[joebucko]

I need some help figuring out whether or not my Acura dealership serviced my transmission/transfer case and rear differential like I asked them to do last year.
I took my 2015 Acura MDX Advance sh-awd in today to get the battery replaced under warranty. While there they told me I needed to do the Transfer case fluid service and rear differential service on the vehicle because of the mileage and color of the fluid . Odd I thought because I had that service performed last year at 24,000 miles as I was beginning to tow my boat more and I had just added the OEM transmission cooler. I now have 34480 miles on the MDX.

They looked it up and sure enough I had the B3 Service performed which includes: Automatic Transmission service and Transfer Fluid.
4 ATF DW-1 Fluid
1 drain washer 18mm
1Drain washer 24mm
1 Trans conditioner
2 Diff Fluiid
2 Drain washer 20mm
Was charged $169.99

They insisted that this DID NOT include the rear differential. The invoice does not specify that the Rear diff was done but I seem to remember reading posts on this forum that the front differential/transfer case and transmission are an integral unit and when you do the transmission service you have serviced the transfer case? I could be wrong about that and I don't mind paying for needed service I requested but I don't want to pay for something twice.

From the list of materials and price ($169.66) did they charge me for the rear differential or not.
Thanks

 

[neoshi]

Usually the rear diff is done on a 6 service. When was the last time you went in for a 6?

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[joebucko]

I bought it in Oct 2015 as a Certified MDX with 23000 miles on it. I verified with Acura that the vehicle had all required scheduled maintenance prior to my buying it. Shortly after that I added the oem transmission cooler and hitch and took it in for the Transmission/differential service (11/12/2015) because I was going to trailer my boat. I have changed the oil myself once when it got to 5%. I have never seen a 6 indicator on the vehicle.
Am I correct that servicing the transmission also services the front transfer case or is that a separate maintenance item thus the 4 ATF fluids for the tranny and the 2 Diff fluids for the front Diff?

 

[neoshi]

Oh i see what you're getting at. There's one atf (dw-1), 3.3 qts (so they charge you for 4 qts usually). Transfer case is separate and takes hgo-1 (just a 75w-90 gear oil), 0.45 qts so they should charge you for 1 qt. Rear diff takes a fluid called Dpsf, 2.7 qts so charge for 3. There's something fishy going on there on the diff fluid if they did 2 qts. It's too much for a transfer case and slightly too little for a rear diff.

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[carli123]

What is "trans conditioner"?

 

[mrgold35]

That is usually the price and amount of ATF oil I see for a 1X drain/refill at my dealership for the AT and transfer case. The 3X drain/refil/drive around repeat is usually twice as much for AT plus 1X for transfer case.

 

[Wanderlust]

"6" service ( rear differential ) should have come up the first time at 15k miles, and wouldn't be due again until 45k miles, assuming the MM schedules are similar to previous generation and the "normal service" schedule is applicable. But frequent towing is considered "severe service", so some mileage intervals are cut in half. AFAIK the MM isn't smart enough to figure that out. So if you are towing frequently, it all makes sense. Rear diff fluid change at 35k miles is appropriate. Next change would be at 45k miles.
In case it isn't clear by now, transfer case fluid change is separate from transmission fluid change ( NOT an integral unit and NOT shared fluid ), but they follow the same schedule.

 

[joebucko]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it.

 

[neoshi]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it.

I checked back at the rear diff instructions. At fluid change, only 1.8qts is changed, so 2qts is correct. So it sounds like it was done, but not the transfer case.