What happens if you let VTM-4 go?

[DN325Ci]

Curiosity question, really. I've owned a lot of 4x4's over the years, and I've never had one with such a short interval of change for the rear diff that the Pilot has.

So what happens if you don't change it often enough? Does the rear diff wear out, or does it simply stop working?

Don

[jl_ss]

Originally posted by DN325Ci
Curiosity question, really. I've owned a lot of 4x4's over the years, and I've never had one with such a short interval of change for the rear diff that the Pilot has.

So what happens if you don't change it often enough? Does the rear diff wear out, or does it simply stop working?

Don

It will potentially wear out a lot faster and then you have voided the warranty by not following the required service interval and will have to pay a lot more money to fix it.

[Sunday Rider]

Originally posted by DN325Ci
Curiosity question, really. I've owned a lot of 4x4's over the years, and I've never had one with such a short interval of change for the rear diff that the Pilot has.

So what happens if you don't change it often enough? Does the rear diff wear out, or does it simply stop working?

Don

You will wear out the clutch packs that make the VTM4 work. This material seems to break down easily, and I think that is why you need to change it frequently. You must use the Honda stuff because it has special additives. I had a local shop use the hand pump from his automatic transmission fluid, and that little bit left in the pump, caused the back to grind, I had to have him change it again 2 weeks later. This time I had him flush the pump out with the fluid left from the last change, and use a brand new Honda VTM4.

So from my experience, I wouldn't neglect this area.

[Gliderpilot]

VTM-4 fluid is easy to replace. Just drop the spare tire and the rear-end drain & fill plugs are readily accessible. No reason to skip this maintenance.

[tangotango99]

Originally posted by DN325Ci
Curiosity question, really. I've owned a lot of 4x4's over the years, and I've never had one with such a short interval of change for the rear diff that the Pilot has.

So what happens if you don't change it often enough? Does the rear diff wear out, or does it simply stop working?

Don

= A Penny wise a Pound foolish

[DN325Ci]

Originally posted by Gliderpilot
VTM-4 fluid is easy to replace. Just drop the spare tire and the rear-end drain & fill plugs are readily accessible. No reason to skip this maintenance.

Completely agree. I've done it and it's very easy.

VTM-4 fluid seems relatively thin by comparison. My prior 4x4s used much heavier weight stuff.

Don

[thomasj2]

Originally posted by Gliderpilot
VTM-4 fluid is easy to replace. Just drop the spare tire and the rear-end drain & fill plugs are readily accessible. No reason to skip this maintenance.

No need to drop the spare tire. I've changed mine twice, it's literally a 15 minute deal. Make sure you get a $5 pump that will screw onto a gallon jug. 2 new crush washers + 1 Gallon jug of rear diff fluid + hand pump < $25, and you'll have about a quart of fluid leftover for the next change.

[cwa107]

Originally posted by DN325Ci


Completely agree. I've done it and it's very easy.

VTM-4 fluid seems relatively thin by comparison. My prior 4x4s used much heavier weight stuff.

Don

I think the cause for confusion here is that you keep referring to the VTM-4 as a differential. It is not a differential, it is a clutch pack. That said, the lubrication needs are a little different from what you may have experienced in other 4x4s (as you've noted here).

[markjmay]

Is the VTM-4 fluid commercially available under another trade name, or do I have to get it from the dealer only?

Mark in MA

[coeng73]

Good thing I checked this thread. I have 20K on my '04 EX. I need an oil change and tire rotation so I'm scheduled for two weeks from now. Noticed the manual said 15K and 30K are the first milestones for VTM-4 fluid change. I would have never thought that a new car would need something so major (though relatively simple to change apparently) done on it. In addition to the VTM-4 ($79 bucks or so) I'm getting the oil changed, tires rotated, multi-point inspection, yada yada for $99. Anything else I should have done? When would you say (in the future that is) I have to bring it in for something other than an oil change. 30K? I used to do my own fluid changes but after a while my time became more precious than what it costs to have someone do it.

[cwa107]

Originally posted by markjmay
Is the VTM-4 fluid commercially available under another trade name, or do I have to get it from the dealer only?

Mark in MA

Unfortunately, no - you have to get it from the dealer.

[prijo]

Originally posted by coeng73
Good thing I checked this thread. I have 20K on my '04 EX. I need an oil change and tire rotation so I'm scheduled for two weeks from now. Noticed the manual said 15K and 30K are the first milestones for VTM-4 fluid change. I would have never thought that a new car would need something so major (though relatively simple to change apparently) done on it. In addition to the VTM-4 ($79 bucks or so) I'm getting the oil changed, tires rotated, multi-point inspection, yada yada for $99. Anything else I should have done? When would you say (in the future that is) I have to bring it in for something other than an oil change. 30K? I used to do my own fluid changes but after a while my time became more precious than what it costs to have someone do it.

Dealer is charging you $79 for VTM4? Consider negotiating this price with them. THe Honda Dealer in Columbus, OH charges $39 (another poster on this forum posted this price) which is fair for $20 in material and 15 minutes to perform.

[thomasj2]

Originally posted by coeng73
I used to do my own fluid changes but after a while my time became more precious than what it costs to have someone do it.

That's one of the reasons why I do my own maint, I refuse to wait while the dealer does something I could do in the same amount of time. Or worse yet, be inconvenienced by dropping off the car and coming back later.

[OverDrive]

I hardly use my VTM-4. Maybe just a couple of times in the winter snow, but that's it.

Most of the time, the Pilot is in front-wheel drive mode. So, I don't see why we need to change the VTM fluid at all.... Am I wrong?

[cwa107]

Originally posted by OverDrive
I hardly use my VTM-4. Maybe just a couple of times in the winter snow, but that's it.

Most of the time, the Pilot is in front-wheel drive mode. So, I don't see why we need to change the VTM fluid at all.... Am I wrong?

Yup. Every time you accelerate, the VTM-4 engages. VTM-4 is not completely reactive (i.e. only turns on when your wheels slip), there's always some torque being sent to the rear wheels. This is why when you pull away from an intersection in the rain, the front tires don't even start to slip.

Now, if you do start to slip, that amount of torque is increased all the way up to 55%, but even when you don't slip, there's always at least a little bit of torque sent.