I suspect it isn't as illegal as you might think; in fact, I don't believe it is illegal at all. While I've never worked for Honda, I have worked for Chrysler, Daimler-Benz, and Volvo, so the following is what I strongly suspect but cannot prove...

If Honda invested significant time and money in developing their own formulation of ATF (odds on bet they did), patented the formulation (also a pretty good bet), and then designed their transmissions to operate with said ATF, then they are well within their right to prevent other manufacturers from duplicating the formula. This is standard patent law; and while I am not an IP attorney, I am a patent holder and can speak to this point with reasonable authority.

Thinking about the coolant formulation Honda uses; here again, Honda has a unique formulation, however, in this instance, it is *almost* identical to the coolant Toyota, Mazda, and a few others use. In this case, Valvoline was able to develop the Zerex™ Asian Vehicle Antifreeze / Coolant. It is telling that there are no similar ATFs available.

 

Off topic discussion moved.

 

Thanks!

 

Here's my 2 cents worth. The market for Honda auto fluid isn't huge. Honda has a bit less than 10% of the U.S. market. It may not be worth the effort for a oil company to develop a unique product. Honda most likely gets it auto fluid from two sources in the U.S.. My 50 year old Corvair uses anything with Dextron on it. Low tech at it's best.

As for brake fluid, while looking under the hood of my Accord, I think it said to use DOT 4 brake fluid. Check before you buy any, I may be wrong.

 

I wont waste 2 minutes reading any of the above posts,,simply said,, If it is a Honda with a automatic transmission ,,only run Honda transmission fluid. I have a $2400.00 receipt to show why you dont run anything else, NUFF SAID.

 

I hate to here that, sounds like someone really did a number on you and put the wrong product in your vehicle. Now that is a bad day.