Frequently Asked
Questions.

You do not need an imported Japanese Honda Grace to join!

In Japan, Honda named this subcompact sedan the Grace (chassis GM4 Hybrid, GM5 4WD Hybrid, GM6 LX Petrol, GM9 4WD Petrol). In the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and India, Honda produced and sold the exact same core chassis under the legendary Honda City nameplate (GM6, 2014–2020).

Because the chassis, suspension points, glass, roof line, and bulk of the mechanicals are shared, our community celebrates both:

• Stock and lightly modified daily-driven Philippine Honda City GM6 models (1.5 E, 1.5 VX, 1.5 VX+ Navi, 1.5 Sport).
• Philippine City builds carrying authentic JDM Grace OEM+ exterior/interior conversions.
• Imported Japanese Honda Grace hybrids and rare petrol variants across the globe.

The Digital Garage is your car's official digital identity card within the Honda Grace community:

• Build Specifications: Document your model year, trim, paint code, chassis number, and transmission.
• Categorized Mod Sheet: Detail modifications by Engine, Suspension, Wheels & Tires, Exterior Aero, Interior, and Audio/Electronics.
• Photo Showcase: Upload high-resolution cover photos, engine bay shots, and interior cockpit images.
• Public or Unlisted Visibility: You choose whether your build appears on the public /builds directory or stays private to your direct link.
• Spotted Community Archive: Allow fellow attendees to upload candid photos taken of your car during meets!

Every vehicle entered in the Digital Garage receives a unique 7-character short identifier and a precision-generated QR code decal:

1. Log into your account and open /garage.
2. Click on the car you want to tag (or tap Add Car if you haven't registered one yet).
3. Tap the QR Code action button on the build header.
4. Choose Download SVG (for large format or vinyl printing) or Download PNG (for standard phone screen displays or laminated cards).

How to Display It at Meets:

• Dashboard Display Stand: Print on 4x6 photo paper and place in an acrylic desktop photo stand on your dashboard.
• Laminated Sunvisor Card: Clip it to your sun visor facing forward when parked.
• Quarter Window Decal: Some members print high-contrast transparent vinyl stickers applied to the rear triangular quarter glass.
• Smartphone Lock Screen: Save the image to your phone lock screen so other enthusiasts can scan it directly while talking cars with you!

We host a regular calendar of diverse automotive gatherings:

• Breakfast Runs (Morning Drives): Early Sunday morning drives through scenic twisties such as Marilaque Highway, Kaybiang Tunnel, Tagaytay Ridge, or Clark Freeport, concluding with group breakfast.
• Evening Coffee Meets (EBs): Relaxed evening park-and-chill sessions hosted in wide, well-lit venues (BGC Bonifacio Global City, Arca South, Tiendesitas, Vertis North, Shell Mamplasan).
• Regional Gatherings: Hosted by local chapters in Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, Baguio, Melbourne, and Dubai.
• Annual Anniversary Mega Meet: Held every year celebrating the 2019 founding of the club, featuring vendor booths, build raffles, and exclusive commemorative merch.

There is zero elitism in Honda Grace PH:

• Every great build begins as a bone-stock vehicle straight from the dealer showroom.
• Attending a meet with a factory stock car is actually the smartest way to start your ownership journey: you get to see different wheel offsets in person, hear aftermarket exhausts before buying, test seat comfort, and talk to owners about what mods are genuinely worth the money.
• Our club hashtag is #unitethebreedsavethegrace, not #onlymoddedcars. We love pristine stock OEM examples just as much as fully built project cars!

⚙️ Honda GM6 CVT Fluid Specification

• Required Fluid: Genuine Honda HCF-2 (Part # 08269-P99-08ZE3).
• ⚠️ WARNING: Never use Honda ATF-DW1, ATF-Z1, or universal multi-brand transmission fluids. The GM6 CVT uses a steel push-belt and dual pulleys that require the precise chemical friction coefficient of HCF-2. Using regular automatic transmission fluid will glaze the pulleys, cause severe belt slippage, and destroy the transmission within hundreds of kilometers.

Drain & Refill Capacity:

• ~3.4 to 3.6 Liters for a standard gravity drain and refill.
• Drain plug bolt torque: 49 N·m (36 lb-ft).
• Always install a new 18mm aluminum drain plug crush washer (OEM Part # 90471-PX4-000).

Recommended Service Intervals:

• Metro Manila & Severe Stop-and-Go Conditions: Every 20,000 km to 25,000 km (or 12 months). The severe tropical ambient heat and prolonged idling cause fluid additives to shear much faster than in temperate countries.
• Normal / Highway Driving: Every 40,000 km (or 24 months).
• CVT Strainer & Paper Cartridge Filter: Inspect or replace the external paper cartridge filter (OEM # 25450-P4V-013) every 80,000 km.

🛢️ Engine Oil Specifications (L15Z1 & L15B Engines)

Recommended Viscosities:

• 0W-20 Full Synthetic (OEM Recommended): Ideal for daily commuters, maximizing fuel efficiency, rapid cold-start lubrication, and smooth i-VTEC transition. Recommended: Honda Genuine Ultra LEO / Ultra Green, Motul 8100 Eco-lite, Shell Helix Ultra 0W-20.
• 5W-30 Full Synthetic (Tropical / Enthusiast Choice): Excellent protection for heavy Philippine summer heatwaves, high-mileage engines (over 100,000 km), or aggressive canyon runs. Provides thicker hydrodynamic oil film under high oil temperatures.

Capacities & Torque:

• With Oil Filter Change: ~3.6 Liters (3.8 US qt).
• Without Oil Filter Change: ~3.4 Liters (3.6 US qt).
• Drain Plug: 14mm crush washer (OEM Part # 94109-14000). Torque drain bolt to 39 N·m (29 lb-ft).
• Oil Filter Torque: Hand-tight plus 3/4 turn, or 12 N·m.

Replacement Schedule:

• Full Synthetic Oil: Every 7,500 to 10,000 km or 6 months.
• Semi-Synthetic / Mineral Oil: Every 5,000 km or 3 months.
• Oil Filter: Always change the oil filter at every oil change (OEM # 15400-RAF-T01, Mahle OC617, or Hamp Synergy).

🔩 Hub & Wheel Mounting Specifications

• Bolt Pattern (PCD): 4x100 (4 lugs on a 100mm diameter pitch circle).
• Center Bore (Hub Bore): 56.1 mm.
• Lug Nut Thread Pitch: M12 x 1.5 (Metric 12mm stud, 1.5mm thread pitch).
• Wheel Lug Torque: 108 N·m (80 lb-ft) in a cross-star pattern.

⚠️ THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING ON WHEELS:

• OEM Honda Factory Wheels: Use Spherical / Ball Seat lug nuts (OEM Honda radius washer).
• Aftermarket Wheels (Volk, Enkei, Rota, etc.): Use 60-Degree Conical / Tapered Seat lug nuts.
• NEVER use OEM ball-seat lug nuts on aftermarket conical wheels (or vice versa). The mismatched seating surface causes improper clamping force, leading to lug studs shearing off while driving!

Hub-Centric Rings:

• Aftermarket wheels typically feature a universal center bore (such as 67.1 mm or 73.1 mm). Always install aluminum or polycarbonate hub-centric adapter rings (e.g., 73.1mm to 56.1mm) to center the wheel precisely on the hub and prevent highway steering wheel vibration at 80–110 km/h.

🇯🇵 Complete Chassis Breakdown

• GM4 (JDM Grace Sport Hybrid FWD): Powered by the Earth Dreams 1.5L Atkinson-cycle DOHC direct-injection L15B engine coupled to an intelligent Dual Clutch Drive (i-DCD) 7-speed transmission with integrated high-output electric motor.
• GM5 (JDM Grace Sport Hybrid 4WD): Same hybrid drivetrain as GM4, paired with Honda's viscous Real Time AWD system for snowy Japanese prefectures.
• GM6 (Philippine/ASEAN Honda City & JDM Grace LX Petrol): Front-wheel-drive with the dependable 1.5L SOHC i-VTEC L15Z1 engine (ASEAN) or DOHC L15B (Japan) mated to Honda's Earth Dreams G-Design Shift CVT.
• GM9 (JDM Grace Petrol 4WD): Non-hybrid 1.5L DOHC petrol engine with mechanical 4WD.

Interior Differences:

• Gear Shifter: Grace Hybrid features an electronic shift-by-wire joystick with Park button (similar to Prius/Insight), while Philippine City GM6 utilizes a traditional PRNDS mechanical floor shifter.
• Instrument Cluster: Grace Hybrid features dual high-resolution full-color multi-information screens showing hybrid power flow, EV motor assist, and regeneration meter.
• Rear Cabin Aircon: JDM Grace models include rear center console air conditioning vents and dual USB charging ports.

🛠️ JDM Grace Conversion Checklist (Manila Build Spec)

Converting a Philippine Honda City GM6 to authentic JDM Grace spec is one of the most rewarding community projects:

1. Front Fascia:

• JDM Grace Front Bumper: Direct bolt-on to GM6 front fenders and hood latch.
• Front Grille: JDM Grace Hybrid illuminated chrome blue-bar grille, Modulo sports grille, or Mugen front under-lip.
• Fog Lamps: JDM Grace uses trapezoidal fog lamps with dedicated bumper brackets (different from PH City round fog bezels).

2. Rear Fascia:

• JDM Grace Rear Bumper: Lower aerodynamic valence with flush reflectors.
• Trunk Center Garnish: Authentic Grace trunk bar with clear chrome or ruby LED illumination featuring the signature embossed GRACE wordmark.
• LED Tail Lamp Clusters: Grace LED assemblies with clear reversing bands.

3. OEM JDM Details:

• Blue-accented Honda "H" Hybrid emblems (Front OEM # 75700-T9A-J01, Rear # 75701-T9A-J01).
• JDM aerodynamically contoured slim door visors / rain guards.
• Hydroscopic blue-tinted wide-angle heated side mirror glass.

🛞 Proven Wheel Fitment Guide (PCD 4x100)

1. 15-Inch Setup (Enthusiast Favorite - Daily Comfort & Track Stance):

• Wheel Dimensions: 15x7.0 JJ, Offset: ET +35 to +38.
• Recommended Tires:
  • 195/55 R15: Preserves factory speedometer accuracy and absorbs Manila potholes with lush sidewall cushion.
  • 195/50 R15: Aggressive JDM track look with razor-sharp turn-in response.
• Top Wheel Choices: Volk Racing TE37 Sonic, Enkei RPF1, SSR Type C, Spoon SW388, Desmond Regamaster EVO II.

2. 16-Inch Setup (OEM+ Balanced Proportion):

• Wheel Dimensions: 16x7.0 JJ, Offset: ET +38 to +42.
• Recommended Tires: 205/50 R16 or 195/50 R16.
• Result: Excellent balance of sporty aesthetic and decent ride compliance.

3. 17-Inch Setup (Show Flush & Street Stance):

• Wheel Dimensions: 17x7.0 or 17x7.5 JJ, Offset: ET +42 to +45.
• Recommended Tires: 205/45 R17 (or 215/40 R17).
• ⚠️ Rubbing Note: If lowered more than 35mm with an offset lower than +40, you may experience slight fender liner clip rubbing on heavy expressway dips with rear passengers. Rolling the rear inner metal fender lip eliminates this.

🔧 Diagnosing GM6 Cabin Idle Vibration

The Root Cause: The Right Passenger-Side Hydraulic Engine Mount (OEM Part Number 50820-T9A-003) is filled with viscous hydraulic dampening fluid. Between 50,000 km and 80,000 km, the internal rubber diaphragm fatigues, tears, and leaks its fluid, causing the metal arm to rest directly on the chassis stop bracket.

Symptoms of a Collapsed Mount:

• Heavy, rattling vibration felt through the steering wheel, seat base, and dashboard whenever the car is stopped at traffic lights in D (Drive) with the foot brake held.
• The vibration intensifies significantly the exact moment the A/C compressor clutch engages.
• Shifting from Drive into N (Neutral) immediately diminishes the vibration by 80%.
• Visual inspection: Look at the right engine mount near the serpentine belt. If you see brown dried oil stains or if you cannot slide a finger beneath the rubber bumper and the bracket, the mount has fully bottomed out.

Club Recommendation:

• BUY GENUINE HONDA OEM or reinforced high-performance mounts (e.g., Hardrace).
• ⚠️ Avoid Cheap Generic Replacement Mounts: Cheap generic ₱1,500 replacement mounts are constructed with solid vulcanized rubber instead of internal hydraulic dampening chambers. They will vibrate just as badly out of the box or collapse within 3 months!
• Always inspect the Lower Torque Rod (Dogbone Mount) (OEM # 50890-T9A-000) at the same time.

❄️ AC Evaporator Coil Diagnosis & Replacement

The Symptoms:

• The air conditioner blows cold initially, but gradually weakens over several weeks until it blows lukewarm air.
• A distinct hissing / whistling noise can be heard from behind the glove box or center dash vents when the AC button is toggled ON.
• A faint, sweet chemical aroma (PAG compressor oil and refrigerant) emerges from the vents upon start-up.

Why It Happens: In the humid Philippine climate, condensation on the aluminum cooling coil combines with ambient dust to cause micro-corrosion and pinhole leaks along the lower coil tubes after 5 to 7 years.

The Solution:

• The dashboard must be pulled back to remove the HVAC blower housing and replace the evaporator core.
• Replacement Parts: Install a brand-new laminated evaporator core (OEM Denso or Valeo), replace the Thermal Expansion Valve (TXV), and replace the receiver-drier desiccant bag.
• Pull a deep vacuum on the system for 45 minutes to boil off all moisture before recharging with Genuine R134a refrigerant and fresh PAG-46 synthetic compressor oil.
• Prevention: Always replace your cabin air filter (OEM # 80291-T5A-J01) every 10,000 km to prevent mold and dirt build-up on the cooling fins.

⚙️ Eliminating CVT Start Clutch Shudder

Why It Occurs: A low-frequency judder or momentary vibration when letting off the brake pedal in D (Drive) before acceleration is almost always caused by aged CVT fluid whose friction modifiers have depleted, preventing the forward start clutch pack from slipping smoothly during engagement.

The 3-Step Remedy:

1. Immediate Fluid Service: Perform a drain and refill using 3.5 Liters of Genuine Honda HCF-2. If the fluid drained out dark brown or black, drive 500 km and perform a second drain-and-fill to flush the remaining fluid out of the torque converter and cooler lines.
2. HDS OBD2 Start Clutch Calibration: Connect a Honda Diagnostic System (HDS) or bi-directional OBD2 scanner, select Transmission -> Miscellaneous -> Start Clutch Calibration, and follow the on-screen hydraulic learn sequence.
3. Manual Adaptation Driving Routine (If No Scanner Available):
   • Drive vehicle until normal operating temperature is reached.
   • Shift into D on a flat, empty road and accelerate normally up to 60 km/h.
   • Release the throttle completely and let the vehicle coast down to 20 km/h without pressing the brake pedal.
   • Repeat this coast-down sequence 3 to 5 times to allow the TCM (Transmission Control Module) to learn deceleration line pressure values.