Sticking to your vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule can go a long way when it comes to keeping your ride on the road, avoiding dangerous situations, and maximizing resale value. The maintenance schedule is a step-by-step guide that’s been crafted for your specific make and model by the same engineers who designed your vehicle, and while every task on the list is important, some take precedence. Take the continuously variable transmission (CVT), for example. Responsible for directing engine power to the wheels where it’s needed, few components play quite as important of a role in terms of performance.
Common to many Honda models, from the Civic and CR-V to the Accord, HR-V, and Insight, the CVT is a more efficient, smoother alternative to the traditional automatic transmission found in many vehicles. That said, it can also mean an expensive trip to your local transmission shop when things go wrong. So what are the benefits of regular transmission maintenance, how often should it be performed, and what sort of driving and environmental conditions might require a driver to adopt an accelerated maintenance schedule? Read on as we answer all those questions and more in our guide to your Honda CVT maintenance schedule.
The Benefits of Fresh Transmission Fluid
Transmission maintenance might sound complicated, but it typically comes down to a single task: flushing and replacing your transmission fluid. While most drivers are familiar with the advantages of regular oil changes, the importance of swapping out your transmission fluid tends to be less widely understood. A CVT is actually much simpler than an engine or traditional automatic transmission, both of which rely on hundreds of different parts working in complete harmony to get the job done.
A CVT, on the other hand, consists of just three main components—a belt, a driving pulley, a torque-sensing pulley—along with a handful of microprocessors and sensors. This simplicity doesn’t mean that drivers can skimp out when changing their transmission fluid. Regardless of what approach is used, transmission fluid plays a vital role in cooling the transmission system, preventing oxidation and rust, conditioning the gasket, and maintaining the correct pressure.
When performing a CVT fluid change, it’s very important to make sure you’re not just throwing any old automatic transmission fluid into the vehicle. Honda vehicles equipped with a CVT require a special blend known as HCF-2. Failure to use the correct CVT fluid can lead to all sorts of problems, potentially damaging the transmission and even voiding the new vehicle’s limited warranty that might have come with your Honda.
How Often?
Now, we come to the key question: How often should you change the transmission fluid in your Honda vehicle? In truth, it all depends. While a normal automatic transmission can go between 50,000 and 100,000 miles between transmission fluid changes, a CVT is a different beast altogether. The CVT might have its advantages in terms of efficiency and performance, but they do require a little more upkeep with experts recommending a transmission fluid change every 25,000 miles. It might seem a bit overcautious, but when you consider the fact that the transmission is typically the second-most expensive component in any vehicle aside from the engine itself, it’s not really advisable to start cutting corners.
Honda has built a handy Maintenance Minder feature into most of its more contemporary models. This system can display a number of codes that can help a driver keep on top of routine maintenance tasks like replacing the engine oil and filters, swapping out hoses and lines, rotating tires, replacing air filters, and more. When a code 3 appears, that means it’s time to replace your Honda’s CVT fluid, but it can’t always be trusted. The transmission fluid code is generally set to pop up after the vehicle has traveled its first 60,000 miles, and then every 40,000 miles from that point on, but Honda actually recommends that drivers stick to a slightly more accelerated schedule.
This is especially true if you’re regularly facing what are known as severe driving conditions, which we’ll explore in a little more depth below. If, for example, you are often driving in an area with dusty conditions, drastic changes in elevation or dense urban environments filled with pollution and a lot of stop-and-go driving, Honda recommends swapping out your CVT fluid every 15,000 to 20,000 miles.
What Are Severe Conditions?
So, what qualifies as “severe conditions”? While they might be marvels of modern engineering, today’s cars, trucks, and SUVs are designed to operate in a specific set of circumstances. When developing maintenance schedules, automakers assume that drivers will average between 12,000 and 15,000 miles per year, engage in an equal mix of city and highway driving, and not regularly face extreme changes in elevation. Ambient temperature can be another important factor, as can the length of each drive.
Let’s review some severe conditions in greater detail and help you determine whether you should consider adhering to a stricter maintenance schedule for your Honda’s CVT. One important thing to note before we dive in: drivers should consider following a severe maintenance schedule if their vehicle is primarily operated under any of the conditions listed below. If you’re only occasionally tackling steep grades, dusty conditions, and the like, you probably don’t qualify for a severe maintenance schedule. When in doubt, your local Honda dealer is always a good resource. Their experienced service team can answer any question related to your vehicle’s maintenance schedule and probably have some pretty good insider knowledge as far as the conditions in your specific area are concerned.
Length of Trip
If you want to avoid exposing your vehicle to severe conditions it’s important to be mindful about the length of your trips. Driving less than five miles per trip, or less than 10 miles when the temperature is less than 32 degrees, can really do a number on your vehicle. This is due to the fact that a vehicle works best when it’s operating at a specific temperature. As a vehicle starts to warm up, the engine oil and transmission fluids become less vicious and have an easier time flowing to where they’re needed most. This ensures everything is properly lubricated and can go a long way towards reducing wear and tear on crucial and expensive components. The easiest way to avoid these sorts of shorter journeys is to start batching. If your to-do list for the day involves making a trip to a nearby grocery store and picking the kids up from school, make one longer trip instead of two shorter ones.
Temperature
It’s not just freezing temperatures that can put a vehicle’s transmission under some undue stress; the same is true of high temperatures. Operating a vehicle in extremely hot conditions, generally 90 degrees and above, can also have a detrimental effect on your vehicle’s overall health. The higher the mercury rises, the quicker your transmission fluid starts to break down. This can impact the fluid’s cooling and lubricating properties, leading to possible overheating, shifting difficulties or even internal damage if left unchecked. It’s often hard to avoid driving when it’s hot out, but being mindful of the temperature can certainly help when it comes to your vehicle’s longevity.
Driving Styles
Idling, excessive speed and stop-and-go driving can all negatively impact your vehicle’s health. When a vehicle is moving down the road at a steady pace for an extended period of time, the oil and coolant pressure is able to reach their ideal levels. When you spend a lot of time idling or are stuck in frustrating rush hour traffic, that isn’t the case. Low oil and coolant pressure doesn’t just mean a lack of lubrication and cooling; it can also cause sludge to build up within the engine. It’s also good to be wary of operating at high speeds as it can cause the coolant, oil, and transmission fluid to break down as the vehicle works overtime. Stop-and-go traffic and idling might be tough to avoid if your vehicle is used for deliveries or you’re regularly facing a bumper-to-bumper morning commute, but sticking to a severe maintenance schedule can help you avoid the worst outcomes.
Roof Racks
A roof rack can be a great way to improve your vehicle’s cargo capacity, but it also has its downsides. Today’s vehicles are generally designed to be as aerodynamic as possible, and attaching an aftermarket roof rack can easily throw the calculations all out of whack when it comes to the amount of drag a vehicle creates. According to some estimates a roof rack can reduce fuel economy by as much as five to seven percent as the engine works a little harder to slice through the air. The extra cargo loaded into a roof rack can also throw off a vehicle’s center of gravity, and the excess weight can put the engine and transmission under some additional strain. If you’re headed out on an extended road trip or camping adventure, a good roof rack can be an invaluable accessory, but keeping it attached all year round can be detrimental to your vehicle’s longevity.
Elevation Changes
If you live in a particularly mountainous area or regularly find yourself navigating drastic changes in elevation, it can really take its toll on your vehicle. The constant shifting required to tackle steep grades means your transmission is working overtime, wearing on the bearings and gear teeth and generating excess heat that can break down transmission fluid and make it lose some of its most beneficial properties.
Dusty Conditions
In order to work its best, your vehicle needs to be able to breathe. This can be difficult when you’re regularly driving through dustier environments, which can clog the air filter and make it hard for the engine to get all the fresh oxygen it needs for the internal combustion process. This is why drivers living in areas that frequently experience dusty conditions should consider a severe maintenance schedule. While it might not affect the transmission directly, there are plenty of engine-related problems that can have a knock-on effect on the transmission.
Regular Maintenance is Crucial to Keeping Your Transmission Running Smoothly
Skipping out on regular vehicle maintenance might seem like an easy way to save a couple of bucks, but it can definitely end up costing you in the long run. In addition to ensuring the safe, reliable operation of your vehicle, keeping up with your recommended maintenance schedule can also pay dividends when it comes time to sell. Being able to provide a prospective buyer with a complete record of all vehicle maintenance will both instill confidence and allow you to set a higher sale price while maximizing your return on investment.
The CVT used on many Honda vehicles might offer a lot of advantages when it comes to efficiency, ride comfort, and overall vehicle weight, but they do call for a little more TLC than your average manual transmission. Regular transmission fluid changes are key, but remember, the Maintenance Minder is not always the best gauge of when CVT-related upkeep should be performed. Keep a log of all the maintenance that’s performed on the vehicle, save your receipts, and don’t let your next transmission fluid replacement pass you by.