CriticalCommonTransmission

Honda City: i-DCD 7-speed dual-clutch failure (Grace hybrid)

i-DCD 7-speed dual-clutch failure (Grace hybrid) is a common transmission fault on the Honda City on the 2013–2020 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $3,500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 11 documented faults on the Honda City.

Vehicle: Honda City
Years: 2013–2020
Fuel: hybrid
Gearbox: dct
System: Transmission

This page covers the Honda City as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Honda City faults11 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The Honda Grace/City hybrid does not use a CVT - it uses Honda's 7-speed dual-clutch i-DCD gearbox (same unit as the JDM Fit/Vezel hybrid), which had a troubled launch. Honda issued a series of Japan recalls for the DCT control software that could cause a delay driving off, inability to move, or juddering/harsh shifts. The dry-clutch design overheats in stop-go traffic and wears; owners report overheating warnings and loss of drive uphill. Grey-import Graces often never received the corrective firmware, and fault code P2857 (clutch pressure) is common. Ignored, it progresses from judder to non-engagement and full DCT replacement.

What you would notice

Shudder/judder pulling away from a stop
Jerky, harsh or delayed shifts
Transmission-overheat warning in traffic
Hesitation or loss of drive on uphill starts

How to check it

Where to look. Transaxle between engine and front axle (driver's side of engine bay / underneath)

Cold-start then drive in stop-go and up a hill, feeling for judder and shift hesitation; scan for stored codes (especially P2857 and DCT codes); check for warning lamps; ask for evidence the Japanese DCT recall software was applied.

Parts involved: Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$3,500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the 7-speed DCT recall/software update ever been carried out?”
“Any transmission warnings, judder or shift hesitation in traffic?”
“When was the dual-clutch fluid last changed?”

Now check the Honda City you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Honda Global newsroom 'Recall of Fit Hybrid and Vezel Hybrid (7-speed DCT)' (global.honda)
Green Car Congress 'Honda 3rd DCT recall'
AutoLanka owners' forum 'Honda Grace DCT transmission issue 2014/2015'

Honda City buyer questions

Is i-dcd 7-speed dual-clutch failure (grace hybrid) serious on a Honda City?

We rate it critical and common on the Honda City. The Honda Grace/City hybrid does not use a CVT - it uses Honda's 7-speed dual-clutch i-DCD gearbox (same unit as the JDM Fit/Vezel hybrid), which had a troubled launch. Honda issued a series of Japan recalls for the DCT control software that could cause a delay driving off, inability to move, or juddering/harsh shifts. The dry-clutch design overheats in stop-go traffic and wears; owners report overheating warnings and loss of drive uphill. Grey-import Graces often never received the corrective firmware, and fault code P2857 (clutch pressure) is common. Ignored, it progresses from judder to non-engagement and full DCT replacement.

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda City?

$3,500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Honda City years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2020 Honda City. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.