Transmission fluid does wear out, whatever the sticker says about it being filled for life.
Plenty of modern automatics are described as sealed or filled for life. In practice that means the life the manufacturer had in mind, which is often shorter than the life you intend to get out of the car.
Transmission fluid degrades with heat. An automatic makes plenty of heat, particularly in stop start traffic or towing. As the fluid ages it stops protecting the clutch packs and valve body the way it should.
Automatic transmissions are far fussier about fluid specification than engines are about oil. The wrong fluid can change how the transmission shifts or in some cases damage it. There is no universal automatic transmission fluid that suits everything, whatever the bottle claims.
We use fluid to the specification for your transmission. We replace the filter where one is fitted and serviceable.
If a transmission has covered a lot of distance, has never had a fluid change and is already slipping, a service is not a repair. Fresh fluid will not restore worn clutch packs. Anyone telling you otherwise is guessing.
We will tell you honestly whether a service is maintenance worth doing or a long shot on a transmission that is already past it. Spending money on the second one rarely ends well.
Sealed for life usually means the life the manufacturer planned for, which is often shorter than how long you want to keep the car. The fluid still degrades with heat. Whether yours is worth doing depends on the transmission and how the car has been driven. We will give you a straight answer.
No. This matters more than it does with engine oil. Automatics are specific about fluid. The wrong one can change how the transmission shifts or damage it. We use fluid to the correct specification for your transmission.
Usually not. If a transmission is already slipping, fresh fluid will not restore worn internal components. We would rather tell you that than take your money for a service that was never going to fix it.
It depends on the transmission and how the car is used. Towing and heavy stop start traffic both work the fluid harder. Bring it in and we will look at the fluid condition and tell you where yours is at.
Tell us what is going on and we will give you a straight answer on what it needs and what it costs.
