every 30,000 to 60,000 miles
If you drive manual, most manufacturers will recommend changing your transmission fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. If you have automatic, you can typically boost that range up to 60,000 to 100,000 miles. There’s no harm in changing your fluid early.
How often should transmission fluid be changed?
Many car owners don’t know how often to change transmission fluid, and the truth is that there’s no hard-and-fast answer. Different manufacturers use different formulations, and their maintenance intervals for how often you should change transmission fluid can vary from about 30,000 miles to… never.
When should you change your transmission filter?
You should have the filter changed at the same interval to avoid plugging up and causing fluid starvation. Flushing is the process by which the new, fresh fluid forces out the old, using the transmission’s pump to do the pushing. The transmission pan (the pan on the bottom side of the transmission) holds only one-third to a half of the fluid.
What happens when you change transmission oil?
With automatic transmissions that have not been serviced for a while or have no history of service, replacing the old oil with new transmission fluid can actually cause transmission failure. This is because the foreign matter floating in that old fluid (it’s mostly clutch material) is actually helping the internal clutches find their grip.
Does a manual need transmission fluid?
Yes, even a manual needs transmission fluid. The type of fluid can vary from car to car, however. Some manuals require conventional engine oil, and others function best with automatic transmission fluid. So make sure you’re putting in the fluid that’s specified for your car.
Is it bad to change transmission fluid too often?
There’s no harm in changing the fluid more often than is necessary, and too often is better than never, but there’s no sense in wasting money.
How often should you change the transmission fluid?
Most manufacturers suggest 30,000 to 60,000 miles as the point at which you should change the transmission fluid in a manual transmission. However, vehicles with transmissions that are under ‘high stress’ should change the transmission fluid every 15,000 miles.
Can you drive a car with too much transmission fluid?
If you are driving a newer car with a DSG or CVT transmission, it may be a bad idea to drive around with too much transmission fluid. It is often quite easy to drain some transmission fluid, and definitely worth doing if you have an expensive car. Here are some other consequences of overfilling your transmission fluid in detail:
What does transmission fluid do?
Transmission fluid lubricates and cools the transmission, whether you have a manual transmission or an automatic. If you have an automatic transmission (as most people do), transmission fluid also helps provide hydraulic pressure, which helps the transmission change gears. How Often Should You Change Transmission Fluid?
What happens if you change transmission oil for the first time?
Changing transmission oil for the first time on high mileage (over 100k miles) car can cause issues. There is a risk of encountering clutch slippage or getting the car stuck in one gear. What’s the difference between Transmission oil change and Flush? Transmission oil change is draining the old oil from the drain bolt and refilling with new oil.
