Have a Honda or Acura? You’re likely to be using the wrong transmission fluid.
October 19th, 2005Most older Hondas and Acuras we’ve ridden in have automatics with frighteningly severe shift quality. Granted Hondas have always shifted firmly to prolong transmission life (slow shifts cause more wear) but something seemed amiss…
Then we remembered: most Honda autos require a Honda specific fluid. Here’s a quote from the owner’s manual of a 1997 Accord:
always use Honda Premium Formula Automatic Transmission Fluid. If it is not available, you may use Dexron III automatic transmission fluid as a temporary replacement. However, continued use can affect shift quality. Have the transmission drained and refilled with Honda ATF as soon as it is convenient.
A brochure for Genuine Honda fluids states:
Honda’s special proprietary formula offers superior anti-shudder performance (resulting in smoother shifting) and prolonged life, Use of non-genuine brands can impact the performance of your transmission in the form of poor shifting, shudder and low fluid pressure.
Given the business practices of the average mechanic or quick-change artist (and how few people get their higher mileage cars dealer serviced), we’d say its fairly unlikely the Honda or Acura you’re driving or considering as a used car purchase has been running on the correct fluid. (Only dealers and a small handfull of Honda specialists stock the fluid).
And its not just the automatics that are under threat. Honda once suggested conventional 5W or 10W30 motor oil be used in its manual transmissions but has since taken the time to come up with a purpose-designed lubricant called Honda MTL. Thinner than oil, thicker than manual transmission fluids, the Honda formulation is optimized for the finicky and delicate synchronizers in Honda gearboxes. As one message boarder explains:
aftermarket MTL [is] too slick. Redline and Royal Purple users have been having the same problems. The synchros can’t get up to speed quick enough because of the decrease in friction. Many top brand tuners still recommend using only Honda MTL in the trannies. I definitely do. Their engineers aren’t dumb; they formulated their MTL the way they did for a reason.
Unfortunately, while dealership parts departments stock Honda MTL, the service departments we’ve polled don’t use it (it’s easier- and cheaper – to get all your lubricant from the same 55-gallon drum). Every service advisor, mechanic, and parts guy we asked admitted they use Honda MTL in their own cars but as one said”In a customer’s car? Why bother? They’ll never know the difference…”
(And you won’t – until your transmission starts failing).
January 26th, 2006 at 9:52 am
Makes me glad I’ve ignored those who insist that there’s no benefit to having one’s car serviced at an over-priced dealership!