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Civic 2014-2015 cvt swap to regular auto trans 2012-2013

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17K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  Thestonedone  
#1 · (Edited)
Have finished this swap, runs great, no codes. The CVT trans is garbage and expensive to replace.

Purchased 2015 civic bad cvt trans for very cheap.

Used 2012 civic trans, harness, shifter, cable, catalitic converter, steering rack computer, ecu, abs unit, tpms module, cluster and cv-axles.

Connector differs on the ecu, must repin the 14-15 connector A and swap with the plastic connector A from the 12-13. It's wire for wire the same, match colors and swap wire to the older connector.

When swapping wire to other connector cut 14-15 ecu connector ends off 1 by 1 and crimp 12-13 ecu connector pins on while inserting them back into the plug. Top and bottom row use large pins,
Home » Shop » Connectors / Harnesses » Tyco / AMP » Honda ECU Large Female Terminals, 0.75mm² (18AWG)
Middle 3 rows use small pins
Uses Molex crimper with sizes 1.6, 1.9, 2.2


Connector under the master cylinder must swap 3 wires on the donor harness. This is important or car won't start. See pic for detailed instructions.

Swap cluster, abs unit, steering rack computer, ecu. The modules from the 14-15 will throw codes, cannot communicate with the can bus on the 12-13 ecu. Car will run but dash will be a x-mas tree unless swapped.

Swapped shifter and cable from the 12-13 to show correct gear indicators.

Must use 12-13 catalitic for the dual 02 sensors.

Can use the ignition from the donor car to match the ecu so you don't have to worry about the security. I have a scanner so was easy to program the 14-15 key to the 12-13 ecu.

If your donor ecu has tpms you have to grab the module and pigtail and wire it in so the ecu can see it. There is connector M on the back of the interior fuse box, has 2 blank holes for the tpms wires, take connector apart and wire in blue and brown wires. Black ground to chassis, other 3 wires splice to obd2 connector, red, white, light blue.

* NOTES *
This was done on a car with a key ignition. If you have a push button you will have to wire the old security into the ecu to bypass the anti theft. I have not done this yet so I have no knowledge on how to do this type of swap.
 

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#2 ·
This is fascinating. What is your background that you know all this?
 
#5 ·
Some pics of the process, have more detailed info for whomever needs it.
 

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#21 ·
If only you did a manual swap


Sent from my iPhone 13 Pro while on the toilet.
r18 manual is very underwhelming to drive, i used to have one, i remember always thinking there’s no vtec, stock suspension is soft and bouncy, what’s the point, everyday i felt like i was in Russia or UK where manual cars are not exclusively a performance thing like in U.S.
 
#10 ·
Have finished this swap, runs great, no codes. The CVT trans is garbage and expensive to replace.

Purchased 2015 civic bad cvt trans for very cheap.

Used 2012 civic trans, harness, shifter, cable, catalitic converter, steering rack computer, ecu, abs unit, tpms module, cluster and cv-axles.

Connector differs on the ecu, must repin the 14-15 connector A and swap with the plastic connector A from the 12-13. It's wire for wire the same, match colors and swap wire to the older connector.

Connector under the master cylinder must swap 3 wires on the donor harness.

Swap cluster, abs unit, steering rack computer, ecu. The modules from the 14-15 will throw codes, cannot communicate with the can bus on the 12-13 ecu. Car will run but dash will be a x-mas tree unless swapped.

Swapped shifter and cable from the 12-13 to show correct gear indicators.

Must use 12-13 catalitic for the dual 02 sensors.

Can use the ignition from the donor car to match the ecu so you don't have to worry about the security. I have a scanner so was easy to program the 14-15 key to the 12-13 ecu.

If your donor ecu has tpms you have to grab the module and pigtail and wire it in so the ecu can see it. There is connector M on the back of the interior fuse box, has 2 blank holes for the tpms wires, take connector apart and wire in blue and brown wires. Black ground to chassis, other 3 wires splice to obd2 connector, red, white, light blue.

(I'm looking to do the same swap at the moment but my civic is a EXL with push button start. Do you know how to still keep that option and what else would need to be changed/swapped?
 
#15 · (Edited)
1 yellow, 2 purple, and 15 orange. Depin donor side
1 , 2, 15 car side match colors
Donor side, engine side plug depinned to match the car side plug, match color to color.
Last pic is the one that has the pinout.

Another note:
When repinning the ecu plug if you turn the donor pins upside down and reinsert they will lock in once you push the white locking tab.
 
#17 ·
1 yellow, 2 purple, and 15 orange. Depin donor side 1 , 2, 15 car side match colors Donor side, engine side plug depinned to match the car side plug, match color to color. Last pic is the one that has the pinout. Another note: When repinning the ecu plug if you turn the donor pins upside down and reinsert they will lock in once you push the white locking tab.
Sorry to bug you but am stuck, on the donor harness I don’t see a purple or orange, I do see a solid yellow , on the car side I do see a purple and orange, and few yellows, The donor vehicle is 2012 and the vehicle it went in is a 2014 , am not good with electrical but I figured 3 wires wasn’t a big deal and is kicking my behind
 
#25 ·
Send me a pic of the front and back of your donor harness
Good afternoon, my car is the one that ALS is trying to fix. The problem that I understand is that we are going from a 2014 push start and the 2012 motor and tranny are keyed. I would appreciate any help that can be given to him. I desperately need my car back. The wiring is the hang up.
 
#28 ·
donor ECU - need
donor harness - need for non cvt transmission plugs
donor shifter AND cables - need for d2 d3 etc cable is different aswell
donor cluster - need for proper shift indication
donor catalitic converter - need for correct o2 sensor location
donor cv axles - need, bought new they are cheap

steering rack ecu - ? maybe able to use the cvt steering rack ecu, I used donor
donor tpms module - ? dont need but wont have tpms function and tpms light will be on
donor abs module - probably don't need but cannot confirm, part numbers are different and junk yard says they are different, I used the donor