Filled transmission fluid through dipstick tube.

jax2050 · Jan 6, 2020

I got in a hurry trying to change my 2007 Ridgeline transmission fluid before my kid woke up from his nap, and I forgot the transmission has a fill plug.
I drained it through the bottom then just put a tube and funnel on the dipstick opening to fill it.
Would this cause any problems? I can’t imagine why it would, but then why do they have the fill plug since it’s harder to get to.

McChizzle · Jan 6, 2020

I don't know, but like you I think there is no issue other than not getting enough fluid in the transmission. Keep in mind that Honda requires a drain and fill method that is to be done three times, driving a few miles between each change. So you have two more opportunities to do it the right way, just incase.

eurban · Jan 6, 2020

McChizzle said:
Keep in mind that Honda requires a drain and fill method that is to be done three times, driving a few miles between each change. So you have two more opportunities to do it the right way, just incase.

No!
For standard transmission maintenance you do a SINGLE drain and fill.
Multiple drain and fills are only for when there is reason to believe the fluid has been damaged.
It is also done if you want to switch over from Z1 (factory fill in the earlier GenIs) over to DW1 fluid.

Sounds like he is just doing the transmission maintenance. Filling from the dip stick hole is fine as long as you get the amount of fluid in needed to have the reading correct on the dipstick. Check with engine fully warm but just recently turned off

jax2050 · Jan 6, 2020

So now there is a second possible problem. I switched from the factory z1 to dw with a single drain and fill 15k ago. This was the second drain and fill with dw. I guess it’s basically too late, but was it a problem to mix the fluids?
For future reference I will report there have been no noticeable problems. I won’t comment on unnoticeable wear and tear/etc.

eurban · Jan 6, 2020

You will always mix fluid. The whole concept is that by 4-5 dump and fills you will have something like 90% of the target fluid. No need to worry the fluids are compatible with each other. You can do more dump and fills if you want or just keep on driving if the shifting peformance is satisfactory.

speedlever · Jan 6, 2020

I agree the multiple D&F is not a normal service procedure for the routine transmission service. However, if converting from a different fluid to DW-1, or if the fluid is very old/dark/doesn't smell right... or contaminated, I would do at a minimum 4x D&F (as per the Honda instructions for the Honda version of a flush).
3x D&F are steps 2-8. The 4th D&F is step 9-10.

McChizzle · Jan 6, 2020

Every transmission fluid change I have had performed at the dealership has been a 3X or more drain and fill, probably due to the fact that I towed. I've not had one in a while because I don't tow that much anymore, but this was a regular occurrence and the owner's manual does not discuss how many times just how to do it.

eurban · Jan 6, 2020

There is NO mention of multiple D&F in the owners manual, not even for towing. Period!
For towing Honda says that you are simply supposed to change the fluid (only 1X D&F) more frequently and on a mileage based schedule since the Maintenance Minder won't know that you are towing.
If your dealer has really been doing 3x D&F(or more) they are not following Honda's procdure. Did you have them do it when the MM prompted or on the mileage based schedule for severe use? If it was on the MM schedule then you actually weren't changing it often enough according to Honda.
Assuming that you did it according to the severe schedule, overmaintaining the transmission it is not going to hurt anything except your wallet and generate more waste. It also puts a lot of extra cycles on the drain bolt.

jax2050 · Jan 6, 2020

Thanks for all the responses. Based on your responses and the fact she’s been shifting perfectly, I’m going to stick to my plan and wait another 10-15k before doing another drain and fill. The fluid that came out today looked almost as good as the new fluid I put in.

longboat · Jan 6, 2020

Think of a single D&F as a trans fluid service ~ every 30k miles. If you do the 4 D&Fs, you can consider that a flush, a service that many experts would recommend if you think you've overheated your trans fluid.

IIRC, in the old days, on a typical auto trans, you'd change the fluid somewhere around 90k miles. If you D&F the Honda trans every 30k (changing 1/3 of the fluid), that would be nearing equivalent to a full trans fluid change every 90-120k. Of course, the old and new fluids are diluted into each other with each change, but I'm sure Honda has accounted for that.

Vlad the Impaler · Jan 6, 2020

Filling at the dipstick is as good as the fill hole, assuming the level checks out when done.
As for all the other 3 change discussion here, I have done single fluid changes per the MM on my 2009 since new and it's now just over 180,000 miles without issue or any funky looking/smelling fluid upon service. I have always considered my service "by the book".

KSPhoto · Jan 6, 2020

Does anyone reading this know when Honda changed over from using the old transmission fluid to the new DW-1 in new Ridgelines? I have a new-to-me 2011, and wondering if it has always/only had DW-1 in it? Thanks in advance.

speedlever · Jan 6, 2020

Good question. My memory seems to recall that MY 2011 was when it was changed to DW-1. But I don't recall if the entire MY 2011 was on the new fluid or if they changed over partway during the model year.

Maybe @McChizzle has that info in the Wiki.

IanRTL · Jan 7, 2020

Chiming in here - first to the OP: there is nothing wrong with filling through the dipstick tube as long as you ensure the correct amount goes in and the level on the stick is good. You do not NEED to change over to DW-1 via the 3-4x drain and fill method. The DW-1 is simply a superior fluid. If you do one D&F every 10-15k miles you will eventually have a vast majority of DW-1 in the system. The most important part is keeping the proper amount of fluid in the system and ensuring the magnetic drain plug is thoroughly cleaned often.

Secondly, I agree with all previous posters that the 3X or 4X drain and fill method is for a changeover from Z1 to DW-1 or in the case of damaged, worn, or neglected fluid. To be clear, there is NOTHING wrong with doing a full 3X change of the fluid every 20-30k miles if you so choose especially if you're doing a lot of towing or hard driving. It may be overkill, but the only thing it hurts is your wallet. In the long run, frequent $200 services sure beats the $4000+ cost of a new transmission.

That being said, my driving consists of several short trips a week back and forth to work. I put about 5k miles on the truck a year and do a single drain and fill of the tranny fluid every other oil change (about once every 20-24 months). I believe this is even overkill, but I'm more than happy to put less than $50 into this every two years to keep the transmission going as well as it has. 175k miles and still shifts as good as the day I brought it home.

speedlever · Jan 7, 2020

Here's a post from Gary Flint about tranny fluid that may be helpful too.

full drain of transmission fluid

Does anyone know how to fully drain the tranny fluid I have 23k on my truck and want to change it out with fresh fluid but cant seem to find where to fully drain it

www.ridgelineownersclub.com

The primary benefit of synthetic transmission fluid is thermal resistance. The Honda transmission fluid has additives that suppress foaming and will not break down at normal operating temperatures. If you exceed the operating temperature (ie: get an “ATF” lamp), you should change the fluid as soon as reasonably possible.

The flush procedure in the manual is to fill and drain the system 4x’s. This effectively purges the contaminated fluid from the system. There is no need to follow this procedure unless an over heated condition has occurred. This is easy to diagnose because you can see the fluid color changed from red to brown and it also smells burnt. If you do not perform a drain and flush operation, you will see the old oil and the new oil are mixed after the vehicle is driven. The color discoloration will return even after a change unless it is “flushed’ according to the stated procedure.

The synthetics also have a marginal benefit at low temperatures (-40) and also high temperature resistance. Unless you are racing the vehicle in the desert, there is no need or motivation to install synthetic fluid. Changing the fluid too often will not hurt the vehicle. Transmission fluid has a tremendous affect on shift quality. If you do not use Honda transmission fluid, you run the risk of degrading the shift quality and temperature resistance. The current Honda transmission fluid also has significant merit for fuel economy over typical Dexron fluid.

McChizzle · Jan 7, 2020

The ATF lamp has never come on and I know it still lights up at startup, so I assume it's still working.

Since I use to tow over the Gen1's limit, the flush procedure not being a normal process, and having no other unusual maintenance issues; I can anecdotally conclude that after 10+ years of this, towing over the limit burns up the trans fluid rather quickly. So I feel comfortable saying this is the weak link in the Gen1's drivetrain.

With Gen2 owners also having issues with burnt transmission fluid, but not necessarily due to towing, I feel comfortable saying the Ridgeline transmissions are the thing to keep an eye on if you push your RL to the max. I wonder how the new 9AT will fare in the 2020 model?

IanRTL · Jan 7, 2020

McChizzle said:
I wonder how the new 9AT will fare in the 2020 model?

Hopefully well enough that it doesn't require frequent fluid changes since the procedure for the 9AT is not only complicated, but extremely pricey at a reported $400-500 at a dealership. The fluid retails for over $40 a quart.

IanRTL · Jan 8, 2020

I really wouldn't call the transmission the "weak link" at all. Towing over the recommended limit regularly puts a severe strain on the fluid and clutches, so the fact that your trans is still going strong is a testament of its strength. You have to keep in mind this is a mid size light duty truck. A full size or even HD would have been a better choice for regularly towing loads of over 5000lbs, but the RL has done it seemingly pretty well.

henni · Jan 8, 2020

IanRTL said:
The fluid retails for over $40 a quart.

IanRTL · Jan 8, 2020

There have been several reports from Pilot owners of transmission fluid services on the ZF9 being around $500. The job is booked at 2.5 hours, so that's about $275 in labor. If you account for tax and other "shop fees", they were charged almost $50 per quart for this stuff. Even at $25 per quart "on sale", it's still a giant ripoff just for the fluid and the fact that the truck has to be connected to a diagnostic machine to "recalibrate" the transmission settings after the fluid change. German complexity at its finest.

northernlights · Jan 8, 2020

I just gave some blood yesterday and feel fine, next drain in three months.

Filled transmission fluid through dipstick tube.

full drain of transmission fluid

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