Transmission fluid service
Transmission fluid is doing several jobs at once — it lubricates, it transfers power through the torque converter, it cools, and in a modern automatic it is the hydraulic medium that actually operates the clutches. Heat degrades it, and city traffic generates a lot of heat.
This page is about scheduled fluid service. If the transmission is slipping, shuddering or refusing to shift, that is a repair question rather than a maintenance one — call us and describe what it is doing.
When it is due
- At the interval in your owner’s manual — this varies a great deal between makes
- Sooner if you tow, carry heavy loads, or sit in traffic daily
- If the fluid is dark or smells burnt
- If shifts have become less smooth than they were
What the service covers
- Check fluid level, colour and smell
- Drain and refill with the specification your transmission requires
- Replace the filter or screen where the design has one
- Inspect for leaks at the pan, cooler lines and seals
- Road test to confirm shift quality
Transmission fluid is not interchangeable between makes — using the wrong specification can cause exactly the problems the service is meant to prevent. We tell you what we found and what it costs before we do the work. Nothing happens that you did not agree to.
Frequently asked questions
Is my transmission really “sealed for life”?
Some manufacturers describe them that way, and there is genuine disagreement about it. Your owner’s manual is the authority for your vehicle. What is not in doubt is that heat degrades fluid, and heavy city driving generates heat.
My transmission is slipping. Is a fluid service the fix?
Usually not on its own. Slipping generally means wear or a hydraulic fault, and fresh fluid will not reverse it. Let us look at it and tell you honestly what is involved.