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Honda recommends to change the oil when the oil life gets to 15%. I would like to know how low get the Oil Life % go and it would be still safe to change the oil? In other words, what the lowest you can take the oil life % and no harm is done to the engine etc.? Thanks for all you feedback.
Technically, the oil is due to be changed when the MM reaches 0%. You can push it beyond and maybe not be harmed but why would you want to do that? If an oil change is cheap insurance at 3k miles, it is certainly not worth it to go beyond 7500k.
I typically make an appointment for the next time I have available when I hit 15%, that way, its no less than 10% when I go in for service. Since it is usually 7000-8000 miles between changes, why push it further I figure.
As I said before, there are many opinions on the subject. I'm not familiar with the CR report but did they test the cabs beyond 5000 miles? Maybe they would have shown no wear at 7k too.
I used to be a 3k mile changer until I started to do some research. I feel comfortable at 7500 now. Like theGrad, I wait until the MM is down to 15% and then make the appt. I use a synthetic blend.
Mrbill
Didn't Toyota have some problems with sludge a while back?
I change my own oil, so I can afford to do it more often. If I had to bring it somewhere, I would probably stretch the interval a little too. My owner's manual says 3,750 miles, so I go with that.
I have waxed the car 3 times since purchased and have always taken care of it. This is my second Accord to do this (last was a 2003 Accord Sedan in Tafetta white which peeled horribly).
Does anyone else have this problem - or have had it with a previous Honda ? I am taking the car in this week to have it checked out and would like to know what reccomendations anyone may have regarding this issue and its resolution.
Thanks
i keep it blowed out since i drive around 80mph most of the time on the highway. and if you're going to tell me that my speed is the reason why i am getting such poor mileage then do tell me then why my 04 exv6 got 28.5 at 80mph. my previous 04 exv6 would run circles around this 08 exv6. it handled better and the seat didn't hurt my back as well. plus..the 04 didn't have that eco engine thing.
get this too...i've found that not all cars are built the same in the factory. some have bigger gas tanks than what was initially reported. my 08 accord with ex-l v6 has a 22 gallon gas tank. i've put in 21 gallons before all the way to the rim. yes..i do fill it to the rim each and everytime i fill up. i've been told of the hazards of overfill but i don't believe it. if it were such a problem then the factory and the gov't would have put an block within the tank to prevent such a thing. but there is not a block. it did happen back in the 20's and 30's. my friends and family and myself have been filling to the rim since we were old enough to drive back in the mid 60's and we've never encountered or heard of any problems with filling to the rim. so...end of discussion about my gas tank filling.
i've taken my car to a dealership and had them certify my tank's capacity. it was certified at 22gallons.
to me, the performance and gas mileage is due to that 6-4-3 eco within the engine. cadillac tried it back in the mid 80's for 2 years and it worked so well for them that they only did it for 2 years and they had nothing but problems with it. sure...it looks good on paper but it doesn't work as well as what paper shows. how do i know this about cadillac? my parents owned one of them and traded it 8 months after they got it.
First of all, your 04 Accord was lighter and the engine smaller than your 08. Just think how much better the mileage would have been in your old car if you drove slower than 80. I'm assuming that all other factors are the same as what you drove before. Same road and same surfaces, same temp, same locations, same tires, etc. The fact is that speed really kills mileage. I'll bet you'd see a marked improvement if you chose to drive slower.
The fact that you are still calling it "that eco engine thing" shows that you probably still are not familiar with VCM. Hopefully, you visited the Accord VCM forum here. I see that you haven't posted anything there but you might find someone who will commiserate with you.
Chances are that you may not be hurting your car by overfilling your gas tank. However, there are issues with it, whether you choose to believe them or not.
You may also find friends here: 2008 Accord Seats.
Good luck!
...performance... so this says you're not driving for economy, but performance? VCM (eco thing) works best with a steady foot on the throttle with steady speeds, not moving it up/down like most people tend to do.
i keep it blowed out since i drive around 80mph
Sorry, seriously doubt it... even my 06 EXL V6 wouldn't do this kind of mileage as this speed.
get this too...i've found that not all cars are built the same in the factory. some have bigger gas tanks than what was initially reported. my 08 accord with ex-l v6 has a 22 gallon gas tank. i've put in 21 gallons before all the way to the rim. yes..i do fill it to the rim each and everytime i fill up. i've been told of the hazards of overfill but i don't believe it.
Wow, you actually think the factory installs different sized gas tanks on the same model? Maybe you should check the station you're using to fill up - they could be overcharging you if their pumps are not calibrated correctly? Overfilling can damage your evaporated emissions system. I've never been able to overfill my tank to that extent. I top off mine by pumping until the hand pump clicks off 2x, resulting in less than 1 add'l gallon added.
i've taken my car to a dealership and had them certify my tank's capacity. it was certified at 22gallons.
How?
to me, the performance and gas mileage is due to that 6-4-3 eco within the engine. cadillac tried it back in the mid 80's for 2 years
The "eco" does work - it's seems to me you're trying to defeat it. You do realize it's 2009 now - not the 1980's? Technology and computing hardware/software now is light years ahead of 25-30 years ago. BTW, GM has a newer version of cyl deactivation on their 5.3 ltr V8 and it works well, as proven on my 07 Chev Avalanche, again with a steady foot on the gas pedal.
you fill your tank as high as you desire and i will do the same. some claim that overfill damages the evaporator emissions. i say it doesn't. i say it is just a bunch of horse hockey. i've been doing it too long and so have my friends and family and if the assumption were true about the damage then it should have happened to at least 1 of my circle of 50 or friends/relatives throughout their 40+ years of driving.
And to answer your dumb question about how to certify a gas tank...the dealership removed the gas tank...emptied it completely then filled it with a liquid and measured the amount of liquid that it held. they did it 3 times to ensure a fair and more accurate measurement. i didn't believe my tank was bigger and they sure as heck didn't too...but it was.
and last but not least...the eco thing does NOT work. it does NOT provide better fuel mileage and it most certainly DOES rob the engine of performance.
Topping off the gas tank can result in your paying for gasoline that is fed back into the station's tanks because your gas tank is full. The gas nozzle automatically clicks off when your gas tank is full. In areas of ozone nonattainment, gas station pumps are equipped with vapor recovery systems that feed back gas vapors into their tanks to prevent vapors from escaping into the air and contributing to air pollution. Any additional gas you try to pump into your tank may be drawn into the vapor line and fed back into the station’s storage tanks.
Gasoline vapors are harmful to breathe. Gasoline vapors contribute to bad ozone days and are a source of toxic air pollutants such as benzene. Evaporation from the spillage of gas from overfilling can occur, contributing to the air pollution problem. Remember you pay for the gas that evaporates or is spilled on the ground.
You need extra room in your gas tank to allow the gasoline to expand. If you top off your tank, the extra gas may evaporate into your vehicle’s vapor collection system. That system may become fouled and will not work properly causing your vehicle to run poorly and have high gas emissions.
Topping off your gas tank may foul the station's vapor recovery system. Adding more gas after the nozzle has automatically shut off can cause the station's vapor recovery system to operate improperly. This contributes to the air pollution problem and may cause the gas pump to fail to work for the next person.
I guess the other posters/readers can decide for themselves... you, or the EPA. Frankly, I don't want to risk it since adding extra fuel, even if it ended up not hurting anything, will still likely cost me more money in the long run, since I'm hauling around more weight, and losing money on the gas that goes back into the pump. Overfilling accomplishes nothing.
and last but not least...the eco thing does NOT work. it does NOT provide better fuel mileage and it most certainly DOES rob the engine of performance.
How do you know? Have you driven a car like yours without it? Nope, because no automatic V6 Accord exists without it. I'd say it most certainly does help.
I want to know if i can use 5w-30 synthetic oil for my next oil change..
Thanks,
Mahe
1. I'm a CPA, so I know how to calculate gas mileage, so please no questions about my ability to calculate. What I can tell you is that my average gas mileage has been about 18-19 mpg around town with mixed driving of 70% in the burbs and 30% highway. On a recent highway trip, my mpg on almost all highway at 65-70 mph was only 23mpg. The best tank I've EVER had on the highway was 28mpg. These numbers are depressingly low for a car that now has 13,000 miles on it.
2. Car feels like it has virtually no suspension whatsoever. It's like they forgot to install shocks and struts on the car. You can feel every single bump and crack in the road. It's like the car bottoms out on bumps. I think I felt the car vibrate when I ran over an ant the other day!! It's that bad!!
3. Related to the ride of the car, when the car is warming up in the morning, the tires seem like they may be out of balance or the tread on the tires may be bad. It's like the car is driving over a bunch of miniature speed bumps in the road. The feedback from the tires seems to get better as the car warms up, but still, overall, the tires feel like crap.
4. I've had the radio issue with XM going in/out and not responding unless I turn off the car and restart it.
Any assistance with issues others have had with tires/suspension/mileage issues would be appreciated.
1. Mileage will vary from trip to trip, and especially from season to season. MPG will always be worse in the winter time than in summer. What is your avg MPG over 13K miles? Assuming your 70/30 city/hwy mix of driving, you should be averaging 20-23mpg over 13K unless you live in very cold or very hot weather where you may be running heat or AC a lot. Things like terrain, your driving style, and tire pressure will also come into play. Do you run your tire pressure in the 33-35psi range? The higher your psi, the better your mileage, although the car will run a little more firm. If you run your tires a bit lower (say, 28-30psi to soften your ride), then MPG will consequently suffer. Make sure you are regularly checking your tire pressure. Finally, pay attention to how fast your engine is turning (rpms) when you are driving a constant 60-65mph. Steady speed vs. varying speed will also yield differences in MPG.
2. Hondas have firmer rides and more road noise than Toyotas, Nissans, and most any domestic model. This is universal to most Hondas. If you owned previous Accords, you will know what I am talking about. If this is your first one, then I understand how it may feel different. But "forgot to install shocks and struts" is a little strong, so have the dealer check them out and drive your car. They can tell you if yours is within specs. How is the tire wear on the car? Have you rotated the tires during the first 13k miles? The way your tires (mostly front) are wearing is a good indicator of whether your car is handling and riding properly.
3. If you live in a place with cold climate, then it's possible for your tires to develop some "flat spotting" when parked for prolonged periods of time. But this is usually a phenomenon seen in performance tires rather than regular touring-type tires, and also when the car is parked for several days in a row. The Michelin Pilots on your Accord are sometimes known to do that. Have the dealer check them out. Again, tire wear and tire pressure are indicators of whether your tires are performing to specs. You should not be experiencing regular flat spotting on your tires, especially if you are diligent about maintaining proper tire pressure. I will only experience it when the car has sat for a week or more, for example, usually in cold weather. As you described, as the tires warm up, the "flattening" sensation dissipates. The key is to check your tire pressure every 2-3 weeks, if not more regularly especially in the winter time.
4. I have XM radio on all four of my Hondas, but have only experienced the radio cutting out maybe 5 times at most on all 4 of my cars over the past 4 years. My oldest Honda is a 2005 and my newest ones are 2008 models. It's not a consistent problem but I have experienced it on occasion. For me, it comes back when the car restarts and the XM reboots. I'm not an expert on XM, but I speculate that the problem is due to 2 possibilities....transmission issues from XM at the source, or satellite reception issues if the sky is overcast. If you lose the satellite signal, the car sometimes has trouble locking it back in if the sky is not clear. But I'm just guessing, and it hasn't been a regular problem for me.
Good luck!
My mileage figures are based on 13K worth of mileage. 19-20 mpg avg. probably. As for the tires and ride and feel, I'll be sure to have the dealer check everything to see if they find anything. Doesn't sound like there are any specific problems others have identified that would relate to my issues. I did read one person that needed new struts. Maybe there's something with that. Hopefully the dealer will find some problems and be able to correct them.
By the way, I also have a 1998 Accord LX and it rides significantly better than my 2008. Also, when we start both cars side by side, the engine on the 2008 is actually noisier than our 1998 at idle. Go figure.................
Shocks wear out, and get softer over time. My 1996 LX rides better than my 2006, but the old one rolls a LOT more in on the curvy interstate off-ramp on my commute home. The new one is definitely the tighter handler. I guess I shouldn't complain considering I have the original shocks, and even original rear brakes, on my '96 LX. It'll roll over to 190,000 miles sometime in the next ten days or so. :shades:
Has anyone been able to install an Outside Temperature Gauge on a 2008 or 2009 Accord LX or LX-P? The Outside Temperature Gauge is pretty handy, does anyone know if it can be done, where is the best place to buy it, where do I get the installation instructions?
If anyone can help, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
Brake Master Cylinder (my grandmother, who owned the car for the first 120k miles, never had the fluid changed; close to 160k miles)
Radiator (developed a crack and tiny leak, close to 150k miles)
Main Cooling Fan Motor (close to 140k miles)
Speedo/Odo Instrument cluster (They quit working at 112k miles or so, my car actually shows 77,000 miles and change thanks to the new instruments)
Front Axle Seal (close to 180k miles
It's amounted to about $300 a year in repairs in the 6 years and 70,000 miles I've had it. Not bad, I'd say.
I've never been left stranded by it, except after the dealer replaced the radiator and didn't clamp a hose properly. All coolant drained out and I overheated, on the side of I-59 in Birmingham, AL, in July. That was a BAD day. The dealer of course fixed the problem, paid for my tow, and was most grateful that I noticed the temp gauge climbing. They would have owed me a new/rebuilt engine if I'd kept driving.
I don't believe they make one for the current generation of Accord. One is available as an accessory for previous versions but apparently not 08-09.
I don't expect these issues when I'm paying top dollar for a car. Looks like Honda is not paying its robots very well....
I'm ok with this slight drop in mpg if I am getting more safety features. Its not as if I could buy a yacht with the few cents I could've saved...my 2 cents
2005 - 2.4L 160HP engine, 205/60/R16 tires, 3120 curb weight, 23/31 est MPG
2008 - 2.4L 177HP engine, 215/60/R16 tires, 3300 curb weight, 21/31 est MPG
The extra 200-400 curb weight (due to larger interior/exterior dimensions and comprehensive safety systems), combined with larger and more powerful engine, plus larger tires, will reduce MPG. The 2008 Accord is officially categorized as a "large" car and not a "midsize" car.
Plus, the 2008 EX 4 cyl is rated at 190 HP with the same estimated MPG of 21/31, so that is 40 hp more than the 1998, with comparable mileage estimates.
Your mileage may vary based on many, many personal factors.