# My honda civic **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** honda\ **Created:** [November 4, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354 "2016-11-04T16:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deswilliamz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@deswilliamz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/deswilliamz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/1 "2016-11-04T16:56:53Z")
how often do i have to change my gear box oil (ATF) ---
**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:** [November 4, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/2 "2016-11-04T16:59:53Z")
Year? Miles? Auto or manual? What does the owners manual say? ---
**Author:** ![deswilliamz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@deswilliamz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/deswilliamz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/3 "2016-11-04T17:05:55Z")
is an automatic one ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/4 "2016-11-04T17:37:39Z")
You need to change it according to the maintenance schedule. For more details, provide more details. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/5 "2016-11-04T18:33:50Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/6 "2016-11-04T19:19:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/7 "2016-11-04T19:24:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/8 "2016-11-04T19:28:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/9 "2016-11-04T20:47:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/10 "2016-11-05T00:30:52Z")
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. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/11 "2016-11-05T00:46:17Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/12 "2016-11-05T04:08:03Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![deswilliamz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@deswilliamz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/deswilliamz)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/13 "2017-01-13T15:25:29Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/14 "2017-01-13T15:59:18Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/15 "2017-01-13T16:33:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/16 "2017-01-14T00:29:33Z")
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) ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/17 "2017-01-14T00:55:02Z")
Good list. I’d like to add winter-formulated fuel to the list of seasonal factors. ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/18 "2017-01-14T01:00:44Z")
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 20º. 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) ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/19 "2017-01-14T01:41:48Z")
> [@BillRussell](#): > > the fuel is winter formulated, whatever that means 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/](http://newsroom.aaa.com/2013/06/what-is-the-difference-between-summer-and-winter-blend-gasoline/) ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354/20 "2017-01-14T02:59:49Z")
My understanding is that winter gas has more butane in it to increase RVP (Reid vapor pressure) for cold temperatures. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-honda-civic/96354.md?page=2)