Transmission fluid change

I know the official and technical answers, but I'm asking the practical and common question.
Daughter brought her 2017 car in for an oil change. Not to the dealer or her regular shop, but to a quicklube center. They tried to convince her to change out transmission fluid and even scared her when they said it should've been done two oil changes ago! She said no and called me. Based on age and milage I said if you don't have a problem leave well enough alone. Unless the fluid is low, or the fluid looks burned, or there is an obvious leak, or the car has been stressed more than normal operating conditions. I explained that it is a closed system and not exposed to enviromnetal conditions as oil might be. Transmissions are well built and don't need regular fluid changes. I only had one vehicle that ever needeed a transmission fluid change and that was after 100,000 miles and well over 10 years old.
My question is how often do most of you change out tranny fluid on you cars?

 

I don't even look at the owners manual for that till I'm near the 100K mile mark.

I hate those quick change places.

 

Not done a lot of it but with the automatics we've owned I change at 100k for the first time and every 50k after.

 

makes sense to me.

 

Most modern cars do not even require ATYF changes anymore. Look at her vehicle official maintenance schedule and follow that.

 

Apparently that is not the trend anymore.

Just happened to overhear a couple Techs in my shop talking about their new Chevy Equinox trans fluid change interval. Apparently the newer vehicles are now requiring routine changes, we were all surprised about this.

Just another reason I hate new cars!

BETTER CHECK YOUR OWNERS MANUAL!

 

Most recent purchase is a 2015 Toyota Corola, with CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
The factor specifications are to check at 75,000, change fluid if there is a problem.

I usually just pull the transmission dipstick "Hmm, looks clear and shiny" and I'm done.

 

FWIW...She has a 2017 Ford Escape. I pulled the dip stick and it showed full and relatively clear.
I also have a 2018 of the same car. I look through the manual and no place does it give any scheduled maintainace for any part of the car. And to add insult to injury the so called owners manual covers any and all possible features making it almost impossible to tell if you vehicle has any of those features. So basically it's worthless and you're at the mercy of the dealer or shop to be honest about what you need.

 

For starters, we have no idea what the vehicle is. Toyotas we owned and own, starting with 2007 Camry, all had lifetime fluid no change. So we are basically guessing and, as usual, falling into unrelated discussion of what ifs.
Base line - check your particular vehicle owner manual and learn how to DIY oil changes, instead of freaking out over Quicklube techs sales pitch.

 

Of course you're correct. But at my age, the DIY oil, and brake repair and so on is no longer what I do. But how is a typical young women or any non technical guy for that matter going to do oil changes and such. And truth be told even an oil change is a lot more complcated than just undoing a plug now days.
That's why it's so important to find a trusted shop that gets to know who you are. And yes you might pay a bit more for routine things but they will value you as a regular customer and treat you accordingly. My shop has actually saved me money and repair over the long run. And sometimes they won't even accept my payment until I'm satisfied that the car is in good shape. As the lady incharge said to me after refusing my immediate payment after a repair, "we know where you live".

 

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...US_07_2018.pdf

Pg 455???

I do agree that owners manuals now rival War & Peace in lengths....

Additionally it says tranny fluid gets changed about every 150,000 miles.

 

OK I found it. Must of looked right over it.Thanks

 

and then on page 461 and 462 it says every 30k miles really a huge gap there granted one is for towing which would probably require more frequent changes and the other excessive idling and low speed driving that could be done by many, think I would likely split the difference and go for 90-100k.

 

If you look again I think you will find the manual will say after most features, "If Equipped". If you buy the vehicle new it's worth keeping the window sticker with the complete listing of what it was equipped with.

 

If I could remember all the things the cvar came equipped with, that woujld be thing. And half the time you can't tell what the car is quipped with.
Time was when you bought a car the sales person would go through every feature, but not any more.
"Thanks for your check, here's the keys and remember our service department."

 

@Norm201,

1> You should replace your ATF at some regular interval. For example, every 50K or 60K miles
2> You should never flush your transmission under any condition since your car is old
3> depends on the model of your car, you might be able to easily drain and refill the ATF yourself.

 

My Dealer likes the 50K interval. I missed it on my 2007 Chrysler 300 and got it done at 100K and it is still running great. Oil is a lot cheaper than steel, and if you trust the service shop to do it right, after frying a Ford F350 trans at 40K (a truck that was built to tow a trailer) I would change the truck now at 30k if I was towing a trailer.

 

How many miles on her 2017 Escape? Is she planning on keeping it?

 

Guy's this thread is old and done. As earlier posts stated, recommended at 100,000 under normal driving conditions. The whole gist of the post was that she was being conned and frightened into extra expense by those fast lube places. At least she had enough sense to refuse and then check with me.
As I stated, if you're not mechanically inclined or don't want to do your own work, then find a shop, get to know them and keep your business with them. Loyalty counts.