# Fluids used for maintenance **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 30, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399 "2012-12-30T00:59:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oloskaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/87869e/32.png) [@oloskaa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oloskaa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/1 "2012-12-30T00:59:17Z")
Our daughter drives a 2006 Honda Civic. We keep up with maintenance as much as possible. The Honda manual says to use only Honda brand coolant, transmission fluid and power steering fluids. We go to our local Goodyear shop for oil change, tire rotations and other maintenance, but for the 15,000 and 30,000 miles scheduled maintenance we took it to the Honda dealership. Is it OK for us to just take the car to Goodyear and use whatever brand of fluids they use? Or, do we have to use the Honda brand fluids for scheduled maintenance? Mahalo ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/2 "2012-12-30T01:14:59Z")
I’m not sure about the transmission fluid or the coolant. But I know that Honda definitely has their own version of power steering fluid. If you’re messing around with the PS fluid, make sure it meets the Honda specs. ---
**Author:** ![THATONEGUY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@THATONEGUY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/THATONEGUY)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/3 "2012-12-30T02:10:02Z")
Hey Oloskaa, I graduated from auto tech school about 3 years ago, and when I was going to school all of the old wrenchers that were my teachers told their classes the same thing, always use the Honda specific fluids all around. The reason I was told that to be the case was that the fluids contained additives that exeeded industry standard spec. That made the parts that they were added to live longer and work properly. Well I’m not a fluid chemist that is able to analyze the chemical make up of the Honda fluid versus valvoline or mobile 1, but if that is what Honda calls for and if you can possibly void your warranty if you dont follow those instructions then you might just wanna bite your lip and pay for the Honda fluids. Personaly I’m not sold on the fact that their fluids are any better than competitors in the field today but hey what the hell do I know. Hope your Honda lives a long and healthy life, Best wishes! ---
**Author:** ![bloody\_knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bloody\_knuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bloody_knuckles)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/4 "2012-12-30T02:34:02Z")
As long as they use Honda compatible fluids you should be fine. You can buy these types of compatible fluids at the auto store and the shops like Goodyear should have supplies of these fluids as well. You should ask to make sure but I would be surprised if a Goodyear store tried to put in the wrong kinds of fluids. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/5 "2012-12-30T07:51:06Z")
I use the specific transmission and coolant fluids recommended by the maker. Gone are the days when general fluids work. You should see the number of different coolants Ford used over the last 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/6 "2012-12-30T08:06:06Z")
You need to use the Honda fluids as specified. First thing I did when we got our first Acura was to visit the parts counter and pick up a jug of coolant, power steering fluid, and trans fluid. And it doesn’t cost any more at the dealer than an auto store. Can’t say anything about fluids marked compatible but I’d avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 8:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluids-used-for-maintenance/76399/7 "2012-12-30T08:27:31Z")
You need to use Honda ATF and Honda Power steering fluid, you can use any oil that meets the specs and any coolant as long as the coolant doesn’t have any silicates in it.