Honda Car Forum

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.

"JRStern" <JRStern@foobar.invalid> wrote in message
news:09aku4pt02vpva3okh5nriigv94g9ihnka@4ax.com...
> 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.
>
>

"Woody" <TheDuck@pond.net> wrote in
news:2TsGl.27451$YU2.2689@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:

> 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.



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.



> 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.



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.




--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

JRStern <JRStern@foobar.invalid> wrote in
news:09aku4pt02vpva3okh5nriigv94g9ihnka@4ax.com:

> 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?
>


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.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:55:52 +0000 (UTC), Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv>
wrote:

>JRStern <JRStern@foobar.invalid> wrote in
>news:09aku4pt02vpva3okh5nriigv94g9ihnka@4ax.com :
>
>> 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?
>
>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.

JRStern <JRStern@foobar.invalid> wrote in
news:f51lu411m9pvojvmmnmcdc9fj9t899rgdu@4ax.com:

> On Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:55:52 +0000 (UTC), Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv>
> wrote:
>

>
> 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.



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.



> I'm not towing any trailers, just that fine mix of
> Los Angeles traffic that's 5mph when it's not 80mph.



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.



> 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.


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



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On 4/18/2009 6:51 PM Tegger spake these words of knowledge:

> "Woody" <TheDuck@pond.net> wrote in
> news:2TsGl.27451$YU2.2689@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:
>
>> 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.
>
>
> 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.


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
--
"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no
god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

Dave Kelsen <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote in
news:49eb16af$0$27964$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com:

> On 4/18/2009 6:51 PM Tegger spake these words of knowledge:
>
>> "Woody" <TheDuck@pond.net> wrote in
>> news:2TsGl.27451$YU2.2689@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:
>>
>>> 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.
>>
>>
>> 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.
>
>
> Tegger, I would say that what Woody is describing above is a flush,
> but maybe I don't understand.



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.



>
> 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.



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.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Tegger wrote:
> Dave Kelsen <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote in
> news:49eb16af$0$27964$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com:
>
>> On 4/18/2009 6:51 PM Tegger spake these words of knowledge:
>>
>>> "Woody" <TheDuck@pond.net> wrote in
>>> news:2TsGl.27451$YU2.2689@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:
>>>
>>>> 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.
>>>
>>> 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.
>>
>> Tegger, I would say that what Woody is describing above is a flush,
>> but maybe I don't understand.
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>> 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.
>
>
>
> 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.

jim beam <retard-finger@bad.example.net> wrote in
news:U5ydnT7T-o1ewW_UnZ2dnUVZ_gBi4p2d@speakeasy.net:

> Tegger wrote:
>
>
> 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?


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/