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Automatic Transmission Service

Do-it-yourself fluid & filter change

Vehicles' vital fluids normally perform two important functions: lubricating and cleaning. As the fluid circulates through the parts, it gathers the dirt and metal shavings that can accumulate over time. If you're lucky, this debris will settle on the bottom of the pan or housing and not circulate through the system.

Nothing prolongs vehicle life more than regular fluid changes. In automatic transmissions/transaxles, the recommended interval is about every 30,000 miles or 30 months. (Check your owner's manual or service manual for your car's specifics.) The automatic transmission fluid (ATF) should be changed sooner if its dipstick reveals dark or burnt-smelling fluid.

Trans-Fusion

Even those of us who change our own oil often cringe at the prospect of draining ATF. Because many transmission pans don't have drain plugs, changing the fluid can be a messy proposition—the entire pan must be removed. But even on vehicles that do have drain plugs, the pan still must be removed to change the filter.

Changing ATF is one of those messy jobs that someone has to do. Doing the deed yourself will save money and possibly time. Just as Keith Richards allegedly gets his blood changed in Switzerland at regular intervals, fresh ATF can make your gearbox perform young beyond its years.

Low Fluid Symptoms

> Transmission slips

> Transmission shifts roughly

> Noisy transmission

> No drive engagement in forward or reverse gears