Accord Transmission Fluid & Brake Fluid Problems ?

It's a good time to change the transmission fluid, but the brake fluid should still be in fine shape. Looking in the reservoir, the fluid should be light colored and clear.

Regular fluid changes are important to Honda automatic transmissions, and genuine Honda ATF should always be used.

Mike

i say milk.

unless the transmission is in hard service, i wouldn't change it at that mileage. read the owner manual and follow that schedule, not the dealer schedule. or if you're experiencing harsh shifting.

regarding brake fluid, it needs to be changed either annually if you're in a wet weather location, or every two years if not. absorbs moisture from the air, regardless of usage.

Brake fluid should be flushed at least every 2 years. Brake fluid absorbs moisture out of the air and eventually corrodes the lines, calipers and master cylinders.

I do the same interval on my automatics too. If you want to make them last forever that is.

If you wait to feel hard shifting before changing the Trans fluid you waited to long and probably did some damage. Your transmission fluid should be changed every 30,000 miles. As for the brake fluid I would hold off for one more year. When you get your brake fluid changed make sure that your technician flushes or bleeds the entire brake system not just changing the fluid in the reservoir. Changing your power steering fluid next year would probably be a good idea also. If you have any doubts look at your manual it has an entire section devoted to the proper maintainence of your car.

Just for reference; Severe Conditions as descibed in your manual is stop and go driving, a short commute, high polution areas(like parts of California), severe temps(AZ, NV, AK), dusty/dirty areas(construction sites, desert areas). I don't know your sons driving habits but if he is like me a lead foot counts as well.

i like to take good care of my cars, but at the same time, premature changes are just a waste. an 88 accord belonging to friends had over

350k on the clock, original transmission fluid from new. my crx has 101k on the clock, original fluid from new. buy a bmw, you can't even /change/ the fluid, it's sealed for life. there's way too much unfounded "tradition" in lube psychology - this is not the 50's and we're not driving detroit hunk-o-junks.

that's another example. fluid absorption is hygroscopic. look at absorption charts in tech publications like the bosch automotive handbook [available at your local library]. it needs to be changed annually in wet climates.

there's no service interval specified by honda. there's no source of contamination like with motor oil and there's no significant load or potential for thermal degradation like transmission fluid.

indeed - the section on service intervals in particular.

I don't know how you treat your vehicles or how Robert11's son treats his but I use to work for a Honda dealer and now work for Acura and I have to say I have never seen a vehicle come into the shop with a transmission problem and be filled with clean fluid. Im not telling this to try to take your money. Im telling you this is the schedule I use on my own vehicle. Look in your manual the interval use to be 30k they might have changed it in 2005 if Honda moved to the Maintaince Minder system (I moved to Acura in early 2004). Preventative maintance is exactly that, preventative. As for the Brake Fluid, you are correct. In wet climates it should be flushed more often. The area I live in I flush mine every 2-3 years. You shouldn't let the dealer push you into something unnessary, but don't think they are just trying to rip you off either.

I'm with the dealer on this one. Brake fluid changes once every two years and transmission fluid changes once every 30k miles are an excellent idea.

John

prevent what? the longevity of my friend's accord? the longevity of my crx?

my point is, there's no science behind the obsession we have with changing oil. when i get a postcard form a tire shop telling me that "according to their records, it's time i came in for my 3,000 mile oil change", it's pure hocus pocus. they don't know my actual mileage. they don't know what my use history is. they don't even analyze oil when they service vehicles to find out what the schedule /should/ be! no, it's all about lightening the wallet. if tires weren't subject to visible wear, they'd be subject to completely unnecessary change schedules too.

on the subject of repairs with zero visibility, when one of my friends gets "urgent" calls from sf honda when his car's in for routine service saying that the braking system [master cylinder, disks, calipers] needs to be urgently replaced, is that ok? how about if i tell you the car has only 45k miles? how about i tell you this vehicle had exactly the same "urgent" repairs done only 15k miles ago?

another data point: don't know about the accord, but the 2000 civic has a 90k mile transmission fluid change schedule. much more likely that factory schedule is closer to that than 30k.