Caring for your vehicle’s transmission is essential for maintaining its performance and longevity. Understanding whether your car has a sealed or “filled-for-life” transmission can significantly impact your maintenance routine.
- Does your car have a sealed or filled-for-life transmission? If so, you are less likely to need regular maintenance.
- Do you need a transmission fluid change or flush? Here’s what you need to know about maintaining your vehicle’s transmission system.
What is transmission fluid service?
If you’re looking for a transmission fluid service, you will need to know the difference between a transmission fluid change and fluid flush.
- Fluid flushes: This is a complete removal and replacement of transmission fluid, removing it from the torque converter, transmission pan and cooler lines. This ensures that no old transmission fluid remains in the system. This requires a special machine to run a cleaning solution through the cooler lines to ensure it comes out completely clean.
- Fluid changes: This service is less thorough, and your mechanic will drain your transmission fluid from the transmission pan only. Depending on how your mechanic structures the service, it might also include swapping out filters, O-rings and gaskets.
Signs it’s time to change your transmission fluid
Common indicators include unusual noises such as grinding or whining, difficulty shifting gears, delayed engagement when shifting from park to drive, and dark, burnt-smelling transmission fluid. When the fluid becomes contaminated or loses its effectiveness, it can lead to poor lubrication and increased friction within the transmission, causing these issues.
How much does a transmission fluid service cost?
A transmission fluid flush costs between $100 to $700 while a transmission fluid change costs $80 to $400. A transmission fluid flush is generally twice as expensive not only because of the additional complexity of the procedure, but also because a flush requires two to three times as much transmission fluid.
Costs also scale proportionally to your vehicle’s size. If you have a small car, your car’s total capacity for transmission fluid might be eight quarts, whereas if you had a pickup truck like a Ford F-150, it might need 14 quarts.
How often to service transmission fluid?
There’s no one-size-fit-all answer to this because this varies between vehicles and your driving habits. A ballpark for most vehicles is between 30,000 to 150,000 miles, but a more exact answer can be found in your manual.
Also note that there are sealed transmissions (also called “filled-for-life”) that should never require servicing. The exception to this is if you use your vehicle for rigorous performance, such as towing, hauling loads or off-roading. Additionally, some vehicles will require a fluid change any time the differential is submerged in water.
If you do need to service a sealed transmission, you will need to use a dealer or mechanic with specialized tools since these sealed transmissions are more complex to do any maintenance on.
Can I service my transmission fluid myself?
You can easily do a transmission fluid change but a flush is much more complex. A transmission fluid change is pretty straightforward:
- Undo the transmission drain plug or remove the transmission pan
- Replace O-rings or gaskets and then reinstall everything
- Fill the car with transmission fluid
- Start the car and check for leaks and check transmission fluid levels.
Bottom line
If you notice your car making grinding noises or having difficulty switching to the right gear, bad transmission fluid might be to blame. Whether you need just a fluid change or a complete fluid flush depends on the condition of your transmission fluid. Checking the dipstick or taking your vehicle to the mechanic can help you choose the right solution.
FAQ
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Is it necessary to have transmission fluid serviced?
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Are transmission flushes worth it?
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How often should you change your transmission fluid?
Xuyun Zeng is a content strategist with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.
Ashley Eneriz is an editor and finance writer with over 15 years of experience in a wide range of financial topics, including car loans and insurance. In editing for Jerry, Ashley aims to make all car material reader-friendly for both the new driver and car enthusiast alike. Prior to joining Jerry, Ashley was the financial deputy editor for ConsumerAffairs. Her work is featured on Forbes, Yahoo, MSN, The Hartford and more.
