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Do I need these maintenance items recommended by dealer?

7K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  Buffalo4 
#1 ·
Honda is recommending the following flushes:

- Power steering $120 ($92 USD)
- Brake $125 ($97 USD)
- Transmission $108 ($83 USD)

Their maintenance reports puts them all in the 'red' category of 'need to be done soon'. Reportedly, they look dirty.

The van is a 2011 Touring (Touring Elite in US) which has 85,000km (about 53,000 miles).

Do them or wait?
 
#2 ·
Power steering $120 ($92 USD) - No, but you can suck it out with a turkey baster from Walmart and replace if it is dirty. We're at 64k miles on our 2011, and I have not changed it. Guess I'll go check it soon.

- Brake $125 ($97 USD) - Supposed to be done every three years regardless of miles. That's not a bad price.

- Transmission $108 ($83 USD) - I'd recommend that at every 30k miles. Has it ever been done? And that is a fair price, but it is easier than changing the oil, if you're a DIYer.
 
#3 ·
In a word - yes. Brakes and transmission 100% do it, no questions asked. Power steering is a good idea. Sucking it out of the reservoir doesn't get all of the fluid. There is a video how to on youtube that I saw once but its honestly easier to get the dealer to do it. It does age and that's not good for the seals. Is it absolutely necessary? 50/50 - but why take chances?
 
#4 · (Edited)
They are just pushing for an easy and big profit, IMO.
Ask the Dealer what doing each service entails. Complete change of all fluid, etc???

NO---I think the PS fluid should still be fine after only 4 yrs. If you are worried about it, do a simple refill of the reservoir as tom36diy suggested. This will replace the additives sufficiently. PS fluid (even Honda brand) is not expensive. Usually less than $7 US for a bottle which is enough for a reservoir refill.
If the fluid is Black, then a flush is indicated.

??---Perhaps do the brake fluid, not too tough to do yourself. I use Valvoline Dot 3 and 4 Synthetic Brake Fluid Aprox $7 US for a 32 oz can Two cans might be needed to do a flush ( that means bleeding all brakes until clear fluid come out, IOW, a complete brake fluid change). A smaller can, 12 oz, is sufficient to simply suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and refill.

YES---The tranny drain and fill takes 15 min or less and only gets aprox 3 1/2 qts replaced. Very simple to do yourself.
DW-1 Honda fluid is around $10-12/qt. Many use Valvoline MaxLife Dex'Merc atf instead and it is around $17/gal jug at WalMart.
So,if you want Honda DW-1 and don't want to do it yourself, then yes, have them do it.

When was the last time the tranny fluid (atf) was changed?
Does the tranny service inc changing the tranny atf filter?

Buffalo4
 
#7 ·
Ok after looking into it further I have questions about the difference between a transmission flush vs a drain and fill. Specifically, there seems to be controversy about whether flushing transmission is a good idea for Hondas. When I asked the technician at the dealer, he was surprised. He said that the flushing machine is a Honda machine provided for that purpose. Sound right?
 
#8 · (Edited)
A Honda 'flush' is described as 4 drain and fills with running through the gears ,including torque converter lockup between each one.
I don't know of a Honda atf flush machine. Major point is how many qts of fluid are they going to add. If 3-4 qts, it is a single drain and fill,
If it is 12-15 qts, it is a flush. For the $83 US being charged, I can bet it is only 3 1/2 qts and I still don't know if they are changing the atf filter.
If you do find out more about the Honda Flushing Machine, please post back.
If you do any vehicle maintenance yourself, changing the ATF is pretty easy. There are some how-to vids and write-ups in these forums.
Buffalo4
PS: A power flush and a flush are usually two different animals. It is the power flush (usually reverse, I think) that is not recommended for Honda ATs.
 
#9 ·
4L of DW-1 from the dealer will ran me about $50 CDA here in Newfoundland. (I stuck with the Honda fluids)

I let the dealer do the first Drain and Fill and I have done the next two on my own. No harder than an oil change.

Just keep track of what you took out and replace the same volume, check the level when you are done.
 
#11 ·
Question for you guys..Do the dealers just empty the power steering and brake fluid reservoir, and fill accordingly? They don't bleed the brakes, or do the proper procedure to replace the power steering fluid completely?
 
#12 ·
They DO NOT flush the power steering fluid. In my experience, they just do a drain and fill which basically does nothing. When I had my front brakes serviced, they bleed the brakes (obviously) But I don't know if they just drain and fill when you ask for a brake fluid change.
 
#13 ·
A true brake bleed procedure is complete replacement of brake fluid with new fluid.

Yes it is possible to change out the power steering fluid.

Do not flush a Honda transmission. Only drain and refill, yes, approx. 3 1/2 qts.

All information is available in this forum and owners manual. Use the forum search bar to assist research.

Enjoy the ride.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I'm someone who has experienced brake failure from wore out contaminated brake fluid. It isn't any fun attempting to stop a 28 foot motorhome, with a towed car pushing it, that does not want to stop! After that experience, I studied up on brake fluids and found out that DOT 3 brake fluid begins to absorb moisture from the ambient air the minute you open the can, and that moisture is the enemy of DOT 3 brake fluid!

"Recent findings conducted by the National Car Care Council revealed that 86 percent of the cars they randomly checked during state vehicle inspections, had at least one item that would cause the car to fail. Fifteen percent of these cars had low, contaminated or worn-out brake fluid.

Used fluid, when tested with chemical test strips, can sometimes contain up to 8-10% water contaminants after several years of use. Changing of the fluid whenever a brake component is being replaced is always recommended but seldom done, especially if you are fixing the car in your driveway or garage. Most service shops will recommend a flush and refill be done; however, cost-conscious consumers may opt against this for sake of saving some money on the total bill."

I just had my brake fluid changed out on my 2011 Ody. with Valvoline DOT 3 & 4 fluid. One of the better rated fluids on the market. In my mind it is not worth the gamble of not being able to stop.

 
#18 ·
At 83,000 miles, IMO, I would have all fluids replaced. I just did all 3 on my 2012 and all fluids looked like they needed replaced.

Regarding power steering fluid, you could easily do this. Suck the reservoir dry and pour in new fluid to the low mark, then drive the vehicle to circulate and mix/dilute (I did this in conjunction with the transmission fluid replacement). I used 2-12oz containers of Honda PS fluid, and based on the color of the remaining dilution and the <$5 cost per container, I will use 4 containers next time. There is another method that I’ve done with other cars where you detach the return line and pump the fluid to a container, and keep refilling reservoir, but you have to bleed out air of the system which ends up taking just as long as the dilution method.

If you have never bled the brakes before, have someone else do it. I can assure you that an independent shop will do just as good of a job for less $$$.
If you never did transmission fluid, I would also have someone else do it. You will need a jack, jackstand(s) or wood blocks, oil drain pan, funnel, lots of rags, getting under the car and draining, measuring what was drained in order to add same amount, and doing everything 3 times. My 2012 dipstick tube is so small that it was brutally slow adding the fluid from the funnel retrofitted with the small diameter tubing that fit into the dipstick tube. I’ll bet the $83 USD does not include the cost of the fluid.
Frankly, I have read on this site the average miles before replacing the coolant (10 year 120,000 miles, then 5years/50,000 after that), to which I don’t agree with at all. At 83,000 miles, I’d also have the coolant replaced.

Just my $0.02.

 
#19 ·
If you buy a funnel that fits snugly over the atf dipstick tube, it goes very quickly.
I bought a black one at Walmart for around $2.50 or so and I also saw what looked like the same funnel at Home Depot and it was even cheaper. It is a long stemmed funnel and works well. No additional tubing needed.
I also purchased some speed bleeders (replaces the OEM bleeders) for my brakes for a total cost of under $30 and they work just great for a one man operation for bleeding the brakes.
Buffalo4
 
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