| yw1957 |
Has anyone noticed from the service maintenance booklet that the first transmission fluid change could be done at 45000 miles with normal driving? My 03X is currently at 36000 with mostly highway mileage and I haven't changed the fluid yet.
What if I wait until 45000 as the manual indicated, will my transmission goes bad at some point?
Please give me some comments! Thanks.
P.S: Also noticed from the maintenance booklet that the coolant change at 120,000miles, believe it or not. |
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| JimH |
| I was under the impression that the auto. trans. fluid should be changed at 30,000 miles, and that mileage is so indicated when looking at the edmunds.com maintenance schedule for a 2003 MDX. However, I own a 2002 MDX which indicates a change at 30,000 miles, so the 2003's may differ. |
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| DaleB |
Many of us are changing it much more frequently.... and if you only do a 1X change that only dumps about 1/3 of the fluid, you are not doing yourself a favor at all.
But if you are leasing, or just plan to turn in or sell the car by the end of the factory warranty, I would say do the minimum required. |
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| jayadi |
Tell me if you now know any new brand of ATF that will do for the MDX. Surely there must be more manufacturers that Honda and Amsoil? Will just a synthetic ATF do (like the Valvoline Transmax Z)?
Also, Honda sent a flyer the other day for a discount price to do a FULL flush for the Tranny. Do you know how to do this??? It seems better that just changing the ATF in the sump 2 or 3 times until clean. I would love to know how this is done.
quote:
Originally posted by DaleB
Many of us are changing it much more frequently.... and if you only do a 1X change that only dumps about 1/3 of the fluid, you are not doing yourself a favor at all.
But if you are leasing, or just plan to turn in or sell the car by the end of the factory warranty, I would say do the minimum required.
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by jayadi
Tell me if you now know any new brand of ATF that will do for the MDX. Surely there must be more manufacturers that Honda and Amsoil? Will just a synthetic ATF do (like the Valvoline Transmax Z)?
Also, Honda sent a flyer the other day for a discount price to do a FULL flush for the Tranny. Do you know how to do this??? It seems better that just changing the ATF in the sump 2 or 3 times until clean. I would love to know how this is done.
Amsoil appears to be the only synthetic ATF that calls out meeting the Honda Z=1 by actual spec number. I have serious reservations it is worth the extra money. I doubt you could trace any MDX transmission problem to inadequacy of Honda's Z1. In fact, it has some characteristics it may be at least a syn. blend itself.
A 3X performed every 20-25K is probably more than adequate.
You can do a 1X every 7.5-10K, etc. that would probably work too.
Only possible reservations to a full flush is if it is done with chemicals for cleaning. But if it is done at an authorized dealer as part of regular recommended maintenance, I would have no problem with it myself.
I would not pay more than $130 for a full flush. There are often specials.
This is a well discussed topic; you can do some searches.
Naturally, all these things could be done
yourself, if you are so inclined. |
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| NiMaDiFoB |
quote:
Originally posted by yw1957
Has anyone noticed from the service maintenance booklet that the first transmission fluid change could be done at 45000 miles with normal driving? My 03X is currently at 36000 with mostly highway mileage and I haven't changed the fluid yet.
What if I wait until 45000 as the manual indicated, will my transmission goes bad at some point?
Please give me some comments! Thanks.
P.S: Also noticed from the maintenance booklet that the coolant change at 120,000miles, believe it or not.
my 03X also sees nothing but highway miles. When I changed the fluid at 20k, it was already a slight brownish color. Personally, I'd recommend changing it right away. |
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| jayadi |
Yup, you are definitely correct! They do have a ""special"" for tranny fluid change - $268 or $168 (forgot) Aussie bucks! This marketing for "special" must be a global thing or something. Not happy, not ever bringing the X there.
quote:
Originally posted by DaleB
Amsoil appears to be the only synthetic ATF that calls out meeting the Honda Z=1 by actual spec number. I have serious reservations it is worth the extra money. I doubt you could trace any MDX transmission problem to inadequacy of Honda's Z1. In fact, it has some characteristics it may be at least a syn. blend itself.
A 3X performed every 20-25K is probably more than adequate.
You can do a 1X every 7.5-10K, etc. that would probably work too.
Only possible reservations to a full flush is if it is done with chemicals for cleaning. But if it is done at an authorized dealer as part of regular recommended maintenance, I would have no problem with it myself.
I would not pay more than $130 for a full flush. There are often specials.
This is a well discussed topic; you can do some searches.
Naturally, all these things could be done
yourself, if you are so inclined.
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by jayadi
Yup, you are definitely correct! They do have a ""special"" for tranny fluid change - $268 or $168 (forgot) Aussie bucks! This marketing for "special" must be a global thing or something. Not happy, not ever bringing the X there.
I'm not sure what that is about. I've seen a couple of Honda and Acura dealers that will do a complete flush including the Honda recommended fluid for an average price of $125. And that's a flush, not a 3X which is usually cheaper. |
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| markn |
I have a 2004 that I changed the trans fluid at 7,500 and now at 15,000 miles. The second change showed the fluid starting to turn a slightly brown color when compared to new fluid. I tow a 2,400 to 2,900 lb trailer 30% of the time.
When compared to my 95 Legend that pulled a 1,900 lb trailer that I changed trans fluid in every 15,000 miles the legends fluid was much cleaner in color than this MDX.
I would recommend changing trans fluid more ofter than the factory recommends if you plan to keep it past the warrenty period. Cheap insurance imho. |
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| jamchen |
quote:
Originally posted by jayadi
Yup, you are definitely correct! They do have a ""special"" for tranny fluid change - $268 or $168 (forgot) Aussie bucks! This marketing for "special" must be a global thing or something. Not happy, not ever bringing the X there.
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g'day mate! first time here to meet someone from Oz aswell!
where about you located? i am in vic but hell i never receive nay of those special tranny servicve! my X is about 40,000km and i am planning to change the ATF in the same time eventhought the manual recommends change it at 60,000km!
i guess you are also not happy about the over priced parts they are selling!:3: |
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| jayadi |
G'day maaaate,
So true, so true. It is so good to hear an Aussie sympathiser! I'm in WA. You know what it is like over here hey?
First they sell us a MDX that is well after the US release (understandable though). Then they jack up the price of the car. Then they strip down the features that I envy the Yanks have got. Then they sell us overpriced spares (no Walmart here, yet). Then they hide information when you ask service department because they are afraid people will know better and they'll lose business.
I have had bad dealership experience before. That's why I rely on great sites like this for support. They lure people to service by giving these so called "specials", but I'm afraid that they might tinker with other things to keep us dependent on them (like a dependency on drugs you know). And if you still don't respond, they send you one of these AC Nielsen surveys with potential to win prizes, as an incentive to answer, to pick your brains!
I'll probably do tranny fluid change myselve. That's why I am probing to find out how to do this fluid flush and use non-Honda fluids that are equivalent or better.
quote:
Originally posted by jamchen
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g'day mate! first time here to meet someone from Oz aswell!
where about you located? i am in vic but hell i never receive nay of those special tranny servicve! my X is about 40,000km and i am planning to change the ATF in the same time eventhought the manual recommends change it at 60,000km!
i guess you are also not happy about the over priced parts they are selling!:3:
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| master_tech |
| 15k works for me :4: |
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