Honda Maintenance: Cost, Repairs and Schedule

Two unexpected expenses that come with owning a Honda are repair and maintenance. Maintenance includes pre-planned work you need to do to keep your Honda operating well. Tire rotations and tire replacements, brake fluid changes, brake pad and rotor changes, 12-V battery replacements, and air filter changes make up most of maintenance costs on modern automobiles. With spark plugs lasting as many as 120,000 miles, timing belts lasting over 70,000 miles, distributor caps long gone, and no more power steering fluid to change, most vehicles are relatively maintenance-free compared to cars from the previous years.

Honda repairs are a different type of work that you pay for to keep your vehicle running. These are unexpected jobs required to fix a vehicle that breaks after it is out of its manufacturer warranty period. Good real-world examples of common under-the-hood repairs include C compressor replacements, alternator replacements, and starter motor replacements. Suspension components also have their issues, and some models are much more susceptible to failure than others. Strut and shock replacements, wheel bearing replacements, and ball joint repairs are typical of the suspension issues many cars might need repaired.

Eventually, every part of every Honda will give out. In our story here, we are going to ignore the end-of-life type of failures and repairs that very old, fully-depreciated Hondas suffer from. Things like a complete engine failure or transmission failure can cost as much as $5,000 and are often the catastrophic event in an older car’s long list of expensive repairs before it is retired and recycled to the junkyard. Our story will focus on the maintenance and repairs needed to keep a modern Honda running up to and beyond 100,000 miles.

Honda Cost and Maintenance In our story, we will use the popular Honda CR-V as our example vehicle. Most Hondas come with complimentary service for two years. The plan is called Honda Service pass. For the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, Honda will perform all of the needed scheduled maintenance through its dealership network at no additional cost to the owner. This program is relatively new to Honda and one that we think offers Honda a competitive edge versus some competitors who don’t offer such a generous plan.

Car Talk estimated the 100,000-mile maintenance cost for a Honda CR-V, including one tire replacement and one set of brakes front and rear. Our rough estimate of the cost to maintain a Honda CR-V for 100K miles is $6,930.

The Honda CR-V has a maintenance reminder system that alerts the driver to needed maintenance. The owner’s manual has more information on page 593. Our chart above is what Honda dealers recommend.

Typical Costs For Routine Maintenance Jobs

What you pay for maintenance depends on your specific make and model and, to a large degree, where you have your vehicle serviced. Dealers typically charge 10% to 30% more for the same service you would get at a trusted local shop. The guide below is intended to help create a budget for maintenance work commonly done on most vehicles.

What Are Wear Items and Various Inspections?

Our chart above lists “Various Inspections & Minor Adjustments” as one of the many maintenance items required to properly maintain a vehicle. These include common sense things like a visual brake inspection, hands-on suspension component checks, visual inspection of hoses and belts, checking that coolant, transmission, and differential oil levels are at the proper setpoints, and re-torquing specific bolts on the vehicle, such as those on the propeller shaft (driveshaft). Most shops will do these things for a nominal fee. However, dealerships tend to inflate the cost of these inspections and minor adjustments at the 15K intervals. Often to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

~ means approximately.

Consumable Parts Maintenance For All Vehicles

All vehicles have consumable parts that require maintenance and replacement at certain times in the lifespan of the vehicle. There is no set time for many of these, but rather, they are done when needed.

Here is a quick rundown of some common items that you should budget for:

• Wiper Blades - Expect to replace wiper blades every 10,000 to 20,000 miles. You can do it yourself or pay the shop double the parts cost to have it done. Budget $20 to $50.
• 12-V Battery - Your car’s battery will last from three to six years on average, depending on how hot or cold your area is. Heat kills batteries, and they then pass away on a cold morning. AAA offers onsite battery replacement for most cars in most areas. Budget $200.
• Brakes - Your brakes will wear out in pairs. Front pair and rear pair. They may all coincidentally wear out at once, but that is uncommon. Budget $400 to $750 per pair. This includes rotors, pads, and minor parts, plus labor. Calipers and other brake components fail less commonly.
• Brake Fluid Changes - Most manufacturers and all shops will recommend that you change your brake fluid periodically. 30,000 miles is a typical interval. Budget about $200 for this. However, it is also often done during a brake pad and rotor replacement, so you may not need it as often as every 30,000 if you also service the brakes.
• 4-Wheel Alignment - Your suspension undergoes slight changes as your car ages. For this reason, a shop will recommend a 4-wheel alignment at certain intervals. It is also smart to do this when purchasing new tires so that the new ones will wear properly. Budget $125 for this service. It should not be needed more than every 30,000 miles unless you travel off-pavement frequently.
• Tires - Tires can wear out on their own by losing tread, being damaged, or by being too old and suffering from environmental degradation. Budget for tires on a typical mainstream vehicle every 40,000 to 50,000 miles or so, and more frequently for EVs and sporty vehicles. Your budget will depend on your vehicle, but around $1,000 is a typical cost, including the mounting, balancing, and disposal fee of your old tires. To maximize the lifespan of your tires, always keep them properly inflated and rotate them according to the manufacturer’s suggested interval.
• Belts and Hoses - The accessory belt in your engine and the hoses that carry coolant and other fluids don’t have specific replacement intervals, but they do wear. Expect to replace the belts and hoses in your vehicle at least once every 100K miles. Prices vary according to the vehicle and the needed part. Budget $300 per vehicle per 100K usage.
• Timing Belts - A very critical part of some engines is a rubber/composite engine valve timing belt. This belt typically lasts between 70K and 90K miles or about 7 to 9 years. Replacement is costly and includes a water pump change in most vehicles. Budget $750 to $1,000 for this once every 100K service. Note that many vehicles use a chain instead, so your vehicle may not have this belt. Timing chains are designed to last the life of the vehicle and save you money.
• Transmission Fluid Changes - By Car Talk’s count, there are now over five different common transmissions in use in modern vehicles. Geared, CVT, eCVT, DSG, and manual. Each has its own needs, and each manufacturer has their own schedule for service and fluid replacements. Consult your manual. Many modern vehicles have sealed transmissions meaning they do not require fluid changes. If your vehicle does require a transmission fluid change, budget $350 to $650 for this service.

Common Vehicle Repair Examples

Many components that are designed to last the life of a vehicle will fail at some point. Our chart below includes some commonly repaired and replaced parts of modern vehicles. These should only be a once-per-ownership event. If you find that your vehicle requires multiple repairs of the same type, it may be time to look for a new car.

Should I Buy a Honda Prepaid Maintenance Plan?

Prepaid maintenance plans can make sense after the two years of included maintenance have concluded. Car Talk recommends only purchasing a plan that will work at all Honda dealers, not just the one you buy the car from. Shop around by phone. You don't have to buy it from the dealer who sells you the vehicle.

How Much Does a Honda Maintenance Plan Cost?

Car Talk experts asked Honda if the company provided prepaid maintenance plans and were directed to the dealer network. We then phoned Boston-area Honda dealers and asked for prepaid maintenance plans.

We were quoted $799 for a package that included six oil changes and tire rotations. The Honda dealer made clear that Honda does not offer such prepaid maintenance plans, and that this package was offered just by this one dealer.

Common Honda Problems and Repairs

Honda is a brand that has a checkered history with regard to reliability. About 15 years ago, the company had a problem with automatic transmissions. Then it was dealing with shaky engines. Today, the new 1.5-liter turbocharged engine the company relies upon in its CR-V, Accord, and Civic, has had issues with gasoline finding its way into the engine oil. Multiple years of the CR-V have earned the “Beware of the Clunker” stamp from Car Complaints, including the 2015, 2017, and 2018 model years.

The 2022 Honda CR-V earned a 3 out of 5 reliability from Consumer Reports based on owner-reported data. The 2023 CR-V is a recommended model from the group.

Is a Honda Extended Warranty Worth It?

Honda has a typically-short duration warranty. The new car warranty runs just three years, and the powertrain warranty just five. By contrast, Kia, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi all have a 10-year warranty for the first owner. Honda is a brand that we would give serious consideration to protecting with an extended warranty.

Our Methodology For Best Warranty Providers

Car Talk has spent the last two years diving deeply into the warranties industry for the benefit of our readership and long-time listeners. Our process for deciding on the best warranty companies is exceptionally thorough, involving in-depth research and our unique secret shopper initiative. We compiled over 50 data points across all reviewed companies to refine and inform our selection process. Car Talk reviewed the following important criteria for each company:

• Consumer Satisfaction: Cross referencing multiple trusted resources to pull our fair and balanced customer reviews.
• Cost: Utilizing our secret shopper initiative, we got comparable quotes across all companies so we can validly compare pricing.
• Coverage and Offerings: Our research team delved into the coverage and offerings for each company, comparing what is available, including extras and discounts.
• Official Ratings: We consulted a wide range of verified review sites to extrapolate a ratings score for each.

Read more on the Best Warranty Companies in the industry here.