Hello everyone I am new here. I have a question and that is I just purchased a 2003 Honda Civic LX and the previous owner said he never changed the transmission fluid. It has 130,000 miles on it and there is no problems with the transmission but the fluid is brown and burnt smelling it needs to be changed but should I just leave it? I have read that it might cause more damage changing it than just leaving it.

 

I dont know much about AT trans, but if you are worried about it, why not go to a Honda dealership and talk to them about it?

 

I have the 04 but only 35k miles. I just replaced, or drained and refilled mine. Just under 3 or 4 quarts.
I used Honda atf.
See what they say at service. Probably, change it.
The dealer can do a flush, if they have a flush machine. Ask them. That is where they don't just drain it, they run fluid thru' it to get all the old fluid out.
dc

 

The key is don't use generic fluid. Use Honda spec preferably direct from a dealer. I don't think flushing is a good idea compared to just drain and refill, drive a few hundred miles then drain and refill again, until the fluid looks reasonably new. If you do want to flush, have only a Honda dealer do it because other places will have generic fluid in their machine.