Honda Civic CVT Fluid Change DIY Maintenance Guide 10th Gen Transmission Service 2016-2020 

Replace both CVT filters as well! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CI7mK6rZDTA.html

He was very thorough showing us how to change CTV fluid. Keeping the car level when draining and filling was a very good point. I appreciate his time and effort.

The trans fluid from Honda is CHEAP vs a new trans- CHANGE IT OFTEN AS it says. The hard part is lifting the car SAFELY to keep it level. If you have a buddy with a lift your golden- Change the oil at the same time.. The 10th gens get 42-44 MPG and are HIGHLY sought after.

The crush washer for the level check is this: 90471-59C-000 The crush washer for the drain bolt is this: 90471-PX4-000 You're supposed to replace both of these. It's the same part numbers if you have another Honda with the 10 speed A/T and the whole procedure is pretty much the same as the CVT. The AT uses a crush washer + bolt for the fill port though.

I found that 4 quarts is almost exactly the correct amount of fluid. Jack up the back of the car, then drain the old fluid. Replace the drain plug. Lower the car. Fill the trany with all 4 quarts. Done! Don't over think it. A couple ounces of extra fluid isn't detrimental. Changing the CVT oil is easier than changing the engine oil.

Probably one of the best DIY videos on here. Simple, informative, through and to the point. As a former Toyota and Ford mechanic, I'm sure you're already aware that you definitely want to make sure the CVT fluid level is correct at the specified temperature (usually 100°F). These CVT's can burn out quickly if the fluid level isn't correct.😎

Definitely awesome vid man. Im at 16,200 miles on mine. Looks pretty easy to do because of your tutorial!

You left out an important step. Fluid volume changes depending on its temperature. That's why Honda says you should re-fill it, lower the car down or have the car lifted level. Run it through the gears, check the fluid temperature, and when it's between 90-110F remove the check bolt and if nothing comes out add more. Otherwise, let it drain out until it's a slow trickle and put the check bolt back in. The trans fluid is temperature-sensitive. Skipping this step may result in you either underfilling or overfilling your trans, which isn't a good idea. I use a scan tool connected to the OBDII port...until it reads 90F. The temp rises fast, so you have to work quickly. Good luck.

I drain/refill every third oil change. On ramps, cold engine. I've measured the cold drain at 4 qts every time since new. Put in 4 qts. Easy maintenance...

Hey, great video. Just did min on my 15 Fit. I did notice that your exhaust mount is loose. The bolt is backed way out. Dont want you to rattle. :-) Thank for the awesome vid.

As a civic owner thanks for making the easiest DIY vids

Get a clear juice 1 gallon Jug, with measurements on the side,they are about 3 bucks,drain your old fluid into the jug,and then you know exactly how much you took,out,jug can be used again and again for oil changes etc.

Nice work. Due front drive car, I'd place the rear tires on ramps and place front on the jack stands. Just in case when you place the car in gear and your foot slips off the brake pedal or being distracted, the car does not roll forward or reward.

I'm about 28k miles on my 2021 civic. I had no clue you are supposed to replace transmision fluid every 30k miles. Thanks for the heads up

I want to say a big thanks to Sal for sharing this video. I'll change mine soon. Here in Portugal is kms, not miles. Mine has 60.000 kms (37.282 miles) , time to change this fluid and filters and with your video, very simple for us that like mechanic's things 👍👍👍

If you hold the bottle the other direction, it doesn't glug out.

Also good practice to make sure you’re able to get the check bolt loose before draining all the fluid out. If it’s seized and you don’t measure how much came out, you won’t be able to check it.

Saved me $200+ . First time i changed the the fluid, i had the dealership do it… a little less than $300 is what they charged😅

Best video I've found on the civic CVT fluid change.

One annoying thing about these 2017+ 10th gen civics with the newer CVT's is that NOWHERE in the general or CVT maintenance is it mentioned that the torque converter (under the air manifold to the lower left of the CVT fill plug) has an identical rubber plug to the CVT fill plug and doesnt mention what it is for? The TC unit is pumped with trans/CVT fluid and generally doesnt require its own fill port so its confusing as hell. Furthermore, hidden near the TC unit rubber plug I mentioned is a small rubber 90 degree bend breather plug that IS mentioned in Hondas Technicians Guide as a maintenance item that requires cleaning to resolve the common issue with the 10th gens spitting their CVT plugs out while under aggressive load. These rubber breathers are bent 90 degrees and are supposed to be positioned at a 12 - 3 o'clock position facing away from the front end. They have a habit of either being knocked out of position or coming from factory facing the wrong direction. This causes the breather opening to rapidly collect debris and eventually over pressurizing the CVT and spitting the CVT plug out allowing debris to directly enter the CVT and TC units. I wouldnt doubt that under certain conditions, a small tug o war between a moderate over pressurization and a weak vacuum may develop due to the centrifugal force of the fluid within the units. This could cause random input miscalculations to the CVT/TC units. I dont know why honda doesnt add this extremely simple maintenance item to the general maintenance list and regiment as independent shops (Including Honda Certified) are not provided this information. In fact, your local Honda Dealer Technician likely has no idea of its existence either as it is only written about in Hondas Troubleshooting guide for technicians and they only become aware of it when this specific CVT fill plug spitting issue arises. My dealerships technician thought I was crazy until I showed him the TC unit plug and breather port with their part numbers. So if you are doing a CVT fluid change, make sure to remove, thoroughly clean, and properly reposition the breather/vent port. They are a bitch to get withe the stock air manifold and air box hooked up, so remove the air box if need be and dont push more debris into the unit haha

For the very first change that I did at 31.5K Miles, I measured how much came out from the factory exactly. I use the Amsoil Synthetic 100% CVT fluid. Honda stuff is always great to use but it is semi-synthetic and that is where you get that "Gunk" from on the drain plug. I changed the trans fluid again at 57K, a bit early since I had access to a lift and it was still super clear.

Wow prob best video I found on this

It's a bit of extra work but replacing the cvt filter is also a good idea.

Im new to this channel and damn ive been sleeping on my 2020 civics maintenance im glad i came across these videos great work and well explained im close to 45k and i haven't done none of that but seeing this guy i will be doing most work on my own and stop going to the dealership

Dude such a major help, I'm planning on changing my transmission fluid this weekend. Thank you so much for the video!

A very good video - this was a simple straight forward guide to how to change the CVT oil - found it very helpful, thank you ! 😃

show us a video of the transmission filter replacement, other than that very informative and simple way to replace it.

I changed mine at 60k, measured what I drained out, put equal amount in, kinda wished I had changed it at 30, but didn’t . Hope I didn’t screw-up or anything up.

Well done as always Sal! Great camera work Ellie 🤩

Get a bucket that has Gallons/Liters marked to the top. Drain it out, and you will know the exact amount of oil to put back in. There is no need to remove the top drain plug to check if it's full.

Thanks to you i’ll be doing this next week. Also, thanks to Honda for desgining the transmission in a way to be able to do it on our own. My ‘14 nissan almtima’s transmission went bust cuz of not changing the fluid. The dealership said it’ll destroy the transmission if i changed it smh, got destroyed anyways lol

Mine filled 3.9qts so I put 4qts and shift thru gear and whatever excess fluid I just open up the check bolt to let it out I’m pretty sure all cvt from honda are the same way, Nice video Bossman

Thanks Sal, this is awesome! Going to change the fluid on my 2019 civic.

That wasn't just a "trickle" when you put the top overflow plug back in. That's stuff was still a steady stream. Other than that, great teaching!

Thank you for the gear shift procedures.

VERY informative. Thanks. I drive in the desert. Your interior isn't that bad. Be well!

Ouch. I have a 190k on my '17, never changed it.

You are a mad man for wearing an Apple Watch while doing work.

Flush is way to go to get all contaminated transmission fluid out. Just did mine. Cost more but worth it. Humble opinion 😌.

If the vct filter was changed, in that case it would have to be 5 bottles or 4 bottles of HCF-2 oil

Excellent video! I get the 30% off discount from my local Honda dealer (Honda Parts guys Fontana, CA) so I do mine every 10,000 miles. I just did new brake pads with hardware, bled the brakes, transmission service ($10 a quart) coolant change and new wiper blades for $217.69. I also do a full synthetic on the oil every 3,000 miles

Great video . I have a 2019 crv very similar to change. I like how you have ramps in front and jack in back. This is safe to jack back up wile on ramps ? Just getting ready to change mine.

Idk why shops are trying to charge me over $380 to do this This *appears* to be easier than doing an oil change And that in itself is easy already

Hey Bro, I did the oil change but my check plug screw is leaking. It seems like the washer on the 12mm screw is not working after re using it. Any idea what the part number is. I have been googling for a concerning amount of time and can not figure it out

That's because of such specialists, boxes don't live long. Before filling the oil in the variator, it is necessary to remove the pan and replace the filter, as well as change the filter under the air filter. If these filters are dirty, then fresh oil does not work well and ruins the variator. 4:12 The qualification of this locksmith can be understood from the video, which clearly confirms that the driver drives in a pigsty and also treats the car. How can you not respect yourself to ride in a chicken coop, at least you've vacuumed the car inside and wiped it. The pig swindled the car.

Guys, I was changing the fluid and I found out that may car as an intercooler of the cvt, wow, 😲 I order the filter and the o-rings but next time I have two double order the o-rings, one set for the plate of the filter and the other set for the plate of the intercooler. Nice. I'll post in the differents groups on Facebook to alert all that has ou hasn't that intercooler

I always change the transmission cooler filter the same time I do the fluid change.

Don't forget to change two filters. One next to filing cap and one in the pan

They have other cvt fluids that work. Remember all brand have guidelines a guide they all have to follow. Sometimes it really is the name you're buying.

After refilling with new oil. Do you start the car and run through the gears with the check bolt still off or do you put it back in run through the gears then remove again to check the levels?

Do you check oil levels via check bolt when engine is hot or cold or warm? Read CVT oil expands 10% when hot.

Well done and easy to follow video.

4.8L came out of the CVT drain plug, what next? Does CVT transmission oil expand in volume if it is old and dirty? My 2017 civic now has 190K km on it, and bought it used with 30K km on the odometer. First CVT oil swap I'm doing and think I may had my car slanted forward as when I drained the oil, 4.8 litres came out. Manual says to drain and refil with 3.5L. Can I just drain and fill the same amount which came out? Now I only have 4 litres to refil the car with. Do I simply use the 4 litre and add 0.8L of the old oil I've taken out? I don't know if the old dirty oil expands in volume. And I'm hesitant to use the check bolt if indeed the CVT volume expands or the car is not leveled properly. What do you think? Cheers, Rev

Easy clear and to the point ty

Or buy one with a stick. :) Wouldn't you need to lower it from the jacks to get it level when filling?

All together doing it your self I spent about $50 and only used 3 bottles

Cvt & the hcf reference. She zoomed in 💀

So "Shift and Hold" means I have my foot on the brake the whole time while shifting through the gears or are the front wheels turning?

How are these transmissiom are they reliable i just got a 23 accord i do have to say tho i love the cvt smooth you dont feel any gears just speed gauge going up 🔥💯

I changed my CVT fluid every 20 thousand miles on my civic 2016.

Can you do the check bolt first before you turn on the engine and do the shifting of gears in 3-5 seconds intervals?

4:48 do i need to wait to stop the dripping before i put it back the screw?

how did you switch gears if the front two tires were on a ramp?

Thank you

Can I just drain and fill back the same amount of CVT oil which came out?

dealer and mechanics left the group! lol no more money to wasted

I'm about 58k without changing the fluid am I cooked? I was used to doing it every 60k

So i didnt realize my honda was cvt...and now im at 100k. My car still drives fine but now im gonna change the transmission fluid. Should i hold my breathe and pray? I was also thinking of changing the filter connected to the hoses.

Great to the point explanation..

Will this work on a Honda Civic Sport 2021? I'm unsure if thats also 10th gen

To get to the fill hole you definitely had to take the air filter box first, right? Just bought ny hobda civic sport 2021 but i dint immediately see the fill hole

Will try to do it buy just refill, mine is + 80,000 miles

I have one exactly like you're but mine have the paddle shifters but I don't have the "L". What is that, Long drives, Long roads?!?

The zoom in references 💀

So this doesnt require a transmission filter kit change?

Thank you for the help!

Nice job Sal! I like how it is just a simple drain and refill. No need to replace the filter.

That’s saved me some money 💰

Hii i need your help, my 2016 civic 1.5 turbo has problem on the CVT transmission, i have a CVT transmission from a 2017 civic 2.0 naturally aspirated, they are the same transmission? Tks

i am going to drain and fill my transmission how many quarts I need? Thanks

Thanks a bunch. Is your hood aftermarket or did you cut those vents in? I wanna add vents to mine

Damn, honda is charging me 300 bucks for this service, then ill do it by my self,

Bro, replace the filter if your going that far

Is the procedure same for Acura ILX 2.4L DCT transmission? It uses Acura ATF-TYPE 2.0

does the car has to be lifted on all four sides? or can I just put it on the ramp and do it?

Great video thanks.

No CVT fluid filter change?

THANKS FOR THE VID BRO......

If the CVT fluid has not been changed for 150K km's, is it safe to swap, or leave it as is? Read if it has not been swapped for a while and fluid is swapped the CVT transmission can begin to slip.

Bought a Honda civic 2016 with 90,000 miles on it. I have no idea if the fluids ever been changed. Should I change it? Or, Is it too late to change it?

Thanks. Can I leave the CVT check bolt open while I run the car after the initial fill?

What about the filter inside the transmission under the drain pan?

Great video

If i put 3.9l (4.1quarts) instead of 3.7l (3.9 quarts) is it going to be a problem ? 1.5t hatchback CVT 2018 THANKS IN ADVANCE

Hey Sal! I have been scratching my head why after draining and refilling the CVT fluid, I was able to put 4 quarts and not able to get any fluid dripping from the fill hole or chek bolt. I followed your procedure, made sure it was leveled, and fill 3.5 quarts and run it in gear from PRNL for 3 seconds each and then finish filling the rest of the 4th quart but nothing came out from check bolt. Do I need to get another quart bottle and do the check bolt to see if it will overfill for the check bolt? Will I be overfilling by getting another quart to see if it will fill up using check bolt?

What's up sal did you ever have all the sensors come on after the fluid change???? Curious because mines came on after i was done

So no filter change?

@salsgarage by any chance do you know which crusher washer is the correct fit for the drain plug off Amazon??

Question..after changing fluid and running it through the gears, do u check the fluid level with engine running or not?..asking because every other trans fluid check on other cars ur supposed to have engine running..does anyone know this?

im so confused on which torque wrench to get to service my car... especially for transmission fluid change