I have a 2005 Acura MDX with the 5-speed Honda AT. It's probably not exactly the same transmission as that found in a V-6 Accord, but it's close. We have nearly 90k miles on this transmission at this point and it's still shifting and operating very good. I've owned two RWD transmissions (a GM Hydramatic and a Ford AOD) that were both rebuilt by this many miles, so it's going good for us so far.
I have used many fluids in this AT and so far anyway, prefer Valvoline's MaxLife ATF, though I think I will try Castrol Transmax IMV in it next. It went 70k miles on the original Z1, and I did a number of drain/fills with the new DW-1. DW-1 was nice for a while, but I felt that it broke down/sheared just as quick as the Z1 did, and shift feel degraded quicker than I like. Many feel that you're gambling with aftermarket fluid, but I feel that you're gambling with the OEM fluid, at least in this case. Honda's ATF is demonstrably prone to heavy shearing. Many of the issues with Honda's ATs in the past have related to heat. It all correlates together: you have an AT that either produces or experiences a lot of heat, and you have a fluid that is known to shear pretty quickly under pressure, and you have a number of unit failures.
Were they caused by the fluid, or exacerbated by the fluid? I don't know. What I do know is that the failures did occur with the OEM fluid in the cases, and there's a growing user base out there using third party fluids who feel they work as good or better than the OEM fluids. I was an OEM fluid person for a long time, but have found that some third party fluids really do work very well.
Keep in mind that the timing belt is 105,000 miles OR seven years. A 2005 model is due or overdue for a timing belt change if it hasn't been done yet, regardless of miles. Our Acura is still on its original timing belt; I plan to fix that this spring.
