I've seen varous articles about this issue.

I watched a Youtube video which stated it's only a danger if the fluid has become black. The trans fluid has always been fine on the rare occasions I've checked it and there's never any negative comment about the condition of the fluid when I bring it in for the regular oil changes/24 point inspection.

Any danger having the fluid replaced (not flushed)?

 

You're supposed to do a 3x3 (3quarts 3 times) to "change" the trans oil. Everytime you drain you remove something around 70% of the oil, but the remainder is still there which mixes with the new oil. There should be 0 downside to changing your trans oil and you should do it (I've done at at 50 and 70k and doing it again this weekend/next weekend at 105k)

 

Thank you for the response.

The Acura dealer wants $240 to do that. and with a coupon they'll do it for $215.

I called a JiffyLube and the guy told me they can't do it for my car, but could if the trans had a dipstick.
I told him it's not a sealed system, there is a dipstick.

He quoted $166. I think I can use one of their coupons and get it for $151.
But the guy's lack of knowledge of my car makes me feel uncomfortable doing it with a third party shop.
It makes me wonder if they would also take shortcuts and not do the whole 3x3 you describe.

Is it something you think a place like JiffyLube can handle or do you think it's worth it to use the dealer?
(I won't attempt it myself - terrible at mechanics).

 

It is H-I-G-H-L-Y unlikely Jiffy Boob will have the correct ATF (Honda DW-1), ain't no way in hell I'd let those folks even look at my car much less touch it. Do it yourself or find a shop which specializes on Hondas.

 

I would like to echo other comments about how terrible Jiffy Lube is.

If your transmission is working fine but you're due for a change, do the fluid change. Fresh fluid reduces overall wear. If your transmission is not working fine, doing a fluid change (or flush) very likely won't fix it.

Flushes are supposedly dangerous because they dislodge gunk or shavings that break things. But in most cases, I think it's a coincidence - you service the transmission because it was acting badly, and then it goes ahead and fails, which it was going to do anyway. So you blame the guy who touched it last.

Same with the black fluid thing - transmission fluid can last 100k+ pretty easily. (I think Volvos come with "lifetime" sealed transmissions now that are supposedly good for like 200k on the original fluid.) So if your fluid is that degraded, your transmission is probably living on borrowed time. The "transmission fluid change will destroy your transmission" is how a mechanic avoids being the guy who touched it last.

 

https://jalopnik.com/lazy-idiots-at-...pan-1748394648