Mike_E

Hey guys,

About 3 weeks ago I got my Acura TSX 2004 with 78k kilos on it. I love it! But the problem is, I think, the transmission color fluid. I've checked it and the color is brown. Is that normal? Does Honda have different liquid colors? I thought it was suppose to be red. But the manual says I should only change it every 100k. Should I not risk it and change it now or is it normal?

Jim Holloman

Where did you get your car? If from a dealer, then they most likely checked it.

Different transmission fluids can be different colors. I don't know what the color is for new Honda fluid in a bottle. But, the fluid in my '08 with 500 miles is mostly clear -- with a slight brown tint. I would expect it to get darker with use.

I can't imagine why changing the transmission fluid early would have any harmful effect, but check with an Acura service manager. Perhaps there are additives in the fluid that dissipate with age -- and subjecting the clutches to too much of the additives might be harmful. The clutches are generally made of a composite material similar to brake linings.

I will check my '04 service manual tomorrow and see if provides any more information.

EvolveTSX

honda/acura recommends change it every 48k or 3 years, whichever comes first, the fluid should be(brand new) a pale honey color and when it's dirty almost like the color of jack daniels!!! but if you find shifting is getting hard or kinda "crunchy" change the fluid and bleed your clutch master and slave cylinders

Mike_E

Alright first, yes, it's a certified pre-owned TSX.

It's like my oil color sort of. And I have the 5 Speed Automatic Transmission.
I still have the 1 month or 1700km full warranty on the car. Should I take an appointment and make them check it out. Or did they already did? I would rather change the oil myself but would that void my extended warranty? Yes, I did take the 6 year warranty.

EvolveTSX

oh the mileage interval applies to both 6mt or 5at, if the auto transmission fluid looks kinda orange/brown and smells kind of off, then it's time to change. If you follow your regular maintenance schedule the dealer should check out the fluids condition. Every time a car comes in at my dealer that's usually the first thing i check along with the service history of the vehicle to determine it's maintenance needs. Unless there is a problem with the transmission then you would still have to pay for the fluid change. Doing it yourself is quite easy actually!

Mike_E

Alright, I'll take a look at it a tomorrow, it's already 11:21pm here.... I don't want to wake up my kids. But would changing the transmission fluid yourself cause you any problems with the extended power train warranty that I took?

EvolveTSX

it shouldn't pose a problem so long as you use honda atf, and make sure you keep the receipt to prove you purchased the fluid, record mileage, and if possible take pics to document the fluid change incase your dealer is being a jerk...and if they bitch about acura/honda trained techs doing the work, tell them its not hard to turn one bolt with a ratchet and pull out a dipstick!!!

chhimp

It's suppose to be red. I regularly change my automatic transmission fluid every 10k miles with the acura brand fluid. It shift smoothly and I feel the difference from used fluid every time. Always use acura or honda automatic transmission fluid if you have an automatic. Using any other fluid damages the tranny. Three quart for a tsx. The most difficult is the removal of the under body cover. All you need is three quarts of trannsmission fluid, socket ratchet without any socket, new crushed washer,and a breaker bar. Find a diy first if you don't know what you are doing.

chhimp

Before changing it, make an appointment. Because you recently bought the vehicle certified, it may be covered under warranty. I know for sure if you bought the extended warranty form them, diagnostic is free. There might be other problems if it is that color already.

Mike_E

Alright.. that's what I was thinking. It's suppose to be red. But mine is brown. I was thinking it was ok because the other users said it what suppose to be a honey color.... So should I replace it now or wait for the 96000KM mark?

chhimp

This is the tranny dipstick and not the engine dipstick, right? The tranny dip stick has a loop and is round (yellow semi-circle rubber). If it is, I recommend changing it. The more you change it the better. Some people say it is a waste to change it as often as I do, but I feel the difference in shifting every time. So I say it is worth it. The cost of fluid is inexpensive compared to a new tranny if it fails. Just make sure you research on the diy before you start, since this is your first change.

Mike_E

Yes, it's not the orange oil dipstick. It's the round transmission one. It is that color. I've also changed the fluid in my other cars, 2006 BMW 330XI (had to buy the coder eraser) and in my 96 Chrysler Voyager.

chhimp

ATF service manual
This will help you out.
If you're doing an overhaul, you'll have do this twice with the second change after several minutes of driving.

SodaLuvr

It is normal for transmission fluid to turn brown very quickly with fluids that contain high levels of dispersant. More contaminants are kept in suspension, so the fluid will discolor more quickly. It means the fluid is doing its job. If the transmission contains carbon fiber friction materials, this can discolor the fluid even more quickly. I was given this info by a friend who is a transmission fluid formulator at a major automaker.

Color is no longer a reliable indicator of the transmission fluid or the transmission's health. It's best to follow the OEM service interval.