What REALLY needs doing at 30k miles?

[Blusiamese]

My local Honda dealer charges almost $500 for a 30k mile check. It includes oil/filter change, air and cabin filter change, front/rear differential fluid change and valve adjustment. I was told that Honda recommends the valve adjustment at 90k miles. Why should I do this at 30k miles and not wait until 45 or 50k miles and save money? It looks like the tendency is to do some services earlier and more often than may be necessary. Although I want to talke care of my '04 CR-V, I don't want to spend money unnecessarily for services that aren't necessary. Any opinions out there?

[2RedV's]

My local Honda dealer charges almost $500 for a 30k mile check. It includes oil/filter change, air and cabin filter change, front/rear differential fluid change and valve adjustment. I was told that Honda recommends the valve adjustment at 90k miles. Why should I do this at 30k miles and not wait until 45 or 50k miles and save money? It looks like the tendency is to do some services earlier and more often than may be necessary. Although I want to talke care of my '04 CR-V, I don't want to spend money unnecessarily for services that aren't necessary. Any opinions out there?

Anyone can do the cabin filter. It is located behind the glovebox and can be changed in 2-3 minutes. Filters can be purchased at most auto parts stores for way less than the Honda ones (yes, ones, there are 2 and they are side by side)

There is no "front differential fluid. The transmission is the differential in CR-V. However, almost anyone can do a drain and fill of the automatic tranny fluid. It is one of the simplest fluids to change on a CR-V. However, the rear differential fluid SHOULD be changed every 30k miles. DO NOT wait until it starts making noise, unless you don't care about a possible $1200 repair for a new clutch pack, etc. My local dealer charges about $40 for this. It is a little more involved than the tranny fluid change, but not much more.

The 04's engine is of a different design than the 1st gen's and does not need periodic valve adjustments.

This guy has made a bunch of videos on normal maintenace items to show others how to do them themselves. Watch the cabin filter, tranny fluid and rear diff fluid ones to see how easy they really are. You save money and get to know your V a little better.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...0D2A63EF7F1CBC

[sfrlee]

I'm new at this, but where's the drain for the tranny?
I want to do a oil change but where's the drain plug?
The dealer did not tell me about a filter.
Thanks for the info in the diff. I'll send this job to Honda.
Apprec any help.
thxs

[2RedV's]

I'm new at this, but where's the drain for the tranny?
I want to do a oil change but where's the drain plug?
The dealer did not tell me about a filter.
Thanks for the info in the diff. I'll send this job to Honda.
Apprec any help.
thxs

Not meaning to be rude, but if you have to ask where the oil drain plug is, you should probably have the oil change done for you.

[sfrlee]

I'm talking about the trans drain plug.
Not the engine oil drain.
No offense taken on rude.
just want info on location .
Thxs:)

[2RedV's]

Here's a video done by a member of another forum on the tranny fluid change for a 2nd gen. He uses the jack at one point to loosen the fill bolt. It must have been on way too tight.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=um_O8r7t7ts

[ETA]

However, the rear differential fluid SHOULD be changed every 30k miles.

Is this true? The manual for my 2004 suggests that it be changed every 50K miles...

[2RedV's]

Is this true? The manual for my 2004 suggests that it be changed every 50K miles...

Based upon the large amounts of other people posting on the issue (and my trusted local dealer) Yes. Do it every 30k miles and don't worry about it. Just use only the Honda Dual Pump Fluid. $6 for a quart of fluid or $1200 for a replacement rear diff.

[Carbuff2]

Based upon the large amounts of other people posting on the issue (and my trusted local dealer) Yes. Do it every 30k miles and don't worry about it.

FWIW if you have a Generation 2.5 V (2005 - 2006) with the quick-engaging cam-assisted differential, you may have to do differential fluid replacements even more often. :eek: Our '06 started making noise just before 15K miles. We'll see how long the new fluid lasts (8K miles on the new fluid, now).

[sfrlee]

Big thanks for giving me the info I needed.
I can do American cars(older) but never did this on a RV.:)

[ETA]

Based upon the large amounts of other people posting on the issue (and my trusted local dealer) Yes. Do it every 30k miles and don't worry about it. Just use only the Honda Dual Pump Fluid. $6 for a quart of fluid or $1200 for a replacement rear diff.

First off, thanks for the quick reply.

Just to beat this to death, I was wrong -- the manual says to change the rear differential fluid every 90K miles or every 5 years (not every 50K as I suggested above).

Based on your reply, am I right to conclude that Honda totally blew it with this and that people are seeing failures well before the 90K miles which is why the conventional wisdom is to do the change much more frequently?

Also, hypothetically, if repairs were needed prior to 90K miles (and I had never changed the fluid) this should be covered under one's warantee if its still in effect (e.g. with an extended warantee), right?

[2RedV's]

First off, thanks for the quick reply.

Just to beat this to death, I was wrong -- the manual says to change the rear differential fluid every 90K miles or every 5 years (not every 50K as I suggested above).

Based on your reply, am I right to conclude that Honda totally blew it with this and that people are seeing failures well before the 90K miles which is why the conventional wisdom is to do the change much more frequently?

Also, hypothetically, if repairs were needed prior to 90K miles (and I had never changed the fluid) this should be covered under one's warantee if its still in effect (e.g. with an extended warantee), right?

I'll play devil's advocate for a minute here, just for fun. ;)

Do you change the engine oil more often than Honda says to? If so, why do you change the engine oil early but don't want to change other fluids?

Yes, Honda blew it although some vehicles seem to make it that long without needing the fluid change. People have been able to have Honda pay for fluid changes both in warranty and after if the unit started making noise.

Most all wheel drive vehicles need the fluid changed way sooner than 90k miles. (Ask Jeep owners about this or try to find a Jeep rear diff in a salvage yard) The problem arises that by the time you hear the noisy rear diff grinding, you are then causing damage to the clutch pack. Changing the fluid before it makes noise is better. On the plus side, many people have heard the noises, had the fluid changed and no more issues.

The Honda rear diff fluid is actually a hydraulic fluid, not a gear lube or oil. Hydraulic fluid, like brake fluid, absorbs water easily which rapidly contaminates it. The system also has a breather vent built-in. If you carefully read the manual on the rear diff, it states to change the fluid after going thru deep water. Can you honestly say you have never driven through deep water?

[ETA]

Thanks again!

It sounds like replacing the differential fluid every 30K is a no-brainer and I plan on doing it.

[bobrown14]

Ok - Just got done doing the rear diff pump oil change. Thanks to the info found here, I was able to do it in about 45 minutes. Cost me $36 and change for 3 bottles of oil at the stealership. There's a new version of the oil, Pump oil version II. I had the growling rear diff for about 2K miles and it was getting pretty bad and I was worried I was going to break something. Still under warrantee but didn't want to fuss with a dealer telling me it might be this or that etc. The new diff oil worked like a charm - no more noise and I can do a full circle in my street in both directions. Something I could not do before the change. The new version of the diff fluid was $11 plus tax a bottle.

Next question - I've got a manual tranny so do I need to change the gear oil there as well?

Thanks - this site rocks,

Bob Brown

[2RedV's]

Definitely change the manual tranny fluid too. Honda released a newer fluid for the manual tranny sometime last year. I have heard people say the tranny seemed even smoother and quieter with the new fluid. It is another really easy change.