially in auto mode.