Replacing your Honda CRV’s rear differential fluid is an important aspect of car ownership. Without fresh rear differential fluid, your rear wheels will not operate correctly and your car will experience excessive wear and tear.

While everyone knows they need regular engine oil changes, not every car owner is aware of the importance of their rear differential fluid. If you want your Honda CR-V operating at peak performance, you’ll want to replace your rear differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.

If you want to know more, read on—

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The best Honda CRV rear differential fluid

Our recommendation for the best Honda CRV rear differential fluid is

Honda Genuine 08200-9007 Dual Pump II Differential Fluid

If you don’t go with the recommended fluid, you should make sure the differential fluid you do choose is full-synthetic 80w oil.

Choosing the right kind of oil will keep your rear differential working at its best and allow longer gaps between changing your fluids.

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What is rear differential fluid—and why does your Honda need it?

Rear differential fluid keeps your rear axle lubricated. This allows your back wheels to operate correctly. It also allows each wheel to spin at a different speed and receive a different amount of torque. This is useful for turning and when off-roading.

Without rear differential fluid, your rear axle will experience excessive wear and tear and your car’s performance will be impacted.

How often to change Honda CRV rear differential fluid

You’ll want to change your Honda CRV rear differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. While most Honda’s can make it closer to the 50,000 mark without a change, if you do a lot of off-roading in your CRV you’ll want to switch your rear differential fluid closer to 30,000 miles.

Here are a few signs you need to change your rear differential fluid, regardless of how many miles it has been since your last change:

A burning smell from the rear gearbox

Whirring, howling or straining noises

Any unusual vibrations

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How to change your Honda CRV’s differential fluid

If you’d rather skip out on the cost of a

differential fluid service

, we’ve got a simple, step-by-step guide you can follow. Before you get started, collect the following material:

Carjack and jack stands

Socket wrench set

Fluid transfer pump

Drain pan

Step 1: If necessary, jack up your Honda to gain easy access to the rear differential.

Step 2: Remove the fill plug. You want to remove this first because if you can’t get it off after draining the old differential fluid, your car will be undrivable.

Step 3: Remove the drain plug and allow the old fluid to drain into the drain pan.

Step 4: Replace the drain plug.

Step 5: Use a transfer pump to refill the rear differential with fresh differential fluid.

Step 6: Replace the fill plug.

With that done, your rear differential will have fresh fluid and you’ll be good to get back on the road!

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How to find affordable Honda insurance

Just like you need to change your differential fluid, sometimes you need to change your

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