I have a 2007 Accord with the v6 and auto trans. It only has 46,000 miles on it so by Honda's maintenance schedule I'm not near any big items mileage wise. My question is should I be looking at years instead? Is the timing belt something I should consider having done even though the mileage is so low. And I'm curious how I should approach the transmission. I've never owned an auto tranny car and have heard having the entire transmission flushed can sometimes do more harm than good. I'd appreciate any input, thank you in advance.

 

I would not worry about the timing belt, and focus on the AT. I would do a drain & fill on the ATF. I do it every 20K-25K miles. If it has not been done (not on Honda's schedule), then I would do a 3X change. The drain bolt is on the bottom. PITA to bust open (for the first time) because they torque it like 100lbs. (just kidding). And pure fresh ATF down the dipsitck tube.

Yes, flush can do more harm than good from other owner's experience. Change the ATF will make the AT butter smooth. It's something you can feel, especially if it's your first time.

 

I would do one drain and fill, then depending on what the fluid looks like, and how much metal is on the drain plug magnet, do more drain and fills accordingly. In other words, change it as often as you have to, to keep the fluid clean. If you wait for the scheduled time to drain and fill, you are asking for trouble IMO. As far as the timing belt goes, you can probably wait a couple years. But, I would pay attention to any rattling noises coming from under the timing covers.

 

I appreciate the responses. I started thinking about it because I occasionally notice the shift into 2nd gear isn't the smoothest. It's not quite a "bang" but definitely a little rougher than I'd like to feel. How many quarts can I expect to come from that drain plug? About 3-4 quarts?

 

3 quarts will get you between the marks on the dipstick, but it will take about 1/4 of another quart to get all the way up to the second mark. I'd get 4 quarts.

 

Like BLKFSH said, depends on how the ATF looks now. Does it still look pink? It's it's black, then you may want to get more ATF and consider a 3X change.

Save more $$$ when you buy by the case.

Since I have two Hondas, I do go through them.

Incase you are wondering why 3X? Using simple math. The AT holds 9 qt. Each change is 3 qt so that's 33%. So that's why 3X = ~ 100%. It doesn't really because when you deal with fluids, there is always some old mix with the new so it's really not 100%.

Some guys will consider that a waste of "good" ATF, but spending $60 once in a while is better than $5,000 on a new AT. There is still a lot of life left in your car, so take good care of it.

Note: I'm not saying you need a new AT anytime soon. You get what I'm saying.

 

GLD is the man Wood read again

 

I'm at the dealer now getting some basic maintenance done on it. Oil change, tire rotation, and power steering hose recall work done. They told me the tranny was serviced 10,000 miles ago by them and they never do an entire flush. My wife and I have put close to 7,000 miles on it in close to 8 months and I've been very meticulous with it. Thanks again for the input.

 

I would agree that you have more time with the timing belt, it should be good for 8 years or 100K (12K/yr avg). I would normally change the ATF fluid every 30K or so unless you drive in a heavy/stop and go traffic. A good reliable indicator is the color of the fluid that I'd check every month. If it is bright red, you just need to add fluid to the mark on the dip stick. If it is dark purple, time to drain and fill.