Service life of Honda 5AT transmission?
- Thread starter R18Civic
- Start date
Just about anything can make it 300k miles if it's had proper maintenance and lack of blatant abuse.
Change the trans fluid every 20-30k miles and it's likely your trans will outlast the body.
Change the trans fluid every 20-30k miles and it's likely your trans will outlast the body.
I don't know the last time it was changed, however the fluid is still purple with a bit of black particles suspended in it. Shifts smooth as butter.
We have a 2006 Pilot with 5 speed AT with 268k miles, shifts better than our 11 Odys with 210k miles. Honda fluid only the whole time, followed Maint Minder until 200k, then tried to do a drain a fill every other oil change (15k miles?).
My 06 accord v6 6spd made it past 325k kms before we sold it.
It was full of many maxlife atf changes.
These days (and I am in no way telling someone to use an unapproved fluid, but: ) clean fluid almost seems to matter more than the correct fluid.
But I don’t want to personally or by direction be the Guinea pig for that run-to-failure test.
Honda oem will shear and break down in less than 30k miles, In the larger hondas.
That is absurd for a company that used to pride themselves on longevity.
Max has lasted the test of time for me.
I have personally used it in dozens of transmissions.
The shifts are sometimes a tad bit firmer but I would rather have a grip shift than a slip shift.
We’re in about 99% agreement… I used MaxLife in my Odyssey and it was great… but MolaKule has shown us there are significant differences between Honda fluids and “normal” fluids like MaxLife. While extremely low, there is a risk that MaxLife could cause a failure.
However, l like we’ve agreed, if you’re changing fluid every 20-30k, you’re going to be fine (unless you’ve substituted Type F in for a Dexron spec fluid!!)
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
They like anything else, can go at anytime 
Max life and DW1 are both red and work well in Hondas.
I might just get a transmission flush then. I don't want to mix two different fluids together in the trans.
Look up the 3x3 drain and fill, you can throw a couple extra in if you need, but avoid machine flushing Honda. The 3x3 is an official Honda procedure IIRC, dw-1 has worked great for me for 12 years and nearly 200k in the v6 5at Honda Accord, and 3x3 is what I did initially when Honda released dw-1 to replace z1
Quick google search and it shows honda doesn't recommend transmission flushes. There's actually a service bulletin that says not to, thanks for the info. I'm going to snap a pic of the fluid and see if anyone can identify.
My eyes must've deceived me in low light.
The fluid is red, it appeared purple due to the dark tinge of the particles suspended in the fluid.
Since I don't know which fluid it is, would it be safe to assume it's dw1 or maxlife or does it need to be the exact same fluid?
P.S. The fluid was checked in park with the engine off the car sitting overnight, it's not overfilled.
The fluid is red, it appeared purple due to the dark tinge of the particles suspended in the fluid.
Since I don't know which fluid it is, would it be safe to assume it's dw1 or maxlife or does it need to be the exact same fluid?
P.S. The fluid was checked in park with the engine off the car sitting overnight, it's not overfilled.
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Don't do a fluid flush, do a fluid exchange. With an exchange, the shop disconnects the ATF cooler hoses at the ATF radiator. The hoses are connected to a fluid exchange machine. The car, on a lift, is started and put in drive. The transmission fluid pump pumps out old fluid and sucks in new fluid. That way the fluid in the torque converter is replace with new fluid.
The Honda procedure actually has you drain and fill 4 times. 4 drains, 4 fills.
Originally Posted by Honda owner's manual said:
3x is better than nothing, but you can’t call a 3x change “the Honda procedure”.
No way to know what is in there but I suspect it is DW1 or maxlife (the two most popular choices). Also the universal ATF can be mixed in any proportion with DW1 so you may even have multiple brands.
Personally, I prefer Maxlife over DW1. I would do a single drain/fill now, and drive normally throughout the week. Then repeat each week until three or four drain/fills...that should be sufficient to remove the particles you mentioned in the first post.
On a related note, if you are not the original owner it may be worth evaluating the power steering and brake fluids.
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