Honda ATV Power Shift Control Motor

Honda’s long history in motorcycles and automobile production has led them to be one of the world’s most innovative motor vehicle manufacturers. In 1981, they developed their first performance ATV, the ATC250R. A year later, ATC200E Big Red became the first dedicated utility ATV. In 1986, the FourTrax 250R was the first ATV to feature real-time 4-wheel drive and in the following years, Honda’s ATV line continued to evolve with more and more models and even performance capabilities than ever before. The 1998 FourTrax Foreman ES introduced Honda’s brand new Electric Shift Program (ESP) gearbox to cater to a market that was shifting towards automatic transmissions. Combining the ease of an automatic transmission with the durability of a conventional manual transmission, the Honda ESP dual-clutch transmission went on to become a powertrain mainstay in the company’s ATV offerings. The 2004 Rancher AT used Honda’s second generation Hondamatic transmission with a push-button ESP program to give riders a more SUV-like experience.

Traditional automatic transmissions used hydraulic pressures to control shift points and the shifting motion itself. While effective, it often added “slop” to the gearbox, leading to the derogatory term “slushbox” in reference to the automatic transmission. Electronic controls and solenoids were added to help alleviate the looseness of the automatic gearbox and when dual-clutch transmissions were developed, they too needed electronic computer control in order to operate. The vehicle’s computer control module sends signals to engage and disengage a control motor which is responsible for performing gear shifts. When these motors fail, the user loses the ability to shift gears, much like when a clutch goes out in a manual transmission or if there’s a problem with the linkage or shifter bushings. Honda’s ESP transmission programs are, for the most part, rugged and reliable but it’s possible for the power shift control motors to fail from regular use. If your Honda ATV’s automatic transmission is having difficulty shifting gears, you may want to inspect the power shift control motor. Discount Starter & Alternator has a surplus of replacement Honda ATV power shift control motors for Honda Rancher 4X4 and Foreman Rubicon covering model years as early as 2000.