If this is the wrong place to post this admins please move it. I have the 2018 accord sport 1.5t and the dealer I got it from gave me THEIR maintenance schedule. I can't seem to find one from honda themselves. It is not in the owners manual nor any of the books or pamphlets that came with the car. Now the dealer one says @ 5,000 miles but that seems a bit much. I read that Honda is one of the few manufacturers that still uses "break-in oil". The car has almost 700 miles on it now and oil life is at 68%. So I'm assuming it'll be way before any 5,000 miles that I need to change the oil. I am going to go by the oil life gauge but I was just wondering. Any suggestions or feedback? Any idea where I can find the HONDA scheduled maintenance recommendations? Especially pertaining to the first oil change. There is not even a mention of break in period in my owners manual. Thanks guys.

 

A few comments:

• You wrote "Honda is one of the few manufacturers that still uses break-in oil". The thing is, that trend is growing (sort of).
• In reality, no manufacturer uses break-in oil, the oil the put in their engines is just like the oil you and I can buy off the shelf.
• The above said, Honda (and most other manufacturers) use a specific set of assembly lubes and pastes while building the engine, and those composites A) blend with the oil once the engine is started and B) are very important when it comes to helping to break in the engine.
• Your dealership's recommendation of 5,000 miles is wrong, but not how you think; the recommendation for changing the factory oil that soon is too short, the car has software which calculates, based upon your driving environment, when the oil should be changed.
• You should wait until the systems in your car alert you the oil life in your engine is below 15% remaining for optimal break in of your engine.

 

Not sure if it's still this way, but the maintenance schedule was buried in the "warranty" booklet for the last couple Honda's we've had.

And the maintenance warning will come up with a letter/number code. The book will tell you what the numbers mean, like air filters or spark plugs (along with the oil change).

For the 3 Hondas we've owned having that oil-life monitor, I've had the used oil analyzed a few times and it always comes back good. So with the proper oil the car calls for (not cheap junk) I trust the calculation that the oil-life monitor gives you.

But that oil-life monitor has nothing to do with the oil LEVEL. You still need to check the oil level on the dipstick.

 

You're on top of it, so go with your gut feel/concern. IMHO, in a new engine the most important oil changes are the first one(s).
For your nice new car, you're buying peace of mind. Just do it/change the engine oil early, like 1000 - 1500 miles. Then move on.

 

I don't understand that comment; Honda has been adamant for many years now to NOT change the factory fill of oil early; early changes can lead to a longer break-in time for the engine and a shorter overall engine life.

 

So what are you saying? The 5,000 miles the dealer recommends is correct for the first oil change? My oil life monitor will be below 15% b4 that 5,000. So should I ignore that or what? I don't want to ruin anything or shorten my engines life. I'm so confused and can't get a straight answer anywhere. I'm going to call Honda soon.

someone told me the computer is designed to have the oil life monitor get you to change your oil sooner the first time around. I mean it makes sense. There is no way a brand new car with only 700 miles on it should have an oil life of under 70% since that first post it is now at 62%. So its dropping fast.

 

Follow the maintenance minder for the oil change interval. Since the 2018 Accord is turbo-charged, the algorithm for the oil change interval is likely different and more conservative than previous engines without the turbo. 15% remaining life is good. Manually check the oil level at regular intervals too, since it is not an oil level monitor as previously mentioned by JimBlake.

 

Regarding what your dealer tells you, I have to say, I've heard more bad advice from dealers than pretty much any other source; as a general rule, if what the dealer tells you contradicts what Honda and/or your Owner's manual tells you, ignore the dealer.

Regarding your oil life monitor, if your computer is dropping that quickly then I suspect something is wrong. What kind of fuel economy are you getting on your car? If the fuel economy is also poor, then that is even stronger evidence there is something wrong with your car.

 

I'm averaging about 26.9 mpg. It actually was around 33.9 but I can't keep that damn sport mode off

 

I should say this is all stop and go driving. I don't drive like a bat out of hell and I don't stomp it. Just normal driving. Think I've been on the highway like 4 times.