Honda Clarity Transmission Fluid Change

[NorCalPete]

I finally got around to changing my transmission fluid (using the same procedure as MrFixit). As noted by others, it's not a difficult task. I drained out and put in approximately 2.2 quarts of DW-1. The old fluid (at 51K miles) was only a little darker red than the new fluid.

Does anyone have a picture of the check plug where it’s located to see the fluid level after refilling ?

The overfill plug is the 17mm bolt above the black bracket (see photo below). This bracket is a nice touch by Honda -- it catches the fluid dripping from the overfill hole and directs it (via a short channel) toward the drain-plug side of the transmission. During previous oil changes, I had wondered why that bracket/channel was there.

Here is a better view of the overfill hole drain-channel (finger pointing at it) and its location relative to the drain plug (blue arrow).

Are the transmission drain plugs magnetic from the factory?

Apparently not -- mine is not magnetic.

 

[gedwin]

View attachment 23367
I just got both crush washers yesterday- here they are:

Thanks for posting.

FYI, these are 18mm and 20mm washers.

 

[Geor99]

I change the transmission fluid in my Clarity Plug In every second oil change. So roughly every 15k miles I change it. It is fairly easy to do. Remove the 17mm fill plug. Remove the drain plug using a 3/8 socket wrench. Allow all the fluid to drain out. Change the crush gaskets on both the drain and fill plugs. Reinstall the drain plug. Pump fluid into the fill hole until fluid leaks out. You can buy a hand pump that threads right onto the bottle of Honda DW-1 Fluid. You will need three quarts of fluid but it will only take a bit over two quarts to fill it. The total you need according to Honda is 2.23 quarts. Reinstall the fill plug and you are done. On a lift I can do it in about 15 minutes. I do it more often than recommended because it is cheap and easy to do. Since it holds such as small amount of fluid I believe changing it more often is good idea. I have 102k miles on my Clarity now and so far no issues with the drivetrain.

Edit: I don't use the fill plug that the person in the video in post #11 does. On the drivers side of the transmission there is a 17mm bolt that you can remove to fill the transmission by pumping the fluid up into it. Once it is full it will start to run out like filling a differential. This is the way Honda recommends doing it as well. I work for a Honda dealer but I am not a technician. I attached a photo from Honda showing how it is suppose to be done. I am not saying you can't fill it the way the video shows in post #11. That will work as well but I would recommend you remove the drain plug to get all the fluid out. Then be sure to only fill it with the proper amount. You don't want to overfill it. Doing it the way Honda recommends you can't overfill since it comes pouring out once it is full.

Does having the car up on front jacks stands affect the self-regulating amount of transmission fluid by pumping until it starts to drain? It seems like its possible that by having the car tilted with jack stands, less than enough could possibly start draining; and when the stands are removed there might be too little fluid.

Or I could remove the stands before pumping in the fluid and it wouldnt matter? I was going to do it with the stands still lifting
under the car. Thoughts???