There should be a external filter. Cut that sucker open and see what 140K has done. I measure what comes out and fill the same amount. Start the car and wait for the cooling fan to kick on. Shut it down and check the level. Add as necessary. Should be DW1 spec. Valvoline Maxlife atf is good. Currently using Amsoil blue cap in my wife’s 19 Pilot six speed.
Worth changing transmission fluid on 2012 Honda Accord with 140,000 miles when it has never been done before?
- Thread starter Dchaves02
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
- Messages
- 2,846
Didn’t even realize Honda went to a serviceable transmission filter on the Accords. Learned something today.
As for whether to change the fluid or not? Yup, I would. Simple spill and fill.
I took a 1999 Honda Accord to 289,000 miles without a transmission exploding (and those were the bad transmissions). No replaceable filter, but did a drain and fill once a year. Still was shifting great when I sold it.
A thousand times, yes! I do a drain and fill on my 2012 Accord every year. It is incredibly easy. Pick up some OEM Honda DW-1 fluid (3 quarts per drain and fill) and repeat this drain and fill procedure at least 3 times with some driving in between. You will see improved shift quality.
While it's external (it's an inline filter, actually) and inexpensive, Honda has no schedule for replacing it. Honda techs have mentioned that they've never been advised to replace these.... On other forums where folks were good about doing drain-and-refills, a number of them replaced the filter and cut open the old one and every one of them said they wasted their time and money replacing it - it was spotless.
My wife’s old 08 crv had a external filter. I’m assuming the accord would also.
From what I've seen, Honda phased it in across different models. Our '05 Odyssey had one. Our daughter's '12 Civic has one but the '11 did not (the '12 is a generation update for the Civic).
Yep, they're all over the map when it comes to filters. My Accord has one you can actually get to, the Acura does not.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
- Messages
- 2,846
Well then, that’s hilarious...I have a 2008 CRV, handed it down to my daughter last year. I’ve done probably 8 drain and fills on that thing and never knew there was an external inline filter. Wow! 154,000 miles now.
From what I’ve been reading, it’s probably no big deal that I never changed it.
Our 2006 TSX with the mighty K24 has an external trans filter, but I couldn't get the little hoses off...
Sheesh.
Sheesh.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2020
- Messages
- 452
Thing is that Honda automatics are NOT traditionally designed automatic gearboxes, they are most similar in design to the wet DCT
we know of today. These tend to need a little more attention and I would definitely do 30,000 mi drain and fills on them.
we know of today. These tend to need a little more attention and I would definitely do 30,000 mi drain and fills on them.
Lol. Yeah its located on the bottom near the radiator. It’s black kinda short looking. My understanding there’s a magnet on the inside of the filter.
just curious, where are you getting this from? DCTs require more attention but I’ve not heard that honda ATs need more care?
Drain and fill for x3 times and in 30K do a complete return line flush - the vehicle with thank you for giving it a new lease in life
I would change the fluid. I'm on my second Honda. Stick with Honda fluid only. It's really easy to do a transmission fluid change on a Honda.
That's a huge waste of time, money and ATF.
It is the easiest way to obtain an almost complete fluid exchange.
it doesn´t mean that if in one car long interval is ok, it will be fine in others......
Honda dealers use the drain/fill procedure instead of flushes, and Honda strongly discourages using any type of machine for this purpose.
I agree that considerable amount of ATF is wasted but it is easy to do and the fluid can be maintained with a single drain/fill done periodically.
Correct.... I have a "ServiceNews Article" from 2008 that Honda sent to dealers and/or repair shops and they say they "strongly recommend" avoiding using "aftermarket flush systems". In the Honda world, they effectively re-define what "flush" means too. To Honda, a flush is "repeatedly draining and refilling the transmission"
Similar threads
