Honda Says Canadians Should Always Use Severe Service Maint Schedule

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I was looking up some service interval information for my '03 Honda Accord today and noticed that Honda says for US customers to use the normal service schedule unless certain conditions are met (frequent short trips, etc. etc.) but that Canadians should always use the severe service interval schedule. This correlates to oil changes every 7,500 miles for US residents but every 3,750 for Canadians?

This is rather peculiar to me. Ontario is by far the most populated province of Canada and it's climate is largely similar to that of Michigan, Upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Prevailing weather conditions are not enough to explain Honda's doings.

Does this have something to do with different fuel formulations in Canada, or is it more evidence of things other than good engineering being behind Honda's recommendations?

John

[ April 07, 2004, 11:58 PM: Message edited by: jthorner ]
 
Hmmm...maybe it due to the fact that most native born Canadians have a strong Z-field.
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Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world.

Only two parts of it have milder weather.. the BC coast west of the rockies, and the Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario.

The rest of it gets bone chilling cold, and a large section of the population lives in heavily urbanized areas, thus lots of stop and go traffic.

So yes, I would consider it severe service.

It is true though, after about 5 years the O2 sensors tend to get fouled up with manganese coating due to MMT, an additive we were forced to use by lawsuit thanks to NAFTA.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Technarch:
Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world.

Only two parts of it have milder weather.. the BC coast west of the rockies, and the Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario.


A little known factoid is that part of Ontario is as farther south than the northern border of California. But it's not the Golden Horseshoe.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Losiho:

quote:

Originally posted by Technarch:
Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world.

I hope that was tongue in cheek....


Sad but true, it's only second.

Russia is still bigger, even after all those republics like Jerkoffistan escaped.
 
Every Honda mechanic I have talked with in the Northeast, where the climate is similar to the bordering areas of eastern Canada, says to follow the severe maintenance schedule. We did so with our last Honda, 87 Accord, and it was still running strong last summer, good MPG and no oil burning, rust was finally catching up with it.

FYI, one difference I recommend vs. the manual: We keep the tires on our 02 Accord inflated to 40 PSI, vs. manual 32 PSI. Getting better MPG, better handling, and better tread wear. Rotating every 6-7,500 miles has also kep them in good shape. Put a dash (1 oz.) of LC in the ATF after it was changed, will be going with the MolaBrew additive with the Pennzoil dino 5W-20 at the next change.
 
quote:

Originally posted by STSinNYC:
FYI, one difference I recommend vs. the manual: We keep the tires on our 02 Accord inflated to 40 PSI, vs. manual 32 PSI. Getting better MPG, better handling, and better tread wear. Rotating every 6-7,500 miles has also kep them in good shape.

Modern radials tolerate a lot more pressure before wearing out the center than the old bias ply tires did. I don't go as quite as high as you because I don't care for the small deterioration in ride or handling.

I have also found that Honda Accord and higher products don't require a lot of tire rotation to get even tire wear. One rotation during the tire life usually does the trick for me if I pick the right mileage.

I have also never needed a wheel alignment on a Honda. There is something to be said about building a car right.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Losiho:

quote:

Originally posted by XS650:

quote:

Originally posted by Losiho:

quote:

Originally posted by Technarch:
Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world.

I hope that was tongue in cheek....


Sad but true, it's only second.

Russia is still bigger, even after all those republics like Jerkoffistan escaped.


Ah yes, in land mass only I assume.


As opposed to what? Air mass, water mass??
 
Alot of Canada is pretty severe, seeing -40C regularily in the winter.

It's really best that the OEM errors on the side of caution since who knows where you'll end up out here, in the North.

Oh, yeah we have great amounts of tundra, the treasure is what lies beneath. We have the largest oil reserves in the world, greater than the middle east. It's just wrapped-up in a little sand. And who knows what kind of coal bed methane is available!

Y'all be buying it from us soon enough!

[ April 08, 2004, 02:14 AM: Message edited by: sub_zero ]
 
I would say that as long as you can reach the normal service interval mileage in your warmer weather months it's not necessary to religiously follow the severe service schedule, assuming you don't do a lot of short trip or stop and go driving.

During your harsher weather months I would probably go with the severe service schedule or let used oil analysis be your guide.

Geez, how cold does it get in Canada? I once asked a vacationing Canadian what they do in Canada during the summer. He replied that if it falls on a Sunday his family usually goes on a picnic.
 
I'm a firm believer that almost no one qualifies for the "normal" service schedule of pretty much any manufacturer.

It's programmed abuse, pure and simple.
crushedcar.gif


It'll get your car past the 100,000 mark but after that it's a crapshoot as to how much longer it will last. Remember, the car manufacturers don't want your motor to last forever.
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UOAs here show wear increasing significantly with most conventional oils past the 4,500 mile mark with most modern (skimpy) sumps.

--- Bror Jace
 
quote:

Originally posted by XS650:

quote:

Originally posted by STSinNYC:
FYI, one difference I recommend vs. the manual: We keep the tires on our 02 Accord inflated to 40 PSI, vs. manual 32 PSI. Getting better MPG, better handling, and better tread wear. Rotating every 6-7,500 miles has also kep them in good shape.

Modern radials tolerate a lot more pressure before wearing out the center than the old bias ply tires did. I don't go as quite as high as you because I don't care for the small deterioration in ride or handling.

I have also found that Honda Accord and higher products don't require a lot of tire rotation to get even tire wear. One rotation during the tire life usually does the trick for me if I pick the right mileage.

I have also never needed a wheel alignment on a Honda. There is something to be said about building a car right.


If you live in California that may work for you, but try that here in the northeast and your car will fall apart.
 
I agree with Bror. If you read the tiny print on some car manuals...the normal service intervals are usually only for...cars doing a MAJORITY of highway driving.

The instant "short trips" or "stop and go" enter the equation (pretty much a majority of the driving population) they fall under the severe schedule.

Lots of people seem to miss this part of the manual =/.
 
several people here already get cheaper medical drugs from canada. I wonder if the girls up there are lower maintence than the ones in the US.
lol.gif
 
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