how often do i have to change my gear box oil (ATF)
Year? Miles? Auto or manual? What does the owners manual say?
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is an automatic one
You need to change it according to the maintenance schedule.
For more details, provide more details.
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Did your Honda Civic come with an owner’s manual? If it did, I recommend you read it and follow the maintenance schedule.
If your Civic didn’t come with an owner’s manual, I suggest you purchase a cheap Haynes or Chilton repair manual at the nearest auto parts store. It will have the vehicle’s maintenance schedule.
Yes, it is advisable to follow the maintenance schedule in the Owner’s Manual, but unfortunately, in an attempt to make their cars appear to be maintenance-free, many (perhaps most) manufacturers have now deleted items like trans fluid changes and valve lash adjustments from those maintenance schedules.
Here is my advice:
If you intend to sell/trade your car after only 3 or 4 years, then don’t worry about changing the ATF.
On the other hand, if tend to keep your cars for the long term, and if you want the best assurance of trouble-free, long life from your transmission, you should change the fluid (and filter, if so equipped) every 30k miles.
In my experience, few un-maintained transmissions make it past 100k miles without a problem, and those that are properly maintained are likely to be able to get to…maybe…200k miles without a problem.
Honda Civics, since at least 2006, use a “Maintenance Minder” on the dash readout to tell you when Honda wants it done. It is “sub-item number 3” for either manual or automatic. It’ll probably be at about 100,000 miles. I’d do it every 50,000 miles…but that’s just me.
Acuras have the same maintenance minder. Mine has never come up with 3 in 110k miles. This doesn’t matter because I do mine every 30k, but just so OP knows, the maintenance minder is not necessarily going to tell him when to change the fluid.
Honda has a specific procedure to follow for my 2005 Accord V6 with auto transmission. It may be the same for your Civic. I found the procedure in my owner’s manual.
Warm up the engine to heat the ATF. Drain the fluid and replace it with Honda ATF. Drive the car around the block, then repeat the process two more times. The process calls for three cycles because all the fluid is not drained. Driving it around mixes the fluid a bit and most of the old fluid is removed by the third cycle. Do not mix another’s fluid with the Honda ATF and do not flush the ATF with a machine. Honda claims the higher pressure of the machine can damage the transmission.
Honda may have updated the procedure between 2005 and your year, and it is worth checking to make sure what they recommend.
If OP doesn’t have a copy of the owner’s manual, it likely can be downloaded in pdf digital format from the Honda website gratis.
Depends on the model year
I’ve noticed most manufacturer’s websites only go back about 20 years, as far as the owner’s manual goes
Is this a new Civic with the CVT transmission?
Either way, I always change my transmission fluid more frequently than what the owner’s manual says. Just make sure you use the correct fluid and the right procedure to do it.
My Honda Civic
2004 model
1.7 liters
VTEC
Fuel consumption is becoming too high .how do I go about it ?
And what can course the car to consume fuel ?
Need help
The thing about a VTEC engine is that it has two or more lobe profiles for the cam shaft that allow the engine to adjust valve timing based on throttle position. In other words, it’s designed to give you aggressive (low efficiency) valve timing when the throttle is wide open, but it gives you fuel-efficient valve timing when the throttle is only open slightly.
VTEC engines are not designed purely for efficiency, so if your fuel economy has dropped, the first thing you should do (other than regular maintenance, such as keeping your tires properly inflated), is look at your driving habits, because being too aggressive on the gas pedal is going to significantly affect your fuel economy with a VTEC engine.
…so my recommendation is to slow down.
The standard question is how do you know fuel mileage has decreased and how do you check it. The other thing is if reduction in MPG is recent blame cold weather and winter fuel mix. Also extra idling while clearing windows will make a difference.
Typical causes for this we see here:
- Inaccurate mpg calculation by the owner
- Ambient temperature is low; i.e. winter driving conditions
- Warm engine coolant temperature lower than specified; i.e. faulty thermostat
- Engine coolant temp sensor faulty
- Air leak into engine or exhaust system
- Winter formulated fuel (per Whitey’s request below)
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Good list. I’d like to add winter-formulated fuel to the list of seasonal factors.
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I don’t see winter-formulated fuel as a factor.
As an example, two days ago, the temp here in NH was 62*, and my mileage on a much repeated trip was 34 MPG, as opposed to 28 MPG a few days prior when it was 20Âş.
Obviously in the middle of Jan, the fuel is winter formulated, whatever that means. But I still equaled my typical summer MPG on that same trip.
(Subaru Forester)
I’m guessing different amounts/types of detergents and additives (the article doesn’t go into the specifics, but otherwise has a good explanation)
http://newsroom.aaa.com/2013/06/what-is-the-difference-between-summer-and-winter-blend-gasoline/
My understanding is that winter gas has more butane in it to increase RVP (Reid vapor pressure) for cold temperatures.