I have a 2005 Honda CRV about 70,000 miles on it. The dealer I bought it from brand new suggests a few different maintenance schedules than the Honda manual does. I wonder if this is necessary or if it is just for the dealer to make money.
1.dealer suggests an oil change every 5000 miles
manual suggests and oil change every 10,000 miles normal conditions, every 5000 miles severe conditions
2.dealer suggests flush automatic transmission fluid every 30,000 miles
manual suggests flush automatic transmission fluid 120,000 miles (normal conditions),first at 60,000 miles and then every 30,000 miles(severe conditions) They claim because it is Cleveland,Ohio this is necessary
3 dealer suggests 4 wheel radial force balance every 15000 miles
Manual didn’t state
Please let me know your thoughts
Cindy
3000-5000 miles for oil changes is a good number for any car, they don’t cost much but are very important. Your transmission has a drain plug, don’t flush it but do drain and fill it every 30k miles, with Honda ATF only. The tire balance thing is total BS. Get them balanced when you buy new tires or if a wheel weight has fallen off, that’s about it.
It’s normal dealer practice to suggest shorter maintenance frequencies. This is usually considered a money-maker (Cleveland, Ohio or anywhere else), but sometimes it makes sense. It all depends on the circumstances.
I agree with the dealer about changing the automatic transmission fluid every 30K miles. Honda automatics are very expensive to replace if they fail. Changing the fluid more often than specified is cheap insurance.
If your CRV is all wheel drive changing the fluid in the rear differential is also very important.
Both of my cars have recommended oil change intervals of 7,500 miles, but I change their oil at 5,000 miles.
I have my wheels balanced if I think they need it, but not at any specified mileage.
I suggest you find an independent mechanic (not a chain shop) and work out a maintenance schedule with him or her. Dealers are almost always the most expensive place to have maintenance performed.
Another thing to do is to read the definition of “severe service” in the owner’s manual. Many people fall into this category and don’t realize it.