Is Automatic transmission fluid worth changing?

Many car manufacturers claim that their automatic transmissions possess ‘sealed for life’ fluid. Periodic draining and refilling are unnecessary; only topping-up is permitted.

Yet, many car owners and technicians question this stance. The passing of time and miles degrade the fluid, reducing its protective qualities, meaning that occasional replacement is a good idea. A further issue is that most car manufacturers do not define ‘life’. For automatic transmissions, one major car company told us that its definition is seven years; fewer if the car is used for towing. With nine years (approximately) representing the average motorcar age in the UK, it is not a bad idea to have these ‘sealed for life’ fluids changed as your car ages.

As most motor manufacturers do not specify an automatic transmission fluid replacement interval, (although there are exceptions) the operation is unlikely to feature in official service schedules, meaning that you will have to request the job to be done specifically. As it is impossible to drain most automatic transmissions completely, some garages have bespoke machines that pass fresh fluid through the circuit, thus replacing all of it, not just 50-60%. To complete the task properly, it is wise to replace the filters, too. These are situated within the casing on some gearboxes, meaning that the technician will have to perform a degree of dismantling to access them.

Unsurprisingly, replacing automatic transmission fluid will add a significant chunk to a typical service bill. Yet, with used car prices continuing their upward trend, making the investment is well worth it to help the gearbox last for longer. To help avoid potentially higher main dealer parts prices, see if quality filtration companies sell transmission filter kits that are applicable for your car, such as the items from MEYLE, pictured.

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