Rear Differential Fluid (AWD)

What did they charge you to change out the fluid?

Same as our 2003 CR-V ... we waited past 60K for the first change and it started making odd grinding noises in sharp, slow speed turns.

Seems odd to me as the rear drive is so seldom engaged ... but I guess it's always spinning.

Snowball said:

What did they charge you to change out the fluid?

Click to expand...

Quoted $100. I did some searches and couldn't find any thing related to HRV. But a lot of youtube info on the CRV. The job doesn't seems to be any difficult than changing the oil. My car is still at the shop. I don't know how easy it is to access both the fill plug and drain plug?


The fluid is $12 a qt( HRV takes 1.3qt) and a little fluid pump is $8.

It seems the HRV and the 2012 CRV shared the same rear diff.. The drain bolt on the passenger side and fill on the driver side.

I had mine in today at 21,000 miles for it's second oil change. I had the B16 service reminder on as well, which is the rear differential fluid. I went ahead and had them change it, $79.00.
The service writer did not mention anything about break in fluid. He just said that Honda recommends changing it every 15M to 20M miles.
Einz, where did you hear about there being break in fluid from the factory? It may very well be true, but I question it to some degree. With the advances in lubricants, the use of "break in oils" has almost been eliminated from modern machinery.

I heard it from the service rep (FWIW ). First change at 15K miles and then every 30K miles. One can probably go at least 20K miles for the first change. I still have 30% oil life left. I would not have seen the code until I change my oil around 20K miles.

I changed my own rear diff fluid yesterday. Mileage is a little over 20,000. The fluid that was drained looked very clean. However, the drain plug has a weak magnet attached to it, and that magnet was full of, for lack of a better term, goop. I imagine it was the break in metal material from the rear clutch pack and perhaps from the gears. I cleaned the magnet and re-filled the diff with Honda Dual Pump II fluid (took almost 1.5 quarts).

This process was VERY easy, simply drain then refill. Hard to believe it's $80 + bucks to have it done at a dealer. Material for me (bought 2 quarts of fluid and 2 crush washers) was about $28. Amazon has it for less.

Einz said:

I heard it from the service rep (FWIW ). First change at 15K miles and then every 30K miles. One can probably go at least 20K miles for the first change. I still have 30% oil life left. I would not have seen the code until I change my oil around 20K miles.

Click to expand...

Just asked my friend who is a service rep for Honda after I saw the service minder when resetting the oil % after I did a 15,000 mile change. He said the first change is at 15K to get rid of any metal fillings. Would rather change it myself.

any chance one for those service reps can pull part numbers for the washers?

Regards

Nick

18mm: 90471-PX4-000
20mm: 94109-20000

Cool. seems my old Pilot washers are still good.

thank you

Nick

80$

Eighty dollars... isn't that the charge for hoisting it up into the air?

The rest of the job, plus the oil, is done totally for free you know...

nickg5 said:

any chance one for those service reps can pull part numbers for the washers?

Regards

Nick

Click to expand...

The rear diff uses two different size plug crush washers, I ordered them from College Hills Honda Parts.

These are the numbers off my receipt:
94109-20000 WASHER, DRAIN PLUG (20mm) $0.67
90471-PX4-000 WASHER, DRAIN PLUG (18mm) $2.11

Not sure why the 18mm one costs three times as much as the 20mm.

Just changed the AWD Rear Differential Oil after 17K miles. It took me about one hour, but it helped that I had the car on a lift.
The magnetic end of the plug had a descent amount of metal shavings (very fine powder) but the oil was fairly clean.
Cost me less than $20 for material: 2 quarts of oil and 2 washers.

Hi I'm from the UK and have a Honda hrv T PLATE.... What Fluid do I use for the diff I've asked local Honda garages.but they say bring.it in an they will charge.me 80 just to look at it any help would be great

It seems you have 1999 model year. I don't know if it will use the same fluid as the 2016+ models.

SB6908 said:

Hi I'm from the UK and have a Honda hrv T PLATE.... What Fluid do I use for the diff I've asked local Honda garages.but they say bring.it in an they will charge.me 80 just to look at it any help would be great

Click to expand...

Looks like a common issue on Honda's of that generation: http://repairpal.com/groaning-noise-on-turns-due-to-differential-fluid-breakdown-960

One poster there said it needs "2 quarts (us) of Honda Trans Fluid"

Youtube video of the process:
Keep in mind this forum is only for the newer HRV, not the old generation (completely unrelated platform). I'm just googling stuff for you...maybe ask the Honda dealer what fluid to put in it?