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Car Forum / Honda Cars / October 2006Maintenance Schedule for 2006 Civic
I just bought a 2006 Civic LX AT Sedan. In going through the manual and related materials, I can't find a mantenance and service schedule. My old 1998 Civic had a booklet indicating what kinds of service the car needed at different mileage intervals. Is there such a schedule for the Civic and if so how would I obtain a copy? It really should be there. Check again, and, if no go, then call the dealer's service department and ask where it is. One can also use the Owner's Link at http://automobiles.honda.com/ to obtain the service schedule. It's free. :-) > I just bought a 2006 Civic LX AT Sedan. In going through the manual > and related materials, I can't find a mantenance and service schedule. > My old 1998 Civic had a booklet indicating what kinds of service the > car needed at different mileage intervals. Is there such a schedule > for the Civic and if so how would I obtain a copy? >It really should be there. Check again, and, if no go, then >call the dealer's service department and ask where it is. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >a schedule >> for the Civic and if so how would I obtain a copy? Actually, Oakparker is correct. I just bought a 2006 Civic LX AT sedan as well. The owner's manual does *not* contain a maintenance schedule. What it does contain are the instructions for responding to the "Maintenance Minder". The Maintenance Minder is a system on the car itself which keeps track of the remaining oil life, as a percentage, and prompts the driver when it's time to change the oil, along with any other maintenance that the system has determined the car is due for. Along with the percentage of oil life remaining, various codes may be displayed -- (here's the list for those who are curious) A - replace engine oil B - replace engine oil and filter inspect brakes check parking brake inspect following: tie rod ends, steering geer box, end boots suspension components driveshaft boots brake hoses and lines all fluid levels and condition of fluids exhaust system fuel lines and connections 1 - rotate tires 2 - replace air cleaner element replace dust and pollen filter inspect drive belt 3 - replace transmission fluid 4 - replace spark plugs inspect value clearance 5 - replace engine coolant And that's it. Nowhere in the manual does it give an indication of at what mileage these codes are likely to pop up. And unfortunately, contrary to Elle's suggestion, all that the Honda's Owners Link gives you is the same information in the manual. Some drivers might like the idea of just doing what their car tells them to do when it tells them to do it, but personally I'd prefer a standard recommended maintenance schedule so that I can *plan* the maintenance in advance. Also, the dealer told me that I shouldn't have to change the oil until I reach the 10,000 mile point. Is that the truth, or should I expect that my car is going to tell me something different? If it does tell me something different, is it because the oil is being broken down faster due to some deeper underlying problem that should be investigated? Another thing is that the Honda Civic has an interference engine, and absolutely needs the timing belt replaced in a timely (all puns intended) fashion before it breaks -- but the Maintenance Minder system doesn't mention the belt replacement at all. This is my first Honda, and I'd planned on doing most of the maintenance more often than the schedule, because I really want this car to last. That's a bit difficult to do when you don't know what the schedule is. I guess I just would prefer that I make the decisions about my car, rather than meekly obeying my car when it deigns to tell me when it needs something. > Another thing is that the Honda Civic has an interference engine, and > absolutely needs the timing belt replaced in a timely (all puns > intended) fashion before it breaks -- but the Maintenance Minder system > doesn't mention the belt replacement at all. I am pretty sure that all Civics are now chain-driven. "wastrel" <wastrel@nospam.com> wrote snip for brevity > I just bought a 2006 Civic LX AT sedan as well. > The owner's manual does *not* contain a maintenance schedule. What it does > contain are the instructions for responding to the "Maintenance Minder". Unless you want to split hairs, that's essentially the same thing. Keep reading. You may know your new Honda a lot better after this discussion. > The Maintenance Minder is a system From Honda's Owner's Link site, it seems to be simply a new name for implementing a maintenance schedule, aided by warning lamps on the dash, set off, for a number of common maintenance items, according to a computing algorithm, using a computer that has inputs from various sensors. From one site that discusses the Maintenance Minder: "The maintenance requirements for your [Honda] Ridgeline are determined by an internal algorithm, which considers the engine starting temperature, driving distance and engine RPM. The onboard computer also judges your driving conditions and habits, and then calculates the remaining engine oil life, displaying it as a percentage." > on the car itself which keeps track of the > remaining oil life, snip for brevity > And that's it. Nowhere in the manual does it give an indication of at what > mileage these codes are likely to pop up. And unfortunately, contrary to Elle's > suggestion, all that the Honda's Owners Link gives you is the same information > in the manual. The maintenance info at the Owner's Link site for the 2006 Civic appears to be about as detailed as that in my 91Civic owner's manual. It's just presented differently and incorporates the new technology I mention above for identifying when maintenance is needed. In addition, it most certainly does give the mileage at which certain maintenance is required. But not for all maintenance. The approach for modern Hondas is different. Did you really dig in, clicking on the links for Maintenance Minder A, Maintenance Minder B, etc.? Log in, go to the Maintenance Minder section, and click on and then read all these links before posting back. snip > I guess I just would prefer that I make the decisions about my car, rather than > meekly obeying my car when it deigns to tell me when it needs something. Study what exactly the Maintenance Minder system is. Spend more time at the Owner's Link site and/or reading your manual and/or googling. This evidently is new technology. (Wikipedia suggests the Honda Maintenance Minder technology may have been first introduced in its 2006 models, or otherwise very recently.) I will say I don't completely trust the American Honda site, since I can't find anything on the timing belt for the 2006 Civic at the moment there either. This is not the first time I've found its maintenance schedules incomplete. Still, my first post was to encourage the OP to investigate further, since it most certainly is customary for auto manufacturers to make readily available to owners detailed information on when and what maintenance is to be performed. The glitch we're running into here is that the 2006 Honda evidently has very new technology for optimal maintenance (or so it's advertised). As a result old-timers will initially tend to be turned off by it. Can't teach some old dogs new tricks, etc. Googling turns up sites like http://www.spinellihonda.com/en/service/maintenance/index.sp y?cmd=menu&menuid=472&make=Honda&model=Ridgeline&trim=&year= 2006 , which says at Maintenance Minder # yada, for a Canadian yada Honda, replace the timing belt. You may have to buy at least a Chilton's manual for the 2006 to get a good grasp of what exactly the new Honda system uses to determine when maintenance is due. I am not advocating or criticizing this approach to maintenance at this time. I am saying this is so far the reality for a layperson who wants to maintain his/her new 2006 Honda. I expect in the coming years technicians will have more to say on how astute this technology is. http://www.hondanews.com/catID2013?mid=2005083041013&mime=as c has a little more on how the Maintenance Minder works. > And that's it. Nowhere in the manual does it give an indication of at what > mileage these codes are likely to pop up. Because it's not mileage based. It's based on many factors that the computer is storing and evaluating--cold starts, short trips, ambient temperatures, etc. Two comments on the discussion: 1. I understand that maintenance and service needs will be different for every driver. However, we do not want to be in a position where we are in the middle of nowhere and suddenly a light comes on for a requirement for significant maintenance. So, are there any Honda manuals that at least have rules of thumb for the major maintenance and service needs? 2. Concerning the timing belt. When we bought our 2006 Civic LX, the dealership told us there is a timing belt and it has to be replaced every 90,000 miles. (This is an improvement on the 1998 Civic which needed it replaced every 75,000 miles). > Two comments on the discussion: > > 1. I understand that maintenance and service needs will be different > for every driver. IMO, this was a valid basis before the advent of technology that allowed direct monitoring of engine etc. wear. From my reading of this Maintenance Minder system, a computer effectively gages the wear on an engine's parts better than a guesstimate of any individual's driver's habits. It does make perfect sense, and in theory, it should save the owner money on maintenance and repairs. How this will pan out in practice is something else. In addition, note the little blurb I posted before says the computer "judges your driving conditions and habits" in determining, for one, when the oil should be changed next. So it /is/ monitoring every driver's habits. > However, we do not want to be in a position where > we are in the middle of nowhere and suddenly a light comes on for a > requirement for significant maintenance. I think you're underestimating the thoughtfulness of the design of this system. ISTM that when the code for changing the oil comes on the dash, that means you have, say, another 1000 miles or so to go before things even begin to look grim. Just consider the margin of error behind the old-fashioned (in comparison) recommendation to change one's oil every, say, 5000 miles. Will the engine catastrophically fail if it is instead changed at 5500 miles? Not likely. Brake pads similarly have a squeal indicator to tell the driver when the brake pads are low. But the truth is, the pads need not be changed as soon as the squeal starts. There's still a fair amount of pad left. Engine coolant: So what if it goes another week beyond the two-year spec? > So, are there any Honda > manuals that at least have rules of thumb for the major maintenance > and service needs? The Owner's Link I cited before does have mileage guidance for certain components. > 2. Concerning the timing belt. When we bought our 2006 Civic LX, the > dealership told us there is a timing belt and it has to be replaced > every 90,000 miles. Funny dealer. The parts site below confirms the 2006 Civic LX has a timing chain, like High Tech Misfit suspected. Your dealer's service people would seem to be not up to date yet on the latest Hondas. http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay. jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Civic&catcgry2=2006&catcgry3=4DR+L X&catcgry4=KA5AT&catcgry5=CAMSHAFT-CAM+CHAIN I know chains don't last forever. OTOH, they're supposed to last much longer than timing belts. Perhaps the latest materials are made so the chain is supposed to last the life of the car, or until certain symptoms are indicated. The 2006 Honda Ridgeline I mentioned earlier has a timing belt. > (This is an improvement on the 1998 Civic which > needed it replaced every 75,000 miles). That doesn't sound right for the 1998 Civic, unless it's a severe driving condition spec. I am too lazy to check at the moment. > ISTM that when the code for changing the oil comes on the > dash, that means you have, say, another 1000 miles or so to > go before things even begin to look grim. id at least check it, however. then change ASAP. > Elle wrote: > > ISTM that when the code for changing the oil comes on the > > dash, that means you have, say, another 1000 miles or so to > > go before things even begin to look grim. > > id at least check it, however. then change ASAP. Makes sense to me, especially since this "Maintenance Minder" sensor and computing system is so new that any bugs may not have been discovered yet. I suppose I personally would find which Honda Civic engine that does /not/ have a Maint Minder and was most similar to this one, and then obtain its maint schedule. The 2004 Civic, maybe? Dunno. Anyway, I'd then compare what the Maint Minder says to what the traditional maintenance schedule recommends. I'd monitor, like you say Mike, parts and fluids that I could. E.g. spark plugs, oil, coolant. Or I'd read like mad how Honda had tested this Maint Minder system. Until it's demonstrated that this system saves a significant amount in maintenance costs, I think I'll view it as one more dagganged bell/whistle/fo'dummies item that one really doesn't need but--lucky us--gets to pay for up front. (Does it ever occur to Auto makers that some of us prefer econo-this-and-that so we can give our monies to charity?? *&^%) The Maint Minder system better be cheap. Else I'll go Toyota Yaris shopping in a few years. >>this "Maintenance Minder" sensor and computing system is so new that any bugs may not have been discovered yet.<< This system is definitely NOT new. Honda has been putting them in Acuras for a long time, and they work well. "Sid Schweiger" <spam@this.cretin> wrote E >>>this "Maintenance Minder" sensor and computing system is so new that any > bugs may not have been discovered yet.<< > > This system is definitely NOT new. Honda has been putting them in Acuras > for a long time, and they work well. How long? My quick search indicates the first one on an Acura was about 2004. Aside: The other day I saw a TV commercial for GM vehicles and (Onstar?) indicating they had such a system as well. > "Sid Schweiger" <spam@this.cretin> wrote > E [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Aside: The other day I saw a TV commercial for GM vehicles and (Onstar?) > indicating they had such a system as well. They usually use new technologies outside North America befor bringing them here. It seems like everyone is using them. > Two comments on the discussion: > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > manuals that at least have rules of thumb for the major maintenance > and service needs? use the maint. schedule from the previous gen civic. it won't hurt. > 2. Concerning the timing belt. When we bought our 2006 Civic LX, the > dealership told us there is a timing belt and it has to be replaced > every 90,000 miles. (This is an improvement on the 1998 Civic which > needed it replaced every 75,000 miles). it's a chain, not belt on the 06. typical dealer b.s. chains are usually "for life". > Two comments on the discussion: > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > manuals that at least have rules of thumb for the major maintenance > and service needs? i wouldnt sweat it. > 2. Concerning the timing belt. When we bought our 2006 Civic LX, the > dealership told us there is a timing belt and it has to be replaced > every 90,000 miles. (This is an improvement on the 1998 Civic which > needed it replaced every 75,000 miles). my manual says 7yr/105k miles for "normal" service on the timing belt. > Also, the dealer told me that I shouldn't have to change the oil until I reach > the 10,000 mile point. Is that the truth, or should I expect that my car is > going to tell me something different? from what ive read, those "smart" indicators measure how long the engine runs, and at what RPM, and makes a decision from there. if you do a lot of freeway driving, it MAY be 10k. but if that freeway is the 405 during rush hour in LA, it might be 3k :) > snip > > Some drivers might like the idea of just doing what their car tells them to do > when it tells them to do it, but personally I'd prefer a standard recommended > maintenance schedule so that I can *plan* the maintenance in advance. Ask your Honda dealer for their suggested maintenance guide. Usually the dealer has a long list of "suggested" maintenance items that far exceeds the factory requirements. If your Honda dealer doesn't have this, try your local Toyota (or any other) dealer. Apply common sense. > Also, the dealer told me that I shouldn't have to change the oil until I reach > the 10,000 mile point. Is that the truth, or should I expect that my car is > going to tell me something different? Opinions vary on this but I sure wouldn't leave the factory fill in my new car for 10,000 miles. Check www.bobistheoilguy.com web site for some oil analysis info. That said, modern motor oils are pretty tough and unless you do bad things (lots of short trips in cold temperatures) the oil will probably last a lot longer than you'd think. [FYI: I changed the oil/filter every 3500 miles when I got my new Accord. At 14K miles I switched to Mobil 1 synthetic and now change every 8K to 10K miles (6 months).] YMMV snip > Ask your Honda dealer for their suggested maintenance guide. Usually > the dealer has a long list of "suggested" maintenance items that far > exceeds the factory requirements. If your Honda dealer doesn't have > this, try your local Toyota (or any other) dealer. Apply common sense. Their "suggested" maintenance items would have him in every 1500 miles, and would include blinker fluid. > Their "suggested" maintenance items would have him in every 1500 miles, > and would include blinker fluid. I've heard synthetic blinker fluid lasts three times as long as the usual stuff. > I've heard synthetic blinker fluid lasts three times as long as the > usual stuff. whoa, but hang on. Synthetic will ruin your entire lighting system if you replace it before 15K blinks. Best to go with the blend up front. Whatever you do, don't leave the factory fluid in past 1K blinks. |
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