I have a 2009 Honda CRV, FWD, with 180,000 miles. It is time to change the automatic transmission fluid and there seems to be a lot of thoughts on the best way to do this: from draining and filling 3x while driving it in-between draining/filling to disconnecting the AFT hose from the radiator and directing into a catch container, start the engine and let the pump (is there a pump) remove/expel the old fluid while pouring in new fluid to maintain the appropriate level and continue until the fluid runs clean. Thoughts on this process? Also, everything I have read says there is no need to change the AFT filter, which seems odd to me. If you don't need to change it than what is it doing?
Thank you for your help.
ATF, … just warm up the car than drain and fill. There is a plug on the bottom. Use a 3/8 ratchet without a socket to take it out. Clean the plug - magnet on the end gathers bits an pieces of metal. Use a new washer and reinstall. Fill through the dipstick tube. About 3-1/2 quarts of Honda fluid per fill. ATF filter, … there is one. It’s an inline filter located on external lines - a cooling loop by the bottom of the radiator. Couple of spring clamps and a holding bracket holds it in place. Honda says it’s a not normally serviceable item, … OK?!?, … just get one and change it!
After all that, adjust a level: start the car, go through the gears few times, stop the engine. Check level within a minute and a have of shutting the engine. Dipstick is marked for proper level when ATF is hot, so level should be lower than the hot marks Check again after bit of driving. Now it should be between two dots. Bring it up if it is not. Don’t overfill.
F.S.
I drain and fill once. Repeating every couple years.
You can drop the pan and change the filter screen. Be interesting to see what condition it's in after all those miles.
