Just recently bought a used 1998 TL 2.5. Not more than a few weeks after getting a tune-up that included an ATF change, I checked the ATF, and it appeared to be almost empty. No sign of any leak. The manual says I should shut the engine off right before checking, which I'm doing. Is there any particular amount of time I need to keep the engine running before checking? I'm just trying to troubleshoot before I go accusing the mechanic of screwing up!
The manual makes it sound really easy to add ATF - it says to just "add fluid into the tube." I'm assuming it means the same tube I use to check the fluid level? Sorry if these are naive questions - I'm not so great with cars! Also, if I add ATF and it mixes with a different kind of ATF that might already be in there, will that create problems?
Any information here is really appreciated...

 

ATF should be use by honda and bought at honda or acura dealer ship..recommanded, i dont think it should be empty..check the dipstick make sure its in the middle and not below..

 

Engine and transmission should be operating temp-warm - like 15 minutes of casual freeway drive- avoid local stop and go driving- hot fluid reads higher that actual

Then shut off engine
Open hood
Wear gloves- hot stuff
Make sure its the trans stick not the oil- some years its yellow handle
There may be a chart under hood
Remove trans stick and wipe clean
Insert FULLY and immediatly remove
Read- if between lines its good
Make sure the invoice says they used HONDA fluid
Then Go ASK THE PLACE IN PERSON WHAT THEY USED
Many will use Dextron- which is approved only in emergency and must then be flushed using the 3 x method- search trans threads for details
You may need a free fix from the shop- you paid for it to be right and if its low or wrong fluid its theirs to fix

 

And don't drive it in the meantime.

 

Thanks, y'all!

 

DO

What was the outcome of this
Fresh fluid from Honda now flows thru the veins of the trasnmission???
Does it shift better?

 

Took it back to the shop where I got the tune-up, and according to them, the ATF isn't low. Not sure why it was reading low when I checked, but they showed me the dipstick, and it seemed fine. Weird. As for the brand, they used Castrol Multi-Vehicle. I called some Acura specialists to ask if that would be OK for my car, and they said it should be fine - in fact, they said that's what they used, too.
Thanks for checking in about this!

 

Hey Damon,
By Acura specialists, do you mean Acura Dealers? The shop manual for the TL explicitly specifies that genuine Honda ATF must be used in the transmission. Apart from that, everyone on this forum stresses on using Honda ATF. There isn't much of a price difference. You may want to check into that.