My 2021 TLX A-Spec I recently bought has 39K miles on it and I have no record of the transmission oil being changed, so I decided to drain & fill it. This established a baseline for my fluid change. I don't use the MM for the timing of when fluids need to be changed.

Difficulty Rating: 3 out of 5 for doing it the first time (5 requires Acura to perform the work)

Time Required:

• I'd recommend allotting 1.5 - 2 hours for the first time you do it. If I did it again, I could do it in 1 hour.

Tools Needed:

• Electric screw driver
• 10mm socket wrench
• 3/8" socket wrench
• 14mm socket wrench
• 17mm socket wrench

Steps:

1. Drive the car around town, get the car's engine and transmission up to normal operating temperature
2. On a flat surface, get the car up on 4 wheels using either a lift, or two floor jacks in the center of the F & R of the car. Install 4 jack stands to secure the car.
3. From the top of the engine (be careful, it'll be hot), drape a towel over the exhaust manifold and locate the FILL plug (17mm) and crack it open using a 1/2" socket wrench with the 17mm socket (see picture). Nothing should come out.
4. From the top of the engine, locate the LEVEL plug (14mm) and make sure you can loosen it. Then re-tighten it.
5. Go under the car and take off the bottom engine/transmission metal protective pan using the screw driver and 10mm socket wrench
6. Locate the drain plug for the transmission (see picture). It's in line with the driver side wheel. With a drain pain underneath it, open the drain plug using the 3/8"socket wrench (it's a square opening)
7. Open the drain and let the fluid drain for at least 20-30 mins. WIPE OFF THE MAGNETIC material on this magnet. (See picture). Once it has stopped, you can close up the drain plug using a new crush washer.
8. Use a long tube that's connected to a funnel and place it deep into the fill hole (17mm hole).
9. I used 5.0 QTs to fill the transmission. Make sure you SHAKE EACH BOTTLE before you pour it into the funnel.
10. Close up the fill port with a new crush washer and tighten the 17mm nut (32 ft lbs)
11. With all bolts back in place, start the car, get it up to operating temperature following the FSM (factory service manual). The fan should kick on twice (see picture).

Notes:

• The engine is going to be HOT, best to wear a long sleeve shirt and make sure the exhaust manifold is covered with a thick blanket/towel that is appropriate for heat
• Wipe off the drain plug sediment that was caught by the magnet.
• Make sure the engine is up to temperature AFTER putting in the new transmission fluid. This is achieved by starting the engine and having the radiator fan come on twice.

ATF-2.0 Fluid - SHAKE WELL


Drain plug, looking towards the driver front wheel

Wipe off any material with clean cloth

Factory Service Manual - checking level
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My level plug is 12mm. Anyone have a part number for the gasket on the level plug?

 

It'd help if you provide your year and model..

 

21 tlx AWD 2.0

 

you sure you need one? IIRC, my plug had an integrated crush washer on it (couldn't come off). But will be good to capture this piece of information in this thread.

 

Thanks for the write up PLP!

Question for you (assuming yours is AWD), have you done the front differential/transfer case fluid yet?

I have my TLX at the dealer for its inspection, and they recommended the transmission fluid ($299) and front differential fluid ($139) be done.

I declined having them do it for those prices, as I’ve done my transmission fluids on my previous cars. But I’m wondering if you did your front differential fluid yet (if you have one), and if so, if you had a write up on that as well.

Thank you!

 

Yeah, mine is not AWD, FWD only. But if you can change your oil, you can do these fluids. Worth the effort and save $$$.

 

Bummer, but I appreciate the quick response.

Other question for you on the transmission fluid change. Looking at that PDF, it tells you to run the transmission through a sequence. Did you do that sequence before you drained and refilled the transmission, or after you drained and refilled the transmission?


It sounds like you do that after to refill it with 5qts, and that cycling through the gears then removing the level plug allows any excess fluid to spill out, but I just want to be sure.

Thanks again!

 

So i drove the car around town to get it up to operating temperatures. Put the car on my QuickJack 5000. Did the drain (I let it drain for 25-30 mins) and then added the 5 QTs of Transmission fluid (shake them prior).

Then I let the car warm up on the lift, allowing the fluid to get hotter (3-5 mins of running time). Finally I went thru the gear sequence 3 times (1 is good, 3 is best-est :-) ). Then I drained the excess fluid off and sealed things up.

 

You supposed to wait for fan to turn off and on twice, then shut off car and remove sight plug

 

You are correct sir! I couldn't recall if it was for my Acura or my daughters Camry which I just changed las month. Good catch. "wait for fan to turn off and on twice"

 

Great procedure! I need to do mine and was wondering - what crush washers to use, please? Thanks.

 

Oh, and torque specs for the bolts?

 

use a search in 3rd gen RDX, same transmission

 

Good idea, thanks

 

Torque specs and crush washer info

 

As far as shaking the bottles…. This is really crazy, there are two types of Honda 2.0 ATF bottles, one say Honda and another say Acura. Part number is the same, the only difference is that Acura labeled bottle has “A” at the end of part number. It is believed that both fluids are identical, in fact in some cases Acura dealer parts department might sell you Honda labeled bottle.

Here is one thing that makes zero sense to me. While Honda bottles have “shake well” before use, Acura bottles do not have this anywhere on the bottle.
I did use Acura bottle and never did the shaking, is it a problem?

 

No harm in shaking the Acura fluids. And I don't think there is any harm in NOT shaking the fluids. I'm guessing that the protective material suspended in the fluid may sink to the bottom of the bottle and may not all come out unless you are holding the bottle upside down for 30 seconds or more (like I do) to get every drop out of it. Either way, you should be fine if you change the transmission oil every 30K miles.

 

This sheet is MONEY! Where did you get this? Everything you need on one page!

 

agree, just find it very strange that they decided that there is no need to put “shake well” on Acura branded bottles….

 

Here's an open source website to get similar 'Vehicle Service Quick Reference Guides' for Honda's; however, no joy found for Acura vehicles.
Quick Reference Guides for Honda Vehicles | Honda Parts Direct