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My 2009 Toyota Corolla is at almost 105,000 miles. I don’t know if the transmission fluid has ever been changed. It’s about 65 percent sludgy and still has a dark crimson color to it. Should I change or live on borrowed time? Or should I change the TF and keep the old fluid in case the transmission starts slipping?
Hahaha! Reminds me of an old joke Johnny Carson told once. He goes to an all you can eat Italian restaurant owned by the Mafia. After eating 1 plate, 3 goons came out and said, "That's all you can eat".
1998 Honda CRV..Bought it for $600. 189,000 mi. Owner stated a lot of slippage in gear. I checked the fluid...black...Drove it home..drained fluid, less slippage, a few days later, drained fluid, now it was shifting great and no slippage...Drained again...Well...it's a Honda..acts like it never had a problem. 325,000 miles, the clear coat is peeling but it runs Fine!! Keep the videos coming...
The trick is to do the 3x Drain and Fill. Which will be about a total of 9 Quarts. We had a transmission "stutter" on our 2012 CRV with 60K miles and the TSB recommendation from Honda was a reprogram and Trans Fluid change 1X. Did 1 Drain and Flush 2X and the problem is GONE. I will now change the fluid every 30K Miles.
Scotty, thank you. The last time I purchased a car was a new 2001 Honda CRV. I've been following the maintenance schedule and I am close to 200k. So far needed only tires ball joints and a couple of batteries. Now I'm waiting on delivery of a 2022 Rav4 hybrid... just 4 mos. To go - so trying to get up to speed for a new vehicle. I know your advice is good for the car, the money and for me. So again - thank you!
@@MGTOW89 the hybrid battery is guaranteed for 10 years but gen III prius' go for 500k miles on original battery. 10 years isn't close to the limit of the life of a Toyota hybrid. You're quiet wrong on that.
No, the newer Honda cvt has a check bolt. You remove the bolt, and pour fluid in, until it comes out the bolt hole. I don’t know why Scotty didn’t mention this?
According to the manufacturer, you don't. You must trust The Computer That Is Always Right to put up a warning that your oil is low. Ha Ha Ha Ha (insert Scottie's laughing donkey)
You're not even that lucky I would take some sort of gauge for the transmission it could be pressure or fluid temp honestly most cars these days get nothing but a upside down dipstick on the pan@@gasgas2689
@@gasgas2689 On my Mazda 6, the AT warning light came on. It was not because of low fluid level. The car would jolt whenever I shifted gears from Park into Reverse.
I'm convinced that a clever man (woman?) could invent some kind of kit you could install, to check your fluid level at the touch of a button. But I'm not smart enough to be the guy who invents it! The only aspect I've thought up about it for sure, is that your kit would need sensors to replace the drain plug and level check plug that would screw into one or both of the transmission plug holes. The sensors would have the wiring (or maybe it could even be wireless) running to a digital readout for the driver saying "LEVEL OK/OVERFILLED/LOW FLUID LEVEL".
A few months ago I checked my trans fluid on my 2002 crown victoria which I had got used at 170,000 miles. It turned out the fluid was 50,000 miles and 8 YEARS old. The fluid was dark and barely red (presumably due to its extreme age). Boy was I glad I did a drain and fill on that thing. As soon as I got it on the road the difference was massive. Zero delay, silky smooth shifting, on a 20 year old car with 215,000 miles.
Hi Scotty. I have a 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback in a CVT, and I really, really appreciate you for not only showing me how to do a the CVT oil change, but also for dropping little gems of knowledge on why and when to change. Cheers!
@@adamburton7471 No issues, I have approximately 30,400 on the dash. I can merge easily on the highway, and I also get great MPG. If you take care of your stuff, it’ll take care of you. Honda CVT engines are fine, it’s just Nissan you have to watch out for. Edit - however, if you want something more bulletpoof, I’d recommend the 2.0NA instead of the turbo. Turbos in general won’t last as long as something that’s NA. If you can, wait for the hybrid that’s coming out this summer.
Scotty I'm so glad that I found out about you and your tireless efforts and bringing the best automotive knowledge to the public. You have an incredible gift. I watch your videos daily. Your videos have given me an insight into the automotive world that I never knew. Because of your automotive expertise, I've been able to do my own tuneup, chose the best fuilds for my car (2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport - 2.4L 4 cylinder GDI engine). Please don't ever retire. The world needs you. Now more than ever. Again, thanks so much for your informative automotive advice.
How is that engine going strong? i have a 2017 Kia Sorento with the same engine and I’m concerned with people’s reviews on any of Kia and Hyundai engines
For those who want a Complete (Trans, Torque Converter, abd Radiator-Cooler) fluid exchange vs an approx 40% pan exchange, the following 2007 RAV4 approach SHOULD be applicable to Most makes and models: 1.) Remove the plastic shield under the front of the vehicle. Note, new assorted plastic push-clips are recommended. 2.) The radiator cooler transmission fluid out-fall is on the drivers side approx 3/4" OD, 3/8" ID rubber hose with spring clasp clamp -- EASY to see and access! 3.) Disconnect the hose and attach an extension line to a translucent 1gal jug in an catch pan (for overflow/spills). 4.) The steel return line may drip into a second catch pan. 5.) Snuggly attach a clear extension line to the dip-stick tube with a funnel. (I inserted a clear plastic kitchen "baster" keeping the refill level from overflowing at top of the "baster"/funnel). 6.) Start the engine and put in gear (automatic) until approx 1/2 gal OLD is collected and turn off engine. 7.) Fill approx 1/2 gal NEW. 8.) Repeat for approx 2 1/2 gals until bright pink is dispensing. 9.) Reattach radiator/trans Return line. 10.) Adjust fluid level to the low side of the "Cold" mark on dip-stick (so you can top-off to the Hot mark). 11.) Drive vehicle until transmission is up to approx 115 deg. F and adjust fluid level to "Hot" mark. 12.) Reattach the plastic shield using new plastic push-pins. 13.) This should replace the Trans, Torque Converter, and Radiator Cooler with ALL New Fluid. NOTE: For Sealed transmissions attach an extension line with funnel to the steel Return line (instead of the non-existent "dip-stick tube"). Happy motoring!
I've been lucky with my 2009 nissan sentra. Of course it has the dreaded Jatco cvt transmission. The car has 278,000 miles on it with the original trans and the fluid has never been changed. Haven't had any trouble out of it. The rest of the car has been well maintained and has been a good car so far.
Scotty, you couldn't be so right! My mother had a '07 Honda Civic hybrid with the CVT transmission. It started slipping after 80,000 km the dealer who sold her the car couldn't find the problem. When she asked if changing the fluid could make a difference, they told her the old routine of lifetime fluid crap. On a trip to the USA it started to slip pretty bad, so she took it to a dealership over there. The first thing the mechanic asked is when was last time the fluid was changed? They changed the fluid and it solved her problem! Since then she had the fluid changed every 50,000 km and she never had a problem ever since.
@@sl4983 “No, Honda has lifetime…” would mean you don’t have to change it. “No Honda has lifetime…” would mean you do have to change it. I hope that clarifies it for you.
I’ve been doing this on my 06 civic and now on my 21 civic. Scotty your awesome. Do this and take your time. About an hour worth of work including cleanup. The car will take care of you!! So will Scotty
2004 Avalon with 120k. 35k or 40K hiway miles means more frequent changes when you do low mileage. I don't wait that long. Never had a problem. At my age and not having the tools, I watch my trusty mechanic. This time it will coincide with the oil change and the brake fluid change (8 years), and the lubrication of the appropriate parts of the undercarriage. It stil runs like the first day.
I own five cars I've done many transmission fluid changes. To make changes easier, I purchased a tall clear pitcher (like for kool-aid) and after i drain the old transmission fluid, I pour the old fluid in that pitcher. I then mark the fluid level...pour out the old fluid, clean it out, then fill it with new fluid up to the mark. Makes it very easy.
@@kevhed8 This can get you close but this is not technically the correct process. Every manufacturer has a process. You still need to do this then check cold and hot levels or do the drain off at the manufacturer’s specific temperature for a sealed transmission. Trust me, I have drained and measured then did the refill of that amount and the transmission was still under filled. Every manufacturer has their own process of how to check level and some even with a bidirectional scanner
Had a 2007 Ford Freestyle for 11 years. When I was in for one of my first oil changes, one of the Ford dealer techs asked me how I liked the car. He said they were seeing transmission issues on some of them, usually before 75K, and he suggested I change the fluid every 60K. I did as he recommended and had no problems in 180K miles. Also had the changes done at the dealer because I had heard that other places put the wrong fluid in. The vendor who made the CVT went out of business and getting a new one could cost up to $8,000 so it was worth the cost to change the fluid at the dealer. I did get decent gas mileage and loved the car for hauling kids or cargo. My son drove it for a few years and he misses it for its practicality. These cars were notorious for their CVT issues and I expect a lot of it had to do with not changing the fluid.
"what's the lifetime of the fluid?" "It's the lifetime of the transmission." "What's the lifetime of the transmission?" "It's the life of the transmission fluid."
As long as you have your transmission service by the dealer, its lifetime as long as u own it. Not transferable to next owner If work gets done some where else , the lifetime is over. But if u changing vehicles every 3 to 6 years, you won't have to worry about transmission
Well, Scotty, just changed the gasket, filter, solenoids on my 01 JGC Laredo w/227k miles because it’s been leaking ATF+4 fluids for years. Today, it shifts so smooth and saves me so much gasoline now. Who knew it would save me gas? I love my Jeep! 🇺🇸
Excellent. I drained out 5qts on my 07 JGC Laredo with 165k. Changed the filter. Cleaned the gaskets and changed the solenoids. Major improvement.and my Mpg went up noticeably.
@@salami99 You might have a stretched out Throttle Valve Cable that goes from the Throttle body on top of your motor, down the passenger side, then crosses over the tranny and then connects just above the tranny pan on the drivers side. The cable is about $79 and takes about 45 minutes to replace. BTW, this cable is adjustable, there is whitish, maybe yellowish clip to adjust the cable. This tells each gear when to shift. I replaced mine last year, while worth the $$$.
Scotty, I watch your videos EVERY day and was just looking around at videos of how to change the CVT fluid on my Civic, which is the EXACT same model as this one, down to the color! THANK YOU for all you do... watching you for years and will for years to come!
I was told always make sure the fill plug can be undone first before draining to save any potential problem. As usual informative video. Regards Stephen
Scotty, I have always liked to do as much maintenance or repair to my vehicles all my life. I'm 75 yoa now and still love doing it. Thank you for sharing your awesome knowledge and humor.
In 1964 my father and our mechanic were discussing automatic transmissions. My father said, “The perfect automatic transmission would be continuously variable”. Dad is gone now, and I do miss his insight.
@@daviT_con_T A CVT, continuously variable transmission, does not have set gear ratios, but a belt and pair of pulleys that change size to what gearing is currently needed. Some CVT may have a set mechanical 1st gear, but all other ratios are by CVT belt.
@@rogersmith7396 snowmobiles and scooter bikes use a slightly different type, it's not really a cvt it's more like a friction disc or a clutch that engages based on engine rpm
your dad was wrong sorry. They are garbage, they can't handle the load and there is no shift. People want to feel the shift that is why they simulate the shift in CVTs just awful. Buy a manual and be done with it.
I purchased a high mileage Honda accord sport with a cvt transmission. I had no prior information about whether the cvt fluid had been changed before, I changed it and it runs just fine. Changing transmission fluid is often overlooked by most people and it shouldn't be. I change all of my fluids regularly including the brake fluid. It's the lifeblood of the car. I get over 200k on my Honda's and have never had to replace a transmission or an engine. I do my own maintenance so it's fairly cheap.
Just as important as your oil. Two things on a vehicle that you need to protect over all else is the engine and transmission. The small cost of fluid and filters will save you thousands down the line
Best advice anyone can give.... The first thing you should do when buying a used vehicle, is have all the maintenance done. That way, you know it's done. Also, always get a pre-purchase inspection done.
Scotty just to lyk if you put the car in neutral and unclip the air box there's a plug on top of the transmission labeled HCF-2 where it's intended to be filled from. On the 1.5L you can see the plug without moving anything. Also I work at a Honda dealer and we recommend transmission services every 30k/3years 👍
Great video, that civic is the best purchase we made when we got ours in 2017, currently now has over 200k miles and has not gave us any issues. Very easy to work on. 👍
CVT transmissions actually require frequent fluid changes compared to regular automatic because of the chain inside vs gears. I believe it’s every 30K compared to 60K.
After watching some of your videos and others as well, drain and fill is the way to go. And I've been following this advice ever since 2019. Ive literally done this on 5 different vehicles.
Thank you for this, Scotty. Funny enough I was going back and fourth with two service advisors regarding changing my CVT fluid at 30k... Some serious boneheads! Any mechanic who does not advise you change your fluids frequently is not a good mechanic! Never stop making videos, good info is very hard to come by these days and you do a great job.
My 2015 Camry SE has a filter. the transmission filter itself is pretty easy to change(held in by 2 bolts). The only way to change it, is to drop the pan. Pretty big mess tbh. Since I have to drop the pan everytime, I just end up replacing the gasket also
Just changed my CVT oil for the second time... did the first one at 45,000 and now have 61,000 did it again... thanks for all your insight! ... what about the filter, have never done that.
The shop near me wanted $300 for a cvt transmission change for an accord. Mines is v6 so i wonder what the price would've been. Too much though. Did it myself for like $80 and now i have the tools to do it in the future. Thanks for the helpful tips sir.
I just changed my transmission fluid at 215.5k miles on my 03 Camry. Shifts like a dream! It's been changed 2-3 times in the past, so no reason not to keep doing it. One thing I had to do though was get a new bolt and washer and use thread lock, as it was leaking without the thread lock. The new one didn't come with it.
my mercedes 722.9 lasted to 500k with fluid changes every 100k and it was still shifting strong and all original. Sadly the 4matic u joint didn't agree and decided to take the transmission casing with it as it failed.
@@yenpham-jb4wo It's my first car and I paid it in full last year. I want it to last as long as it possibly can so I don't have to buy another one for a long time.
Scotty is spot on about NOT flushing your transmission. I bought a 96 Buick regal back in the day and I wanted to take care of it so it lasted a long time. I thought I was doing the right thing when a mechanic suggested I flush the tranny fluid instead of changing it at 60K. Well, I ended up with a transmission that wouldn't shift properly after that and had to get it rebuilt. I would have been better off doing nothing but instead I paid for a flush and then I paid for a rebuild. (about $1500 at that time)
The transmission in that Buick was far easier to rebuild than a modern transmission would be. I miss the good ol days of simplicity, and I think it's funny that suggesting a car from the 90s is simple. I remember when those cars were new and everyone went on about how complicated they were. If only we knew then just how crazy it would get...
As a mechanic and garage owner for 35 years I can tell you there are different types of machines to accomplish this process there's a difference between transmission flush machine and a transmission fluid exchanger. I personally own an exchanger and have used it for years with no problems ever but I also drop the transmission Pan and service it completely I don't just rely on the fluid transfer.
I change my trans fluid every third oil change (15,000 miles), this way you eventually replace all the old fluid and the fluid remains fresh if you continue to do this schedule without costing a lot.
The Audi ones with lifetime fluid would break if flushed/oilchange. Your regime is akin to "if it aint broken, fix it untill it is", wasted money too since the untouched ones can do more than half a million miles easily.
@@pflaffik Says who? Who and what can substantiate your claim? Even at 70,000 miles a "lifetime fluid" WILL have some metal particles and deterioration. That is simply a mechanical fact, as Scotty has pointed out here. Gears, CVT belts and chains, clutch packs, and bearings wear and they throw their debris into the oil/fluid. Even the gear reduction on a Tesla has a fluid change interval.
@@pflaffik based on what evidence? How many cars have you owned or worked on? I've owned nothing but beaters most of my life and made them last for pennies because of maintenance schedules like this. Do you keep track of costs and maintenance on your vehicles for long term? I do, so I have comparisons and how much money I've spent on maintenance and what's lasted. Ive put over 300k on some of the known worst transmissions doing this so forgive me if I'm not going to take someone who doesn't work on cars and owns an Audi seriously.
Good video Scotty, I agree with you, my past 1998 BMW 528i also had a lifetime fluid, I changed it and the transmission filter as soon as I got it with Redline D4 synthetic every 50,000 miles, it lasted 300,000 miles, before I had slippage in the lower gears and turned in the car using the BAR junk car program in California.
Changed my toyota fe cvt oil with factory fluid at 60. And again at 100. Took my overdlowpan off and cleaned the pan both magnets dryer gasket and filter. And it still rides great. And I think it rides better now
I do my CVT every 40-50k miles and a lot are highway miles. If lots of City miles I'd do every 25-30k 👍 PS- great video Scotty!!! 💕 loved the Whey protein jug 🤣
So glad I got my 2020 Civic Sport Sedan with the 2.0L naturally aspirated port injected engine and a 6 speed manual transmission! The Honda and Toyota CVT’s can absolutely last many miles, but they still won’t be as reliable and cost as little to maintain as a 6 speed manual 👍🏻 Great video as always Scotty!
In some older cars, you can drain the torque converter too!! Make sure you have a big drain pan, because some transmissions with drainable torque converters hold nearly 2 imperial gallons all up. Most of this is in the torque converter. When I serviced the transmission in my car, it took a good 5 minutes for the torque converter to drain.
The car I'm redoing,I had the whole engine/trans on the work bench so it was the perfect time to get all the fluid out. It's got 130k,and I've changed the fluid 2x before in its life but now I know this time I got all the fluid out. And it wasn't all that bad,glad I've done it before because folks complain that they're usually junk.
@@rickvigil5847 I change the filter every time I change the trans fluid in my car, which is about every two years or so. Engine oil filter is changed every oil change, which is twice a year, regardless of mileage.
@@rickvigil5847 I change the filter every time I change the trans fluid in my car, which is about every two years or so. Engine oil filter is changed every oil change, which is twice a year, regardless of mileage.
@@rickvigil5847 I change the filter every time I change the trans fluid in my car, which is about every two years or so. Engine oil filter is changed every oil change, which is twice a year, regardless of mileage.
i have been a Mechanic for over 50 years and just did head replacement on a 6.6 LLY Duramax 2005 Diesel and replaced every coolant and fuel hose under the hood and replaced the water pump and this is a lifted up high 10'' lift it was the hardest thing i have ever done scotty... took 16 hours just to remove the heads and i used air tools. but i would never let anyone touch any of my trucks or cars ever... it will never happen i hope i have seen so many shops do bad work and over priced here in San Diego...
Scotty I do enjoy your enthusiasm and your knowledge I’ve changed my transmission fluid yesterday at 56 thousand on my insignia 2ltr diesel and it was black I’ll do it again at 70 thousand great videos scotty 👍👍👍👍👍
Scotty is a Dying Breed, an honest mechanic . Like he says be careful when you leave your $100,000 car with a mechanic he can do all kinds of damage if he's incompetent
To start if I ever have a 100,000 car it’s because I’m very rich and I can afford that car even if my mechanic damage it, and second we are talking about cars that average people can afford like a 10,000 dollar car that you need to learn to do it yourself.
I worked for a courier company 1993-2002 and we used ford econoline vans. We did exactly this 30k for dino oil and 60k for synthetic. Most trannys went over 600k miles and one went 952K miles. As for engines 5k for dino and 10k synthetic and engines went 300k to 750k. With 2nd motor and trans we had vans with 1.3 million miles on them. We also repacked front wheel bearing every 30k and replaced when needed. Also, plugs and wires 60k for reg plugs can ignition and 90k for platinum and direct ignition. Ford were the longest lasting vehicles we had, but I think everything went to crap after that.
Bought a 2003 explorer , changed oil, but never got around to changing the transmission fluid. Sold it at 320,000 miles and it still worked great. Lots of problems with the heater blend doors but never a problem with the 4.0 engine or transmission.
My car is a 2018 Honda CR-V with 186,000 (I am a very active Uber driver here in San Antonio). Unfortunately, I did not change the transmission fluid until it had 170,000. Fortunately, the fluid that I pulled out looked no worse than that on this video. Believe me: the changing the transmission fluid was just as easy as changing the oil.
Little Tip. If you change the transmission oil ALWAYS unscrew the screw of the filler hole first. Because if you unscrew the drain plug and the oil is once out and then, for whatever reason, you can not get the screw of the filler hole open, you have a problem 😎
@@heresalex2000 I am now not sure whether my screws are installed with a conical seal or with an integrated rubber seal. But they are in any case made of metal.
Change the external AT filter. (Yes, it does have one, follow the lines to the heat exchanger at the base of the radiator .) The Honda shop manual indicates 3 spill and refills with a drive cycle between them, which replaces ~72% of the fluid. If you change the external filter behind the radiator for the final spill, that goes up to 80%. (Each time it's done is 7-8% more fluid replaced. ) .
I had a 2017 Civic with the 2.0L Engine & CVT! BEST car I've had, 40mpg CITY. Contrary to popular belief it was plenty fast without a launching gear; faster than what Scotty showed us. Switch that gear shifter to Sport mode next time! 😉
Hey Scotty: I followed you when you were on Channel 11 when I lived in Houston, and for years after I left Houston on RUclips. You are an incredible mechanic, and an outstanding source of information about auto repairs. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom, and God Bless.
Spot on with your skepticism Scotty! Not having a dipstick is built in discouragement to check fluid levels along with these lifetime synthetic fluids. They all seem to be "sealed for life" with no dipstick because apparently too many people top up with the wrong fluid etc. etc. So much for the dingalings, now what about those who arent? I just had the transmission fluid changed in my second hand Holden Cruze (Australian Chevy Cruze) after 10 years and 90k kilometers. Of course it was black. A noticeable improvement in shift quality afterwards too but my main aim is for the transmission to last the life of the car not the fluid! My Kia Sportage is 9 years old and is only scheduled for a fluid change at 140k under severe operating conditions. I will be getting it changed at its next service too which is 130k. I would hate to find out how much a rebuild would cost on one of those 6 speed jiggers let alone some of the 10 speed wonders coming out nowadays.
Always stick with the original fluids. Went from Toyota WS in a 08 V8 Sealed 4 runner transmission at 85k over to the Amsoil WS equivalent. Technically a better fluid, but the computer lost it's mind thinking the solenoids were breaking. No damage, no shavings, did the solenoids since it was on the codes, and ended up just going back to WS and no problems since. Stick to dealer fluids unless you're putting a totally new transmission in from the start.
Scotty said he uses the Valvoline with WS Compatibility on his Toyotas "for years" with no problems whatsoever. Am about to use it since I have it, but can not go wrong using OEM TOYOTA WS!
I use the Valvoline multivehicle CVT fluid and it works fine. I actually mixed it with the factory fluid because I can't drain all of it out at one time. It is still shifting fine so I don't guess it hurts anything.
I emailed ZF for their recommendations on fluid change interval for my 3 series BMW (2014) and they replied every 60-100 kilometers depending on driving habits. BMW says "lifetime". I change it every 40k miles and now have 112,000 miles on the car and will be doing a 3rd change at 120k. I don't agree with Scotty on everything he says but he is 100% correct on this.
I just changed the transmission fluid in our 2020 Kia Rio after watching this video and researching since buying the car. Kia says "lifetime fluid" and it cannot be changed. False! The transmission is an IVT type and uses their CVT Fluid. I measured what came out and put the same amount back in. Had to remove the air cleaner box to reach to fill plug. Thanks Scotty!
The opposite is true about a flush -- if you happen to have stuff holding your transmission to gether (say slush) sometimes flushing it (or even just draining and refilling) can knock some of that loose. But plugging up holes in the trans is probably the more likely issue you'll run into. I remember what a mechanic once said: you either change it regularly (so every 100k miles for an automatic, or about every 60k for a CVT, or you don't change it at all and just leave it -- one or the other, but preferrably change it regularly for maximum trans life). Also if you buy an older car with other 100k miles and you don't think the trans fluid has been changed (one, don't buy the car, but if you did) don't bother changing it if it runs fine Now I will say geared automatics are more durable than CVTs so not everyone one will break down if you don't change the fluid (CVTs I think are more prone to failure if you don't) as I do know some people who have gone 150k or 200k miles without ever changing the fluid, but it's not advised normally.
Thanks for this. I have a 2008 with 120k miles with factory transmission fluid. Been debating whether the change or not. Mechanic told me not to and you said not to so I won’t haha
@@Phone-sh7jg Transmission "flushes" can reduce the service life of the transmission. Transmission fluid exchanges rarely cause damage. Transmission "flushes" typically involve adding a solvent to the transmission fluid, which breaks up deposits in the transmission. That solvent can also cause pre-mature deterioration of the clutches in the transmission since they're not designed for anything but transmission fluid. After the solvent is added to the transmission and the transmission being brought up to operating temperature, a "fluid exchange" is then performed to remove the old fluid, the solvent and some degree of deposits. For the record, I don't recomment "transmission flushes" since the solvents can cause damage.
On "lifetime" fluid transmissions you usually want to loosen the fill plug before the drain plug because in the event you strip out the fill plug you'll probably want to put off the fluid change until you can get yourself a new plug.
@@JonnyDIY what I was thinking. They don't have dipsticks anymore, but the port to fill is still there with a cap. Remove that, and the plug that he used in this video, would be the overflow valve to level everything right. But that's on my 2015 Nissan Altima
I have a 2021 with 14K on it and the Honda dealer wanted to do a flush and replace the transmission fluid. I said no are you crazy. I am glad that I watched your video. I will change my own around 30K. I have a ways to go since we don't use the CRV much.
Love your video!!! I have hated CVTs since I drove an early model Nissan about 13yrs ago. Your enthusiast/mechanical take has me reconsidering my biased opinion! Thank you for an informative and entertaining episode!!!
Lifetime fluid, good for the lifetime of the fluid. I like "flushing" the fluid, but not a power flush. I like using the trans to move the fluid in and out by itself through the cooling lines. Use a couple 5 gal buckets, one empty and one full of clean fluid, the pump then just uses the buckets as the cooler, expels the old fluid into the empty bucket and draws in clean. If you use clear lines to extend the cooler lines you can see when the fluid is clean. Then you finish up with a pan service and a new filter, and top off. I could be wrong doing this, but it's always worked for me.
I do this as well.Putting brand new oil into a transmission with about 6 to 7 liters of old dirty oil in the converter which contaminates it as soon as you start the car makes no sense to me.
Don’t forget to put it into the S “gear” when you want more aggressive acceleration, it helps a lot. Just put it back into D once you’re cruising at a steady speed again; that way your RPMs aren’t staying higher than they need to be.
@@shawnmcculley2995 On modern Honda CVTs, S makes the system prefer lower gear ratios/higher RPM ranges, and everything that comes with that. Yes, stomping the pedal while in D will also get you there, but it’s more responsive when it’s already in the right range.
@@shawnmcculley2995 Selecting “S” makes it kick down faster and helps keep it there. It’s also great for going downhill as it increases engine braking - a lot.
I change the transmission fluid on my Honda CRV CVT every 30,000. Luckily there is a fluid level check bolt. I just have to remove the bolt after changing the fluid to make sure the level is correct. Really easy to do. I save about $100 doing it myself over taking it to the dealership.
Yep that's the way to do it to be safe. I just did it on my Fit the other night for the first time (I bought it used) and drained 0.4 quarts more than I was expecting! Four quarts exactly. And of course, using the level check hole I put in about 3.6 quarts to fill it. I guess whoever did the first change at 60k miles just threw in 4 quarts without checking. It was running fine, now it runs even better Go figure!!
Exactly don't take the Shops word for using OEM or equivalent oil, If You Can't do it yourself at least buy the oil and watch the Mechanic pour-pump the oil into the transmission, If you're Not allowed in the shop or watch through a window then find a Shop who WILL. Personally I do everything except for body work on my Four Vehicles.
⚠️ Just be careful... make sure to read the factory service manual for the ATF change procedure. On my car, it's not as simple as just filling it up and removing the fluid level check bolt. There's a warm-up involved - ATF has to get to within a certain temperature range - which requires a scanner that can read ATF temp (this code is usually make-specific, not part of the ELM327 library). Once it's up to temp, *then* I can remove the fluid level check bolt.
Chiming in only because I recently changed the AT in our 2 vehicles. First let me say that AT changes have come a long way from the days of dropping an oil pan, replacing the gasket and filter, etc. It's much more like an engine oil change, or a differential fluid change, in that there's a clear drain and fill. The cars I recently changed were a 2020 Honda Odyssey and a 2018 Honda Pilot. I changed the Odyssey because the OBDC indicated to do so. Of course I researched online how to do it, and it's a good thing I did because there are 3 different AT's in those vehicles with 2 different AT change procedures with different fluids. AT's are so highly tuned to specific rheology, that changing the fluid could mean catastrophe. Unfortunately that also means buying fluid from the dealer - I had to buy 4 Qts @ ~ $18/ea! And, that only really changes out about half the AT. Some AT's have "flush" procedures where you're supposed to drain, fill and repeat 3 times - I get what that is trying to accomplish, but you're just using fresh, expensive ATF to dilute what can't drain by itself, and repeating that enough times to get most of the old ATF out. Seems like such a waste IMHO. The Pilot, on the other hand, didn't call for an AT change but instead was exhibiting some odd shifting behaviour - I'd almost call it hesitation, or like it couldn't decide what gear to be in when the RPM was low. Turns out after consulting some people "in the know", this is a well known issue with that particular 6 speed (which Honda also uses for Ridgelines) when the ATF is going bad, and the solution is just to change the ATF. The procedure was similar to the Odyssey, the fluid was cheaper (more like $10/qt). After the change, it's a brand new transmission I've also changed "lifetime" transmission fluid in other vehicles - most notably a BMW I kept to 200k before selling it to get a larger vehicle - changing the fluid in that MT (stick) made it much smoother to shift, the affect was quite noticeable. A couple other notes - The safer method for replacement is to measure what comes out and replace with the same volume, at the same temperature. So, it's best to change the ATF while "cold". Some vehicles will have dip sticks and some don't - the Odyssey didn't but the Pilot did - which actually makes refilling the AT easier than the contortionist designers at Honda. Lastly, there is often a check level plug - just like you'd have in a plain gearbox or differential, but the fluid level needs to be checked at a specific temperature, and this plug isn't always easily accessible. So in short, do your own ATF changes, they are easy, but be sure to know the correct procedure and use the correct fluids. Oh, and be sure to buy an extra quart of fluid - you'd hate to assume that online or dealer instructions are correct only to find that you need more oil and then have to find a way back to the dealer (that might not be open). This happened with the Pilot - online and dealer said 3.7Qt is the change volume, and wanted to sell me 4Qt only, but I insisted on a 5th Qt. About 4.3Qt came out of the vehicle. Good thing I got that extra Qt!
The jack point is in the center front under radiator. Jacking the pinch weld at an angle risks folding the edge. Those pinch welds are for lifts and jack stands, or the scissor jack that comes with the car.
Totally agree, there's no lifetime transmission fluid. I own a 2016 Honda Fit, and I found information about maintenance intervals when I bought it and strictly followed it. The maintenance should always be done on time. And you'll make your car last longer. It's not hard to do- just follow Scotty's instructions! :)
Preach, Scotty, preach! Subaru of America says "lifetime". But in Japan and Canada, Subaru says 50k km, or about 36k miles. I would say that's a little conservative, but it should be changed out at least every 50k miles. What usually happens are the fine shavings Scotty is showing clog up the screens on the valve body solenoids. In the case of the Subarus, they don't sell the solenoids, just the entire valve body assembly. This now ends up being a $2-3k job, with labor. Many dealers tell you the entire transmission is crapped out...$7k+. Then direct you to new car sales. This is what they mean by "lifetime".
Just another reason to get up and greet the day... but with no like button on his sidewalk I will still watch his videos...lol... keep making the videos Scotty..!!
Hey Scotty it’s actually easier than how you did it there’s a fill plug on the top of the trans, a little difficult to get to in this particular model but if you move the shifter to the rear than it’s easier to get to then just pour it right into the top instead of that contraption you made. The fill hole you used in fact is a fill hole but more so a “check level” hole. Anyway for anyone reading it is easy like ol Scotty said it was.
@@sl4983 yes, if you move the shifter to the rear and look to the left side of the eng. air filter box in the eng. bay straight down it’s a rubber plug with a little metal 90 degree post. Pull it straight out and you can fill from there but don’t put more than 4 qts in.
I recently changed my ATF on my 07 odyssey. The fill plug on the odyssey is at the top. I find it pain in the butt that on the civic, you can't really access the fill plug from top on the '17 Civic. Glad to know though that it is still not a difficult job on Honda ATF fluid change. Just need a hose to route up. Always good to save those semi translucent windshield washer fluid jugs, it helps to determine the amt of ATF fluid to fill back up.
Scotty - I've done the drain an fill on all of my Toyotas. What about changing the filter...do I need to take the pan off, change the filter, and then put on a new gasket when putting the pan back on? 261K Tundra - 146K Avalon - 91K Sienna.
My brother worked at toyota for 15 years. No need to change the filter /gasket unless there is already an issue. Drain/fill is sufficent. Just i Use toyota fluid /correct level/replace fill/drain gaskets.
Have had a actron scanner for years, it would give me a start point along with your videos! Still shade tree mechanic, have to be with five granddaughters!
Yeah I knew someone who bought a used Lancer where the dealer had just changed out all the fluids before sale, a month later the CVT kept slipping out on the highway, they wanted to bill her for the replacement until she found the history of the vehicle, the CVT fluid wasn't changed in the first 120,000km of ownership, WTF. The dealer was going to leave her dry initially... I nearly flipped. She got a brand new CVT.
@@mcc7762 I use the Amsoil CVT fluid It’s the best CVT fluid out there Also changing it every 30K is smart On mine I not only have a filter in the pan But I have an inline filter as well It’s a paper cartridge and should be changed every 60K That’s something everyone needs to look in to If that inline filter clogs say goodbye to your CVT regardless of all the fluid changes. I know all Nissan CVT since 2012 have this inline filter Also Mitsubishi CVT have an inline filter as well
I’ve been driving a 18 outback touring and gone 265000 so far. Changed the transmission oil last month and it wasn’t looking that bad . Dealer kept checking it at oil change (warranty via dealership so I also change oil there too) Finally they admitted it should be changed contrary to Subaru America saying (lifetime) no need… going for 500000 with lifetime dealerships warranty. So far not too much other than bearings, tuneups front wheel universals… not bad for nearly 300k
I’m glad you posted this because I have a 2015 outback with a 2.5 L boxer, and I got it with 105,000 miles on it. I wanted to change the fluid at 108k when I found out it was “lifetime“ and it hadn’t been touched, but the service folks at Subaru were hesitant because they didn’t want it to have issues. I said do it anyway I understand the risks and I’m glad I did. It shifts perfectly fine and it’s been almost 30,000 miles and I’m going to change it again. But to go 265,000 miles on the original fluid is incredible and I’m glad you didn’t have any issues!
Really nice to hear that! I ordered a 23 outback and it's good to know the CVT is reliable in it. Should be in the end of this month. This will be my first Subaru.
Dear Scotty, can you please make a video showing how to change ATF on the newer "SEALED" transmissions? At least for a couple of the Honda or Toyota types?
I just did a drain and fill on my wife’s 2019 AWD Tucson. It has 46K on it, and I was shocked how crap was on the drain plug. Also how much crap settled at the bottom of the drain pan. It took 3 1/2 quarts. I plan on doing it again at the next oil change to see how much crap comes out again. It’s easy peasy once you do it once.
It still pisses me off that they took out the dipstick for the transmission. Seriously how much money do they save by doing it this way? Three dollars?
Frank Jaweda, I did my first transmission drain and fill at 75K miles, and have been doing it every 35K miles since then. I now have 160K miles on the car (‘16 Honda Civic) and it’s still running fine. 😊👍🏼
Some older Mercedes have an actual gearbox dipstick and even a drain plug on the torque converter, you can get pretty much all the old fluid out, and don't need to measure the old fluid. Just drain it all and refill.
Scotty said "bolt and washer". It's the fill plug he's putting back in. The drain plug gets put back in after wiping off the metal sludge and the fluid finishes draining.
remove drain bolt --> drain --> wipe off metal sludge from magnet on bolt--> let finish draining --> reinstall drain bolt --> remove fill bolt --> fill --> reinstall fill bolt
It definitely gets better gas mileage on my car,, I have a 1998 Toyota Camry V6 3.0 with a 144 thousand miles I've done 3 drain and refills on my transmission and im getting about 50-60 more miles to the tank of Gas. I do highway and city driving everyday. ABSOLUTELY worth changing the transmission fluid in ur car. Like scooty says measure what comes out and put the SAME amount back in just that easy
I had fluid change in my 2012 Tacoma no flush. One them machines that pulled it out and put my new Toyota Trans fluid.I did it about 185000 miles. Still shifts great.212,000 miles now..
Excellent advice. I've been changing ATF in all of my Honda cars over the years, both regular and CVT automatic transmissions. Although Honda will not provide the specs which allow you to use other brands of ATF, the other brands of REPUTABLE manufacturers will specify if theirs meet the Honda specs. So, you CAN use other brands of ATF in any Honda. I do and I change it at 30K mile intervals (more than Honda recommends) because I'm particular about my services and make my cars go for many 100K miles. There are several brands out there, but be sure to use the proper CVT or ATF fluid. They are NOT compatible. I also agree about taking the easy way of using the correct amount of fluid: Measure what comes out and put the same amount back in. One note about the Honda CVT transmissions is that there is a rubber plug in the top which has a pin-hole vent. If the rubber plug's pin holes plug up, the whole plug will blow out and allow you to lose a lot of CVT fluid. Simply clean the pin holes with a small paper clip and blow them out with silicone aerosol spray to keep it slick and clean. I do this when I change the fluid and it only takes a couple minutes: Remove the rubber plug, clean the hole, replace the rubber plug. Easy. Go, Scotty!!!!
Happy Labor Day to you too Scotty! BTW, why is it that with all your years in the business, you don't have your own hoist? Wouldn't that be easier instead of crawling around on the driveway? It’s great that you can do it at your age. Just wondering...I've a feeling it's because you're showing folks how they can do their own auto maintenance.
@WTFx Heck, even I have a 4 post and a semi-hydraulic single cylinder H pattern car hoist in my home garage. They make working on my cars so much easier.
@WTFx My 4 post lift is a Parking Solutions lift and I really only use it to store my 1932 Roadster up on. It is also great to clean the whole underside with before car shows. I bought it in 1992. And the single post is an OLD Gilbarco that came out of a gas station. And I have had it in my garage now for 42 years. I love them both!
Inherited a 98 Camry from my dad 5 years ago with 12,000 miles on it. When I took it over, I changed the brake fluid, engine coolant, transmission fluid, power steering, and differential fluid. To change the transmission fluid, I disconnected the transmission line running to the radiator. There is a rubber hose piece between the metal tubing before it gets to the radiator. Disconnected the rubber hose piece and inserted a clear piece of hose several feet long on the metal tube so it could be run outside of the engine compartment and be seen while sitting in drivers seat. Inserted the clear tube in a clear one gallon milk jug, and started the engine and drew off about a half gallon of fluid. Matched up that gallon jug to a empty same milk jug and poured in new fluid to same level and refilled transmission. Did several times until fluid ran red, reconnected tube to rubber hose, and done. Car now has 42,000 miles on it. Will probably change out again at 50k. Runs like a charm and in perfect condition as it had always been garaged and never seen snow/salt before I started driving it.
I have a 2018 non turbo Civic with a CVT and my dealership told me based on my VIN number it took 3.9 quarts. They also recommend that you clean the breather which looks like a little baseball cap on the side to the left of the fill hole on top of the transmission. My car has 114,000 mi and yes the breather was clogged which caused my rubber cork that covers the fill hole for the transmission to blow out luckily I caught it in time.
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Happy New Year to you too! 🎈 Do you change the CVT fluid in EVs?
Don't buy a CVT Nissan Pathfinder. My 2014 went out at 50k. Expensive fix
should I trust the dealer to do it?
The show looks like crude oil off an oil rig surprising it came out of a CVT transmission
My 2009 Toyota Corolla is at almost 105,000 miles. I don’t know if the transmission fluid has ever been changed. It’s about 65 percent sludgy and still has a dark crimson color to it. Should I change or live on borrowed time? Or should I change the TF and keep the old fluid in case the transmission starts slipping?
The fluid lasts the lifetime of the transmission the same way that a full SCUBA tank can last for the rest of your life.
Lol
😂😂😂
It isn't every day you read the perfect metaphor.
Hahaha! Reminds me of an old joke Johnny Carson told once. He goes to an all you can eat Italian restaurant owned by the Mafia. After eating 1 plate, 3 goons came out and said, "That's all you can eat".
You are smarter than the engineers who wrote the manual
1998 Honda CRV..Bought it for $600. 189,000 mi. Owner stated a lot of slippage in gear. I checked the fluid...black...Drove it home..drained fluid, less slippage, a few days later, drained fluid, now it was shifting great and no slippage...Drained again...Well...it's a Honda..acts like it never had a problem. 325,000 miles, the clear coat is peeling but it runs Fine!! Keep the videos coming...
good thing it's a traditional automatic. Might have grenaded if it was a CVT.
The trick is to do the 3x Drain and Fill. Which will be about a total of 9 Quarts. We had a transmission "stutter" on our 2012 CRV with 60K miles and the TSB recommendation from Honda was a reprogram and Trans Fluid change 1X. Did 1 Drain and Flush 2X and the problem is GONE. I will now change the fluid every 30K Miles.
Man you are blessed with that honda
So did you ever fill it back up?
Why no filter change? They are usually black too.
Scotty, thank you. The last time I purchased a car was a new 2001 Honda CRV. I've been following the maintenance schedule and I am close to 200k. So far needed only tires ball joints and a couple of batteries.
Now I'm waiting on delivery of a 2022 Rav4 hybrid... just 4 mos. To go - so trying to get up to speed for a new vehicle. I know your advice is good for the car, the money and for me.
So again - thank you!
Why buy a hybrid? Have fun when you seen a new battery.
@@jaysmith179
the batteries have 10 years warranty... and he is buying the car new. so after 10 years, it's time to change the car anyway.
How much u want to sell it
The rav 4 hybrid uses toyota ws atf. Not cvt fe since the gearbox is electronic cvt.
@@MGTOW89 the hybrid battery is guaranteed for 10 years but gen III prius' go for 500k miles on original battery. 10 years isn't close to the limit of the life of a Toyota hybrid. You're quiet wrong on that.
The older non CVT Honda transmission had the dipstick to check level and refill which was easier than this new one. Excellent Scotty thank you
No, the newer Honda cvt has a check bolt. You remove the bolt, and pour fluid in, until it comes out the bolt hole. I don’t know why Scotty didn’t mention this?
@@tripicana1in a transaxle or differential you're correct.
@@DivineSadist Honda cvt uses it too, no need for a dip stick.
I miss the Transmission Dip Stick. :(
According to the manufacturer, you don't. You must trust The Computer That Is Always Right to put up a warning that your oil is low. Ha Ha Ha Ha (insert Scottie's laughing donkey)
You're not even that lucky I would take some sort of gauge for the transmission it could be pressure or fluid temp honestly most cars these days get nothing but a upside down dipstick on the pan@@gasgas2689
@@gasgas2689 On my Mazda 6, the AT warning light came on. It was not because of low fluid level. The car would jolt whenever I shifted gears from Park into Reverse.
I'm convinced that a clever man (woman?) could invent some kind of kit you could install, to check your fluid level at the touch of a button. But I'm not smart enough to be the guy who invents it!
The only aspect I've thought up about it for sure, is that your kit would need sensors to replace the drain plug and level check plug that would screw into one or both of the transmission plug holes. The sensors would have the wiring (or maybe it could even be wireless) running to a digital readout for the driver saying "LEVEL OK/OVERFILLED/LOW FLUID LEVEL".
I completely agree
A few months ago I checked my trans fluid on my 2002 crown victoria which I had got used at 170,000 miles. It turned out the fluid was 50,000 miles and 8 YEARS old. The fluid was dark and barely red (presumably due to its extreme age). Boy was I glad I did a drain and fill on that thing. As soon as I got it on the road the difference was massive. Zero delay, silky smooth shifting, on a 20 year old car with 215,000 miles.
This is a cvt transmission not a reg automatic
actually can make things worse later on
@@richardpruitt5193 Have Nissan Armada 150K miles and not changing anything
Hi Scotty. I have a 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback in a CVT, and I really, really appreciate you for not only showing me how to do a the CVT oil change, but also for dropping little gems of knowledge on why and when to change. Cheers!
Hey, how’s the Honda Civic hatchback holding up? I’m shopping for a 2024 Honda civic, but feeling worried about this CVT business.
@@adamburton7471
No issues, I have approximately 30,400 on the dash. I can merge easily on the highway, and I also get great MPG. If you take care of your stuff, it’ll take care of you. Honda CVT engines are fine, it’s just Nissan you have to watch out for.
Edit - however, if you want something more bulletpoof, I’d recommend the 2.0NA instead of the turbo. Turbos in general won’t last as long as something that’s NA. If you can, wait for the hybrid that’s coming out this summer.
Scotty I'm so glad that I found out about you and your tireless efforts and bringing the best automotive knowledge to the public. You have an incredible gift. I watch your videos daily. Your videos have given me an insight into the automotive world that I never knew. Because of your automotive expertise, I've been able to do my own tuneup, chose the best fuilds for my car (2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport - 2.4L 4 cylinder GDI engine). Please don't ever retire. The world needs you. Now more than ever. Again, thanks so much for your informative automotive advice.
How is that engine going strong? i have a 2017 Kia Sorento with the same engine and I’m concerned with people’s reviews on any of Kia and Hyundai engines
@jorgedavidgomez5630 2.4 the non-turbo engines are solid...
For those who want a Complete (Trans, Torque Converter, abd Radiator-Cooler) fluid exchange vs an approx 40% pan exchange, the following 2007 RAV4 approach SHOULD be applicable to Most makes and models:
1.) Remove the plastic shield under the front of the vehicle. Note, new assorted plastic push-clips are recommended.
2.) The radiator cooler transmission fluid out-fall is on the drivers side approx 3/4" OD, 3/8" ID rubber hose with spring clasp clamp -- EASY to see and access!
3.) Disconnect the hose and attach an extension line to a translucent 1gal jug in an catch pan (for overflow/spills).
4.) The steel return line may drip into a second catch pan.
5.) Snuggly attach a clear extension line to the dip-stick tube with a funnel. (I inserted a clear plastic kitchen "baster" keeping the refill level from overflowing at top of the "baster"/funnel).
6.) Start the engine and put in gear (automatic) until approx 1/2 gal OLD is collected and turn off engine.
7.) Fill approx 1/2 gal NEW.
8.) Repeat for approx 2 1/2 gals until bright pink is dispensing.
9.) Reattach radiator/trans Return line.
10.) Adjust fluid level to the low side of the "Cold" mark on dip-stick (so you can top-off to the Hot mark).
11.) Drive vehicle until transmission is up to approx 115 deg. F and adjust fluid level to "Hot" mark.
12.) Reattach the plastic shield using new plastic push-pins.
13.) This should replace the Trans, Torque Converter, and Radiator Cooler with ALL New Fluid.
NOTE: For Sealed transmissions attach an extension line with funnel to the steel Return line (instead of the non-existent "dip-stick tube").
Happy motoring!
I've been lucky with my 2009 nissan sentra. Of course it has the dreaded Jatco cvt transmission. The car has 278,000 miles on it with the original trans and the fluid has never been changed. Haven't had any trouble out of it. The rest of the car has been well maintained and has been a good car so far.
Never changed the fluid in our 06 Ford escape
Scotty, you couldn't be so right! My mother had a '07 Honda Civic hybrid with the CVT transmission. It started slipping after 80,000 km the dealer who sold her the car couldn't find the problem. When she asked if changing the fluid could make a difference, they told her the old routine of lifetime fluid crap. On a trip to the USA it started to slip pretty bad, so she took it to a dealership over there. The first thing the mechanic asked is when was last time the fluid was changed? They changed the fluid and it solved her problem! Since then she had the fluid changed every 50,000 km and she never had a problem ever since.
we have the same car since new. at 156k miles now and they weren't easy miles. cvt fluid regularly changed and its doing good
No Honda has lifetime transmission fluid. Check your owners manuals!
@@linkzz00You mean Honda does or Honda doesn't?
@@sl4983 “No, Honda has lifetime…” would mean you don’t have to change it.
“No Honda has lifetime…” would mean you do have to change it.
I hope that clarifies it for you.
Odd, my Honda CVT manual says to replace the fluid every 40 000 km...even has an entry where the dealer is suppose to sign-off on that specifically...
I’ve been doing this on my 06 civic and now on my 21 civic. Scotty your awesome. Do this and take your time. About an hour worth of work including cleanup. The car will take care of you!! So will Scotty
2004 Avalon with 120k. 35k or 40K hiway miles means more frequent changes when you do low mileage. I don't wait that long. Never had a problem. At my age and not having the tools, I watch my trusty mechanic. This time it will coincide with the oil change and the brake fluid change (8 years), and the lubrication of the appropriate parts of the undercarriage. It stil runs like the first day.
I own five cars I've done many transmission fluid changes. To make changes easier, I purchased a tall clear pitcher (like for kool-aid) and after i drain the old transmission fluid, I pour the old fluid in that pitcher. I then mark the fluid level...pour out the old fluid, clean it out, then fill it with new fluid up to the mark. Makes it very easy.
I do same 👍
🤯
I bought a 2010 accord with a 128000. Would it be OK to change the cvt fluid? I'm worried that it might slip with the high mileage
@@tamezjohn4805
Yes you need to change it. They like new fluid. Do a drop and refill. No flush.
@@kevhed8
This can get you close but this is not technically the correct process. Every manufacturer has a process. You still need to do this then check cold and hot levels or do the drain off at the manufacturer’s specific temperature for a sealed transmission. Trust me, I have drained and measured then did the refill of that amount and the transmission was still under filled. Every manufacturer has their own process of how to check level and some even with a bidirectional scanner
Had a 2007 Ford Freestyle for 11 years. When I was in for one of my first oil changes, one of the Ford dealer techs asked me how I liked the car. He said they were seeing transmission issues on some of them, usually before 75K, and he suggested I change the fluid every 60K. I did as he recommended and had no problems in 180K miles. Also had the changes done at the dealer because I had heard that other places put the wrong fluid in. The vendor who made the CVT went out of business and getting a new one could cost up to $8,000 so it was worth the cost to change the fluid at the dealer. I did get decent gas mileage and loved the car for hauling kids or cargo. My son drove it for a few years and he misses it for its practicality. These cars were notorious for their CVT issues and I expect a lot of it had to do with not changing the fluid.
"what's the lifetime of the fluid?" "It's the lifetime of the transmission." "What's the lifetime of the transmission?" "It's the life of the transmission fluid."
You got it!!!
The warranty is the lifetime.
Circular logic
As long as you have your transmission service by the dealer, its lifetime as long as u own it.
Not transferable to next owner
If work gets done some where else , the lifetime is over.
But if u changing vehicles every 3 to 6 years, you won't have to worry about transmission
Who’s on first?
Well, Scotty, just changed the gasket, filter, solenoids on my 01 JGC Laredo w/227k miles because it’s been leaking ATF+4 fluids for years. Today, it shifts so smooth and saves me so much gasoline now. Who knew it would save me gas? I love my Jeep! 🇺🇸
Excellent. I drained out 5qts on my 07 JGC Laredo with 165k. Changed the filter. Cleaned the gaskets and changed the solenoids. Major improvement.and my Mpg went up noticeably.
Got a 98 jgc with some odd shifter behavior. Changed fluid but nothing other then that
@@salami99 still shifting oddly?
After i dropped the pan on a 93 buick the lockup solenoid started behaving, and it came to a stop a whole lot smoother. I did that at about 140k
@@salami99 You might have a stretched out Throttle Valve Cable that goes from the Throttle body on top of your motor, down the passenger side, then crosses over the tranny and then connects just above the tranny pan on the drivers side. The cable is about $79 and takes about 45 minutes to replace. BTW, this cable is adjustable, there is whitish, maybe yellowish clip to adjust the cable. This tells each gear when to shift. I replaced mine last year, while worth the $$$.
Scotty, I watch your videos EVERY day and was just looking around at videos of how to change the CVT fluid on my Civic, which is the EXACT same model as this one, down to the color!
THANK YOU for all you do... watching you for years and will for years to come!
I was told always make sure the fill plug can be undone first before draining to save any potential problem. As usual informative video. Regards Stephen
For these Hondas, the fill plug sits on top of the transmission and it’s just a rubber plug
.
True, especially on Subarus, where the factory wangs on those fill plugs mighty tight!
Scotty, I have always liked to do as much maintenance or repair to my vehicles all my life. I'm 75 yoa now and still love doing it. Thank you for sharing your awesome knowledge and humor.
In 1964 my father and our mechanic were discussing automatic transmissions. My father said, “The perfect automatic transmission would be continuously variable”. Dad is gone now, and I do miss his insight.
and what does it mean? english is not my native language so, i understand the words but make no sense to me
@@daviT_con_T A CVT, continuously variable transmission, does not have set gear ratios, but a belt and pair of pulleys that change size to what gearing is currently needed.
Some CVT may have a set mechanical 1st gear, but all other ratios are by CVT belt.
I think snowmobiles have always had them.
@@rogersmith7396 snowmobiles and scooter bikes use a slightly different type, it's not really a cvt it's more like a friction disc or a clutch that engages based on engine rpm
your dad was wrong sorry. They are garbage, they can't handle the load and there is no shift. People want to feel the shift that is why they simulate the shift in CVTs just awful. Buy a manual and be done with it.
I purchased a high mileage Honda accord sport with a cvt transmission. I had no prior information about whether the cvt fluid had been changed before, I changed it and it runs just fine. Changing transmission fluid is often overlooked by most people and it shouldn't be. I change all of my fluids regularly including the brake fluid. It's the lifeblood of the car. I get over 200k on my Honda's and have never had to replace a transmission or an engine. I do my own maintenance so it's fairly cheap.
Just as important as your oil. Two things on a vehicle that you need to protect over all else is the engine and transmission. The small cost of fluid and filters will save you thousands down the line
Oh, a non fragile American.. So rare.
@Benjamin Burlos well you could go 100k before that needs to be changed but u get your point.
Best advice anyone can give.... The first thing you should do when buying a used vehicle, is have all the maintenance done. That way, you know it's done. Also, always get a pre-purchase inspection done.
Scotty just to lyk if you put the car in neutral and unclip the air box there's a plug on top of the transmission labeled HCF-2 where it's intended to be filled from. On the 1.5L you can see the plug without moving anything.
Also I work at a Honda dealer and we recommend transmission services every 30k/3years 👍
Thank you so much for that information cause I have a 1.5L
How many quarts does a 1.5 accord takes?!?
@@black7966 if you’re talking transmission fluid it takes abt 3.8 QT. Funny enough the engine takes 3.8Qt as well
I fill it threw the check plug can do the whole services from the bottom and no chance dirt falling into the trans.
@@zackm6850 true, but ive never had a problem with dirt falling
Great video, that civic is the best purchase we made when we got ours in 2017, currently now has over 200k miles and has not gave us any issues. Very easy to work on. 👍
CVT transmissions actually require frequent fluid changes compared to regular automatic because of the chain inside vs gears. I believe it’s every 30K compared to 60K.
No chains in CVT transmission buddy
@@badcommentbot8349 The newer Honda CVTs use a metal belt.
Every car is different
After watching some of your videos and others as well, drain and fill is the way to go. And I've been following this advice ever since 2019. Ive literally done this on 5 different vehicles.
Thank you for this, Scotty. Funny enough I was going back and fourth with two service advisors regarding changing my CVT fluid at 30k... Some serious boneheads! Any mechanic who does not advise you change your fluids frequently is not a good mechanic! Never stop making videos, good info is very hard to come by these days and you do a great job.
30k seems a little soon.
@@greenspiraldragon trust me, it wasn't. I know my driving habits. The fluid was pretty dark even at only 32k
I do all my own maintenance, no lifetime fluids... just proper service intervals
@@greenspiraldragon No such thing as too soon. It will never do harm to change it earlier. It can do harm if you wait too long.
If you have a CVT one of the best things you can do is install an aftermarket transmission oil cooler. Heat kills transmissions.
Hey Scotty... you forgot to mention that many cars with CVT or regular transmission now have filters. What about changing the filters also?
My 2015 Camry SE has a filter. the transmission filter itself is pretty easy to change(held in by 2 bolts). The only way to change it, is to drop the pan. Pretty big mess tbh. Since I have to drop the pan everytime, I just end up replacing the gasket also
Just changed my CVT oil for the second time... did the first one at 45,000 and now have 61,000 did it again... thanks for all your insight! ... what about the filter, have never done that.
The shop near me wanted $300 for a cvt transmission change for an accord. Mines is v6 so i wonder what the price would've been. Too much though. Did it myself for like $80 and now i have the tools to do it in the future. Thanks for the helpful tips sir.
I just changed my transmission fluid at 215.5k miles on my 03 Camry. Shifts like a dream! It's been changed 2-3 times in the past, so no reason not to keep doing it. One thing I had to do though was get a new bolt and washer and use thread lock, as it was leaking without the thread lock. The new one didn't come with it.
Pretty good for U-series transmission.
Your one of the few that do it. Blows my mind people think it lasts forever
Nice
my mercedes 722.9 lasted to 500k with fluid changes every 100k and it was still shifting strong and all original. Sadly the 4matic u joint didn't agree and decided to take the transmission casing with it as it failed.
@@yenpham-jb4wo It's my first car and I paid it in full last year. I want it to last as long as it possibly can so I don't have to buy another one for a long time.
Scotty is spot on about NOT flushing your transmission. I bought a 96 Buick regal back in the day and I wanted to take care of it so it lasted a long time. I thought I was doing the right thing when a mechanic suggested I flush the tranny fluid instead of changing it at 60K. Well, I ended up with a transmission that wouldn't shift properly after that and had to get it rebuilt. I would have been better off doing nothing but instead I paid for a flush and then I paid for a rebuild. (about $1500 at that time)
The transmission in that Buick was far easier to rebuild than a modern transmission would be.
I miss the good ol days of simplicity, and I think it's funny that suggesting a car from the 90s is simple. I remember when those cars were new and everyone went on about how complicated they were. If only we knew then just how crazy it would get...
Completely right. Had a 94 Chrysler New Yorker I wanted to take care of. Had a flush done. Never shifted right again.
As a mechanic and garage owner for 35 years I can tell you there are different types of machines to accomplish this process there's a difference between transmission flush machine and a transmission fluid exchanger. I personally own an exchanger and have used it for years with no problems ever but I also drop the transmission Pan and service it completely I don't just rely on the fluid transfer.
@@sdrape4964 At least it wasn't a sideways engine.
but what if the transmission fluid was leaking? and had to be replaced?
I change my trans fluid every third oil change (15,000 miles), this way you eventually replace all the old fluid and the fluid remains fresh if you continue to do this schedule without costing a lot.
SMART!!!
Fluid changes are far less costly than replacing trannys and engines! You're doing the right thing!
The Audi ones with lifetime fluid would break if flushed/oilchange. Your regime is akin to "if it aint broken, fix it untill it is", wasted money too since the untouched ones can do more than half a million miles easily.
@@pflaffik Says who? Who and what can substantiate your claim? Even at 70,000 miles a "lifetime fluid" WILL have some metal particles and deterioration. That is simply a mechanical fact, as Scotty has pointed out here. Gears, CVT belts and chains, clutch packs, and bearings wear and they throw their debris into the oil/fluid. Even the gear reduction on a Tesla has a fluid change interval.
@@pflaffik based on what evidence? How many cars have you owned or worked on? I've owned nothing but beaters most of my life and made them last for pennies because of maintenance schedules like this. Do you keep track of costs and maintenance on your vehicles for long term? I do, so I have comparisons and how much money I've spent on maintenance and what's lasted. Ive put over 300k on some of the known worst transmissions doing this so forgive me if I'm not going to take someone who doesn't work on cars and owns an Audi seriously.
Good video Scotty, I agree with you, my past 1998 BMW 528i also had a lifetime fluid, I changed it and the transmission filter as soon as I got it with Redline D4 synthetic every 50,000 miles, it lasted 300,000 miles, before I had slippage in the lower gears and turned in the car using the BAR junk car program in California.
Changed my toyota fe cvt oil with factory fluid at 60. And again at 100. Took my overdlowpan off and cleaned the pan both magnets dryer gasket and filter. And it still rides great. And I think it rides better now
I do my CVT every 40-50k miles and a lot are highway miles. If lots of City miles I'd do every 25-30k 👍
PS- great video Scotty!!! 💕 loved the Whey protein jug 🤣
So glad I got my 2020 Civic Sport Sedan with the 2.0L naturally aspirated port injected engine and a 6 speed manual transmission!
The Honda and Toyota CVT’s can absolutely last many miles, but they still won’t be as reliable and cost as little to maintain as a 6 speed manual 👍🏻
Great video as always Scotty!
Manual is good, dual mass flywheel is not, very expensive to change, mine lasted only 100k miles.
But you will need to replace the clutch.
@@ozzesty7314
The clutch shouldn’t need to be replaced if the vehicle isn’t abused.
@@johnlavender242 even if it does its typically not too difficult, it was very easy in my 02 eclipse gt
so isnt your civic the Si?
In some older cars, you can drain the torque converter too!! Make sure you have a big drain pan, because some transmissions with drainable torque converters hold nearly 2 imperial gallons all up. Most of this is in the torque converter. When I serviced the transmission in my car, it took a good 5 minutes for the torque converter to drain.
The car I'm redoing,I had the whole engine/trans on the work bench so it was the perfect time to get all the fluid out.
It's got 130k,and I've changed the fluid 2x before in its life but now I know this time I got all the fluid out.
And it wasn't all that bad,glad I've done it before because folks complain that they're usually junk.
When do you change the filter
@@rickvigil5847 I change the filter every time I change the trans fluid in my car, which is about every two years or so. Engine oil filter is changed every oil change, which is twice a year, regardless of mileage.
@@rickvigil5847 I change the filter every time I change the trans fluid in my car, which is about every two years or so. Engine oil filter is changed every oil change, which is twice a year, regardless of mileage.
@@rickvigil5847 I change the filter every time I change the trans fluid in my car, which is about every two years or so. Engine oil filter is changed every oil change, which is twice a year, regardless of mileage.
i have been a Mechanic for over 50 years and just did head replacement on a 6.6 LLY Duramax 2005 Diesel and replaced every coolant and fuel hose under the hood and replaced the water pump and this is a lifted up high 10'' lift it was the hardest thing i have ever done scotty... took 16 hours just to remove the heads and i used air tools. but i would never let anyone touch any of my trucks or cars ever... it will never happen i hope i have seen so many shops do bad work and over priced here in San Diego...
Scotty I do enjoy your enthusiasm and your knowledge I’ve changed my transmission fluid yesterday at 56 thousand on my insignia 2ltr diesel and it was black I’ll do it again at 70 thousand great videos scotty 👍👍👍👍👍
Scotty is a Dying Breed, an honest mechanic . Like he says be careful when you leave your $100,000 car with a mechanic he can do all kinds of damage if he's incompetent
Ummm lol
Those tweekers like to drop things and forget what they do.
Indeed! He is a good guy. 👍
To start if I ever have a 100,000 car it’s because I’m very rich and I can afford that car even if my mechanic damage it, and second we are talking about cars that average people can afford like a 10,000 dollar car that you need to learn to do it yourself.
Same with a good honest dentist!
That clear fluid is transmission fluid? Freaking amazing. I've never seen transmission fluid that wasn't red and then crappy when you drained it
Nissan and Ford CVT fluid is green....
Looked like green water
Why didn't you change the filter also ?
I worked for a courier company 1993-2002 and we used ford econoline vans. We did exactly this 30k for dino oil and 60k for synthetic. Most trannys went over 600k miles and one went 952K miles. As for engines 5k for dino and 10k synthetic and engines went 300k to 750k. With 2nd motor and trans we had vans with 1.3 million miles on them. We also repacked front wheel bearing every 30k and replaced when needed. Also, plugs and wires 60k for reg plugs can ignition and 90k for platinum and direct ignition. Ford were the longest lasting vehicles we had, but I think everything went to crap after that.
Bought a 2003 explorer , changed oil, but never got around to changing the transmission fluid. Sold it at 320,000 miles and it still worked great. Lots of problems with the heater blend doors but never a problem with the 4.0 engine or transmission.
My car is a 2018 Honda CR-V with 186,000 (I am a very active Uber driver here in San Antonio). Unfortunately, I did not change the transmission fluid until it had 170,000. Fortunately, the fluid that I pulled out looked no worse than that on this video. Believe me: the changing the transmission fluid was just as easy as changing the oil.
Little Tip. If you change the transmission oil ALWAYS unscrew the screw of the filler hole first. Because if you unscrew the drain plug and the oil is once out and then, for whatever reason, you can not get the screw of the filler hole open, you have a problem 😎
These transmissions have a rubber fill plug, so you should be able to get it out as long as your hands aren't broken
@@heresalex2000 I am now not sure whether my screws are installed with a conical seal or with an integrated rubber seal. But they are in any case made of metal.
Not quite sure I understand what you're trying to say :c
@@richlb5357 I can only guess he is talking about vacuum lock. As in the fluid came out the bottom and vacuum sealed/sucked the filler plug in.
Or, he is saying don’t remove the drain plug before you know you can remove the fill plug and refill it. A transmission with no fluid is not useful.
Change the external AT filter. (Yes, it does have one, follow the lines to the heat exchanger at the base of the radiator .) The Honda shop manual indicates 3 spill and refills with a drive cycle between them, which replaces ~72% of the fluid. If you change the external filter behind the radiator for the final spill, that goes up to 80%. (Each time it's done is 7-8% more fluid replaced. ) .
I had a 2017 Civic with the 2.0L Engine & CVT! BEST car I've had, 40mpg CITY.
Contrary to popular belief it was plenty fast without a launching gear; faster than what Scotty showed us. Switch that gear shifter to Sport mode next time! 😉
Hey Scotty: I followed you when you were on Channel 11 when I lived in Houston, and for years after I left Houston on RUclips. You are an incredible mechanic, and an outstanding source of information about auto repairs. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom, and God Bless.
I changed my fluid and used the valvoline max life tranny fluid and haven't had any issues. I've used that in all my vehicles and it's way cheaper.
Spot on with your skepticism Scotty!
Not having a dipstick is built in discouragement to check fluid levels along with these lifetime synthetic fluids. They all seem to be "sealed for life" with no dipstick because apparently too many people top up with the wrong fluid etc. etc. So much for the dingalings, now what about those who arent? I just had the transmission fluid changed in my second hand Holden Cruze (Australian Chevy Cruze) after 10 years and 90k kilometers. Of course it was black. A noticeable improvement in shift quality afterwards too but my main aim is for the transmission to last the life of the car not the fluid! My Kia Sportage is 9 years old and is only scheduled for a fluid change at 140k under severe operating conditions. I will be getting it changed at its next service too which is 130k. I would hate to find out how much a rebuild would cost on one of those 6 speed jiggers let alone some of the 10 speed wonders coming out nowadays.
My daughter had 5yr old mustang with 100k miles.. started slipping. Simple tranny fluid exchange.... no problems for another 80k miles
@@mdf8884did you do it, or a shop?
Always stick with the original fluids. Went from Toyota WS in a 08 V8 Sealed 4 runner transmission at 85k over to the Amsoil WS equivalent. Technically a better fluid, but the computer lost it's mind thinking the solenoids were breaking. No damage, no shavings, did the solenoids since it was on the codes, and ended up just going back to WS and no problems since. Stick to dealer fluids unless you're putting a totally new transmission in from the start.
Been using amsoil in my 2014 sienna 2wd ,shifts better with each fluid change
Scotty said he uses the Valvoline with WS Compatibility on his Toyotas "for years" with no problems whatsoever.
Am about to use it since I have it, but can not go wrong using OEM TOYOTA WS!
I use the Valvoline multivehicle CVT fluid and it works fine. I actually mixed it with the factory fluid because I can't drain all of it out at one time. It is still shifting fine so I don't guess it hurts anything.
Never had a problem with Valvoline ATF in Honda Accord or Toyota RAV 4 and Highlanders
I emailed ZF for their recommendations on fluid change interval for my 3 series BMW (2014) and they replied every 60-100 kilometers depending on driving habits. BMW says "lifetime". I change it every 40k miles and now have 112,000 miles on the car and will be doing a 3rd change at 120k. I don't agree with Scotty on everything he says but he is 100% correct on this.
I just changed the transmission fluid in our 2020 Kia Rio after watching this video and researching since buying the car. Kia says "lifetime fluid" and it cannot be changed. False! The transmission is an IVT type and uses their CVT Fluid. I measured what came out and put the same amount back in. Had to remove the air cleaner box to reach to fill plug. Thanks Scotty!
The opposite is true about a flush -- if you happen to have stuff holding your transmission to gether (say slush) sometimes flushing it (or even just draining and refilling) can knock some of that loose. But plugging up holes in the trans is probably the more likely issue you'll run into. I remember what a mechanic once said: you either change it regularly (so every 100k miles for an automatic, or about every 60k for a CVT, or you don't change it at all and just leave it -- one or the other, but preferrably change it regularly for maximum trans life). Also if you buy an older car with other 100k miles and you don't think the trans fluid has been changed (one, don't buy the car, but if you did) don't bother changing it if it runs fine
Now I will say geared automatics are more durable than CVTs so not everyone one will break down if you don't change the fluid (CVTs I think are more prone to failure if you don't) as I do know some people who have gone 150k or 200k miles without ever changing the fluid, but it's not advised normally.
Id like to see videos of tranny fluid flushes on unknkown mileage over 200k
but plugging
Thanks for this. I have a 2008 with 120k miles with factory transmission fluid. Been debating whether the change or not. Mechanic told me not to and you said not to so I won’t haha
@@Phone-sh7jg Transmission "flushes" can reduce the service life of the transmission. Transmission fluid exchanges rarely cause damage. Transmission "flushes" typically involve adding a solvent to the transmission fluid, which breaks up deposits in the transmission. That solvent can also cause pre-mature deterioration of the clutches in the transmission since they're not designed for anything but transmission fluid. After the solvent is added to the transmission and the transmission being brought up to operating temperature, a "fluid exchange" is then performed to remove the old fluid, the solvent and some degree of deposits. For the record, I don't recomment "transmission flushes" since the solvents can cause damage.
On "lifetime" fluid transmissions you usually want to loosen the fill plug before the drain plug because in the event you strip out the fill plug you'll probably want to put off the fluid change until you can get yourself a new plug.
There is no "lifetime transmission fluid"..... People need to learn to read the manuals that come with their cars.
@@aaronthomas6155 thanks tips. That's why I used the quotation marks.
Filling before closing the bolt. That's a skill!
Lol I think he used the check bolt to fill the tranny
@@JonnyDIY what I was thinking. They don't have dipsticks anymore, but the port to fill is still there with a cap. Remove that, and the plug that he used in this video, would be the overflow valve to level everything right.
But that's on my 2015 Nissan Altima
I have a 2021 with 14K on it and the Honda dealer wanted to do a flush and replace the transmission fluid. I said no are you crazy. I am glad that I watched your video. I will change my own around 30K. I have a ways to go since we don't use the CRV much.
Love your video!!! I have hated CVTs since I drove an early model Nissan about 13yrs ago. Your enthusiast/mechanical take has me reconsidering my biased opinion! Thank you for an informative and entertaining episode!!!
Lifetime fluid, good for the lifetime of the fluid.
I like "flushing" the fluid, but not a power flush. I like using the trans to move the fluid in and out by itself through the cooling lines. Use a couple 5 gal buckets, one empty and one full of clean fluid, the pump then just uses the buckets as the cooler, expels the old fluid into the empty bucket and draws in clean. If you use clear lines to extend the cooler lines you can see when the fluid is clean. Then you finish up with a pan service and a new filter, and top off.
I could be wrong doing this, but it's always worked for me.
I do this as well.Putting brand new oil into a transmission with about 6 to 7 liters of old dirty oil in the converter which contaminates it as soon as you start the car makes no sense to me.
Yep! That's exactly what I've always done, even on vehicles with 100K. Never had an issue.
Idk what you are doing precisely? Do you empty as Scott did the old oil in a pan and then refill the trans?
Don’t forget to put it into the S “gear” when you want more aggressive acceleration, it helps a lot. Just put it back into D once you’re cruising at a steady speed again; that way your RPMs aren’t staying higher than they need to be.
Bolony. Heavy acceleration automatically kicks down your transmission into passing gear.
@@shawnmcculley2995 On modern Honda CVTs, S makes the system prefer lower gear ratios/higher RPM ranges, and everything that comes with that.
Yes, stomping the pedal while in D will also get you there, but it’s more responsive when it’s already in the right range.
@@shawnmcculley2995 Selecting “S” makes it kick down faster and helps keep it there. It’s also great for going downhill as it increases engine braking - a lot.
@@billd9667so is good for downhill and not uphill?
@@sl4983 that’s fine, but not necessary. It wastes fuel in most cases.
I change the transmission fluid on my Honda CRV CVT every 30,000. Luckily there is a fluid level check bolt. I just have to remove the bolt after changing the fluid to make sure the level is correct. Really easy to do. I save about $100 doing it myself over taking it to the dealership.
Yep that's the way to do it to be safe. I just did it on my Fit the other night for the first time (I bought it used) and drained 0.4 quarts more than I was expecting! Four quarts exactly. And of course, using the level check hole I put in about 3.6 quarts to fill it. I guess whoever did the first change at 60k miles just threw in 4 quarts without checking. It was running fine, now it runs even better Go figure!!
Exactly don't take the Shops word for using OEM or equivalent oil, If You Can't do it yourself at least buy the oil and watch the Mechanic pour-pump the oil into the transmission, If you're Not allowed in the shop or watch through a window then find a Shop who WILL. Personally I do everything except for body work on my Four Vehicles.
⚠️ Just be careful... make sure to read the factory service manual for the ATF change procedure.
On my car, it's not as simple as just filling it up and removing the fluid level check bolt. There's a warm-up involved - ATF has to get to within a certain temperature range - which requires a scanner that can read ATF temp (this code is usually make-specific, not part of the ELM327 library). Once it's up to temp, *then* I can remove the fluid level check bolt.
Chiming in only because I recently changed the AT in our 2 vehicles. First let me say that AT changes have come a long way from the days of dropping an oil pan, replacing the gasket and filter, etc. It's much more like an engine oil change, or a differential fluid change, in that there's a clear drain and fill.
The cars I recently changed were a 2020 Honda Odyssey and a 2018 Honda Pilot. I changed the Odyssey because the OBDC indicated to do so. Of course I researched online how to do it, and it's a good thing I did because there are 3 different AT's in those vehicles with 2 different AT change procedures with different fluids. AT's are so highly tuned to specific rheology, that changing the fluid could mean catastrophe. Unfortunately that also means buying fluid from the dealer - I had to buy 4 Qts @ ~ $18/ea! And, that only really changes out about half the AT. Some AT's have "flush" procedures where you're supposed to drain, fill and repeat 3 times - I get what that is trying to accomplish, but you're just using fresh, expensive ATF to dilute what can't drain by itself, and repeating that enough times to get most of the old ATF out. Seems like such a waste IMHO.
The Pilot, on the other hand, didn't call for an AT change but instead was exhibiting some odd shifting behaviour - I'd almost call it hesitation, or like it couldn't decide what gear to be in when the RPM was low. Turns out after consulting some people "in the know", this is a well known issue with that particular 6 speed (which Honda also uses for Ridgelines) when the ATF is going bad, and the solution is just to change the ATF. The procedure was similar to the Odyssey, the fluid was cheaper (more like $10/qt). After the change, it's a brand new transmission
I've also changed "lifetime" transmission fluid in other vehicles - most notably a BMW I kept to 200k before selling it to get a larger vehicle - changing the fluid in that MT (stick) made it much smoother to shift, the affect was quite noticeable.
A couple other notes - The safer method for replacement is to measure what comes out and replace with the same volume, at the same temperature. So, it's best to change the ATF while "cold". Some vehicles will have dip sticks and some don't - the Odyssey didn't but the Pilot did - which actually makes refilling the AT easier than the contortionist designers at Honda. Lastly, there is often a check level plug - just like you'd have in a plain gearbox or differential, but the fluid level needs to be checked at a specific temperature, and this plug isn't always easily accessible.
So in short, do your own ATF changes, they are easy, but be sure to know the correct procedure and use the correct fluids. Oh, and be sure to buy an extra quart of fluid - you'd hate to assume that online or dealer instructions are correct only to find that you need more oil and then have to find a way back to the dealer (that might not be open). This happened with the Pilot - online and dealer said 3.7Qt is the change volume, and wanted to sell me 4Qt only, but I insisted on a 5th Qt. About 4.3Qt came out of the vehicle. Good thing I got that extra Qt!
The jack point is in the center front under radiator. Jacking the pinch weld at an angle risks folding the edge. Those pinch welds are for lifts and jack stands, or the scissor jack that comes with the car.
Absolutely right. It’s an amateur move. Doing that will crack the weld and it will rust out.
Totally agree, there's no lifetime transmission fluid. I own a 2016 Honda Fit, and I found information about maintenance intervals when I bought it and strictly followed it. The maintenance should always be done on time. And you'll make your car last longer. It's not hard to do- just follow Scotty's instructions! :)
Preach, Scotty, preach!
Subaru of America says "lifetime". But in Japan and Canada, Subaru says 50k km, or about 36k miles. I would say that's a little conservative, but it should be changed out at least every 50k miles.
What usually happens are the fine shavings Scotty is showing clog up the screens on the valve body solenoids. In the case of the Subarus, they don't sell the solenoids, just the entire valve body assembly. This now ends up being a $2-3k job, with labor. Many dealers tell you the entire transmission is crapped out...$7k+. Then direct you to new car sales.
This is what they mean by "lifetime".
Right on!
Could you imagine being Scotty's neighboor, just watching him rant on his driveway on the daily? lol
I would bring chips and beer plus stair and hear him all day! Lol
Just another reason to get up and greet the day... but with no like button on his sidewalk I will still watch his videos...lol... keep making the videos Scotty..!!
Why do you think he has had to move so many times...
Imagine being his Neighbor, hey can you look at my car? every other day.
🤣🤣🤣
I mix valvoline max life with Toyota t IV , just cuz you read the manual doesn’t mean you know everything! You most definitely can mix fluids
Keep up the attitude man. My silly brother just blew up his lifetime transmission in his '05 Harley Davidson F-150. Should of listen to you.
Recommended service interval for the 2005 F-150 transmission is 100K miles. It was never advertised as "lifetime".....
Yes! Change it. When Subaru told me the cvt fluid was "Lifetime" I laughed.
Mazda does the same thing.
*I did however manage to get 435k miles out of it without once even checking it. 🤦♂️🙏
on a Subaru I'd say change it every 5-7 years or like 36k mi
@@Byrd819 Wow...
Is the fluid change in a Subaru as easy as the Honda?
When you are at a dealer 90% of the time it's not the techs telling you that you don't need to change the fluid. It's the service managers.
Hey Scotty it’s actually easier than how you did it there’s a fill plug on the top of the trans, a little difficult to get to in this particular model but if you move the shifter to the rear than it’s easier to get to then just pour it right into the top instead of that contraption you made. The fill hole you used in fact is a fill hole but more so a “check level” hole. Anyway for anyone reading it is easy like ol Scotty said it was.
There's a fill plug on the top?
@@sl4983 yes, if you move the shifter to the rear and look to the left side of the eng. air filter box in the eng. bay straight down it’s a rubber plug with a little metal 90 degree post. Pull it straight out and you can fill from there but don’t put more than 4 qts in.
Scotty, What priceless info! And it is no small feat to be talking and moving and pouring etc. at the same time.
It's his job, he makes money doing these videos, I m sure he s figured out by now how to do a good job.
Thanks Scotty. I'm doing CVT, radiator coolant, and oil/filter change 2moro on my 2015 CRV using your videos as a guide
I recently changed my ATF on my 07 odyssey. The fill plug on the odyssey is at the top. I find it pain in the butt that on the civic, you can't really access the fill plug from top on the '17 Civic. Glad to know though that it is still not a difficult job on Honda ATF fluid change. Just need a hose to route up. Always good to save those semi translucent windshield washer fluid jugs, it helps to determine the amt of ATF fluid to fill back up.
Scotty - I've done the drain an fill on all of my Toyotas. What about changing the filter...do I need to take the pan off, change the filter, and then put on a new gasket when putting the pan back on? 261K Tundra - 146K Avalon - 91K Sienna.
No need to mess with Toyota tranny filters if you do your drain & fills every 60K miles.
They say you are only supposed to pull the filter and oil pan if your transmission starts giving you problems.
My brother worked at toyota for 15 years. No need to change the filter /gasket unless there is already an issue. Drain/fill is sufficent. Just i
Use toyota fluid /correct level/replace fill/drain gaskets.
I always dropped my trans. oil pan and changed filter on my cars 70's 80's gm cars, old school
It's more like a screen than a filter, so unless it's damaged no need to change. 👍🏼
Have had a actron scanner for years, it would give me a start point along with your videos! Still shade tree mechanic, have to be with five granddaughters!
❤
If I could remember one-tenth of what you teach on your videos; I'd be 10 times smarter!! Bless you for All you Do & for sharing your knowledge❣️
My '17 Forester has 165000 miles. Fluid has been drained/ filled every 30,000 miles since it was new.
Shifts just fine.
I completely agree CVT fluid needs to be changed around 30k miles
Yeah I knew someone who bought a used Lancer where the dealer had just changed out all the fluids before sale, a month later the CVT kept slipping out on the highway, they wanted to bill her for the replacement until she found the history of the vehicle, the CVT fluid wasn't changed in the first 120,000km of ownership, WTF. The dealer was going to leave her dry initially... I nearly flipped. She got a brand new CVT.
35,000-45,000 is a good all around mileage to change fluid.
@@williamoneal2763 I’m obsessive so 30k for me
@@mcc7762 I use the Amsoil CVT fluid
It’s the best CVT fluid out there
Also changing it every 30K is smart
On mine I not only have a filter in the pan
But I have an inline filter as well
It’s a paper cartridge and should be changed every 60K
That’s something everyone needs to look in to
If that inline filter clogs say goodbye to your CVT regardless of all the fluid changes.
I know all Nissan CVT since 2012 have this inline filter
Also Mitsubishi CVT have an inline filter as well
What about with automatic? I have a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.
I’ve been driving a 18 outback touring and gone 265000 so far. Changed the transmission oil last month and it wasn’t looking that bad . Dealer kept checking it at oil change (warranty via dealership so I also change oil there too)
Finally they admitted it should be changed contrary to Subaru America saying (lifetime) no need… going for 500000 with lifetime dealerships warranty. So far not too much other than bearings, tuneups front wheel universals… not bad for nearly 300k
I’m glad you posted this because I have a 2015 outback with a 2.5 L boxer, and I got it with 105,000 miles on it. I wanted to change the fluid at 108k when I found out it was “lifetime“ and it hadn’t been touched, but the service folks at Subaru were hesitant because they didn’t want it to have issues. I said do it anyway I understand the risks and I’m glad I did. It shifts perfectly fine and it’s been almost 30,000 miles and I’m going to change it again. But to go 265,000 miles on the original fluid is incredible and I’m glad you didn’t have any issues!
Really nice to hear that! I ordered a 23 outback and it's good to know the CVT is reliable in it. Should be in the end of this month. This will be my first Subaru.
Dear Scotty, can you please make a video showing how to change ATF on the newer "SEALED" transmissions? At least for a couple of the Honda or Toyota types?
Go see The Car Care Nut,Amd is his name & he's got a great video! I did my 2015 Yaris...it's easy!
I just did a drain and fill on my wife’s 2019 AWD Tucson. It has 46K on it, and I was shocked how crap was on the drain plug. Also how much crap settled at the bottom of the drain pan. It took 3 1/2 quarts. I plan on doing it again at the next oil change to see how much crap comes out again. It’s easy peasy once you do it once.
I have the Prius Planetary Gear CVT but Toyotas belt CVT has that launch gear which IMO is the way to go.
I love to see Scotty inspect things up close, He looks like he is looking at a priceless diamond.
It still pisses me off that they took out the dipstick for the transmission. Seriously how much money do they save by doing it this way? Three dollars?
My 2021 Tacoma has no dipstick. WTH. Says you need a scan tool to change the fluid.
Where are our dipsticks??? 🤷🏽♂️
@AnnoyinglyCharming Actually that sounds like a poor design on Honda's part. So instead of designing it to no do this, they just removed it.
$3 each times the millions of transmissions they make every year equals a lot of money 💰
Hello there Mr Scotty I enjoy your videos, I have the same car with 70,000 miles now do you recommend changing it ? Or is it too late thank you
Frank Jaweda, I did my first transmission drain and fill at 75K miles, and have been doing it every 35K miles since then. I now have 160K miles on the car (‘16 Honda Civic) and it’s still running fine. 😊👍🏼
Your still fine don't worry, 70k is still early enough, I wouldn't touch it past 100k
@@carlovanrijk4039 Sounds perfect thank you for the reply
Some older Mercedes have an actual gearbox dipstick and even a drain plug on the torque converter, you can get pretty much all the old fluid out, and don't need to measure the old fluid.
Just drain it all and refill.
You know what happens when you change your transmission fluid. Your transmission last longer and performs better.
Um, did you just tell everyone at 6:33 to put the drain plug back in AFTER you refilled it with fresh fluid?!!! O_o
In this day and age common sense is a superpower.
And he drained the fluid with the jack stand in place. Makes me wonder how much more he could have gotten out.
I noticed that aswell it got me thinking 🤔
Scotty said "bolt and washer". It's the fill plug he's putting back in. The drain plug gets put back in after wiping off the metal sludge and the fluid finishes draining.
remove drain bolt --> drain --> wipe off metal sludge from magnet on bolt--> let finish draining --> reinstall drain bolt --> remove fill bolt --> fill --> reinstall fill bolt
It definitely gets better gas mileage on my car,, I have a 1998 Toyota Camry V6 3.0 with a 144 thousand miles I've done 3 drain and refills on my transmission and im getting about 50-60 more miles to the tank of Gas. I do highway and city driving everyday. ABSOLUTELY worth changing the transmission fluid in ur car. Like scooty says measure what comes out and put the SAME amount back in just that easy
Doesn’t a 98 Camry have a transmission dipstick though?
I had fluid change in my 2012 Tacoma no flush. One them machines that pulled it out and put my new Toyota Trans fluid.I did it about 185000 miles. Still shifts great.212,000 miles now..
Excellent advice. I've been changing ATF in all of my Honda cars over the years, both regular and CVT automatic transmissions. Although Honda will not provide the specs which allow you to use other brands of ATF, the other brands of REPUTABLE manufacturers will specify if theirs meet the Honda specs. So, you CAN use other brands of ATF in any Honda. I do and I change it at 30K mile intervals (more than Honda recommends) because I'm particular about my services and make my cars go for many 100K miles. There are several brands out there, but be sure to use the proper CVT or ATF fluid. They are NOT compatible.
I also agree about taking the easy way of using the correct amount of fluid: Measure what comes out and put the same amount back in.
One note about the Honda CVT transmissions is that there is a rubber plug in the top which has a pin-hole vent. If the rubber plug's pin holes plug up, the whole plug will blow out and allow you to lose a lot of CVT fluid. Simply clean the pin holes with a small paper clip and blow them out with silicone aerosol spray to keep it slick and clean. I do this when I change the fluid and it only takes a couple minutes: Remove the rubber plug, clean the hole, replace the rubber plug. Easy.
Go, Scotty!!!!
Ok but will a mechanic know to do this?
Looks like Scotty’s drag strip has been repaved..He wore out the road with all those test runs.
Happy Labor Day to you too Scotty!
BTW, why is it that with all your years in the business, you don't have your own hoist? Wouldn't that be easier instead of crawling around on the driveway? It’s great that you can do it at your age. Just wondering...I've a feeling it's because you're showing folks how they can do their own auto maintenance.
@WTFx Heck, even I have a 4 post and a semi-hydraulic single cylinder H pattern car hoist in my home garage. They make working on my cars so much easier.
@WTFx My 4 post lift is a Parking Solutions lift and I really only use it to store my 1932 Roadster up on. It is also great to clean the whole underside with before car shows.
I bought it in 1992.
And the single post is an OLD Gilbarco that came out of a gas station. And I have had it in my garage now for 42 years.
I love them both!
When draining transmission fluid I use an empty paint measuring bucket from Lowes it has quart markings on the side to see how much fluid came out
My 2021 Tacoma has no dipstick. WTH. Says you need a scan tool to change the fluid.
@@jaysmith179 you just use a measuring bucket when draining and you will see how many quarts are in the bucket by the marks kn the side of the bucket
Buy some measuring cups at Goodwill. I have from 6oz. to 2 gallon. I have many things to service.
Inherited a 98 Camry from my dad 5 years ago with 12,000 miles on it. When I took it over, I changed the brake fluid, engine coolant, transmission fluid, power steering, and differential fluid.
To change the transmission fluid, I disconnected the transmission line running to the radiator. There is a rubber hose piece between the metal tubing before it gets to the radiator. Disconnected the rubber hose piece and inserted a clear piece of hose several feet long on the metal tube so it could be run outside of the engine compartment and be seen while sitting in drivers seat. Inserted the clear tube in a clear one gallon milk jug, and started the engine and drew off about a half gallon of fluid. Matched up that gallon jug to a empty same milk jug and poured in new fluid to same level and refilled transmission. Did several times until fluid ran red, reconnected tube to rubber hose, and done.
Car now has 42,000 miles on it. Will probably change out again at 50k. Runs like a charm and in perfect condition as it had always been garaged and never seen snow/salt before I started driving it.
I have a 2018 non turbo Civic with a CVT and my dealership told me based on my VIN number it took 3.9 quarts. They also recommend that you clean the breather which looks like a little baseball cap on the side to the left of the fill hole on top of the transmission. My car has 114,000 mi and yes the breather was clogged which caused my rubber cork that covers the fill hole for the transmission to blow out luckily I caught it in time.
He went through Tobacco Rd so many times they had to resurface it.