Hi Scotty after seeing your videos I’ve been trying to help my mom care for her car. Thanks! Anyways I’m trying to change the transmission fluid on a 2004 Honda Pilot with 275,000 miles but I don’t know when the last time it was changed. The last owner was my uncle and he says around 5 years ago but he don’t remember the mileage when he changed it. In theory can i change the fluid and save the old fluid in case the new fluid causes the transmission to slip and then just stick with the fluid.I want to change the fluid but I’m scared I will ruin the transmission if possibly it is past it’s fluid change and it’s too dirty to be changed anymore
Can you check the condition of the old fluid first with a dipstick? There should be one under the hood. If it's really dirty, then I would play it safe and not touch it, especially with that kind of mileage. But if it really was changed 5 years ago, then maybe the fluid may not be too dirty.
The best thing you can do in any case is to just drain the old fluid, change the filter (which will only help), and refill with the old fluid that came out.
