Must the first maintenance of Accord be completed within three months?
2 Answers
The first maintenance of Accord is not required to be completed within three months. The first maintenance is generally due at six months or 5,000 kilometers, whichever comes first. It is necessary to attend the first maintenance on time, neither earlier nor later. Completing the first maintenance indicates that the vehicle's break-in period has ended, and it can be driven at the standard load and normal speed specified by the vehicle. The first maintenance time is calculated from the date of vehicle delivery. There are two indicators for the first maintenance: mileage and time, whichever comes first. Exceeding either of them may affect the warranty. The items included in the first maintenance of a car are: changing the engine oil, replacing the oil filter, cleaning the air filter, checking the levels of various fluids, inspecting the generator belt and wiper blades for damage, checking tire pressure, examining the chassis, and inspecting all switches in the vehicle. The entire first maintenance process takes approximately two hours.
I work as a mechanic at a Honda 4S dealership and just finished servicing an Accord. The official manual states that the first maintenance should be done at 3 months or 5,000 kilometers, whichever comes first, and it's best not to exceed this. If you go over the time limit, the 4S dealership system will automatically mark it as out of warranty. Although the manufacturer doesn’t explicitly say they’ll deny coverage, if issues arise later, it can lead to troublesome disputes. For example, if the engine shows a fault code and the manufacturer checks the records to find the first maintenance was overdue, they might blame it on improper maintenance. Last month, a customer was just two weeks late and ended up unable to use their free maintenance coupon. If you’re traveling or have special circumstances, call the after-sales service in advance to file a record—they usually allow a grace period of about a week. The metal shavings from the new engine’s break-in period are all soaked in the oil, and delaying too long can really damage the engine.
