How Often Do You Need To Change Transmission Fluid?

How oft should yous exist getting a transmission fluid modify? Although some manufacturers recommend doing so every 30,000 miles, others might say you lot tin go longer. Some even say transmission fluid is adept for 100,000 miles or more. But is it?

How Often Is Plenty?

Your vehicle owner's transmission will list the mileage at which your transmission fluid change should take identify. It will also recommend the automated manual fluid you should use and advise you on the maximum altitude you should get betwixt automatic transmission fluid changes.

Conditions May Vary

All the same, even in your owners' manual, y'all're unlikely to observe one hard and fast rule about the number of miles you can go before you'll demand a transmission fluid change. More probable, y'all'll observe two or three numbers broken down by driving conditions, such equally "normal," "moderate" and "severe."

"Normal" is a mix of dissimilar types of adequately low-stress driving. "Moderate" might involve more stop-and-go. If y'all do a lot of stop-and-go in an farthermost climate (whether hot, cold, dry or dusty) and throw in some trailer towing, that might fall under the "severe" category. Driving in severe conditions volition likely require you to change your transmission fluid sooner and more than often over the lifespan of your vehicle.

Hither'south Why

Automated transmission fluid acts as both a lubricant and a coolant for the internal parts of an automatic transmission. Information technology helps keep shifting smooth and precise. The fluid cools by absorbing the heat every bit it flows through the manual. But similar all chemicals, over fourth dimension automatic transmission fluid begins to break downwards. As information technology does, it loses its cooling and lubricating properties.

Non just does your automatic manual fluid trap heat; it as well traps droppings and particles. The longer the fluid is left, the more debris accumulates, which can crusade the fluid to get more than abrasive than lubricating. These conditions can lead to premature wear of the automatic transmission components and a shorter life span for the vehicle. If the consequence is left unaddressed for too long, you could face a big bill for a transmission repair or replacement.

It may come as no surprise, and so, that a lot of maintenance-savvy owners utilize the "severe" recommendation as a benchmark. After all, buying automatic transmission fluid more often than the owners' transmission recommends tin can be cheap insurance confronting bigger problems down the route.

Bank check out all the automatic transmission fluid products available on NAPA Online, or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on how often you should get a transmission fluid modify, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA Car PARTS store.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Mike Hagerty View All

Mike Hagerty is an automotive journalist whose piece of work has been featured on radio, TV, in impress and online since 1997. He's the Publisher and Editor of MikeHagertyCars.com, and contributes car reviews to the Los Altos Town Crier and losaltosonline.com. Previous outlets have included KFBK and KFBK.com in Sacramento, California, the ABC tv affiliates and Hearst-Argyle and Emmis radio stations in Phoenix, Arizona; AAA magazines for Arizona, Oklahoma, Northwest Ohio, S Dakota and the Mount Due west and BBCCars.com.