How often should I change my tranny fluid?

[Phillip Eddy]

Hey friends. Does anyone know how often I should change my tranny fluid and filter?

Topic

[Mitch]

Consult your owners manual. It’s different for every car. If you don’t have an owners manual, call a dealership service department or search out a maintenance schedule online for your vehicles model and make. Just a few ideas.

[skim3544]

+1 on looking up the manual. Early 90s extended life transmission fluid started to appear on retail shelves. Since then some transmission companies resisted the change and some decided to run with it. ZF tranmission fluid would last life of the car – they defined life of the transmission as 200K miles and even if you don’t flush it the transmission will last that long unless there is a serious leak or abuse. Others may need flushing at 100K miles, and many Honda transmissions still need 30K miles flush.

[Justin]

I don’t flush the fluid… Just get it changed on my Mazda 3.

… I do it at 30,000 because my owners manual does NOT have a schedule for it, which I think is crazy.

[scott37300]

I personally don’t believe in the “lifetime” fluid crap. Of coarse the fluid is going to last the life of the tranny, but the real question is would your tranny have had a longer life if you had changed the fluid? My belief is that the fluid breaks down over time and loses some of it’s properties it needs to do it’s job. Changing it can’t hurt. Also believe that if you need a filter it needs to be changed, lot of newer cars have non serviceable filters now. You can also say your oil is “lifetime” and never change it, probably get a lot of miles out of until the engine dies. But the oil lasted the “lifetime” of the engine.

I change trans fluid and filter if possible every 30,000 miles no matter the make of vehicle or what the manufacturer says. Just my way weather it’s right or wrong.

[college man]

I like the 30k,60k,90k rule. also consult the owners manual.

[Author]

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