Honda automobiles require very little maintenance from the owner, whose duties involve regular spark plug and oil changes. It's important, however, to not neglect the transmission fluid. Although Honda only recommends that the transmission fluid be changed once every six years, the process is simple enough to add to your basic routine.
Park the car on a smooth, level surface and turn the steering wheel to the left to create more clearance between the right front wheel and the inner fender. Allow the motor to cool for 10 minutes.
Remove the inner fender from the right front wheel. With a socket wrench, loosen the bolts that secure the bottom of the inner fender to the front bumper. Remove the plastic screws securing the inner fender by twisting the screw counterclockwise until the screw head pops outward; pull the screw out. Pull the inner fender away from the car and set it aside.
Locate the fill and drain plug bolts on the side of the transmission. The fill bolt has a hex-type head, while the drain bolt has a square-shaped indentation. Place a catch basin or container directly under the drain plug bolt.
Turn the fill plug bolt counterclockwise with a 17mm wrench until it is unscrewed completely. Insert the 3/8" socket wrench's head into the square indentation on the drain plug bolt and turn the bolt counter-clockwise until it is loose.
Pull the socket wrench off of the drain plug bolt and loosen the bolt slowly, by hand, until it has been completely unscrewed. Allow the transmission fluid to drain into the catch basin. Replace the drain plug bolt as the flow of the transmission oil becomes a thin trickle.
Open the hood and slide a length of plastic tubing into the gap between the battery and the air intake tube. Slip the lower end of the tubing into the transmission filler hole and attach the upper end to a funnel.
Pour fresh Honda manual transmission fluid into the funnel, adding no more than two quarts. Remove the plastic tubing and, with a clean rag, wipe away any transmission fluid that may have spilled or leaked. Replace and tighten the fill plug bolt with a 17mm wrench.
Reinstall the inner fender, placing the plastic screws into their mounting holes. Turn the screw head clockwise to secure it. Install the lower mounting bolts and tighten it with a socket wrench.
