Maintenance Minder and Recommended Maintenance

[09csM]

Just wondering if we can get a thread going on a collection of knowledge of Maintenance to the cr-z.
I'm currently at 9,600 miles and I just completed my second oil change. I'm just shy two months of having the car for a year now.

My main concern is i'm not sure of the exact points at which some maintenance should be completed. (those that do not automatically get addressed by the MM system) On my previous scion, the Service Maintenance manual included exact times/mileages to replace items as needed, whereas the manual for the cr-z only gives the same checklist on every page. One could argue, only replace items when they look worn or seem to be at the point of needing a replacement.

So i'll start off with

Oil Changes. What I have learned so far is that:
Honda specifically told me to replace the oil after the oil life percentage displayed on the Information screen reaches 30% or lower.
The Honda Oil used as the break in oil and that is also available through honda is a Mobil 1 product.
The recommended oil viscosity is SAE 0W-20. Honda says synthetic oil may be used if it is labeled with the API Certification Seal. (page 247 of the US owners Manual.)
For oil, both times I have replaced the oil myself, I have used Castrol EDGE with titanium SAE 0w-20 fully synthetic.
For oil filters the first time I used a Bosch Distance Plus D3323 filter, and the second time I choose the K&N HP-1010 filter.
A lot of people will say the filter choice doesn't really make much difference, but should I have went to the dealer and purchased the Honda filter for the car? Same with the oil for that matter? If someone has repurchased another Honda oil filter can you please list a price you paid?

Next up, replacing the
Engine Air Filter and Cabin Air Filter what I have learned so far is that:
The OEM Cabin Air Filter is manufactured by microAir. It's microfiber medium protects you from: pollens, road dust, abraded particles as well as soot, bacteria, industrial dusts and other respirable ultra-fine particles. From the dealer I have heard it cost's as much as $50.00+usd. It does not have carbon embedded in it so therefore it does not eliminate odors or mold. There is an aftermarket replacement available from Fram, part number CF11182 as CR-Z / Insight cabin filter. It does in fact have carbon embedded for protection against odors.
How often should this be done? Has anyone replaced these and got their parts directly from Honda? To my knowledge there is no specific time frame listed in the manual for replacement.

This is just a start. I'd also like to learn more about replacement of Transmission fluid, Engine Coolant, etc.

I like to be on top of maintenance and ensure my car is running at 100%. Any help or experience on the cr-z would be appreciated

[cyeung]

At just under 23,000 miles, my maintenance minder called for A123 service, which is: Replace oil and oil filter, Replace cabin and engine intake filters, and Replace transmission fluid. I went ahead and replaced the transmission fluid filter as well per the advice on the forum.

[Scotty001]

I use the Castrol Edge with Titanium 0w20 and the K&N filter. When going 10K or one year between oil changes, the filter IMO is a major consideration. When changing every 3-5K, the filter is probably not a real issue. I use the maintenance minder. Last oil change was when it was about 15%. Different driving conditions/styles will dictate what the MM will recommend.

On the cabin filter. I just keep an eye on it. Check it every couple of months. Depends on where you live (pollen, smog and if you smoke [using recirc]) etc. I just got mine from an autoparts store.. Don't remember what brand.

[09csM]

Originally Posted by cyeung

At just under 23,000 miles, my maintenance minder called for A123 service, which is: Replace oil and oil filter, Replace cabin and engine intake filters, and Replace transmission fluid. I went ahead and replaced the transmission fluid filter as well per the advice on the forum.

so the MM system does indicate and display when these things need changed on screen? How did you link the two together? (a123 with the corresponding items?)

[Scotty001]

Originally Posted by 09csM

so the MM system does indicate and display when these things needs changed on screen? How did you link the two together? (a123 with the corresponding items?)

Page 243 on the 2011 Manual.

Code Maintenance Main Items
A •• Replace engine oil*1
B •• Replace engine oil*1 and oil filter
•• Inspect front and rear brakes
•• Check parking brake adjustment
•• Inspect tie rod ends, steering gear box, and boots
•• Inspect suspension components
•• Inspect driveshaft boots
•• Inspect brake hoses and lines (including ABS/VSA®)
•• Inspect all fluid levels and condition of fluids
•• Inspect exhaust system#
•• Inspect fuel lines and connections#

Code Maintenance Sub Items
1 •• Rotate tires
2 •• Replace air cleaner element*2
•• Replace dust and pollen filter*3
•• Inspect drive belt
3 •• Replace transmission fluid
4 •• Replace spark plugs
•• Inspect valve clearance
5 •• Replace engine coolant
2011 CR-Z

Independent of the maintenance minder messages, replace the brake fluid every 3 years.
•• Inspect idle speed every 160,000 miles (256,000 km).
••Adjust the valves during services A, B, 1, 2, or 3 only if they are noisy.
*1: Change the engine oil according to the maintenance minder messages, or annually, whichever comes first.
*2: If you drive in dusty conditions, replace the air cleaner element every 15,000 miles (24,000 km).
*3: If you drive primarily in urban areas that have high concentrations of soot in the air from industry and from diesel-powered vehicles, replace the dust and pollen filter every 15,000 miles (24,000 km).
#: See information on maintenance and emissions warranty.

[09csM]

so this will be displayed on the MM. Does it calculate these depending on the mileage?

And did u pull this from another thread? I don't want to repost, but I do have any idea to pull all the info together for quick reference.

[Scotty001]

Originally Posted by 09csM

so this will be displayed on the MM. Does it calculate these depending on the mileage?

And did u pull this from another thread? I don't want to repost, but I do have any idea to pull all the info together for quick reference.

The logic pulls it from various calculations such as driving habits, average MPH and other calcs.

I copied and pasted the minder recommendations that I just posted from the actual owner's manual. There are other threads on this. I believe I did the same post in a thread early in 2011. But long dead.

[09csM]

i'll keep at it, thanks for your help!

[_JB_]

One thing the MM does not monitor is brake fluid. Brake fluid should be changed every three years according to the manual.

[xaaxjocg]

i'm a little pist.... dealership pushed a brake fluid change on my cr-z when I took it in for the 30k service. (about 1.5-2 years of ownership).

I didn't remember seeing the brake fluid change in the manual, so I didn't have enough info to turn it down, kinda annoyed now.

the maintenance costs on this car are so low im sure the dealerships are just trying to find creative ways to extract more money from owners.