ﷺ Automobile Junkie

This is Honda Genuine ATF-Z1. It is not engine oil. It is automatic transmission fluid, and it is made specifically for Honda and Acura automatic gearboxes. ATF-Z1 was the factory fluid for most older Honda and Acura automatic cars, roughly from the late 1990s to around 2011. This includes: Honda Accord, 2003 to 2012, V6 and 4 cylinder automatic Honda Civic, 2001 to 2011, automatic Honda CR-V, 2002 to 2011, automatic Honda Odyssey, 1999 to 2010, automatic Honda Pilot, 2003 to 2011, automatic Honda City and Honda Jazz, older automatic models Acura TL, TSX, MDX, and RDX, older automatic models If your Honda has a normal automatic gearbox, not a CVT, and your manual or dipstick says ATF-Z1, this is the correct fluid. Why does it have to be this specific fluid? A transmission is not like an engine. Different gearboxes need different friction. The fluid controls how the clutch packs grip and slip when the car changes gear. Honda designed ATF-Z1 with a specific friction modifier and viscosity for their own gearboxes, so shifts are smooth and not harsh, and the gearbox does not overheat or shudder. If you put the wrong fluid, like a generic Dexron or a Toyota ATF, the gearbox will start to behave badly. You will feel delayed shifts, hard jerks, slipping, overheating, and in some cases, the gearbox will fail completely. That is why Honda owners are told to use only Honda fluid. Now, two important things to know: 1. Honda later replaced ATF-Z1 with ATF DW-1. DW-1 is the newer version and it is backward compatible, meaning you can use DW-1 in a car that originally used Z1. But you should not use Z1 in a car that originally came with DW-1. 2. This fluid is NOT for CVT gearboxes. If your Honda has a CVT, like a newer Civic, HR-V, or Accord 1.5T, you need Honda HCF-2 CVT fluid. Putting ATF-Z1 in a CVT will damage it. Also, do not use ATF-Z1 in Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, or German cars. Each manufacturer has their own fluid spec. So the rule is simple. Check your owners manual, check your dipstick, and check your gearbox type. If it says ATF-Z1, use ATF-Z1 or DW-1. If it says CVT, use CVT fluid only.