RDX rear differential

[Robert2468]

good afternoon everyone! I leased a NEW 2020 Acura RDX in August 2020. a GREAT car. I have been quite careful about maintenance. two tire rotations and synthetic fluid oil changes, etc.

a code came up that I need rear differential fluid change. car is 1 1/2 years old with around 12,000 miles. car is NOT abused in any way.

dumb questions:

1. why so early? I am leaning towards changing rear diff. fluid now as the computer says.

2. can my local Honda dealer, quite close and whom I love, do the change?

I love this car and will buy it at lease end. plus its value is more than I will pay.

any other ideas? I do like learning

best regards
bob

 

[Inked]

Normal maintenance for SHAWD. My MDX was around the same mileage when it needed changing. I have 30,000 miles on it now and the reminder has not come on since. Yes, your Honda dealer can perform that change.

 

[ls973800]

Sounds like my Honda Pilot AWD. The rear differential fluid change came up around 12000 miles. I found out that it usually calls for it around 15000 miles for the first change. My OLM was around 70% so by the time I would have the oil/oil filter code come up I would be around 15000 miles. The rear differential came up early just as a heads up if you will. The fluid change is then 30000 miles after that first early one unless towing or doing a lot of mountain driving.

Mine was very easy to do and took the new DPSF fluid which is even stamped on the rear differntial since earlier generations used a different fluid. I believe I used between 2 and 3 quarts.

 

[ls973800]

From the 2016-2022 Pilot forum

 

[Kjmack]

Smart that Honda has a early change .

 

[Tjbouwhu]

Just did my wife’s 2021RDX, very straight forward...used Acura All-Wheel Drive Fluid (DPSF).

 

[Robert2468]

THANK YOU everyone! sounds like I should do it and I will. I love this car and likely will buy it at or before lease end.

have a great day!
bob

 

[meloon]

I helped my buddy do the rear diff oil change on his 2019 RDX. His prompt came at about 15,000 miles (I remember some document stating that after initial 15k change the interval is roughly 30k).
Please note that the SH-AWD rear differential has some hydraulic circuitry in there together with a small electric pump, so once you fill the diff to overflow you need to start engine and I think run through gears and then do final fill.
Some Acura forums have pertaining pages from factory service manual published.
Good luck.

 

[tbm5690]

Verify you are using the correct variant of DPSF...original DPSF vs DPSF 2. These are both different from Honda dual pump fluid, so if you have the Honda dealer do it make sure they use the right stuff.

 

[Robert2468]

i got the rear diff fluid changed. thanks to all!!! bob

 

[nthach]

Verify you are using the correct variant of DPSF...original DPSF vs DPSF 2. These are both different from Honda dual pump fluid, so if you have the Honda dealer do it make sure they use the right stuff.

DPSF II is backwards compatible with original, used on the OG CR-V(Honda’s Real-Time 4WD goes all the way back to the rare Civic 4WD wagon in the 1980s).

It’s VTM-4 used in the 2001-2012 MDX as well as the 2004-2015 Pilot and 2006-2012 Ridgeline that use VTM-4 fluid Honda states 15K replacement. Those use a Borg-Warner made rear diff.