transmission fluild change @ 135k

[sagar19021985]

Hi All,

 

I have purchased a honda accord 2004 ex 4 cyl a month back. It has 135k. I changed the engine oil and filter a few days back at honda service center. Honda service guy recommended to change all oils including transmission oil.

 

On many forums people are suggesting not to change transmission fluild after 100k if you have never changed it before, else it will break your transmission.

 

On carfax I don't see any service records for my car. So I don't know when the last time the transmission oil changed.

Or it ever changed or not?

 

So my question is should I change transmission oil at 135k or not?

[James Matteu]

Honda has a service interval for the transmission fluid, follow it.

[sagar19021985]

but i heard that changing transmission fluid for the 1st time after >100k miles may brake your transmission.

[James Matteu]

I've heard that too.

 

I've also heard that you can use current from your alternator to separate water and use the hydrogen to increase the vehicle's MPGs.

 

Want a few more?

 

At high noon, the sun is directly over head. On the equinox, there is exactly 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. The moon comes out at night.

 

All of these things, including the one about old fluid holding a transmission together, are not true.

[Xeryon]

I'm pretty sure if changing your fluid had a direct affect on your transmission blowing up that Honda would have long since removed the recommended service intervals from the owners manual.

 

A couple things that are true: The transmission is a sealed assembly. It was intended to only be opened in case of malfunction or it's specified maintenance interval. If the fluid exchange is done improperly you can damage your transmission. A qualified Honda mechanic (and many other mechanics that are worth a damn) know the proper method to do a fluid exchange in your Honda. Your average grease monkey at Grease Monkey that offers you an a-la-cart trans flush is going to hurt more than help.

[James Matteu]

For the record, the Service Manual makes absolutely NO mention of a flush (motor or trans) as a means of fluid exchange or service. Does that mean Joe Mechanic knows more than Honda? No, it means they'd rather use print space in their manuals to tell you what to do rather than tell you what not to do.

[s_frost]

Xeyron touched on the heart of the subject- don't flush the transmission. Maybe this is what you've been hearing not to do. Changing the transmisison fluid is fine and is fairly easy, almost the same as changing the oil. I don't know the fluid capacity of the 2004 accords, but my 96 takes 2.5 quarts which translates into $30 for three 1quart bottles of the official honda fluid plus a new washer for the transmission drain plug.

 

I don't even know why transmission flushes exist. some car manufacturers specifically tell you not to flush the transmission. the good thing about simply replacing the fluid is that you get out some of the tiny metal particles in the tranny that come from natural wear. if you want to be thorough with a refill, just do the two-refill method of drain and refill, drive, drain and refill, with new fluid each time. one single drain often won't even release half of the fluid actually in the transmission, but by driving it around then doing another drain and refill, you stir up some of the other (potentially bad) fluid and get it out, too. you never get all the old/bad fluid out, though (without a rebuild), which is why taking care of it, especially while it's young, is very important. take good care of your car, and your car will take good care of you, ya know?

 

[that being said, does a 2004 need a fluid replacement? well, it is 8 years old, so I don't believe a simple replacement would by any means hurt it, but I'm considerably biased and uninformed against anything newer than 5th gen., so my knowledge there is completely unreliable]