I recently purchased a used 2012 Honda Accord that had 134,000 miles. Currently has 140,000 miles. Come to find out recently, the transmission fluid has never been changed. Is it worth doing it now? I've heard people tell me no and others tell me yes. I'm not experiencing any issues with the transmission at all so I'd like to know your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
Worth changing transmission fluid on 2012 Honda Accord with 140,000 miles when it has never been done before?
- Thread starter Dchaves02
- Start date
Welcome to BITOG 
Yes, it's worth changing the transmission fluid now. Honda makes the job very easy. In fact, it's even easier than an oil change
Yes, it's worth changing the transmission fluid now. Honda makes the job very easy. In fact, it's even easier than an oil change
There's an article in one of the Blackstone Lab newsletters questioning the need for changing transmission fluid at all. Of course they also state that they've seen no advantage in one oil over another. Don't know if I believe either of these, but food for thought.
Common theory that at this point, it may do more harm than good to 'flush' it, but it's definitely worth it to change the fluid and filter now.
Drop the pan, replace the filter, fill it up. If Honda was nice enough to put a drain plug on the pan, drive it for a couple of days, dump the fluid & refill again.
Drop the pan, replace the filter, fill it up. If Honda was nice enough to put a drain plug on the pan, drive it for a couple of days, dump the fluid & refill again.
Old wives tale. YES change the fluid.
Just dump and fill. Don't flush it.
Do so again in a few thousand miles.
Do so again in a few thousand miles.
I certain I've heard people tell me that they've heard people tell them this far more often than actually hearing it myself. Actually I'm not sure I've ever heard it directly.
It is better to change than to not change.
Seriously?
As far as I'm concerned, if Blackstone Labs questions the "need" to change transmission fluids...I personally would never trust their advice on oil. Never. That's absolutely asinine...in MY opinion.
Ed
If it is yours, change it. If it is someone else's, well, don't be involved.
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Change it. There is no reason not to.
Just keep Power Bait out of the fluid.
Always change, always.
The owner of a 2010 Accord 4 cyl. mentioned that his car shifts imperceptively at 117K.
Drain & fills of both transmission and cooling system are done by me.
Honda fluids. Enjoy the simplicity.
edit: transmission uses a 14mm aluminum drain plug gasket....same as the oil.
I was ferrying him home after dropping said car off at a body shop this morning.
Turns out his son-in-law can't back up.
Drain & fills of both transmission and cooling system are done by me.
Honda fluids. Enjoy the simplicity.
edit: transmission uses a 14mm aluminum drain plug gasket....same as the oil.
I was ferrying him home after dropping said car off at a body shop this morning.
Turns out his son-in-law can't back up.
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How do you know it's never been changed ?
Go buy 3-4 quarts of Honda DW-1, drain it, refill it with 2.5-2.6 quarts if it's a 4-cylinder or 3.5 quarts if it's a V6. Repeat this in 5000 miles if you want, otherwise just do this every 30k miles from now on.
Go buy 3-4 quarts of Honda DW-1, drain it, refill it with 2.5-2.6 quarts if it's a 4-cylinder or 3.5 quarts if it's a V6. Repeat this in 5000 miles if you want, otherwise just do this every 30k miles from now on.
Spill and fill, baby!
Especially considering this is only a 9 year old vehicle, i dont see the low-percentile risk of a change interfering with the magic sludge which is said to keep fluid inside older transmissions.
ive done several first-time changes with cars this age with no issue, including my mother‘s civic which made it to over 350k.
agree with above. Do 1 drain/fill. Drive for a week or two, then do it again. If you want to be thorough, do it once more, which will effectively swap 90% of the fluid.
ive done several first-time changes with cars this age with no issue, including my mother‘s civic which made it to over 350k.
agree with above. Do 1 drain/fill. Drive for a week or two, then do it again. If you want to be thorough, do it once more, which will effectively swap 90% of the fluid.
Blackstone bases their recommendations/opinions on the lab analysis of many thousands of oil and ATF samples. Your opinion is based on what? PPL here opine endlessly about this stuff but results speak far louder than all this blather. I find it very difficult to accept their opinion but results are results....Just saying
First, my opinion is based on what the owners manuals says for transmission fluid change interval. I also think that common sense would suggest if "we" (i.e., BITOG members) think it's smart to change your motor oil at X miles (fill in the blank with your favorite interval), what would make anyone think that transmission fluid with 140K shouldn't be changed?
I'd also be curious to see what any reuptable transmission shop would tell someone about running transmission fluid for 140K and not changing it?
Ed
Thank you Ed. Valid points to be sure. Conflicting opinions between Blackstone and owners manuals, but the owners manuals I have seen say lifetime ATF fluid, at least for "normal" service. Transmission shops probably know the best and see everything that goes wrong or breaks on a transmission all the time. They don't sit around a lab and read reports. On the other hand., they only see the problems, not the many cars that go the lifetime ATF route and never have the problems. "Do you feel lucky" ?
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