I got a brand new Honda Accord this weekend. I just gotten around to reading the manual and according to it, I need to pay extra attention to how I drive the first 600 miles (1000km). The sales person went over a lot of things with me but he did not mention this.
Avoid full throttle starts (explain to me what this means) and rapid acceleration.
I did that. Got on the highway from the dealership and was going 65 -70 mph, live in a mountainous region which requires both speed and acceleration to climb those darn hills....
Full throttle starts means don't floor it (readline the tach). The engine needs to break in before you do hard acceleration. Moderate acceleration is not a problem.
As far as the brakes, they don't want you to do unnecessary "panic stop" type of braking, unless it's for accident avoidance. The rotors can warp if abused.
I doubt that unless you did anything to an extreme, you didn't cause any damage.
Actually, there is a huge difference between "full throttle" and "tach redline". You should avoid both in a brand new car, but you could do full throttle but lift before redline - and be wrong. Or your could slowly wind the motor up to redline - and be wrong.
The brakes need to be "bedded in" to work and wear properly, hard stops tend to prevent this.
You are right, what most folks think of has "hard braking" is a lot less severe than what Honda is thinking of with the warning.
What do you mean don't floor it/readline the tach? :confuse:
What is consider hard acceleration? Moderate acceleration? So Honda suggests that we take the back roads the first 600 miles? I am not an agressive driver at all but when I am on the highway, I cannot drive like grandma but had I known this before, I would not have gone on the highway - my fault for not reading the manual before driving...
I suppose I cannot worry too much about this as you never know what the ppl did to the car before you buy it anyway. When we went on a test drive on the Mazda 6, we took it on the highway and the car only had 10 miles on it. Can't worry about every little thing I supposed....
It is just "better" if you don't give it full throttle, rev the motor up to max RPMS (redline), and make hard stops (unless you can help it). It is not in the manual, but it is not a great idea to cruise in your new car right off either - you know hit the highway and lock the cruise on 70mph and just leave it.
It IS a Honda, and I would doubt you did any long term damage to the car. I really can't see you driving your new car and flooring it all the time, did you ?
When I go test drive a car I am thinking about, I try to find a used one or a demo. I WANT to wind it up and floor it and would prefer not doing that in what may be the new car of someone else. Once I know the car is for me, then you can test drive the actual car you are buying, but in a more gentle manner.
My 04 Accord owners manual specifies that the rear tires criss cross when moved to the front. In other words LR to RF - RR to LF. The front tires move to the rear on their respective sides. Check to see if yours is the same.
Thank you all for the replies to my original post. First, let me answer some other questions/comments posted in response:
1 - Yes, I know that traveling 75-80 results in poorer gas mileage. I know it's a matter of increased drag, as well as increased RPM's. That said, it still does not explain why my mileage is 24mpg highway.
2. Thank you for pointing out the EPA numbers are not entired accurate, as I previously stated in my first post, I do know that. But getting mileage 10mpg off of the EPA numbers is quite a big drop.
3. In response to my crappy-mileage companion, the dude with 1100 miles on his car, I feel your pain. And please know that dwynne is pretty much correct, there is no gain in keeping your windows open and AC off. However, I do believe that most studies have shown that each drops mileage by about the same amount. I've read about it at cartalk.com and watched shows on the discovery channel (great tv channel).
It seems to me that with everyone getting 28-30mpg, my car does indeed have some sort of problem. This is encouraging, as it gives me a good reasont to have the honda technicians take another look at it. Thanks all for you help.
I went back and looked at your original post - since we got a lot of other folks chiming in as well.
Some questions:
1) Do you know how to properly calculate MPG? Not to insult you or anything, but one of the other posters did not and this meant they THOUGHT they were getting worse mileage than they are. Actual gallons in fill up / miles travelled since last fill up
2) Did you check your tire pressures? Too little air is dangerous and eats fuel.
3) Rotor warp at 6k is not normal. The most common cause would be having your tires "rotated" and the mechanic over-tightens your lugs with an air wrench in a non-uniform manner. Have your wheels been off your car since new for any reason? I have my own torque wrench and if I ever have to have someone else remove the wheels, and loosen and re-torque to the proper specs at home afterwards. Driving with your foot on the brake could also cause a warped rotor AND explain your poor mileage. Even "resting" your foot on the brake might be enough. You don't do this, do you? A mis-adjusted parking brake could cause poor mileage if it is dragging.
4) I do remember someone suggesting you try commuting for a few days (or a tank?) at 55-60mph and see how much that helps. Do you ever take a real trip? Even highway "commuting" involves getting on and off the highway and that part of the commute can drag down the mileage. If you fill up at an on-ramp station, get on and cruise, then get off and fill up, what kind of mileage do you calculate?
We sort of got off your post - since others had good highway but poor city, etc. In your case you report 24mpg all highway doing 75-80.
I have owned many Hondas and Acuras over the years, currently a 2004 Odyssey and a 2002 I4 Accord SE 4-dr w/78k mi. A few weekes ago, transmission on the Accord started to hesitate before shifting. Took it in to a local shop for a flush but was told they will not do one for the fear of making things worse. Went to a dealership where they recommended Transmission flush, Power steering flush, Cooling system flush, and a new battery. I told them I heard about the problems with 2000-1 transmission, but was assured that problem was resolved. Next day, on the way to work, check engine light came on, so I took Accord in to Honda World in Downey. When informed of recommendation by other Honda dealership to flush the transmission, they were not very impressed but agreed to do it. Got a call back a few hours later, was told transmission is okay. Another call couple of hours later says, no it is not okay. I call American Honda to see what they can do to help, since all my previous Hondas and Acuras logged over 200k mi., was told they will not do anything since the dealership told them the car was okay. Very upset, got the name of the dealership service manager who supposedly told them this; called him up and found it amusing since he had not talked to anyone in AH, and now he was upset with AH for quoting him for something he had never said. Next thing he said was, "Bring the car in, we'll take care of it," and they did. American Honda paid for a remanufactured transmission and now my accord drives like new, well, almost new. But after researching on-line, I am not sure how long this transmission will last. With the 2004 Odyssey, I also noticed a clunking noise when shifting from reverse to drive in the morning and was told by the dealership that this was normal. I plan on selling my Hondas as soon as the payment are final to take advantage of the high resale value.
I have an Accord w/ automatic tranny. It has 220 miles and I noticed that when shifting the first gear (1-20 miles) seems a little rough. I can feel the shift. I noticed that the tachometer needle jumps to 3 and then drops to 1 instaneously after the shift.. Once the gear shifts to 20 (after the slight jerk), the ride is smooth. What is the deal? Is this normal? I have been really conscious of the way I drive too so I am not applying a lot of pressure on the gas pedal. Am I not apply enough pressure? Is it normal to feel it shift from 1st to 2nd gear normal?
The other annoying thing is my tank is 3/4 empty and I only have 220 miles on it. :sick:
Trying to decide whether to buy an 05 Accord EX coupe with the V6 or 4cyl. I have heard some V6's don't last as long as the 4cyl models because of more underhood heat. I currently drive a 1989 Accord 4cyl with 180k miles with nothing more than routine maintenance. What can I expect in terms of reliability and longevity between the two?
Sound like you are taking the foot off the gas when it shifts (tach going from 3 to 1), don't baby the car, enjoy it! Another thing, It's more than 1/4 full, you have another 180 miles or so before Empty!
Zopi, I don't think cars have engine problems these days, so the V6 and I4 engines would probably have the same reliability.
Under this thread, I have read many more complaints about automatic transmissions and brakes. There are other complaints about interior rattles, poor quality paint, uncomfortable seats, and unstable steering.
Don't know if this helps but, I commute ~ 50 miles each way (100 miles roundtrip) to work per day - 85% highway, in a 2004 Accord V-6 Coupe (manual trans.). I tend to be something of a leadfoot (LOVE to zoom this baby up a highway entrance ramp with the electronic nannies turned off) and I routinely drive at 75-80 mph on the highway. Though the V-6 is rated at 20/30, I've been averaging about 25-26 mpg overall.
I did find that using cruise control for the highway portions of my trip increased that by about 1 - 1.5 mpg. I also noted that, when I took the car on a longer highway trip (drove 1500 miles roundtrip 2x last fall) I got 29-30 mpg, even at 70-80 mph.
I think your problem is a bit different than mine. My problem is in the B pillar which the dealer says is "normal," and they won't do a thing for fear of "making it worse."
If I remember correctly after searching this forum, there was some sort of service bulletin about your problem. If not that, then people were saying that extra insulation by the VIN plate was solving the problem. My suggestion - do a search for "windshield" and see what you can find. If you find an appropriate fix to your problem, print it out and take it to the dealer.
And to be perfectly honest, Honda is not being the most cooperative with me. I've taken my car in 4 times now for 4 different rattles in the last 1000 miles. They fixed one on the first visit. Hooray! Another rattle took 3 times, and it may be fixed, but the "cure" means that I have a visible dent in the headliner. If they pull the headliner away to remove the dent, then the dealer said that the rattle returns. And the dealer said that Honda would not authorize a new headliner. Hmmm ...
The third rattle is in the B pillar, both sides, and they say it's normal. The fourth rattle was supposedly a loose wiring harness clip. However, the problem still isn't fixed.
So, in the last 3000 miles, I've had a problem with the moon roof rails and mounting points (fix - felt tape strips), loose sun visor clips, loose driver side door vapor barrier, and a loose wiring harness clip. I'm not impressed with the interior build quality on this vehicle.
I just purchased an EX-L with the four a week and a half ago. It is a five speed. It has plenty of power. The salesman told me that this was the preferred engine by the mechanics at the dealership. He had no reason to not tell me the truth because I had told him that I definitely would get a four. I am really happy with the power it has.
I just purchased an 05 Accord EX-L a week and a half ago. I was surprised that the recommendation on oil change is 10,000 miles. I have always changed the oil and filter at 5,000. Could someone tell me your opinion on this?
Personally, I would stick to 5,000 mile or less oil changes.
I keep a car for at least 10 years and it usually has 200,000 miles by then (without touching the engine internals, except for a leaky valve cover gasket). I do my own changes, so my costs are low. I doubt if I would reach high miles if I would have waited to 10,000 miles. Actually I change at 3,000 miles.
If you plan on keeping the car for a while, and you go with the 10,000 mile oil change, you can't back up time if you do have oil related problems.
200,000 / 5,000 = 40 x $25 (per oil change) = $1000 Not much $$ for that many miles
It would be nice to hear from other car/truck owners who get high milage out of their vehicles. How often did you change your oil, did you have any oil related failures? What was the milage when you got rid of the vehicle?
My Accord over 10 years old 95 EX I4 reached almost 200K miles. I change oil every 4K - 5K miles. Recently engine burned oil and I replaced it with a newer engine (at 23 - 27K miles). Now it continues running so beautifully like...a big horse again. I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil for this newer engine. Most critical parts inside the car are new except the pain. It is good to deter away car thieves. Probably I will run another 200K miles and use it as a little beloved pony around town to run chores or speed away with...no mercy.
My other Accord 92 LX reaches over 250K miles now. I gave it away a while ago and now it still runs. That Accord was made in Japan. After I tuned up the egine at 170K miles the egine ran so smoothly and quietly like day 1. It was so amazing.
Keep changing engine oil at 4K - 5K miles for regular oil and 8K - 10K miles for synthetic oil. I just bought the extended Mobil 1 synthetic which is good for 15K miles. It is a bit more expensive.
Accord advises changing engine oil at every 7,500 miles but I usually change it at 5K miles. Synthetic oil will be better for the engine. I use extended Mobil 1 synthetic oil for all my 4 Accords including the 95 EX (with replaced newer engine). 10K mile oil change should be OK with synthetic oil. But for regular oil I doubt it.
Read the owner's manual and do what it says--Honda knows more about the car THEY BUILT than anyone else.
If you really want to see a long service interval, note that the coolant change is at 10 years or about 100,000 miles. I've never seen that before, but unless there's a leak in the cooling system of my '04 EX-L, I won't concern myself with it except to check the fluid level regularly..........Richard
If you look at what heavy duty truck and other fleet owners are doing, you'll see that they are extending oil changes to 40,000 to 100,000 miles. They use services such as those at www.natrib.com to test the oil for contamination and engine wear, and service as necessary.
Back when oils had little or no detergents; carbs dumped highly variable mixtures into the crankcase; and lead was in the fuel the oil change interval was 3,000 miles.
Nowadays, with greatly improved lubricants; tighter manufacturing tolerances; computer-controled fuel injected engines; and no-lead fuel, some folks still insist on the same 3,000 mile intervals. The negative - that their vehicles would last just as long with 5,000 or 7,500 mile oil changes - cannot be proven.
I have used oil analysis on both my car and a light delivery truck (Ford 5.8l V8). They both have 157,000 miles at the moment. I've had oil checked at both 5,000 and 7,500 mile intervals, and the oil is not "worn out" nor is it loaded with contaminants. So I do have proof to the contrary.
This is a religious argument and no ones mind is going to be changed. SAE has reams of studies on oil if you are so inclined.
The following is from Honda's own Honda Owners Website, Most Q&A .....
Why should I wait to change the oil the first time?
Your Honda engine was delivered with an oil that is specially formulated for new engines that have not yet developed their "natural" wear patterns and may contain minute particles from the manufacturing process.
American Honda strongly recommends this special oil be left in the engine long enough for these wear patterns to develop, usually until the first maintenance interval specified in your Owner's Manual, based on your specific driving conditions.
How often should I change my oil after the first service?
Refer to your owner's manual for the recommended service intervals. Separate maintenance schedules are listed for "normal service" and "severe service." Read the description of severe service carefully. Most vehicles will fall under the normal service category. Note that the service intervals are listed by time in addition to distance. Your oil should be changed at whichever interval, time or distance, occurs first.
There is absolutely no benefit in changing your oil more frequently than recommended in your owner's manual. This will only increase your cost of ownership, and create an unnecessary burden upon the environment by increasing the amount of disposed oil.
Do not exceed the recommended maintenance interval. Oil eventually deteriorates and loses its ability to protect your engine, due to heat, friction, and exposure to exhaust components. Engine oil contains special additives to enhance the oil's performance, and these additives are also broken down or consumed with distance and time. Engine damage can occur if the proper maintenance schedule is not followed.
I just checked my Accord Hybrid manual. Oil change interval is 7,500 miles or 1 year whichever comes first. That is standard. If you use synthetic oil the interval is a bit longer. But dont wait too long. Change oil at every 5K miles. Or the oil is getting dirty real fast and wearing out the engine faster. Be careful with the oil pan plug. Honda has redesigned that oil drain plug but be careful or the thread worn out and damage the oil pan draining hole too.
I change the oil between 3K-5K miles for my 89LXi since I bought it new. At 206K the car still doesn't burn any oil at all. Adde a quart of Slick 50 twice at 35K and 60K mark on the odometer.
I can't agree/disagree with the 5000 mi break in oil requirement, but one thing puzzles me. If this truly a necessity for new engine break-in, then how come the oil isn't available at your local auto parts store? I would think it would be just as important for local engine rebuilders and hotrodders that build their own engines to go thru the same break-in process. Did I miss seeing that oil on the shelf?
I would think that some oil manufacturer would offer "oil for new engines" and give us the option of dumping out the dirty break-in oil with fresh break-in oil for the 1st 5000 miles.
Just a comment, I can't agree with or dispute the subject. I personally dumped the 1st oil at 500 miles, and added a good name brand oil in it's place. Once I get 7000-10000 miles on the car, I will switch to Mobil 1.
hey guys my name is michel . i have a honda accord v6 2000 model and honda is giving price qouate for extended warranty plan for 60000 km or 3 years for 2000 cds dollars. so i want to know should go for extended warranty plan ?
Honda engines are so tight that little oil is burned off. Break-in oil is therefore a limited use fluid that comes with the car and there really is no need to buy any later.
The issue of time vs use is a consideration--after one year, my '04 Accord EX-L had only 3,000 miles on it, but I had the oil changed because the owner's manual said to do so after one year. I probably could have waited because most of my driving is 20 to 50 miles at a time--no short trips. I walk in San Francisco and drive out of the city--do very little driving in heavy traffic.
With respect to oil changes and the drain plug, there is a special "crush washer" that is to be replaced when oil is changed. That washer compresses to form a tight seal without the need to overtighten the drain plug which can strip the threads--a costly repair. I wonder how many mechanics at Jiffy Lube, etc. replace the drain plug washer with the proper type of fresh one.
Fortunately, the Honda dealer in downtown San Francisco has an express oil change service that's open 7 days a week and is priced about the same as Jiffy Lube. There's even a free cappuccino machine (it's good, too!) to enjoy while waiting. They install the proper oil and the crush washer and if your Honda dealer offers a similar service, it makes sense to use it. I have no financial interest in such a recommendation, but when a dealer provides a combination of fairly-priced service along with peace of mind, it's worth using IMO........Richard
The aluminum washer your referring about for the drain plug does come with the purchase of a Honda filter. It's actually under the plastic wrapping!!. I typically use Fram filters so there is no washer with it. I calculated that I have changed the oil 41 times on my 88 Accord, and have only replaced the washer a couple of times. Yes, you need to use the washer, but you may not need to replace it everytime you drain the oil.
The other + in doing your own oil, besides the $ savings, it gives you a chance to look things over. A few changes ago I spotted a cracked CV boot. I was able to replace it for under $20, saving me the cost of a new axle.
I would hope that a dealer would look things over when doing oil changes. I wonder with the quick change oil places doing a good once-over. Since their business is just oil changes, they have to $$ interest in finding other things that need repair.
Michel - is this Canadian dollars??? $2000 seems an awful lot of money - Hondas are built to last and even though somewhere along the way a costly repair may come around, but Hondas are so reliable, many owners hardly incur huge costs other than the normal wear and tear and the periodic oil and filter changes.
IMO, I think the extended warranty is too pricey, but then again no one will tell you how to use your money. If you want the peace of mind then that's a viable alternative. You may want to check online to see if you can get the extended warranty for less. Check out hondacare.com for their competitive extended warranty prices.
Thanks for the responses. My wife has a CTS and when I went to get the oil changed at 5,000 the dealer told me I was wasting my money; to wait. It turns out that it comes from the factory with synthetic oil. I am familiar with the fact that you can go longer with the synthetic oil and that is what I have done with her car. The thing that surprised me was the 10,000 with normal service and with detergent oil. Thanks for the advice from everyone.
couldn't find this one by searching the forum. here the story. the mileage on my accord exl 2004 4cyl is approaching 20k. i'm driving around 110 miles everyday in upstate ny (taconic). now, according to the owners manual i should replace air "component". are they referring to cabin or engine air filter or both? Anyway, i bought the engine air filter ($27) at honda dealership, but had trouble to replace it myself. well, i unscrewed 4 bolts around the box, but i couldn't really open the cover (only for a little bit that was definitely not enough to put a new filter in). So yesterday, i decided to leave for now old filter until i get instructions from the forum on this Maybe I don't need to replace it at this time at all. Please lemme know. Thanks much
couldn't find this one by searching the forum. here the story. the mileage on my accord exl 2004 4cyl is approaching 20k. i'm driving around 110 miles everyday in upstate ny (taconic). now, according to the owners manual i should replace air "component". are they referring to cabin or engine air filter or both? Anyway, i bought the engine air filter ($27) at honda dealership, but had trouble to replace it myself. well, i unscrewed 4 bolts around the box, but i couldn't really open the cover (only for a little bit that was definitely not enough to put a new filter in). So yesterday, i decided to leave for now old filter until i get instructions from the forum on this Maybe I don't need to replace it at this time at all. Please lemme know. Thanks much
Sorry if this is a double-post. I'm new to this site, and I don't think I posted it in the right place the first time.
I have a 98 Honda Accord, EX V6.
It will crank and start as flawlessly and quickly as you would expect out of a Honda, about 199 times out of 200. The 1 time it doesn't is the problem. You can hear it cranking strong and hard, but it just doesn't turn over. it's as if it doesn't have any gas (but it does, of course, and this is the 3rd or 4th tank since the last time, so it can't be a bad fuel). 3 weeks ago, I brought it in for it's 60,000 mile tune up, and the mechanic could not see anything wrong, and since he couldn't duplicate the problem, he had no way to troubleshoot it. Has anyone ever heard of this? Other than that, it runs and normally starts fine.
This is a real problem, as I am not good with fixing cars (that's why I buy Hondas , and I REALLY don't want to get stuck somewhere. In the past it has started eventually, but I can also hear the battery getting drained while it's happening, and eventually, I sure I will get stuck somewhere. If I can't find the problem, I may have to sell it and but something else. How sad And I was such a big fan!
Hold off on replacing the engine air filter for another 10K. You are correct. The job is not easy. Much jiggling,shoving, and loud cursing is required trying not to break anything. However now is the time to change the cabin air filter. This is a snap, requring only five minutes of time and no tools. Just be sure to empty the contents of the glove box first. Good luck.
You may just want to check the old filter and see how dirty it is. The manual says 30,000 mi ( I think) but that may or may not be necessary. I have seen filters get clogged with alot less then 30,000 mi, and also seen filters stay relatively clean for 50,000 mi + They all draw air from the front of the engine compartment, so it's all up the the environment you drive in. I drove to Texas years ago, it was in an old Civic that had the round type filters. Just the drive thru on a windy left a pile of red dust that reached half way up the side of the filter!!. I wonder how people keep their cars running down there with that much dust!
I took it for a long drive and yes, I was taking my foot off the gas pedal - bad habit from driving a GM :lemon: w/ constant transmission problem. I feel a slight jerk/lag when the Honda shifts gears (15 to 20 miles) and then again when it reaches 40 mph. It is annoying. I am not sure if it is a jerk or a lag. I definitely feel it when the car is shifting gears. It is not a smooth ride - smooth for the most part until I slow down and then accelerate again. Is it normal? I am just a bit paranoid because of my last :lemon: :mad:
thanks for the great responses. i'll wait on air filter for engine as fredv1 suggested and replace the cabine filter soon... i'm wondering why honda has such bad design for engine air filter compartment (it's really easy to break something there e.g. the plastic box cover). on my old 94'th altima that would take a sec, but with honda's it's special.... btw i don't feel much difference in power btw these 2 cars..btw 0-40 mph acceleration is pretty slow on both.
I got some problem to replace the air filter for my son's Accord 03 V6 when I tried to use a screw driver to do the job. But when I took it to my mechanic to change oil and ask him to help replacing the air filter he used a long-handle-socket wrench to turn loose the bolts. It took him 5 minutes to finish the job. Mechanics know how to use proper tools to do their jobs quickly.
My friend recently purchased a CR-V has found similar vague oil change language in the owner's manual - like we have in Accords.
He looked around on the web and found other Honda owners that had sent samples of the engine oil off for analysis and it came back as nothing special. So I am really not convinced no matter that the book says that there is any special "break in" oil in these motors at all.
I talked to the service manager at my local dealer - I have been taking my S2000 to him since I had it - and he advised 5-7k for the first change on the Accords and CR-Vs. He did admit that as far as he KNEW there was nothing special in the oil from the factory either. The "normal service" interval is 10k miles or 1 year, but since most of us drive lots of stop and go that probably gets us closer to the "extreme service" guidelines.
I figure 5-7k and the new Accord will get its first change from him.
I got the same car but with V4 and I recently noticed the airbag impression on the dashboard platic. The strange thing is that I am 100% sure it wasn't there when I picked up the car.
My 04 Accord also shows the airbag outline. I noticed it from day 1, but my car also sat at the dealer for 9 months, so it could be something that settles with interior heat after a while. I'm assuming it's very thin vinyl in that area so it rips open when the air bag is deployed, and the Accords dash is flat in that area so there isn't much to support it. I'm not sure if other manufacturers have been able to totally hide the seams or not. The Camry still uses an obvious seam in their car.
I hope it's not going to get worse over time!! I still remember the 70's when dashes would always split after the warranty ran out.
I'm also a little leary about this "break-in" oil. I just don't know what it is...over the years we have been programed to change our oil every 3,000 miles - which back in the old days (50's - 60's), yes, that was true and necessary. But even with today's superior engines and oils, etc. it seems that we still have this same old mindset and we find it hard to accept the notion of a 10k mile oil change. Has technology surpassed our way of thinking?? I'm not sure - I guess you go with what you feel comfortable with.....Even though the manual says 10k miles, I'll change it at 7k.
I need some info on Throttle Body Services. Dealership suggested this service on my '02 Accord at 30k, I ignored it but recently received a coupon for the service for $80. Do I need it? I have currently 78k mi, I think I should get a new battery and cooling system flush.
$80 for a throttle body service seems expensive to me. I wouldn't get this service done unless your accelerator sticks (which is common) when you first get in the car in the morning.... Even if it does, you can do the job yourself.....with a spray can of carb cleaner (used carefully). Besides that, I can't think of any other reason why you would have it done....
New battery?? Is the indicator in the battery still green? If so, don't change it.
Synthetic oil: 7K - 10K miles. There is an extended synthetic oil which boasts for 15K-mile change interval. I bought it already.
Regular oil: 4K - 5K miles
While I was having my mechanic doing a regular maintenance on my son's V6 2003 Accord EX I was reluctant to change its existing synthetic oil after 3,5K miles. But finally, because he was attending out of town college and does not comes home very often so I decided to change oil at 3,5 K miles along with other routine maintenance service. The synthetic oil was in fact already dirty when it was drained out.
Oil change intervals depend on driving habits, (dusty) road areas, oil type, etc. No need to change oil every 3K miles or one overdoes it. Watch out the drain plug, use drain plug washer, protect the oil pan/ plug as careful as one can. One may also want to use reusable/ washable air filter for more horsepower and save more gas. It is a bit more expensive but it is worth it. I now use all synthetic Mobil 1 oil and expensive reusable/ washable air filters on all of my Accords.
Also, the driving habit impacts everything. My 16 years old son only gets 18 - 20 average MPG on my Accord V6 while I always get combined 23 - 25 MPG and 30 MPG on highway. My little boy does have a really big heavy right foot. And he does not care at all because he does not have to pay for gas. He said "It is fun" when I beg him to be easy on the gas accelerator.
just checked my Accord Hybrid manual. Oil change interval is 7,500 miles or 1 year whichever comes first. That is standard. If you use synthetic oil the interval is a bit longer. But dont wait too long. Change oil at every 5K miles. Or the oil is getting dirty real fast and wearing out the engine faster.
Where do you get this information about increased engine wear?
I've been using an oil analysis firm, www.natrib.com, to analyze the oil on a Ford cargo van and my Subara. The van has 157K miles and the Subaru 156K. We'll start our Honda on the next oil change at 15,000 miles - it's just about to turn ,500 and get the first change.
Even with oil that's been in for over 7,000 miles, there has been no indication in the tests that the oil is "worn out" (additives dissipated) or carrying too much dirt or combustion or other byproducts.
No. I have not got time to get into detailed oil research like you did. BTW, I have a quick question here: Back in 1990 I bought a brand new Camry. It ran so smooth and I was so careless to have my first oil change at 15K miles. At about 40K miles one of the tubes which houses the spark plug was leaked and oil got in. Obviously, the performance of that Camry was not quite great any more. I dont remember the exact technical name of the damaged part. Was that my gross mistake which created that problem or the Camry 1990 engine was not quite good. Why only 1 tube got oil leaked? I remember I read somewhere that if we dont change engine oil after a certain mileage the oil's vicosity/ protection will be zero and the engine will be worn out signigicantly.
After that incident for many years I have maintained all my cars very carefully and kept good maintenance records. That was the only Camry I bought at my wife's request. All my cars are Civic (only 1) and Accord and I have been happy with Honda' performance, durability, reliability, resale value, etc. Honda may be considered as reliable and economical working cars.
Comments
Avoid full throttle starts (explain to me what this means) and rapid acceleration.
I did that. Got on the highway from the dealership and was going 65 -70 mph, live in a mountainous region which requires both speed and acceleration to climb those darn hills....
Avoid hard breaking for the first 200 miles...
Done that quite a few times...
So what have I done??? :mad:
As far as the brakes, they don't want you to do unnecessary "panic stop" type of braking, unless it's for accident avoidance. The rotors can warp if abused.
I doubt that unless you did anything to an extreme, you didn't cause any damage.
The brakes need to be "bedded in" to work and wear properly, hard stops tend to prevent this.
You are right, what most folks think of has "hard braking" is a lot less severe than what Honda is thinking of with the warning.
Dennis
What do you mean don't floor it/readline the tach? :confuse:
What is consider hard acceleration? Moderate acceleration? So Honda suggests that we take the back roads the first 600 miles? I am not an agressive driver at all but when I am on the highway, I cannot drive like grandma but had I known this before, I would not have gone on the highway - my fault for not reading the manual before driving...
I suppose I cannot worry too much about this as you never know what the ppl did to the car before you buy it anyway. When we went on a test drive on the Mazda 6, we took it on the highway and the car only had 10 miles on it. Can't worry about every little thing I supposed....
It IS a Honda, and I would doubt you did any long term damage to the car. I really can't see you driving your new car and flooring it all the time, did you
When I go test drive a car I am thinking about, I try to find a used one or a demo. I WANT to wind it up and floor it and would prefer not doing that in what may be the new car of someone else. Once I know the car is for me, then you can test drive the actual car you are buying, but in a more gentle manner.
Dennis
1 - Yes, I know that traveling 75-80 results in poorer gas mileage. I know it's a matter of increased drag, as well as increased RPM's. That said, it still does not explain why my mileage is 24mpg highway.
2. Thank you for pointing out the EPA numbers are not entired accurate, as I previously stated in my first post, I do know that. But getting mileage 10mpg off of the EPA numbers is quite a big drop.
3. In response to my crappy-mileage companion, the dude with 1100 miles on his car, I feel your pain. And please know that dwynne is pretty much correct, there is no gain in keeping your windows open and AC off. However, I do believe that most studies have shown that each drops mileage by about the same amount. I've read about it at cartalk.com and watched shows on the discovery channel (great tv channel).
It seems to me that with everyone getting 28-30mpg, my car does indeed have some sort of problem. This is encouraging, as it gives me a good reasont to have the honda technicians take another look at it. Thanks all for you help.
Some questions:
1) Do you know how to properly calculate MPG? Not to insult you or anything, but one of the other posters did not and this meant they THOUGHT they were getting worse mileage than they are. Actual gallons in fill up / miles travelled since last fill up
2) Did you check your tire pressures? Too little air is dangerous and eats fuel.
3) Rotor warp at 6k is not normal. The most common cause would be having your tires "rotated" and the mechanic over-tightens your lugs with an air wrench in a non-uniform manner. Have your wheels been off your car since new for any reason? I have my own torque wrench and if I ever have to have someone else remove the wheels, and loosen and re-torque to the proper specs at home afterwards. Driving with your foot on the brake could also cause a warped rotor AND explain your poor mileage. Even "resting" your foot on the brake might be enough. You don't do this, do you? A mis-adjusted parking brake could cause poor mileage if it is dragging.
4) I do remember someone suggesting you try commuting for a few days (or a tank?) at 55-60mph and see how much that helps. Do you ever take a real trip? Even highway "commuting" involves getting on and off the highway and that part of the commute can drag down the mileage. If you fill up at an on-ramp station, get on and cruise, then get off and fill up, what kind of mileage do you calculate?
We sort of got off your post - since others had good highway but poor city, etc. In your case you report 24mpg all highway doing 75-80.
Dennis
With the 2004 Odyssey, I also noticed a clunking noise when shifting from reverse to drive in the morning and was told by the dealership that this was normal. I plan on selling my Hondas as soon as the payment are final to take advantage of the high resale value.
The other annoying thing is my tank is 3/4 empty and I only have 220 miles on it. :sick:
Under this thread, I have read many more complaints about automatic transmissions and brakes. There are other complaints about interior rattles, poor quality paint, uncomfortable seats, and unstable steering.
I did find that using cruise control for the highway portions of my trip increased that by about 1 - 1.5 mpg. I also noted that, when I took the car on a longer highway trip (drove 1500 miles roundtrip 2x last fall) I got 29-30 mpg, even at 70-80 mph.
-FS
If I remember correctly after searching this forum, there was some sort of service bulletin about your problem. If not that, then people were saying that extra insulation by the VIN plate was solving the problem. My suggestion - do a search for "windshield" and see what you can find. If you find an appropriate fix to your problem, print it out and take it to the dealer.
And to be perfectly honest, Honda is not being the most cooperative with me. I've taken my car in 4 times now for 4 different rattles in the last 1000 miles. They fixed one on the first visit. Hooray! Another rattle took 3 times, and it may be fixed, but the "cure" means that I have a visible dent in the headliner. If they pull the headliner away to remove the dent, then the dealer said that the rattle returns. And the dealer said that Honda would not authorize a new headliner. Hmmm ...
The third rattle is in the B pillar, both sides, and they say it's normal. The fourth rattle was supposedly a loose wiring harness clip. However, the problem still isn't fixed.
So, in the last 3000 miles, I've had a problem with the moon roof rails and mounting points (fix - felt tape strips), loose sun visor clips, loose driver side door vapor barrier, and a loose wiring harness clip. I'm not impressed with the interior build quality on this vehicle.
I keep a car for at least 10 years and it usually has 200,000 miles by then (without touching the engine internals, except for a leaky valve cover gasket). I do my own changes, so my costs are low. I doubt if I would reach high miles if I would have waited to 10,000 miles. Actually I change at 3,000 miles.
If you plan on keeping the car for a while, and you go with the 10,000 mile oil change, you can't back up time if you do have oil related problems.
200,000 / 5,000 = 40 x $25 (per oil change) = $1000 Not much $$ for that many miles
It would be nice to hear from other car/truck owners who get high milage out of their vehicles. How often did you change your oil, did you have any oil related failures? What was the milage when you got rid of the vehicle?
My Accord over 10 years old 95 EX I4 reached almost 200K miles. I change oil every 4K - 5K miles. Recently engine burned oil and I replaced it with a newer engine (at 23 - 27K miles). Now it continues running so beautifully like...a big horse again. I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil for this newer engine. Most critical parts inside the car are new except the pain. It is good to deter away car thieves. Probably I will run another 200K miles and use it as a little beloved pony around town to run chores or speed away with...no mercy.
My other Accord 92 LX reaches over 250K miles now. I gave it away a while ago and now it still runs. That Accord was made in Japan. After I tuned up the egine at 170K miles the egine ran so smoothly and quietly like day 1. It was so amazing.
Keep changing engine oil at 4K - 5K miles for regular oil and 8K - 10K miles for synthetic oil. I just bought the extended Mobil 1 synthetic which is good for 15K miles. It is a bit more expensive.
Accord advises changing engine oil at every 7,500 miles but I usually change it at 5K miles. Synthetic oil will be better for the engine. I use extended Mobil 1 synthetic oil for all my 4 Accords including the 95 EX (with replaced newer engine). 10K mile oil change should be OK with synthetic oil. But for regular oil I doubt it.
If you really want to see a long service interval, note that the coolant change is at 10 years or about 100,000 miles. I've never seen that before, but unless there's a leak in the cooling system of my '04 EX-L, I won't concern myself with it except to check the fluid level regularly..........Richard
Back when oils had little or no detergents; carbs dumped highly variable mixtures into the crankcase; and lead was in the fuel the oil change interval was 3,000 miles.
Nowadays, with greatly improved lubricants; tighter manufacturing tolerances; computer-controled fuel injected engines; and no-lead fuel, some folks still insist on the same 3,000 mile intervals. The negative - that their vehicles would last just as long with 5,000 or 7,500 mile oil changes - cannot be proven.
I have used oil analysis on both my car and a light delivery truck (Ford 5.8l V8). They both have 157,000 miles at the moment. I've had oil checked at both 5,000 and 7,500 mile intervals, and the oil is not "worn out" nor is it loaded with contaminants. So I do have proof to the contrary.
This is a religious argument and no ones mind is going to be changed. SAE has reams of studies on oil if you are so inclined.
Why should I wait to change the oil the first time?
Your Honda engine was delivered with an oil that is specially formulated for new engines that have not yet developed their "natural" wear patterns and may contain minute particles from the manufacturing process.
American Honda strongly recommends this special oil be left in the engine long enough for these wear patterns to develop, usually until the first maintenance interval specified in your Owner's Manual, based on your specific driving conditions.
How often should I change my oil after the first service?
Refer to your owner's manual for the recommended service intervals. Separate maintenance schedules are listed for "normal service" and "severe service." Read the description of severe service carefully. Most vehicles will fall under the normal service category. Note that the service intervals are listed by time in addition to distance. Your oil should be changed at whichever interval, time or distance, occurs first.
There is absolutely no benefit in changing your oil more frequently than recommended in your owner's manual. This will only increase your cost of ownership, and create an unnecessary burden upon the environment by increasing the amount of disposed oil.
Do not exceed the recommended maintenance interval. Oil eventually deteriorates and loses its ability to protect your engine, due to heat, friction, and exposure to exhaust components. Engine oil contains special additives to enhance the oil's performance, and these additives are also broken down or consumed with distance and time. Engine damage can occur if the proper maintenance schedule is not followed.
Hope this helps.....
I sure hope that Gregory gets to read your post.
Adde a quart of Slick 50 twice at 35K and 60K mark on the odometer.
I would think that some oil manufacturer would offer "oil for new engines" and give us the option of dumping out the dirty break-in oil with fresh break-in oil for the 1st 5000 miles.
Just a comment, I can't agree with or dispute the subject. I personally dumped the 1st oil at 500 miles, and added a good name brand oil in it's place. Once I get 7000-10000 miles on the car, I will switch to Mobil 1.
The issue of time vs use is a consideration--after one year, my '04 Accord EX-L had only 3,000 miles on it, but I had the oil changed because the owner's manual said to do so after one year. I probably could have waited because most of my driving is 20 to 50 miles at a time--no short trips. I walk in San Francisco and drive out of the city--do very little driving in heavy traffic.
With respect to oil changes and the drain plug, there is a special "crush washer" that is to be replaced when oil is changed. That washer compresses to form a tight seal without the need to overtighten the drain plug which can strip the threads--a costly repair. I wonder how many mechanics at Jiffy Lube, etc. replace the drain plug washer with the proper type of fresh one.
Fortunately, the Honda dealer in downtown San Francisco has an express oil change service that's open 7 days a week and is priced about the same as Jiffy Lube. There's even a free cappuccino machine (it's good, too!) to enjoy while waiting. They install the proper oil and the crush washer and if your Honda dealer offers a similar service, it makes sense to use it. I have no financial interest in such a recommendation, but when a dealer provides a combination of fairly-priced service along with peace of mind, it's worth using IMO........Richard
The other + in doing your own oil, besides the $ savings, it gives you a chance to look things over. A few changes ago I spotted a cracked CV boot. I was able to replace it for under $20, saving me the cost of a new axle.
I would hope that a dealer would look things over when doing oil changes. I wonder with the quick change oil places doing a good once-over. Since their business is just oil changes, they have to $$ interest in finding other things that need repair.
IMO, I think the extended warranty is too pricey, but then again no one will tell you how to use your money. If you want the peace of mind then that's a viable alternative. You may want to check online to see if you can get the extended warranty for less. Check out hondacare.com for their competitive extended warranty prices.
Good Luck.....
here the story. the mileage on my accord exl 2004 4cyl is approaching 20k.
i'm driving around 110 miles everyday in upstate ny (taconic). now, according to the owners manual i should replace air "component". are they referring to cabin or engine air filter or both? Anyway, i bought the engine air filter ($27) at honda dealership, but had trouble to replace it myself. well, i unscrewed 4 bolts around the box, but i couldn't really open the cover (only for a little bit that was definitely not enough to put a new filter in). So yesterday, i decided to leave for now old filter until i get instructions from the forum on this
here the story. the mileage on my accord exl 2004 4cyl is approaching 20k.
i'm driving around 110 miles everyday in upstate ny (taconic). now, according to the owners manual i should replace air "component". are they referring to cabin or engine air filter or both? Anyway, i bought the engine air filter ($27) at honda dealership, but had trouble to replace it myself. well, i unscrewed 4 bolts around the box, but i couldn't really open the cover (only for a little bit that was definitely not enough to put a new filter in). So yesterday, i decided to leave for now old filter until i get instructions from the forum on this Maybe I don't need to replace it at this time at all. Please lemme know. Thanks much
I have a 98 Honda Accord, EX V6.
It will crank and start as flawlessly and quickly as you would expect out of a Honda, about 199 times out of 200. The 1 time it doesn't is the problem. You can hear it cranking strong and hard, but it just doesn't turn over. it's as if it doesn't have any gas (but it does, of course, and this is the 3rd or 4th tank since the last time, so it can't be a bad fuel). 3 weeks ago, I brought it in for it's 60,000 mile tune up, and the mechanic could not see anything wrong, and since he couldn't duplicate the problem, he had no way to troubleshoot it. Has anyone ever heard of this? Other than that, it runs and normally starts fine.
This is a real problem, as I am not good with fixing cars (that's why I buy Hondas , and I REALLY don't want to get stuck somewhere. In the past it has started eventually, but I can also hear the battery getting drained while it's happening, and eventually, I sure I will get stuck somewhere. If I can't find the problem, I may have to sell it and but something else. How sad And I was such a big fan!
Thanks all,
Eric
btw i don't feel much difference in power btw these 2 cars..btw 0-40 mph acceleration is pretty slow on both.
He looked around on the web and found other Honda owners that had sent samples of the engine oil off for analysis and it came back as nothing special. So I am really not convinced no matter that the book says that there is any special "break in" oil in these motors at all.
I talked to the service manager at my local dealer - I have been taking my S2000 to him since I had it - and he advised 5-7k for the first change on the Accords and CR-Vs. He did admit that as far as he KNEW there was nothing special in the oil from the factory either. The "normal service" interval is 10k miles or 1 year, but since most of us drive lots of stop and go that probably gets us closer to the "extreme service" guidelines.
I figure 5-7k and the new Accord will get its first change from him.
Dennis
platic. The strange thing is that I am 100% sure it wasn't there when I picked up the car.
My 04 Accord also shows the airbag outline. I noticed it from day 1, but my car also sat at the dealer for 9 months, so it could be something that settles with interior heat after a while. I'm assuming it's very thin vinyl in that area so it rips open when the air bag is deployed, and the Accords dash is flat in that area so there isn't much to support it. I'm not sure if other manufacturers have been able to totally hide the seams or not. The Camry still uses an obvious seam in their car.
I hope it's not going to get worse over time!! I still remember the 70's when dashes would always split after the warranty ran out.
New battery?? Is the indicator in the battery still green? If so, don't change it.
Cooling flush?? at 78k might be a good idea....
Suggested oil change guideline:
Synthetic oil: 7K - 10K miles. There is an extended synthetic oil which boasts for 15K-mile change interval. I bought it already.
Regular oil: 4K - 5K miles
While I was having my mechanic doing a regular maintenance on my son's V6 2003 Accord EX I was reluctant to change its existing synthetic oil after 3,5K miles. But finally, because he was attending out of town college and does not comes home very often so I decided to change oil at 3,5 K miles along with other routine maintenance service. The synthetic oil was in fact already dirty when it was drained out.
Oil change intervals depend on driving habits, (dusty) road areas, oil type, etc. No need to change oil every 3K miles or one overdoes it. Watch out the drain plug, use drain plug washer, protect the oil pan/ plug as careful as one can. One may also want to use reusable/ washable air filter for more horsepower and save more gas. It is a bit more expensive but it is worth it. I now use all synthetic Mobil 1 oil and expensive reusable/ washable air filters on all of my Accords.
Also, the driving habit impacts everything. My 16 years old son only gets 18 - 20 average MPG on my Accord V6 while I always get combined 23 - 25 MPG and 30 MPG on highway. My little boy does have a really big heavy right foot. And he does not care at all because he does not have to pay for gas. He said "It is fun" when I beg him to be easy on the gas accelerator.
Where do you get this information about increased engine wear?
I've been using an oil analysis firm, www.natrib.com, to analyze the oil on a Ford cargo van and my Subara. The van has 157K miles and the Subaru 156K. We'll start our Honda on the next oil change at 15,000 miles - it's just about to turn ,500 and get the first change.
Even with oil that's been in for over 7,000 miles, there has been no indication in the tests that the oil is "worn out" (additives dissipated) or carrying too much dirt or combustion or other byproducts.
After that incident for many years I have maintained all my cars very carefully and kept good maintenance records. That was the only Camry I bought at my wife's request. All my cars are Civic (only 1) and Accord and I have been happy with Honda' performance, durability, reliability, resale value, etc. Honda may be considered as reliable and economical working cars.