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Transmission fluid change

em804

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Hey everyone!

This is my first CVT vehicle and looking through the owner's manual and there is nothing about transmission fluid besides not to check or change it yourself. Is this common on CVT transmissions? This can't be right?

Here is a link to the owner's manual page regarding transmission fluid:

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Nessism

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It seems odd that they recommend taking it to a dealer for a fluid check. That said, unless the fluid is leaking on the ground you shouldn't have to check it.

Give the community here a little time and there will be all kinds of guides on how to check and change the fluid yourself. The first fluid change is out pretty far though, something like 30k+ miles. The maintenance minder will let you know when.
 

jtrader

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Changing the fluid is probably easier than an oil change. Although arguably there could be an extra step of measuring exactly what you removed so you can replace with that amount. But then that saves you from having to level and use the check bolt.

I definitely disobeyed the 11th gen manual by using non-Honda fluid. Good thing I have a 10th gen. :D

FWIW, I've used both Valvoline CVT and Eneos (napa) Model H. I swap every 15k. No probs yet.
 

mondreyt

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I thought the fluid needs to be changed at 24k.
 

jtrader

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I thought the fluid needs to be changed at 24k.
I believe it's every 30k, but I change it every 3 oil changes (3x5k=15k) only because I'm hard on my CVT. (No tune though, so I guess I'm not that hard)
 


tomc

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I believe it's every 30k, but I change it every 3 oil changes (3x5k=15k) only because I'm hard on my CVT. (No tune though, so I guess I'm not that hard)
It is about every 30k miles. You will see a Minder "3" come up with your oil change minder around that time. Honda CVTs are also pretty durable, I haven't seen a single Civic in the shop need a transmission yet, at any mileage. Or really any model with a CVT. We see some 10th gen Civics, newer Accords etc with over 100k miles.
 

bguttery

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It is about every 30k miles. You will see a Minder "3" come up with your oil change minder around that time. Honda CVTs are also pretty durable, I haven't seen a single Civic in the shop need a transmission yet, at any mileage. Or really any model with a CVT. We see some 10th gen Civics, newer Accords etc with over 100k miles.
I must be unlucky then. I have a 2022 Touring and they had to replace the transmission at 4,000 miles.
 
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em804

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I must be unlucky then. I have a 2022 Touring and they had to replace the transmission at 4,000 miles.
They had to replace the transmission or the change the transmission fluid?
 


tomc

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I must be unlucky then. I have a 2022 Touring and they had to replace the transmission at 4,000 miles.
That is definitely unlucky, wow. It must have had some internal defect from manufacturing. Never seen a CVT even let go, let alone that quickly.
 

bguttery

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That is definitely unlucky, wow. It must have had some internal defect from manufacturing. Never seen a CVT even let go, let alone that quickly.
Yeah, made me nervous for a while to even gently press the gas on the new one.

My luck with this car so far has been pretty bad. I had someone rear end me two days ago in the car wash….literally, INSIDE the car wash!
 

tomc

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Yeah, made me nervous for a while to even gently press the gas on the new one.

My luck with this car so far has been pretty bad. I had someone rear end me two days ago in the car wash….literally, INSIDE the car wash!
No way man that's awful! Hopefully nothing major happened there, and at least you're alright. Was it like one of those automatic car washes?

Also I'm super curious about what Honda had to say about the CVT failure, having not seen one over here yet. Do you still have a copy of the repair order with the technician's notes/explanation of the failure?
 
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Yeah, made me nervous for a while to even gently press the gas on the new one.

My luck with this car so far has been pretty bad. I had someone rear end me two days ago in the car wash….literally, INSIDE the car wash!

What went bad that you had to have it replaced?!
 

jtrader

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I know with Honda CVT's you have to be at a complete dead stop before shifting from R to D. Any lingering movement is playing with fire.
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