This is a good video. I have a 2017 Pilot EX close to 30k. Most of my Hondas and Toyotas I change the transmission every 30k, along with the cabin and engine filter. I'm not a big fan of the double fluid change, If I were to do it I would run the Pilot for some miles say a week or a few hundred miles.
May be, just may be the person who noticed that he checked atf level incorrectly. One does not wait 1 hour to cool things down and then check atf level. According to manual you shut off warmed up engine/transmission and check immediately after 60 seconds and not later than after 90.
Thank you for the video as always. I'm here because my transmission is a bit jerky- there's a TSB 17-014 referring to the 2016/2017 Honda Pilot with this issue. The warranty was 8 years/80K mile, unfortunately, i'm at 92K mile but I've had this issue the last 3 years. I've read that Honda dealership quote $350 for software update. If anyone experience similar issue and has flush and changed transmission fluid, let me know if your problem got better without the software update.
Finally got around to change my transmission fluid on a beautiful after Thanksgiving day, I can confirm that after a good transmission fluid flush & change once on either 2016-2017 (maybe other Honda 6 speed ATS as well) the judder, vibration is noticeably better, almost gone! I did not change the trans filter. Thank you for all the comments on this channel and keep the video coming, it's extremely helpful and save me $$$. Side Note: Honda Manual state 3.3qtr for trans fluid, this is false. Even without trans filter change it was already 4 quarts when you drain on level surface.
Nice video! Thanks for sharing. I just got the "transmission system problem" alert on mine. A Honda tech said to start with 3x drain/fill with 15-20 miles in between. I just ordered 12 quarts to see if I can save my transmission.
too late know but leave the dip stick in when you first pull the plug. That will keep it from coming out so fast. Now pull the dip stick so it will flow better.
I think it is enough doing it once. Mathematically, you replace 1/2 of all trainsmission fluid. Second replacement implies that you just drained half of that newly replacement oil back. In my mind it is better to do it every 20,000 miles than wasting half of the transmission fluid. In case of serious contamination you can disconnect the line and just drain fluid while adding fresh fluid. That would be a radical solution for folks who did not replace it for over 100K miles. Also the bright red color of the transmission will stay only for about 2 weeks. This way you can see that you just replaced it. After 2-3 weeks it will darken a bit. Only if the fluid looks dark and smells burned you have to be worried. I used to change the entire 100% of the fluid on my Jeep. But with Pilot it is very easy since the drain plug is easy to remove and dipstick permits you to measure the level. Many modern cars do not have that option.
Thank you so much really helped, noticed the crush washer has a flat and smooth side....does the smooth side go to the transmission and flat side on the end of the bolt?
Did it work? I'm thinking on doing mine. I have an RPM bouncing up and down while driving ans some people say the fix the rpm problem by changing the transmission oil
Very helpful video. I have the same 2017 Pilot EXL and it now has 28,000 miles. When should I drain/change ATF, by certain mileage, by the reminder, or by checking the fluid color? Thank you.
Hello Yakfish Taco, i really enjoy watching your video. it was very informing. My question is: 1. do you get any notification informing you that you need to replace the Transmission Fluid on the dash board just as you get for the Engine oil. 2. If Q1 is Yes, Should i wait to get the notification before doing the change 3. Or should i change it at every 30k miles as you do urs even if the notifications does not come up on my dash board. Awaiting your kind response. Thanks.
We had a 2017 Pilot with 10 speed trans, changed fluid last summer at 60,000 miles. Just this week got an error message when trying to put it park. Car said to use parking brake because park wouldn't engage. Honda dealer found code and said their only option is replace entire transmission. It only had under 77,000 miles. They cleared the code and it had only happened three times so we took it to a dealer and traded it in on a non Honda before the problem happened again.
Hello, great video. What’s the procedure for checking the level? I try to do it with 1) Engine Running 2) On level ground 3) After driving gently for roughly 10 mins to warm up the car This gives me a proper reading on the dipstick. I noticed if I check it while running when the engine is cold, there’s barely anything on the dipstick. Also if I check it after a long drive, the fluid is too high on the dipstick.
Same with mine! I just did the transmission flush and installed a cooler kit, the dip stick level is reading all over the place lol 🤦♂️. I figured it usually takes about 3.3qt-3.5qts.. I added 4qts because of the cooler kit.
@@Drunken_Pil0t Went to a Honda dealer and asked them. It’s the same procedure as the previous gen. Check with the transmission fluid hot 60 - 90 seconds after the car is off. Ensure the car is parked on level ground....try not to burn your forearm.
@@Drunken_Pil0t I did the T/Cooler and drain & Fill but it only came out 3.2 Quarts Everyone was saying that T/C takes 4oz I have been checking the fluid level several times it says it’s ok but I have seen a lot of comments similar to yours about using more than 3.3 up to almost 4 quarts Have you have any issues so far?
@@reyperez3424 so far I've been driving over 20k miles with no issue. Drove up 9000 feet elevation to camp in the mountains, drove to death valley NP, and across the Mojave Desert trail with no issue. A few times my trans temp did hit 240 degrees from all the off roadp climbing 😢. So glad it didn't spit out trans fluid at the breather hose like I've seen on some pilots at 220 degrees. That's beyond overheating. Yet it's still running perfectly fine 🙂
I don't think that you can use ramps all the time when you are changing fluids, especially the "engine oil". Sometimes, when you are doing a fluid change, you have absolutely no fluid in there at all, and you are going to really need to change the fluid right away, so you are going to need to use jack stands at that particular time.
You're not wrong....this was the only way for me to find out that my 2017 Pilot 6 speed ATS took exactly 4 quarts, not 3.3 quarts as in Honda manual. When the initial oil came out, I though I did something wrong, it was 4 quarts. I only put back 3.4 quarts and drove it 5 miles, then let it sit for 5 mins, it was on the bottom of the dipstick. I ran each gear for 15 seconds, then flush the fluid again. This time I put 3.7 quarts, drove for 10 mins, check dipstick it was a bit higher on the bottom hole of the word HOT. Finally I drove for another 10 mins, then fill another .3 quarts for a total for exactly 4 quarts. Final check was on the bottom of 'H' for HOT which is perfect since fluid expand when hot.
Maybe just leave plug out, and drain pan in position and dump a quart into the refill and that will wash out most of the sludge. Sure the torque converter still has old fluid in it. I think you'll need to drive it a few miles to wash it out the best.
nice n slow video for novices like myself. .. but! I could not find the dipstick in my Honda 17 touring 9 speed pilot. Can't see it from top like the 6 speed.
Thanks! I don't really notice much difference since the ATF wasn't that dark, i usually change every 30k miles so the transmission stays clean mostly to notice any difference. :)
Yakf15h by the way. I just watched your long term review. Great review, we share almost the same insights and opinions, although we got our used XL just 9 months ago. I’m planning to do my DIY oil change and atf change soon. Can you suggest what brand of engine oil should I use? We live in Alberta and winters are harsh here. Should I Go to Honda for the oil filter? Should I replace the plug washer when I do my oil change as well? Same as what you did on the atf video? Also, do you use a filter wrench to remove your oil filter? Lots of questions, thanks for your time 😊
Definitely change washer each oil change, washer is from dealership but you can get them online as welll, search for OEM parts. For engine oil I been using Mobile 1 full synthetic oil for many years so that’s what I trust the most. Oil filter I use Purolator model PL14610. You can find it at any auto parts stores. Also air filter you should change every 10k miles, I also use purolator A29152.
For accurate level. How do you check the the fluid. I changed mine but didn’t have good measurements of fluid coming out and added in I might added less than the fluid coming out
is any marking on the bottle showing the fluid is Synthetic? The price of that fluid is same as many other Synthetic fluid like AMS or Pennzoil. Would you consider using other brands in the future?
I have switched to amsoil atf. Noticed an improvement in shift quality . Plus amsoil uses the best base stocks compared to any other brands . Amsoil is approved to be used in place of dw-1. Highly recommend
Hey Steven, For the trans filter, I've read somewhere that you should change every 30,000 miles, however, that doesn't make sense to me since the trans filter serve nothing more than filtering the original trans fluid into the transmissions, after that, it a closed system. The trans filter only gets changed if somehow the fluid filler cap is open for some reason. Spark plugs recommendation is around 100K mile, I've run cars to 150K - 200K before replacement.
@@steventhorkelsen6478 Well, you want the new fluid to replace old worn-out fluid, so a 'violent flush' is not going to do that. Ideally, you want to replace with new trans fluid, then take about 15-20 seconds to go over each gear and repeat back to PARK, this will do a good job in getting rid old fluid. After all this, you need to re-drain and fill with another round of new fluid. Honda recommend 3X flush and drain, i know it sound crazy but it posted on TSB 17-014. Sorry about not having video.
@@steventhorkelsen6478 sorry Steven, I'm sorry I didn't ask about your auto issue. Do you have transmission judder, jerky, hesitation? 2016 / 2017 Honda with 6 speed trans are notorious has these issues.
Yakf15h thanks for getting back. How about a vid on coolant changeout. I just looked under and it looks like access to drain plug is blocked by shroud and other crap....
Hi, this is at 50k, I’ve done the first one at 30k with the the ATF filter changed as well. But didn’t make video that time. This 2nd time supposedly to be done at 60k but I thought the weather was nice and mainly for making the video. I probably do the next one around 80k again with the filter change
Hi, I’ve done the filter at 30k when I did the first ATF flush, because most the particles are displaced during the earlier break in period. So this time I didn’t do it. But will change the filter again on the next flush.
Hi, this video can tell you where the transmission filter is and how to change it. It’s for the Ridgeline, same a the Pilot. ruclips.net/video/7P8pvG9UbmI/видео.html
My wife just got this exact vehicle. Learning all I can for future maintenance
This is a good video. I have a 2017 Pilot EX close to 30k. Most of my Hondas and Toyotas I change the transmission every 30k, along with the cabin and engine filter. I'm not a big fan of the double fluid change, If I were to do it I would run the Pilot for some miles say a week or a few hundred miles.
Thank you for this video. I changed my own transmission fluid on 2017 Pilot and saved $$$ labor cost.
Who gave him a thumbs down. For what. He did a great job. Thumbs up. Keep doing a great job.
May be, just may be the person who noticed that he checked atf level incorrectly. One does not wait 1 hour to cool things down and then check atf level. According to manual you shut off warmed up engine/transmission and check immediately after 60 seconds and not later than after 90.
Thank you for the video as always. I'm here because my transmission is a bit jerky- there's a TSB 17-014 referring to the 2016/2017 Honda Pilot with this issue. The warranty was 8 years/80K mile, unfortunately, i'm at 92K mile but I've had this issue the last 3 years. I've read that Honda dealership quote $350 for software update. If anyone experience similar issue and has flush and changed transmission fluid, let me know if your problem got better without the software update.
Finally got around to change my transmission fluid on a beautiful after Thanksgiving day, I can confirm that after a good transmission fluid flush & change once on either 2016-2017 (maybe other Honda 6 speed ATS as well) the judder, vibration is noticeably better, almost gone! I did not change the trans filter. Thank you for all the comments on this channel and keep the video coming, it's extremely helpful and save me $$$. Side Note: Honda Manual state 3.3qtr for trans fluid, this is false. Even without trans filter change it was already 4 quarts when you drain on level surface.
Nice video! Thanks for sharing. I just got the "transmission system problem" alert on mine. A Honda tech said to start with 3x drain/fill with 15-20 miles in between. I just ordered 12 quarts to see if I can save my transmission.
Same bro my hill assist n power steering n traction all lights came on at once n was goin n out..thought it was the recall on fuel pump or injectors
@@IamHova9 have your battery load tested if you have multiple systems alerting at the same time. Slightly low voltage can mess with the ECUs.
too late know but leave the dip stick in when you first pull the plug. That will keep it from coming out so fast. Now pull the dip stick so it will flow better.
Great video!!! Saved us on the road when every place was closed...we changed our transmission fluid at advanced auto parts in the parking lot..
I think it is enough doing it once. Mathematically, you replace 1/2 of all trainsmission fluid. Second replacement implies that you just drained half of that newly replacement oil back. In my mind it is better to do it every 20,000 miles than wasting half of the transmission fluid. In case of serious contamination you can disconnect the line and just drain fluid while adding fresh fluid. That would be a radical solution for folks who did not replace it for over 100K miles. Also the bright red color of the transmission will stay only for about 2 weeks. This way you can see that you just replaced it. After 2-3 weeks it will darken a bit. Only if the fluid looks dark and smells burned you have to be worried. I used to change the entire 100% of the fluid on my Jeep. But with Pilot it is very easy since the drain plug is easy to remove and dipstick permits you to measure the level. Many modern cars do not have that option.
I replaced my transmission fluid on my civic last year. 20k miles later It is still bright red.
Great video! Thanks for the help. Appreciate the good camera angle and explanation. Keep it up
Thank you sir, have a great day!
Thank you so much really helped, noticed the crush washer has a flat and smooth side....does the smooth side go to the transmission and flat side on the end of the bolt?
Cool stuff.
Thanks for sharing 👍. I was able to change both transmission filter and fluid on my Pilot 2017.
Did it work? I'm thinking on doing mine. I have an RPM bouncing up and down while driving ans some people say the fix the rpm problem by changing the transmission oil
Very nice video! I only have to add that the drain plug is 3/8" instead of the 1/2" you mentioned. Really well done though!
Thank you!
Looks like he has a reducer 1/2 to 3/8...
Great job. Thanks my friend. Do a video of the engine with that cover off
Very helpful video. I have the same 2017 Pilot EXL and it now has 28,000 miles. When should I drain/change ATF, by certain mileage, by the reminder, or by checking the fluid color? Thank you.
Thank you and you’re very welcome!
Great video. I'm surprised how brown the oil was on the second drain. Thanks!
Hello Yakfish Taco, i really enjoy watching your video. it was very informing. My question is:
1. do you get any notification informing you that you need to replace the Transmission Fluid on the dash board just as you get for the Engine oil.
2. If Q1 is Yes, Should i wait to get the notification before doing the change
3. Or should i change it at every 30k miles as you do urs even if the notifications does not come up on my dash board.
Awaiting your kind response. Thanks.
I recommend every 30k miles
The Honda maintenance code is A123 or B123, where '3' is replace transmission fluid code. Honda recommend 30/60/90K.
Thank You Sir, .... You are the Honda Super Man !!!.. nice job ! I learned alot from you video clip... thank you
We had a 2017 Pilot with 10 speed trans, changed fluid last summer at 60,000 miles. Just this week got an error message when trying to put it park. Car said to use parking brake because park wouldn't engage. Honda dealer found code and said their only option is replace entire transmission. It only had under 77,000 miles. They cleared the code and it had only happened three times so we took it to a dealer and traded it in on a non Honda before the problem happened again.
Excellent video...like the double drain
Thank you!
Very helpful video. Is the crush washer for the oil the same size for the ATF?
Thanks! The washers are different:)
Hello, great video. What’s the procedure for checking the level?
I try to do it with
1) Engine Running
2) On level ground
3) After driving gently for roughly 10 mins to warm up the car
This gives me a proper reading on the dipstick.
I noticed if I check it while running when the engine is cold, there’s barely anything on the dipstick.
Also if I check it after a long drive, the fluid is too high on the dipstick.
Same with mine! I just did the transmission flush and installed a cooler kit, the dip stick level is reading all over the place lol 🤦♂️. I figured it usually takes about 3.3qt-3.5qts.. I added 4qts because of the cooler kit.
@@Drunken_Pil0t Went to a Honda dealer and asked them. It’s the same procedure as the previous gen. Check with the transmission fluid hot 60 - 90 seconds after the car is off. Ensure the car is parked on level ground....try not to burn your forearm.
@@BLS36 thank you! it's tough trying to check the dip stick after the engine is hot. I already burned my arms a few times lol 😆🥴😵
@@Drunken_Pil0t
I did the T/Cooler and drain & Fill but it only came out 3.2 Quarts
Everyone was saying that T/C takes 4oz
I have been checking the fluid level several times it says it’s ok but I have seen a lot of comments similar to yours about using more than 3.3 up to almost 4 quarts
Have you have any issues so far?
@@reyperez3424 so far I've been driving over 20k miles with no issue. Drove up 9000 feet elevation to camp in the mountains, drove to death valley NP, and across the Mojave Desert trail with no issue. A few times my trans temp did hit 240 degrees from all the off roadp climbing 😢. So glad it didn't spit out trans fluid at the breather hose like I've seen on some pilots at 220 degrees. That's beyond overheating. Yet it's still running perfectly fine 🙂
Fantastic job! Thanks for doing this
Thank you! You’re very welcome
Good job !!He asks what does second drain mean, do you take it out and put the oil back in for the second time? I did not understand please
Per honda you supposed to check the level when it’s hot. Do not overfill when its cold
I don't think that you can use ramps all the time when you are changing fluids, especially the "engine oil". Sometimes, when you are doing a fluid change, you have absolutely no fluid in there at all, and you are going to really need to change the fluid right away, so you are going to need to use jack stands at that particular time.
Nice, thanks for the info!
Nice tutorial sir. I think you supposed to check fluid after you being driving your car then you have 60 to 90 seconds to check it out. I’m I wrong?
You're not wrong....this was the only way for me to find out that my 2017 Pilot 6 speed ATS took exactly 4 quarts, not 3.3 quarts as in Honda manual. When the initial oil came out, I though I did something wrong, it was 4 quarts. I only put back 3.4 quarts and drove it 5 miles, then let it sit for 5 mins, it was on the bottom of the dipstick. I ran each gear for 15 seconds, then flush the fluid again. This time I put 3.7 quarts, drove for 10 mins, check dipstick it was a bit higher on the bottom hole of the word HOT. Finally I drove for another 10 mins, then fill another .3 quarts for a total for exactly 4 quarts. Final check was on the bottom of 'H' for HOT which is perfect since fluid expand when hot.
Very informative. Thank you!
I'm curious how much the dealer or independent shop charges for this service.
Got it . Thanks
For some reason, atf level is low
Thanks,i wil begin the process tomorrow morning,wish me luck🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Maybe just leave plug out, and drain pan in position and dump a quart into the refill and that will wash out most of the sludge. Sure the torque converter still has old fluid in it. I think you'll need to drive it a few miles to wash it out the best.
Literally just about to do a trans fluid change on my pilot. Thanks!
How did it go?
You made it look easygoing
You don’t change the transmission filter? Or don’t has it.
nice n slow video for novices like myself. .. but! I could not find the dipstick in my Honda 17 touring 9 speed pilot. Can't see it from top like the 6 speed.
Great job man I’m about to do my own
Yes sir most definitely n I just heard that soo that conformation
Great video! Does it make a difference on the drive with the new ATF? I’m about to do mine too, my dash is showing maintenance on ATF and Oil.
Thanks! I don't really notice much difference since the ATF wasn't that dark, i usually change every 30k miles so the transmission stays clean mostly to notice any difference. :)
Yakf15h thanks. Is oil change your next one? 😊
Lol, I just did the oil change, every 4000 miles. Didn’t think I need to make a video about it since it’s the same process for all vehicles :)
Yakf15h by the way. I just watched your long term review. Great review, we share almost the same insights and opinions, although we got our used XL just 9 months ago. I’m planning to do my DIY oil change and atf change soon. Can you suggest what brand of engine oil should I use? We live in Alberta and winters are harsh here. Should I Go to Honda for the oil filter? Should I replace the plug washer when I do my oil change as well? Same as what you did on the atf video? Also, do you use a filter wrench to remove your oil filter? Lots of questions, thanks for your time 😊
Definitely change washer each oil change, washer is from dealership but you can get them online as welll, search for OEM parts. For engine oil I been using Mobile 1 full synthetic oil for many years so that’s what I trust the most. Oil filter I use Purolator model PL14610. You can find it at any auto parts stores. Also air filter you should change every 10k miles, I also use purolator A29152.
How many every miles should I change the pilots atf fluid
Did you end up putting 4 quarts back in or the 3.3 as suggested in the book?
I tried to put back in the exactly same amount that drained out .
For accurate level. How do you check the the fluid. I changed mine but didn’t have good measurements of fluid coming out and added in I might added less than the fluid coming out
My 2017 is the 9 speed requiring 3.1 fluid. Not sure this video is accurate
is any marking on the bottle showing the fluid is Synthetic?
The price of that fluid is same as many other Synthetic fluid like AMS or Pennzoil.
Would you consider using other brands in the future?
I prefer to stick with the Honda fluid just to be safe.
I have switched to amsoil atf. Noticed an improvement in shift quality . Plus amsoil uses the best base stocks compared to any other brands . Amsoil is approved to be used in place of dw-1. Highly recommend
Did u have to remove engine cove ?
I cant see the ring
Do you ever replace the inline trans filter?
When do you change the spark plugs ?
Hey Steven, For the trans filter, I've read somewhere that you should change every 30,000 miles, however, that doesn't make sense to me since the trans filter serve nothing more than filtering the original trans fluid into the transmissions, after that, it a closed system. The trans filter only gets changed if somehow the fluid filler cap is open for some reason. Spark plugs recommendation is around 100K mile, I've run cars to 150K - 200K before replacement.
@@rontan8954 thank you. What about violent flush? When is that recommended? Do you have a video on it?
@@steventhorkelsen6478 Well, you want the new fluid to replace old worn-out fluid, so a 'violent flush' is not going to do that. Ideally, you want to replace with new trans fluid, then take about 15-20 seconds to go over each gear and repeat back to PARK, this will do a good job in getting rid old fluid. After all this, you need to re-drain and fill with another round of new fluid. Honda recommend 3X flush and drain, i know it sound crazy but it posted on TSB 17-014. Sorry about not having video.
@@steventhorkelsen6478 sorry Steven, I'm sorry I didn't ask about your auto issue. Do you have transmission judder, jerky, hesitation? 2016 / 2017 Honda with 6 speed trans are notorious has these issues.
@@rontan8954 sorry it was suppose to read “ coolent” flush…
No I was just needing some maintenance on the Pilot
I have a 2017 Ridgeline RL .Same engine as your Pilot?
Yes, that's correct. Same engine and same transmission
Yakf15h thanks for getting back. How about a vid on coolant changeout.
I just looked under and it looks like access to drain plug is blocked by shroud and other crap....
Have you changed your spark plugs?
Not yet, that will be at the 100k miles tune up
You forgot to change the filter.
Yup, I know. That’s for the next video :)
At what mileage did you perform this drain and fill?
Hi, this is at 50k, I’ve done the first one at 30k with the the ATF filter changed as well. But didn’t make video that time. This 2nd time supposedly to be done at 60k but I thought the weather was nice and mainly for making the video. I probably do the next one around 80k again with the filter change
Where did you buy the fluid and washer? How much are they a quart
all purchased at the dealership parts department, $10 a quart they are expensive for sure.
Yakf15h thanks just picked up a 2018 Pilot exl today, will do the trans flush asap
Yakf15h how often do you do the service
Hi, i do this every 30k miles, keeping fluids very clean
Yakf15h any other maintenance that you recommend becides oil and air filters. I appreciate all your knowledge and help
I would drive it for a little bit
How about ATF filter, have you change it?
Hi, I’ve done the filter at 30k when I did the first ATF flush, because most the particles are displaced during the earlier break in period. So this time I didn’t do it. But will change the filter again on the next flush.
@@bebe0928 Can you explain how to change the trans oil filter and where its located? TIA
Hi, this video can tell you where the transmission filter is and how to change it. It’s for the Ridgeline, same a the Pilot. ruclips.net/video/7P8pvG9UbmI/видео.html
ok i have honda cvt
volume is way too low. Hard to hear what's being said clearly.
3/8" drive for drain plug