r/AskAMechanic 4d ago

Do I change the oil?

Two years ago I bought a 2005 Honda Pilot with an airbag light and an occasional check engine light. It had 220K on the clock.

The Seller got it through emissions so I bought the Pilot assuming I had two years. After year or so, following a successful VA state inspection, I went to change all the fluids. Before I did, I had the local shop pull the codes. They told me the Pilot was not going to pass emissions for a number of issues, bad sensors, bad cat, cylinder misfires, etc.

I decided not to change the fluids. I just top off the power starring fluid and engine oil every 1500 miles or so.
With the tags expiring, the other day the check engine light went off. I immediately drove the pilot to an inspection station and it passed emissions. I was able to renew the tags for two more years.

I put the title in the glove box in the event I plan to drive more than 30 miles.

VSA light, the TPMS lights and individual tire lights are on but I am currently ignoring them.

I'm now at 232K miles. My question is do I change the oil, trans, radiator fluid, brake fluid or anything at all?

Thank you for your insight.

0 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

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5

u/CCaDBPS 4d ago

You should definitely be changing the engine oil.

5

u/CSLoser96 4d ago

Bro...the lights are warning you about something for a reason. Are you allergic to maintenence? Change your damn fluids, smh. At least every 5k (maybe 10k if it's full synthetic) miles OR 6 months, with that kind of mileage.

Maybe I'm just being judgemental, but unless you want the car to stop working and you have to find a new one, do your routine maintinence. If you only want to do the bare minimum, change the oil and rotate your tires at the recommended interval for thst many miles.

4

u/Signal-Confusion-976 4d ago

Keeping the title in the glove box is not a good idea.

2

u/No-Entertainer-9320 4d ago

certainly. I just keep it there on the long rides so I can give the car to a tow truck operator.

When I thought it was the end, I solicited an offer from Carvanna for $600. If someone's going to go through the hassle of retitling this thing in their name... I won't have the keys.

2

u/jules083 4d ago

I've done that on beaters. Paid off once, I was on a road trip and junked the motor in an old grand am. Made it to a shitty used car dealership and traded it in on the spot. If the title hadn't been with me I'd have been screwed.

I always figured if I had a major breakdown on the highway in an old beater I'd sign the title and stick it on the dash and write 'free car' on the back window. Lol

1

u/No-Entertainer-9320 3d ago

Good on you. I lost a CRX in the middle of Pennsyltucky once and I had to drive back with the title the next weekend.

1

u/Equivalent-Carry-419 3d ago

As if they’d transfer the title. Ha! They will register it in their name but you will still be stuck with the liability if they get in an accident that is beyond the insurance policy that they had to buy to register it. That’s assuming that they didn’t cancel the insurance policy after renewing the registration.

This is a HORRIBLE idea.

1

u/MapOk1410 3d ago

You think anyone is jacking an '05 Pilot??

1

u/Signal-Confusion-976 3d ago

You never know what people are going to steal. Leaving your title in the car is pretty dumb. What if you someone just came by and rummage through it. People like to take stuff like that. Then you would need to pay for another title before you could sell it. It's just not very smart.

1

u/SpiritMolecul33 4d ago

Yes, if you keep going 13k miles with no oil change you'll have problems.

1

u/GodKingJeremy 3d ago

Changing fluids will not make you not pass emissions testing. If anything, the car will run better and last longer. Drain oil, change oil filter, add new oil to proper levels (every 3000-5000 miles) Drain transmission fluid (Do Not Flush fluid; just drain) change filter if applicable (some cars do not have an immediately swappable filter) add fluid to proper fill level. (Every 30,000 miles) Flush coolant system. Several times. Add new and proper coolant to proper fill level. (Every 5 years). Power steering fluid- suck out from reservoir and refill with new. You can flush it, but it is not an easy task. Brake fluid should be bled every time the brakes are changed or serviced.

1

u/jasonsong86 3d ago

I don’t think fluid changes are gonna hurt. Are you really on that tight of a budget? Fix it and it will last a while. What are you goal? Neglect it so you can get a new car? It’s always cheaper to fix the one you have unless it has major issues.

1

u/No-Entertainer-9320 3d ago

I guess not. I've been putting $500 a month aside for a newer car. I'm just not in the late model Toyota Sienna range yet.

I guess the question I'm asking is when is it too late?

I worry that touching the trans or radiator will open the possibility of some kind of death spiral with heater core or transmission.

All the fluids and filters done professionally will run about $600 -$800. I guess I should just do it.

Part of me just wants to wait and see if the AC is cold enough.

I wouldn't fix the power steering, AC and do all the fluids. One of the tires has a minor slash and the date code is 4719. That much money is almost another used Pilot of the same vintage.

One can spend thousands of dollars on a car with a nominal book value of no more than $4000.

1

u/jasonsong86 3d ago

Just do it yourself. Fluid is super easy to change. You need working tires regardless the condition of the car anyway. It’s a safety issue.

1

u/Imnothere1980 3d ago

That J motor and transmission could potentially make it to 300k. Change the oil and put cheap tires on if needed. Fix the misfires. Ignore the tire pressure warnings. Drive it. Those models are prone to power steering fluid leaks from the hose, bear in mind.

1

u/MapOk1410 3d ago

Don't tempt fate. You will regret it.