transmission fluid exchange

2007 Accord EX4, 33k miles, bring in for oil change and checkup,
dealer says tranny fluid is dirty and recommends exchange. Knowing
Honda trannies I agree. But, $100, is that the going rate?

Thanks.

J.


ps - also replaced the battery on warranty.

 

He is probably going to put it on a machine that pumps fluid through the
transmission. I wouldn't let them do it. Honda came out with a service tip
that said doing it could damage the screens in the transmission. All they
recommend is a drain and fill that drains ~ 3 1/2 quarts. If it does look
dirty, You can look at it yourself, then do three drain and fills with a
short drive between. Do it yourself. It is a simple operation. Check your
manual as it probably calls for a drain and fill at 30k.

 

They did? What Honda Service News article would that be? I have them all
and see nothing like this.

Honda does prohibit "FLUSHES" (HSN: Feb/06), which are totally different
from fluid changes.

Actually, it calls for a fluid change whenever Maintenance Minder sub-item
3 is indicated. If sub-item 3 is NOT indicated, the fluid does NOT need to
be changed.

However, if you spend a lot of time at low speeds or trailer towing in the
mountains, the change interval is initially 60K miles, then every 30K
thereafter.

 

Price sounds about right. They've probably allowed 30-45 minutes labor plus
materials.

BUT... Is your Maintenance Minder showing sub-item 3? If not, and if you
don't spend a lot of time climbing hills or towing trailers, then fluid
replacement is OPTIONAL at this time. The dealer may be just trying to pad
their bottom line with your dollar bills.

You really really should read your Owner's Manual. It could save you a few
bucks.

 

Thanks.

Did not show 3, I did a 2 a few months ago, and this was a 1.

I would not put much past this dealer, but OTOH my experience with my
last few Hondas suggest changing out the tranny fluid more often than
they recommend. I'm not towing any trailers, just that fine mix of
Los Angeles traffic that's 5mph when it's not 80mph. Overall, I'm a
very gentle driver these days - or I'd choose a sportier car! Tranny
does seem much snappier now with the new fluid, I had noticed some
funny boggy shifting in recent days.

J.

 

My personal opinion is that you cannot change your transmission fluid too
often. The more often the better. But many balk at the cost of those
changes, so in my recommendations I stick with Honda's official schedules.

I do ours myself, several times a year. Since the price for me consists of
parts only, it's cheap.

Hey, I know that deal! Been there, done that. Did the 405 at 4:00 in the
afternoon on a weekday. Daughter (six at the time) had to pee at one point
so we got off the 405 at La Cienega. What's that donut shop with the giant
donut on the roof? She peed there, at that historical landmark. A memorable
moment indeed.

That just might have been old fluid: the friction modifiers would have
degraded.

 

Tegger, I would say that what Woody is describing above is a flush, but
maybe I don't understand.

I don't have a maintenance minder (03 Accord 4 cyl), and my manual
doesn't call for transmission fluid change until 105K or 120K miles
(whichever it was, I did it then, for the first time.) I have seen many
people say that doing it every 30K miles is a good preventative idea and
can't hurt, like the folks who insist on changing oil every 3K miles.
Not necessary, but no harm done.

My 01 Odyssey (which has the v6 automatic tranny) also didn't call for a
change until 120K miles. and I didn't change it until then. It's now at
160K, and I seem to have been lucky, although I would have changed it
more often if I had been made more aware of the V6-auto failure problems
that Honda was having in that range of years.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen

 

Honda defines a "flush" as a service that involves the use of solvents as a
cleaner prior to the installation of the new ATF.

If the service involves a fluid change ONLY without the introduction of any
unauthorized substances, that's OK by Honda regardless of the method used.

Both are excellent ideas. I have been told by two oil engineers that, from
a purely technical standpoint, you can never change lubricants too often.

 

that's odd - i know one of the lubricant folks at exxon-mobil, and he
says the opposite. and it's not like he makes more money selling less
of it.

 

What are your guy's specific reasons for NOT changing your oil?

 

he doesn't say /never/ change it, just run it for its full life.
particularly with synthetics, if it's chemically stable, provided it's
not contaminated, there's no reason not to. based on some of the stuff
he's said, i ran my last motor oil to 12k miles, and will probably go
20k on the current batch, because analysis shows it's staying the course.