If I am going to take a VERY LONG road trip, and I am in the middle of an oil change interval, and I know that I will exceed the 3,000 mile interval on the road trip, I simply start the trip with a fresh oil and filter change. At $21.00 dollars plus tax at the dealer, it is cheap preventive maintenance. In addition, the dealer will check and top off all the fluids, and check the air pressure in the tires. This system works for me! ---- Best regards. ----Dwayne
Happened to me last night in a friend's Acura CL (2001). He turned on the defroster while it was raining (and in the 80s temp-wise)...it just made the fog worse. It was blowing too cold to de-fog the outside of the window. He turned the temp up to 80 degrees and it blew warmer air, and the problem subsided.
good strategy. if they are doing the multi-point inspection, then you have a better sense of car condition prior to embarking.
we must all remember to have a looksee and see that all fluid levels look good and tires are properly / evenly inflated prior to long trips, and otherwise periodically between services from the dealership.
only takes a moment every few fillups to pop the hood and check levels, and for signs of leaks, cracking hoses, freyed belts.
This 3,000 mile oil change interval is a vestige of 40 to 50 years ago when oil technology was in training pants. In these days of $75 a barrel oil imports from the middle-east and south of the border, we should be using less, not more of this resouce. Depending on the manufacturer, engine designers & manufacturers say that you should be changing oil at 5,000, 7,500 or 10,000 mile intervals.
They know best. Much more so than those who profit handsomely in selling oil, oil changes, filters, additives, etc.
Just because your oil has a slightly darker color than it did last week is not a reason to change it. It is engineered to be that way.
Why are so many people in this forum sceptical of the Maintenance Minder system, and longer oil change intervals in general?
I think everyone here would agree that Honda has an outstanding track record in the development of long lasting, trouble-free engines & they employ some of the smartest engineers in the world.
Why then, do some people here, think they know more about engine care/maintenance than Honda Motor Co????
No one has presented any evidence or facts that suggest the Maintenance Minder system is flawed or will cause harm to the engine due to prolonged oil changes...
Honda spends millions of dollars every year developing and testing their engines. Honda runs these engines for thousands of hours and put millions of miles on new cars before they are sold to the public.
Wouldn't Honda know how long their engines can go between oil changes? Wouldn't it be in their best interest to follow a maintenance schedule that keeps their engines running for 200k+ miles?
Honda wouldn't have sold MILLIONS of cars with the MM system if their engines couldn't go up to 10K miles between oil changes. Period.
>trouble-free engines & they employ some of the smartest engineers in the world.
....same engineers that designed the transmissions in Accord, Odyssey, Pilot?....
Thanks. I'll use my own logic on my type of driving. Remember they sell replacement cars too. The longer yours last the less likely they get to sell you a replacement.
As for the precious resource, you don't want to get me started there. All my oil is recycled into my city's tank.
To date I have replaced many items a few are. The speakers which were broken when I received the car. The transmission and two radios as they stopped working or shot CD's out at me. These are just a few of the problems and the dealer is not helpful. Now my dash lights and radio lights keep dimming and coming back on at odd times for 2-3 seconds each for about 3-4 times in a row. There is no pattern when this occurs with the lights on or off. Last time this did this my CD player then started randomly ejecting the CD's. Any ideas of what the problem would be is helpful. Thanks! :mad: :lemon:
i personally think the maint minder is a "if you haven't done so by now. do it" kind of indication.
there is no expert system (that I know of or would trust)that can actually look at the oil, AND look at the level, AND sanity check the quality of the oil for caking on the top of the filler cap or the very top of the dipstick.
factually, people don't routinely check their oil levels which is not a good situation.
i'm with imidazol97 on this one. i don't think you have to change it every 3K, but every 10K for non-synthetic even under ideal driving conditions is a tad much.
We are talking about the MM system, which monitors the engine and engine oil...your transmission argument is a red herring.
So "your own logic" is better than the millions of dollars that R&D Honda spends on their engines every year? What statistics/facts/data is your logic based on?
Your "replacement" argument is seriously flawed... How many new car buyers keep their vehicle for 10/20 years and don't buy another car until their current one is completely used up?
VERY FEW. Most people drive a car for a few years, or until thier loan is paid off, then get a new car. Your comment, "The longer yours last the less likely they get to sell you a replacement." simply doesn't apply to 99% of the car-buying public.
Honda would be shooting themselves in the foot if they designed their engines to fail in order to sell more cars.
"i personally think the maint minder is a "if you haven't done so by now. do it" kind of indication. "
You are incorrect. The MM system is not just a reminder. There are several resources available on the internet that explain what the system does.
"there is no expert system...that can actually look at the oil, AND look at the level, AND sanity check the quality of the oil.... "
Again, you are wrong about what the MM system does. It tells you when oil CHANGES are needed, it does not check your oil level (there are other indicator lights for low oil level). It also does a much better job of "looking" at the oil to determine it's quality than your "sanity check" by eyesight.
"i don't think you have to change it every 3K, but every 10K for non-synthetic even under ideal driving conditions is a tad much."
What do you base your theory on? Do you have any evidence that 10K is "a tad much"??? Isn't the Engin R&D team at Honda more qualified to make that determination than you?
Again, you are wrong about what the MM system does. It tells you when oil CHANGES are needed, it does not check your oil level (there are other indicator lights for low oil level). It also does a much better job of "looking" at the oil to determine it's quality than your "sanity check" by eyesight.
probably - i don't have that in my hondas. can you provide a link to details of the system implementation (specifically the inputs it uses)?
i can tell my oil level is low BEFORE my car can. that is just one example of it *not* doing a better job than me.
Just to clear something up - the low oil level light doesn't come on when the engine oil is starting to get low. The low oil light comes on only when the engine oil is dangerously low. Meaning the light will only turn on when the oil level is so low that there is a good chance that continuing to operate the car without adding oil will cause damage to the engine.
How long does your vehicle take in, as you wrote, "loosing say 1/2-1 quart". Such a catastrphic oil loss would surely occur much sooner than your 3K mile interval.
The (not so) secret way to ensure against eventual loss of that magnitude is, and has always been, checking your oil level regularly. That's why cars have had dipsticks since the Model T.
Those who don't know how to do it can surely ask the pump jockey to check under the hood at each fuel stop.
Point of interest...whan was the last time you saw a "pump jockey" at a gas station????
It's quite apparent that people have different opinions on this oil change interval subject. That's cool, we are all entitled to our own opinions on what we feel is best for our own cars. Let's just be sure to respect each others varying opinions. Personally I see valid points on both sides: Honda does build one of the most reliable engines in the world, and thus they should know what it's capible of. Motors and oils are far better today than those of yesteryear. On the other side, some of us are old school. There's nothing wrong with that either. I happen to be one of these, so for me personally the motor minder system is useless. If I sleep better at night having wasted money on another oil change, so be it.
You seem rather uptight. Your tone is hostile, but I'll respond to "It also does a much better job of "looking" at the oil to determine ..."
How does it "look" at the oil, please. Does it know the oil you put in is a quality that has a problem with the oil additives that contact and act like a lower viscosity at colder temperatures? Or does it know you put in synthetic, true synthetic, and so it adjusts.
If you are telling us the MM can "sense" the oil's properties to determine time-to-change, I'll buy that; only to count revs and conditions withou ref to the oil itself, I don't.
I look at the condition of my oil. I put drops on white paper towel and watch the behavior and the oxidation and dirt left at the middle. So if you don't think that works for me, you are welcome to your MM. Please don't act like it actually does an oil analysis as you drive. End of discussion.
I don't think I would like the MM system either. I would have to learn more about how it works (my 03 does not have the MM system). I do know this much, the oil in my V6 gets pretty dirty, after only 3,000 miles (so I change it). I can only imagine what it would look like after 7,500 miles. I change my air filter more often than my manual says also (15,000 instead of 30,000). I want to keep the inside of my engine (and transmission for that matter) as clean as possible (change trans fluid every 15,000 miles too). I believe in maintenance, more so than other people, it seems. I even change my brake fluid when I should (to prevent master cylinder failure). Call me crazy, but it gives me peace of mind.
There seems to be a lot of emphasis on low maintenance costs these days. The "true cost to own" is something people look at now. This has influenced car companies to extend the intervals somewhat. Since I do all my own maintenance, it doesn't cost me that much extra $$$ to do the maintenance sooner.
I just bought a 2003 Lx sedan 4cyl. I noticed right away that the temperature gauge is moving all the time (on my prev. car it would go to the middle and stay there , no matter what..) I went to work this morning 30mi on a highway at 75mph, temperature stayed little after the middle, once I hit the town it went up a bit. I stepped on it to climb a pretty big hill, and after the hill there is stop-and-go traffic. I noticed that my temperature was 2 bars away from the red zone. And it was alternating between 3/4 and 2-3 bars away from red the rest of the way. Is it normal?? I know my dealer just flushed the coolant yesterday... Thanks.
No, it doesn't sound normal. I assume it didn't work like this before your coolant flush?
I would get it back in ASAP, and try to keep down the miles. You really don't want it to overheat!
I'm not an expert by any means, but I wonder if they screwed up the thermostat, or if there is air in the system? Maybe the electronic fan is disconnected?
i took the delivery yesterday... so i wasn't sure how the car suppose to operate. i called the dealer and they said to check the coolent level and bring it over to them. they will tow it if the temerature remain high. i hope i didn't do any damage
I agree with stick guy. You should get it looked at. This could mean many things, including the minor and fixable problems stickguy metioned. However, this could also mean that you are leaking coolant either onto the ground, or worse, into the engine, which could be a sign of a blown head gasket. If you were running the a/c all the way there in 90 degree weather, and then going up a big hill, and then getting stuck in traffic, that could make it get a little bit above middle, but it should not get close to red. I run the a/c every day in my 06, and I do not notice a drain on the engine, but in the older models it may be more significant. Your engine does have to work harder with the a/c on, but it should not get any hotter than above middle.
This isn't normal (like others have already said)...the solutions that are obvious have already been mentioned, but I'll give you a little hint to help you until you get it to the shop soon...if the temperature starts to rise, (as bad as this will feel, it works) turn on the heat in the car. this removes heat from the core of the engine, and will help keep the car's engine cooler, although the cabin may be sweltering. Also, leave the A/C off when the temp starts to rise.
I have a 1996 LX (and a 2006 EX) Accord that had its electric cooling fan motor fail after 140k miles or so. The car was fine when moving, but if we stopped, it was windows-down, A/C off, heat on, until I got it fixed. It was a $300 repair.
By the way, just so you'll have an extra opinion on the issue, the temp needle should go to the same place and stay there all the time under normal operation. This is how my 96 AND my 06 both function.
thanks again everybody. my friend brought me some antifreez we filled it up (it took about 1 qt.) we also poured some in the reserve tank. the engine warmed up really fast, in about 1-2 minutes it went a little below the middle, so we figured it will keep rising... but it stayed there, even when i took it to that hill again and tryied to beat on it as much as i can. my friend couldn't belive 1 qt. can make such a big difference. i'm taking it to the pressure test this week, just in case. thanks everyone.
my friend brought me some antifreez we filled it up (it took about 1 qt.) we also poured some in the reserve tank.
Whohaaa... You probably were driving with an EMPTY reserve tank, and your Radiator was low of coolant.... That's not so good... No wonder your car was heating up...
The Radiator should ALWAYS be full (and you have no reason to open it, CERTAINLY not when the car is hot!!!), and the reserve tank s.b. half-full. I'd expect the dealership selling you the car to do a MINIMAL check up on the car before they sell it...
OR maybe the car is LOSING coolant... Check into that, please. In the morning, before starting up the engine, you need to mark on the reserve tank the level of the coolant. And then check it again every morning for the next week or so. That way you can easilly find out if the car is losing coolant.
It sounds like whoever flushed it, didn't wait long enough for the motor to "burp". Air gets into the system when it's completly drained, and sometimes it takes awhile for that air to come around to the radiator. Once the motor burps, the level drops and needs to be topped up. But, keep an eye on the level. If you have to add fluid again, you're losing it somewhere.
The older Accords had a "Bleed Bolt". Whenever you changed the coolant you would have to loosen the bolt, and add coolant until it started coming out of the "Bleed Bolt". There is a certain procedure for changing coolant on a Honda. You can't just drain, and fill. Air will get trapped in the system. I would think the new Accords still have the bolt.
I have to agree with mattgg1 on this. It's the difference between low-tech and hi-tech. If you feel your low-tech approach of "looking" at your oil is better than all the factors the MM takes into account on how your engine operates and the stresses placed on the oil, than good for you - it makes you feel better. But it really is just a waste of time and money to change it more often than needed. Also, oil has come a long way, even in the last 10 years. The 3,000 mile oil change interval is so 1970's.
I don't know exactly what you consider a "pump jockey" to be, but assuming it is just anybody standing at a full service type gas pump on the company payroll (since that's about as much as you can expect these days, I know more about cars than most people working at gas pumps) then just go to New Jersey. Every station there will have pump jockeys since there is no such thing as self serve. Great not even having the choice to pump your own gas ain't it?! Luckily I live in NY.... In any event, they still exist and will even check fluids if pushed to do so.
As for the maintenance minder, I could find little information about it online beyond the fact that it uses ECU data to determine what schedule your car should be getting maintenance based on. On the optimistic side you could assume it takes very individualized measurements to determine the right time to make changes. A more pessimistic individual could say that very little is being displayed beyond a fairly generalized reminder. If anyone has more information about how the MM specifically comes up with figures I'm all ears.
I applaud the inclusion of ANYTHING that reminds people of services they should have done to their car since the vast majority of drivers have little interest in maintenance and I'd wager to say most neglect their vehicles so long as they continue to function semi-properly.
Having said that however, I don't see why Honda couldn't have just included a paper schedule or two so that people have an idea of what is coming up in the future. Seems logical to me anyway...
you articulated your position quite nicely. i'm all eyes as well - would really enjoy reading about the technical details of the MM system...
my opinion is if the MM is taking ECU information into consideration, it is not using any information which i don't have. even if it is making higher-level "sensor" or information assessments based on multiple other sensor inputs, the human typically does a much better job of this task.
anyway, as someone else mentioned, i could easily see how the MM could get off schedule.
say someone takes their vehicle to a quick lube facility. are there sensors on the filter to know if/when it was taken off the engine and changed? if not, if someone doesn't take care of informing the MM that the oil has been changed, how would it know?
to know "what's been done to the car" would require a human telling it, because instrumenting it with sufficient sensors and memory would be problematic at best - unreliable at worse.
ok - big brother - maybe the vehicle needs to be told via dealership computer - you've had the oil and the coolant and the power-steering and the timing belt and the yada yada changed at x.xx miles, and the MM is really "dumb" and counting down the miles / time to the next change, modifying it to some extent based on start cycles, cruise vs. stop and go, etc.
i'm expecting someone to tell me there is some sensor specifically checking the lubricity and contaminant content of the oil. :surprise:
jhinsc: 3,000 mile oil changes are not a wast of money, rather, it is high quality long term maintenance. If you want to see an example of what extended oil and filter changes can accomplish, do a search on the Toyota sludge problem, and the Chrysler 2.7 sludge problem. Everyone on the road today drives their vehicle in a different combination of city and highway driving. Personally, with my busy schedule, I try to organize my life so that I do not have to think about the "small stuff," like oil and filter changes and vehicle maintenance, so I pre-schedule these events at the dealer. I know that I have an oil and filter service on my schedule every 6 to 8 weeks. If I am accumulating mileage faster, during a given period of time, I just call my service advisor, and he will get me in sooner. I have also pre- schedule engine coolant & transmission fluid changes, and a brake system flush dates for both the Honda and Mustang as part of my "winter get ready program". I have service appointment runing into late October. Most of the time I get the vehicle into the service department the first thing in the morning, and I wait for the vehicle. If I have an early morning appointment, they give me a loaner vehicle. This system works for me! ---- Best regards. ----- Dwayne :shades:
Dwayne, I'm only mentioning this because you seem to not understand the "Toyota sludge problem". I don't remember the Chrysler problem you mention in your posts on the subject. With respect to your postition, the Toyota problem was a "problem" because the engines sludged up despite of maintenance being carried out. It was eventually blamed on design. Let's not let 3000 mile oil changes seem so important given the much better designed, high mileage potential, engines sold today.
>because you seem not to understand the "Toyota sludge problem".
The sludge problem was exacerbated by those following the Toyo-recommended long change period. Those who changed at 3000-3500 mi periods, e.g., didn't have the problem. But those doing the thousands longer (I forget the recommended mileage, but I can google for it and post it for you if you can't find it) had trouble even though they were following the Toyo guidelines.
The hot area broke down the oil as it flowed through that part, eventually increasing the faction of deteriorated oil to the point when it allowed/became sludge with the longer interval.
If anything, the sludge problem cited is a validation of 3000 mi changes for short trip drivers and of looking-at-the-dipstick to see what the stuff looks like every few weeks. I've got a car with 4500 mi IIRC on the oil, all summer and trip driving, no hot stop-and-go. I'm thinking of changing the filter and seeing what it looks like in another thousand. Oil feels right and leaves slight contamination circle on paper towel.
yeap the reseve was dry, and radiator took a qt. i had the dealer pressure check the system and it came out good. i'll mark the line on the reserve tank in the morning, just in case. i probably should check the oil level too, since they did an oil change as well thanks.
I second your opinion in that I would tend to fall into the skeptical group with regards to the MM's thoroughness.
While I appreciate any addition that reminds Joe/Jane average that he/she needs to have things done to the car, I don't see why paper schedules cant be included for the benefit of the owner. Besides, as a buyer of secondhand vehicles from private parties I always appreciate when an owner has a paper record or chart of all services with $amounts and dates. Granted they may be falsely constructed but most people are not that motivated to dishonesty. The lack of any schedule at all means I will either get a bundle of bills for services only or nothing whatsoever when I purchase someone else's car.
"While I appreciate any addition that reminds Joe/Jane average that he/she needs to have things done to the car, I don't see why paper schedules cant be included for the benefit of the owner."
That has been my issue all along. And to get a 2005 maintenence schedule, you have to buy an 05 owners manual. Someone here falsely reported that it can be downloaded through Owners Link. You can order a manual there, but you can't download one. If anyone out there just happens to have an 05 Accord (4 cyc), I would really appreciate if you could post the maintenence schedule, or e-mail me for an addy and send me a zerox copy.
Everytime it rains, my 2005 Honda Accord floods with water. Honda has had the car 4 times now & can't figure out a solution. The water is building up in the front door and gets to the point where it builds up so much that it overflows into the carpet of my back seat. I can duplicate the problem with a simple garden hose, but Honda can't seem to figure it out in their shop and they don't seem to want to listen to me about how to duplicate the problem. They have to replace the carpet every time this happens, along with other parts they manage to damage in the "fixing" process. This is my second Honda and I never had any problems with the other one, but this service record is begining to cause serious frustration. Anyone else have this problem?!
You can not download the entire manual. But you don't need the entire manual (Don't you already have a manual for your car?). Just the maintenance schedule. You can get that from owner's link. I have pasted a link below, just as an example.
I have a similar problem with a air/water leak on my 06 sedan. Post #1066 in this thread.
Honda called on day 1 and said the outer weather stripping and door panel will need to be replaced due to poor sealing. I called late yesterday to check the status and was told the car has not been repaired at this time. I'll call again today if they do not call me by 5-6pm.
Honda has had the car for 3 days now and I'm stuck in this thing called a Neon
Have you sat in the car to see where the leak is coming from? The doors have drain holes to keep the water out of the doors. Unless they are clogged I don't see how the water is overflowing from the doors.
maybe if you lined the entire door with tissue or paper towelling, the location will become more evident.
i would think water going down the inside of the doors would exit out of drainholes in the doo as you mention. also, doesn't the door thresholds point down and away from the cabin towards the outside.
boggles my mind too.
if the water is ending up in the footwell of the passenger front seat, i wonder if the A/C evaporator pan drain line is exiting properly through the firewall, or if it is crimped and the pan overflowing when cornering.
Thank you. I did line the door with paper towels and it is clear where the water is coming in. Still doesn't make sense where it's building up, but it's definitely coming in through the door and not draining out like it's supposed to. When I spray the car with a hose near the window, it is causing the problem to occur again, so it must be coming through the window and into the door...and then it's just not draining outward. Hopefully Honda can figure it out from there.
Elroy5...Yes, I have my 06 owners manual, which does not contain a written maintenence schedule. Your link, although appreciated, only takes me to the homepage. Having joined Owners Link a long time ago, it goes straight to my car of record when I sign in, which is an 06 The info provided for me is strictly 06 info, and there's no way for me to access the 05 service schedule. Damn computers. I appreciate your efforts, but I really need someone to copy/paste the 05 service schedule.
I am currently using an FM modulator to listen to my Sirius satellite radio. Nothing would make me happier than to direct wire the signal into my factor head unit (with NAV). None of the car audio shops will guarantee that they can do this as they cannot find an adapter made specifically for the 2003 Accord with NAVI.
Comments
we must all remember to have a looksee and see that all fluid levels look good and tires are properly / evenly inflated prior to long trips, and otherwise periodically between services from the dealership.
only takes a moment every few fillups to pop the hood and check levels, and for signs of leaks, cracking hoses, freyed belts.
They know best. Much more so than those who profit handsomely in selling oil, oil changes, filters, additives, etc.
Just because your oil has a slightly darker color than it did last week is not a reason to change it. It is engineered to be that way.
I think everyone here would agree that Honda has an outstanding track record in the development of long lasting, trouble-free engines & they employ some of the smartest engineers in the world.
Why then, do some people here, think they know more about engine care/maintenance than Honda Motor Co????
No one has presented any evidence or facts that suggest the Maintenance Minder system is flawed or will cause harm to the engine due to prolonged oil changes...
Honda spends millions of dollars every year developing and testing their engines. Honda runs these engines for thousands of hours and put millions of miles on new cars before they are sold to the public.
Wouldn't Honda know how long their engines can go between oil changes? Wouldn't it be in their best interest to follow a maintenance schedule that keeps their engines running for 200k+ miles?
Honda wouldn't have sold MILLIONS of cars with the MM system if their engines couldn't go up to 10K miles between oil changes. Period.
....same engineers that designed the transmissions in Accord, Odyssey, Pilot?....
Thanks. I'll use my own logic on my type of driving. Remember they sell replacement cars too. The longer yours last the less likely they get to sell you a replacement.
As for the precious resource, you don't want to get me started there. All my oil is recycled into my city's tank.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
To date I have replaced many items a few are. The speakers which were broken when I received the car. The transmission and two radios as they stopped working or shot CD's out at me. These are just a few of the problems and the dealer is not helpful. Now my dash lights and radio lights keep dimming and coming back on at odd times for 2-3 seconds each for about 3-4 times in a row. There is no pattern when this occurs with the lights on or off. Last time this did this my CD player then started randomly ejecting the CD's. Any ideas of what the problem would be is helpful. Thanks! :mad: :lemon:
there is no expert system (that I know of or would trust)that can actually look at the oil, AND look at the level, AND sanity check the quality of the oil for caking on the top of the filler cap or the very top of the dipstick.
factually, people don't routinely check their oil levels which is not a good situation.
i'm with imidazol97 on this one. i don't think you have to change it every 3K, but every 10K for non-synthetic even under ideal driving conditions is a tad much.
We are talking about the MM system, which monitors the engine and engine oil...your transmission argument is a red herring.
So "your own logic" is better than the millions of dollars that R&D Honda spends on their engines every year? What statistics/facts/data is your logic based on?
Your "replacement" argument is seriously flawed...
How many new car buyers keep their vehicle for 10/20 years and don't buy another car until their current one is completely used up?
VERY FEW. Most people drive a car for a few years, or until thier loan is paid off, then get a new car. Your comment, "The longer yours last the less likely they get to sell you a replacement." simply doesn't apply to 99% of the car-buying public.
Honda would be shooting themselves in the foot if they designed their engines to fail in order to sell more cars.
You are incorrect. The MM system is not just a reminder. There are several resources available on the internet that explain what the system does.
"there is no expert system...that can actually look at the oil, AND look at the level, AND sanity check the quality of the oil.... "
Again, you are wrong about what the MM system does. It tells you when oil CHANGES are needed, it does not check your oil level (there are other indicator lights for low oil level). It also does a much better job of "looking" at the oil to determine it's quality than your "sanity check" by eyesight.
"i don't think you have to change it every 3K, but every 10K for non-synthetic even under ideal driving conditions is a tad much."
What do you base your theory on? Do you have any evidence that 10K is "a tad much"??? Isn't the Engin R&D team at Honda more qualified to make that determination than you?
probably - i don't have that in my hondas. can you provide a link to details of the system implementation (specifically the inputs it uses)?
i can tell my oil level is low BEFORE my car can. that is just one example of it *not* doing a better job than me.
Is that a low oil level light? Or is it a low oil pressure light? They are VERY DIFFERENT.
How long does your vehicle take in, as you wrote, "loosing say 1/2-1 quart". Such a catastrphic oil loss would surely occur much sooner than your 3K mile interval.
The (not so) secret way to ensure against eventual loss of that magnitude is, and has always been, checking your oil level regularly. That's why cars have had dipsticks since the Model T.
Those who don't know how to do it can surely ask the pump jockey to check under the hood at each fuel stop.
Exactly what my thoughts were as I read the earlier posts...I believe it illuminates to tell of low oil "pressure", not level.
It's quite apparent that people have different opinions on this oil change interval subject. That's cool, we are all entitled to our own opinions on what we feel is best for our own cars. Let's just be sure to respect each others varying opinions.
Personally I see valid points on both sides:
Honda does build one of the most reliable engines in the world, and thus they should know what it's capible of. Motors and oils are far better today than those of yesteryear.
On the other side, some of us are old school. There's nothing wrong with that either. I happen to be one of these, so for me personally the motor minder system is useless. If I sleep better at night having wasted money on another oil change, so be it.
"It also does a much better job of "looking" at the oil to determine ..."
How does it "look" at the oil, please. Does it know the oil you put in is a quality that has a problem with the oil additives that contact and act like a lower viscosity at colder temperatures? Or does it know you put in synthetic, true synthetic, and so it adjusts.
If you are telling us the MM can "sense" the oil's properties to determine time-to-change, I'll buy that; only to count revs and conditions withou ref to the oil itself, I don't.
I look at the condition of my oil. I put drops on white paper towel and watch the behavior and the oxidation and dirt left at the middle. So if you don't think that works for me, you are welcome to your MM. Please don't act like it actually does an oil analysis as you drive. End of discussion.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I would get it back in ASAP, and try to keep down the miles. You really don't want it to overheat!
I'm not an expert by any means, but I wonder if they screwed up the thermostat, or if there is air in the system? Maybe the electronic fan is disconnected?
Anyway, sounds like something is out of whack.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I have a 1996 LX (and a 2006 EX) Accord that had its electric cooling fan motor fail after 140k miles or so. The car was fine when moving, but if we stopped, it was windows-down, A/C off, heat on, until I got it fixed. It was a $300 repair.
By the way, just so you'll have an extra opinion on the issue, the temp needle should go to the same place and stay there all the time under normal operation. This is how my 96 AND my 06 both function.
Whohaaa... You probably were driving with an EMPTY reserve tank, and your Radiator was low of coolant.... That's not so good... No wonder your car was heating up...
The Radiator should ALWAYS be full (and you have no reason to open it, CERTAINLY not when the car is hot!!!), and the reserve tank s.b. half-full. I'd expect the dealership selling you the car to do a MINIMAL check up on the car before they sell it...
OR maybe the car is LOSING coolant... Check into that, please. In the morning, before starting up the engine, you need to mark on the reserve tank the level of the coolant. And then check it again every morning for the next week or so. That way you can easilly find out if the car is losing coolant.
In any event, they still exist and will even check fluids if pushed to do so.
As for the maintenance minder, I could find little information about it online beyond the fact that it uses ECU data to determine what schedule your car should be getting maintenance based on. On the optimistic side you could assume it takes very individualized measurements to determine the right time to make changes. A more pessimistic individual could say that very little is being displayed beyond a fairly generalized reminder. If anyone has more information about how the MM specifically comes up with figures I'm all ears.
I applaud the inclusion of ANYTHING that reminds people of services they should have done to their car since the vast majority of drivers have little interest in maintenance and I'd wager to say most neglect their vehicles so long as they continue to function semi-properly.
Having said that however, I don't see why Honda couldn't have just included a paper schedule or two so that people have an idea of what is coming up in the future. Seems logical to me anyway...
my opinion is if the MM is taking ECU information into consideration, it is not using any information which i don't have. even if it is making higher-level "sensor" or information assessments based on multiple other sensor inputs, the human typically does a much better job of this task.
anyway, as someone else mentioned, i could easily see how the MM could get off schedule.
say someone takes their vehicle to a quick lube facility. are there sensors on the filter to know if/when it was taken off the engine and changed? if not, if someone doesn't take care of informing the MM that the oil has been changed, how would it know?
to know "what's been done to the car" would require a human telling it, because instrumenting it with sufficient sensors and memory would be problematic at best - unreliable at worse.
ok - big brother - maybe the vehicle needs to be told via dealership computer - you've had the oil and the coolant and the power-steering and the timing belt and the yada yada changed at x.xx miles, and the MM is really "dumb" and counting down the miles / time to the next change, modifying it to some extent based on start cycles, cruise vs. stop and go, etc.
i'm expecting someone to tell me there is some sensor specifically checking the lubricity and contaminant content of the oil. :surprise:
yeah - right. :P
3,000 mile oil changes are not a wast of money, rather, it is high quality long term maintenance. If you want to see an example of what extended oil and filter changes can accomplish, do a search on the Toyota sludge problem, and the Chrysler 2.7 sludge problem. Everyone on the road today drives their vehicle in a different combination of city and highway driving. Personally, with my busy schedule, I try to organize my life so that I do not have to think about the "small stuff," like oil and filter changes and vehicle maintenance, so I pre-schedule these events at the dealer. I know that I have an oil and filter service on my schedule every 6 to 8 weeks. If I am accumulating mileage faster, during a given period of time, I just call my service advisor, and he will get me in sooner. I have also pre- schedule engine coolant & transmission fluid changes, and a brake system flush dates for both the Honda and Mustang as part of my "winter get ready program". I have service appointment runing into late October. Most of the time I get the vehicle into the service department the first thing in the morning, and I wait for the vehicle. If I have an early morning appointment, they give me a loaner vehicle. This system works for me! ---- Best regards. ----- Dwayne
The sludge problem was exacerbated by those following the Toyo-recommended long change period. Those who changed at 3000-3500 mi periods, e.g., didn't have the problem. But those doing the thousands longer (I forget the recommended mileage, but I can google for it and post it for you if you can't find it) had trouble even though they were following the Toyo guidelines.
The hot area broke down the oil as it flowed through that part, eventually increasing the faction of deteriorated oil to the point when it allowed/became sludge with the longer interval.
If anything, the sludge problem cited is a validation of 3000 mi changes for short trip drivers and of looking-at-the-dipstick to see what the stuff looks like every few weeks. I've got a car with 4500 mi IIRC on the oil, all summer and trip driving, no hot stop-and-go. I'm thinking of changing the filter and seeing what it looks like in another thousand. Oil feels right and leaves slight contamination circle on paper towel.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
While I appreciate any addition that reminds Joe/Jane average that he/she needs to have things done to the car, I don't see why paper schedules cant be included for the benefit of the owner. Besides, as a buyer of secondhand vehicles from private parties I always appreciate when an owner has a paper record or chart of all services with $amounts and dates. Granted they may be falsely constructed but most people are not that motivated to dishonesty. The lack of any schedule at all means I will either get a bundle of bills for services only or nothing whatsoever when I purchase someone else's car.
-K
That has been my issue all along. And to get a 2005 maintenence schedule, you have to buy an 05 owners manual. Someone here falsely reported that it can be downloaded through Owners Link. You can order a manual there, but you can't download one. If anyone out there just happens to have an 05 Accord (4 cyc), I would really appreciate if you could post the maintenence schedule, or e-mail me for an addy and send me a zerox copy.
Mrbill
https://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/Maintenance/maint_schedule.asp?sch=s&mi=52&box=ae
Honda called on day 1 and said the outer weather stripping and door panel will need to be replaced due to poor sealing. I called late yesterday to check the status and was told the car has not been repaired at this time. I'll call again today if they do not call me by 5-6pm.
Honda has had the car for 3 days now and I'm stuck in this thing called a Neon
Have you sat in the car to see where the leak is coming from? The doors have drain holes to keep the water out of the doors. Unless they are clogged I don't see how the water is overflowing from the doors.
i would think water going down the inside of the doors would exit out of drainholes in the doo as you mention. also, doesn't the door thresholds point down and away from the cabin towards the outside.
boggles my mind too.
if the water is ending up in the footwell of the passenger front seat, i wonder if the A/C evaporator pan drain line is exiting properly through the firewall, or if it is crimped and the pan overflowing when cornering.
Your link, although appreciated, only takes me to the homepage. Having joined Owners Link a long time ago, it goes straight to my car of record when I sign in, which is an 06
The info provided for me is strictly 06 info, and there's no way for me to access the 05 service schedule.
Damn computers.
I appreciate your efforts, but I really need someone to copy/paste the 05 service schedule.
Can anyone help?
Thanks!
Copied from the 03-05 Accord service manual.