I am 73 years old and have been working on cars since I was 14. But these new cars with their ridiculous automation really have me puzzled. I have a 2011 Accord V6 with 61000 miles. The engine is an interference engine so I need to be concerned about the Timing Belt. The stupid maintenance minder controls all the maintenance intervals. In the course of a year, I never get the thing to read below 30%. I don't drive it in the Connecticut winter. So the car is over 10 years old with relatively low mileage. But the stupid MM does not take time into account so I am not sure if I should be changing the Timing Belt now because of age. What guidelines can you provide that will tell me when I should be doing all this maintenance stuff such as ATF, Brake Fluid, Coolant, but especially the Timing Belt.
P.S. I love this Youtube Channel. I get entertained by it every night!
Bob Maio
Hebron, CT
Maintenance minders pretty much go off of mileage. They can't reliably tell time as they are just a software program.
My advice is to maintain the car like it doesn't have that feature. Check your owner's manual and change out the recommended items. You can also check your belts for any signs of dry rot and swap those out as needed.
At the present age of your Accord, if never changed before, I would recommend you change the ATF, brake fluid and coolant. Your owner’s manual recommends brake fluid be changed every 3 years.
Use only the Honda OEM DW-1 ATF fluid for your automatic transmission.
With regards to the timing belt, your owner’s manual (V6 Accord) recommends it be changed every 60,000 miles if driven under harsh (very hot, very cold or frequent towing) conditions.
For peace of mind, it would be a good idea to get it changed now, due to age as @yaser suggested.
I would change it due to the age. Realize that you have an interference engine and if the timing belt snaps, you should say good bye to my the engine.
Your situation is the reason I would never buy a vehicle made after 2006. I don't need or want all the electronic junk. I would sit down and actually read the maintenance section of your owner's manual and perform the services well before they say they are required. With your experience and enthusiasm for the ICE and a little help now and again from forums like this, there isn't anything you won't be able to do.
This is the point. The owners manual nor the service manual has the milage listed. I heard from someone that if the car is over 10 years old, the timing belt should be changed. But I am not sure where that person got his information.
Well, you have gotten 10 years of use out of that belt. A little preventive maintenance can only go a long way.
Thanks for your input. Based on the comments I plan on doing the Timing Belt now but forgoing the changing of the water pump. Normally I would change it too when I did the TB but its got so little mileage on it I can't see spending another $200 for it. The Automatic Tensioner is another thing all together. Not sure If I should spend the $150 for it. Any thoughts and opinions?
replace the tensioner.
same idea as the belt. If it loses tension and slips ... bye bye engine.
