Tranny Flush, 3 or 9 quarts?

I called Honda today and told them my tranny fluid was brown. They recommended that I do a 3 quart drain and fill to see how my car reacts to the new fluid. My mechanic who works for Honda recommends that I do a 9 quart drain and fill because Honda Transmissions won't take it as bad as other cars will. I don't know what I should do because I feel like everyone just wants to make a quick buck off of me.

First tell us when and how many miles ago the transmission fluid was changed. Your service manual recommends an interval usually in the 50-75000 mile range or 5 years whichever comes first. Follow the recommended interval. The brown color probably only means you are up to this interval. If you are have the transmission service done. Cost should be in the $200 range.

Hondas have tranny drain plugs on the side of the pans. Drain it out, should be 3 quarts. Refill and do it again after a few hundred miles. That should pretty much give you new fluid.

Honda tranny fluid doesn't last all that long. For my Honda van honda recommends a drain and fill every 36k miles. Also I have heard honda doenst like to be flushed just drain and fill. Depending on your capabilities this is a pretty easy process. The best approach I have heard is a three drain and fill. The reason for three is that the pan may only hold 3 quarts but the torque converter and cooling lines may hold another 6 quarts. My van hold 12 I think. So basically I jack the car up and pull the transmission drain plug let it drain out have a larger container that can hold 5 or 6 quarts if you want which helps premeasure with water the 3,4,5, quart amount and mark it on the side. Let it all drain out then check the side you should be getting more than 3 quarts or so. Refill with new fluid about three quarts. Then drive it around for a week or so. Then do it again this time the oil drained out will look redder. Then drive it then do it again. The reason for driving is to get all the old fluid out of the areas not accessible by draining. So by the third time it should almost look like that candy apple red we all love and know. Sure it may be a bit darker but roughly 90% of the fluid should be new. The only way to get all the fluid out at once is to flush it and most hondas don't like this. This process is much gentler and if you can do it yourself which is pretty easy may cost around 50 bucks. Since OEM tranny fluid is roughly 6-7 bucks a quart. You don't have to buy all of it at once either your first found sure get 4 quarts just in case but then wait to buy the other 3 quarts when you need to.

Do NOT< NOT, do a flush, which is different than a fluid change. A flush pressure feeds solvents through the trans and that can cause seals & gaskets that are OK now, to fail. Like others here have said, you may have to do it 2-3 times, but it's a lot cheaper than a rebuilt trans.