ceb

MM 5 is "change coolant"

Dealer is trying to push the BG coolant flush that is "way overdue" at 50k miles and I'd like to tell the dealer what I think of him (again), but I'd like some ammo first. AFAIK, shouldn't that come up every 120k or so?

briq456

I just turned 90K and no 5 as of yet. But funny story, my Friend had an accord and it was an auto 2007, and of course her transmission went out at about 68,000 miles, the dealership said that she hadn't performed the maintenance, now she followed that maintenance minder to a T. And the owners manual even says:
3
Replace transmission fluid
Driving in mountainous areas at very low vehicle speeds or trailer towing results in higher transmission and transfer temperatures. This requires transmission and transfer fluid changes more frequently than recommended by the Maintenance Minder. If you regularly drive your vehicle under these conditions, have the transmission and transfer fluid changed at 60,000 miles (100,000 km), then every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) (For A/T only

Now if the minder says that in severe conditions you are supposed to change it at 60K wouldn't you think that in normal use it would be longer than 60K? Sorry to hijack the thread but I actually had to argue with Corporate and even then they only paid for parts, not labor.

WheelMcCoy

Heh... "way overdue". I bought my TSX Wagon new; it now has 55k on it, and MM 5 has not come up yet.

When to change the coolant is all over the map:
https://www.cars.com/articles/how-of...1420680853669/

My other car -- the 2010 Mazda3 -- has engine coolant type FL22 which should be changed at 120k miles or 10 years, then every 60k miles after that. Other coolant fluids need to be changed at 60k miles or 4 years, and then every 2 years after that.

I don't know the fluid type in our cars, but the owner's manual refers to it as Honda Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2.

Regardless, I'd say it's too early to change it. To be sure if the coolant really needs changing, the article in the link above states the fluid can be tested, but I wouldn't trust your dealer to do it though.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

ive never seen "5" but I change it out when I'm doing "4" timing belt.
because, when doing "4" loss of coolant will happen changing out water pump

so, it only makes sense to drain coolant while doing the timing belt job.
2 birds one stone.

ceb

Makes perfect sense to me because I was going to change my coolant along with my timing belt too.

ceb

They also put a sticker on my windshield telling me to bring my car back in 3 months or 3k miles for the next service.

While I understand that dealers survive by maintenance, selling unneeded services to the uninformed seems unethical.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

the point of changing it, is to keep the radiator from rusting.

if radiator rust, debris can block flow of coolant.
blocking the heat transfer from engine and may over heat.

ceb

Correct. My earlier post was in jest - I'll swap it out with fresh stuff when the 5 comes up in the maintenance minder - at about 120k miles or if the engine ever needs to torn down.

mrgold35

The "5" never came up on my 06 TSX; but, I changed it out at 103k (in for other service). The RDX "5" service popped up at 115k. Both cars have about 130k on them now.

ceb

That's exactly what I am expecting.


I assume the vast majority of customers will fall for the "it is way overdue now, we have no record of you getting your coolant flushed" scam.


I think they just got a BG machine because this is the first time that they are suggesting a whole slew of unnecessary BG services. I'd bet they just bought one of these