I HAVE BEEN READING AROUND THAT GETTING THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND FILED WITH NEW FLUID WOULD BE WISE. I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE CAUSE I DELIVER PIZZA FOR A LIVING WITH MY CIVIC AND IT IS A AUTOMATIC TRANNY WITH 42,000 MILES ON IT. WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET IT DONE AND HOW MUCH DOES THE DEALER CHARGE FOR THE FLUSH AND FILL.

Manual reads:

MT & AT @ 120,000 miles or 192,000km
SVT @ 60,000 miles & 100,000km

Numbers look extremely exaggerated.
AT i would recommend every 30k, but some say it's TOO soon. So every 60,000 miles!

Yeah, those large mileage numbers are for "normal" conditions. I would recommend using the "severe" schedule regardless of how you drive and where you live..... and like ak said, the severe sched recommends every 60,000 miles or every 3 years, whichever comes first.

My dealer charges around $40 for an MTF change. But I'm pretty sure the ATF change is more expensive.

According to our manuals, for ATF changes you gotta fill and drain the ATF 4 times (!!), and also drive a short distance after each fill (p. 221 in 2001 coupe manual).


edit: I just ordered the official Service and Repair Manual for 2001-2003 Civics from Helms (which most dealers also use). Gonna verify this 4 refill/drain requirement for automatic trannies once I get the book.

i have a 5spd and i have had it changed twice, once at 15k and again at 30k. honda didnt want to do it, but after they did i could really feel the differance, shifts alot smoother.

Hi Ronin,
I have an 03 Civic EX /w Auto , and I read the same thing .
Then I read it again and I think what it is saying is that if you use any "trany-fluid" other than Honda then you have to do that "fill and drive & drain 4 times".
But if your just changing the fluid you might not have to go through all that.
When you get your Shop Manual , please let us know , the way it is written is very vague.
Thanks,
jedi

Hey, I just received my Civic service manual from Helms yesterday. And it doesn't say anything about refilling the ATF 4 times. It's the same for both MTF and ATF ... just drain and refill once.

I think what they say in our owners's manuals is a bit excessive... so don't follow that.

I was over at
http://www.v6performance.net/forums/...p?s=&forumid=7

and somewhere there i read the reason why you need to drain and fill 4 times is because we don't have the equipment that flush the entire system. Something like that......I guess you'll have a cleaner fluid after you do that.... logical...?

i heard you have to drain, refill, drive around a bit, and do it like 2-3 times. but my friend just drained and refilled once, and he could feel the difference. im changing mine today

i would change it every 30 if you drive your car hard