Honda’s secret maintenance intervals

[tacoma50]

I am frustrated….No one at Honda USA or 2 local dealerships will give me an official answer to this question about my 2008 Pilot: Regardless of the maintenance minder system, what is the maximum miles allowed before these items should be replaced: transmission and transfer fluids, VTM4 rear diff fluid, engine coolant, and timing belt?

Honda will only say that: Your MaintMinderSystem will tell you.

I asked them, “well what if the MaintMinderSystem is broke?” their reply was: “it is impossible for it to break”. Then I asked them: “well what if I have driven 150,000 miles and the MaintMinderSystem has not informed me to change the AT fluid?”, and their reply was: “oh you should not drive it that long without changing the fluid!” …..arghh.

Why is Honda so secretive about this?? What’s the big deal?
Does anyone have this data?

[rocky]

I would suggest you get your hands on the Pre MM maintenance schedule.

[94eg!]

From the 05 Pilot:

Normal:



Severe:

[mudbog]

I'm going through the same thing. I have an '04 and just bought a 2012. The 2004 was easy. On the 2012, I'm trying to map the maintenance minder A/B and 1-6 to mileage/time intervals. I realize that some of the items like the oil/filter change are based on more than just mileage and time. But are all of them? I'd like to plan in advance for the major maintenance items since they can be a large amount of $.

[94eg!]

brake fluid is an important one. It doesn't show up on any MID. Replace it every 3 years no matter what.

The maintenance minder thing is kinda screwy IMO. It's nice to have the info above for reference. Too bad they don't include it in the owners manuals any more.

[samc]

Quite honestly I follow the same chart above. Because I've heard of some people going 60-70k and still have not changed the tranny fluid, let alone 150k. Why? Because some people are so gungho about what honda says. Common sense will tell you to change/maintain certain things alot more then others.

Basically go by the chart above and your MM. But if you obviously see something not showing up on the MM then change/replace it by all means.

[jcantanixon]

Agreed. I follow the MM and check the 05 chart to see if anything is getting missed. So far, the MM hasn't missed anything major. ATF at 43k. VTM at 10k then again at 37k.

[mmm666]

lets say my mm say b16 @15,000. I do oil change/tire rotate/vtm4. how do you properly reset b16 ?

[sblvro]

I have a 2003 pilot exlres. without the maintenance minder but following the manual, I changed oil every 7500 or 8000 miles both oil and filter using mobil 1 0w/20 synthetic. VTM4 was recommended to be changed at 15k miles and I have it changed every two oil changes. The recommended tranny oil change is every 40k miles not 65k miles or 100k miles like any other car manufacturer. or, every 4th or 5th oil change. so far, at 194k miles, it is still purring like new. the brake fluids, steering fluid, coolant, etc, I changed when I reached 110k miles.

after the 100k milestone, out of warranty, I change the engine oil/filter every 15k miles using mobil 1 5w/30, with no problems(blackstone labs confirmed). still on stock rotors, I just change the pads when it is close to minimum. no warping or shimmy whatsoever. as for the tranny and VTM4, same schedule as earlier

[N_Jay]

I find it funny that given all the randomness of peoples driving, they like fixed mileages better than the MM system to tell them when service is needed.

[1YESfan]

Relying soley on technology is a mistake as there are still inherient flaws with it and there will always be. I like to be hands on when up-keeping or deciding when to have my vehicles worked on/serviced; esp. when some of the recommended services have been extended to a ridiculous amount. Of course one should always consider what type of milage is put on their vehicles and deciding if they want to have an average number of miles put on it or hopefully have a combination of milage and fluid breakdown to sound the alarm for your vehicle whether it's through the magical m.m., which I'm sure is mistake free ;-), but is more likely is intended for folks who won't or can't remember to keep up with vehicle service by themselves. It's a convenient and handy tool, I'll admit that. ;-)

I've done the exact recomendations on my prior new car and I'm telling you all that some technology or suggested maintenance times aren't all that when it comes to prolonging the life and future of your investment and something you depend on. I'm not sure what to make of some folks who make statements asking if I personally know more than Honda engineers in previous replies/threads? Got a secret for some of you, I don't think some you really know or want to know, or possibly acknowlege how the system or cars/engineered machines really work. Most folks take their vehicles for granted and that is easily done because of improvements over the years that have increased reliability. In the end whether through technology or written services intervals, Honda, Ford, whichever badge is on the grill, their staff comes up with numbers, milage, periods of time and driving conditions which may or may not be all factored into, and come up with a good avg. or number that works for the fluids; usually, their parts; usually, recommended service and possible replacements of parts.

Maybe it might cost more intially and throughout the live of your vehicle, or it's possible for one reason or another most have no plans to keep a automobile for any significant period of time, but it's in your best interest to be proactive in keeping up imo and having your investment/transportation/vehicle serviced without waiting till the "recommended" service intervals. And of course with busy lifestyles who knows when you might be able to drop your car in for service after the m.m. alerts you? And for goodness sake, from what I have been reading recently- and it's sure not limited to Hondas, take a look at your plugs, make sure they are torqued correctly or pay the few extra bucks during your next service to have them looked at. Happy motoring. :-)

[isrb710]

My Camry owner's manual says the ATF is a lifelong fluid and doesn't need changed. The people we bought it from at 142,000 miles had taken it to the dealer to be serviced and the dealer changed the ATF every 30,000 miles. And that car was NOT a severe service car. It's now got 159K miles and the transmission is still going strong!

I think car manufacturers want to claim their maintenance schedule is longer than their competition's to sell more cars. Plus they get to replace more parts on cars, especially transmissions, with these ultra-extended (or never) fluid change intervals.

[isrb710]

Here are my change intervals:

Oil - Every 10,000 miles (using full synthetic). I top it off as needed every 3,000 miles or so.

Oil Filter - Every 10,000 miles (using an extended service oil filter - usually Mobil1 Extended Performance or Bosch Distance Plus)

Air Filter - Every 30,000 miles.

Cabin Air Filter - Every 30,000 miles.

Automatic Transmission Fluid - Every 30,000 miles. (Do the 1st change at 30K instead of 45K. That way you can get ATF and VTM-4 on the same schedule starting at 30K miles.)

VTM-4 - Every 30,000 miles. (1st change at 15K. I would change it at both 15K and 30K).

Coolant - Every 60,000 miles.

Brake fluid - Every 3 years.

Power Steering Fluid - Every 3 years (when change brake fluid)

Spark Plugs - Every 100K

Timing Belt/Water Pump/Tensioner - Every 100K

[mudbog]

Mine is similar for my '04 with 110K miles:
*
Synthetic oil, oil filter, tire rotation, vehicle checks (see below) every 10K or 1 year
*
Air filter, cabin filters, tranny fluid, VTM4 fluid -every 30K. I used to to do the VTM4 every 15K but it was really clean. In fact, it is even really clean after 30K.
*
Check spark plug torque every 50K
*
Brake fluid every 3 years
*
Timing belt +idlers +tensioner +H2O pump, coolant, spark plugs, power steering fluid flush every 100K
*
As needed based on inspection: serpentine belt, pwr steering belt, brake shoes, tires


Vehicle checks done every 10K or 1 year:
*Parking brake adjustment
*Tie-rod ends & ball joints
*Wheel bearing play
*Steering gearbox & Boots
*Driveshaft boots
*Brakes hoses & lines & brake binding
*All fluid levels and conditions
*Exhaust
*Fuel lines and connections
*Wipers
*Lights
*Tire pressure

[N_Jay]

'03 with 175000 miles.

Oil changes about every 7000 miles with whatever oil the dealer puts in.
Honda Oil filter each change because I can not remember which are odd changes and which are the even.
Trans and VTM by the book up to about 150000 miles when we started towing, so I now
do it about once every other year. (15-20K)

Brake fluid every three years (or so)

And the rest whenever I remember or when I can't talk the dealer out of doing it.