Changing ATF due to age?

[4WD]

Agree … I'm doing an early change to start the program.
Man, and what is in the owners manual can be very widespread and not always side by side. For example in some manuals, severe service is many pages off from the standard charts and drastically different in mileage.
My FWD's are way harder on ATF than my 4WD's … but I tend to spill and fill a gallon each year in all.
Easy on FWD and I add a plug to the others … quick and clean, ATF on sale.

 

[Railrust]

The fluid is probably fine but like others have said...when it's a "new to you" vehicle, it's always nice to kind of go through and replace the fluids and kind of start fresh. It's a pride thing. It's an enjoyment thing. And I think it's a great way to start off on the right foot - these type of measures tend to lead to longterm pride of ownership maintenance - and in the long run that's a real good thing.

 

[Kira]

Arguments for changing (as I see it):
1) Sooooooo easy-fast and inexpensive to do as it has a drain plug.

2) "Break-in" fluids are indeed suspect.

3) Dipstick wipes on rags always look cleaner than drained fluid viewed in a clear plastic bottle.

4) Since the drained fluid will be somewhat clean, the conclusion of the rock-catcher (filter) is OK is more confidently drawn.

5) You don't know how the PO drove the vehicle.

6) Assuming 1/2 the fluid drains, you'll be refreshing half the adpack. You may very well experience a performance improvement.

7) Any arbitrary "No first change until X miles" argument made in the absence of specific knowledge indeed has some merit.
What you decide to do with your car at it's lower mileage at it's fairly young middle age with it's partially unknown history generating a guaranteed "good look" at the drained fluid with increased ease of grabbing a sample (if that's the way you want to go) and the benefit of refreshing half the additives has more.

8) If there's any truth to Toyota fluid being inferior, beginning a change over to another fluid best be done sooner than later.

9) Massachusetts Transmission Fungus propagates side-by-side with coronavirus so you're better off doing a D&F anyway.

Arguments against:
1) The vehicle has low mileage so the fluid, likely, is serviceable...for how much longer nobody knows.

 

[XCIDMigs]

Originally Posted by 2010Civic
I'd change it. Change the brake fluid too.


Do this, maybe just the brake fluid really, its the one thing your safety depends on the trans fluid not so much. I would do both esp if the trans has just a drain plug and you can avoid the remove trans pan and cover your garage floor with ATF ordeal.

 

[Dave9]

Waste of time and money to change it now. People who say it can't hurt anything are missing the point, that there is a sane interval and there is misguided obsession. You could change it before every drive and it can't hurt anything, right? While you're at it, change your gas before every drive too. It can't hurt anything. Don't forget to change the wiper fluid every 2 miles. It can't hurt anything, lol.

 

[SevenBizzos]

At 7/14, I wouldn't change it. At that rate, I'd start thinking about it at 20k.

I'm at 10/17 in a vehicle and I'm sleeping well at night.

 

[JTK]

If you had to do a pan drop, it was a pain to do and you'd have to disturb things, I'd wait until ~30K miles or so.

If it's got a drain bolt and easy means to refill and check level, it's a no-brainer to me. Why not change it if it's as easy or easier than an engine oil change.

I tend to maintain my stuff like I'm going to keep it forever and obviously do not.

 

[RoyFJ]

Do a drain and fill now and at 60000miles a full flush.

 

[PantherFan88]

Yep. Went to the yota dealer and got 3 quarts of the overpriced red juice and a washer.... $15.99/qt... unreal. I just bought a case of Mercon V for $60 from Ford!!!! Took about 15 minutes. Didn't bother dropping the pan. I'll go ahead with a filter change at 50k.

And it definitely is a nice little around town car, I added an armrest too. Use it in the winter and to commute... one unexpected bonus is that it makes my lightly modified Crown Vic feel like a formula one car....

 

[nicholas]

Do 2 drain and fills, a couple of hundred miles in between.
You are good for a while then.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by PantherFan88
Yep. Went to the yota dealer and got 3 quarts of the overpriced red juice and a washer.... $15.99/qt... unreal. I just bought a case of Mercon V for $60 from Ford!!!! Took about 15 minutes. Didn't bother dropping the pan. I'll go ahead with a filter change at 50k.

And it definitely is a nice little around town car, I added an armrest too. Use it in the winter and to commute... one unexpected bonus is that it makes my lightly modified Crown Vic feel like a formula one car....


You need to find another dealer. That is wrong. I pay $4.50 for T-IV and 7.25 for WS from a Lexus dealer. I'd make a few phone calls or move down south. LOL

I would definitely change it. Easy insurance. You have a dipstick?

 

[PantherFan88]

I called around and it was $10/qt at another dealer. but this one was on my way home.

 

[Hermann]

Originally Posted by JTK
If you had to do a pan drop, it was a pain to do and you'd have to disturb things, I'd wait until ~30K miles or so.

If it's got a drain bolt and easy means to refill and check level, it's a no-brainer to me. Why not change it if it's as easy or easier than an engine oil change.

I tend to maintain my stuff like I'm going to keep it forever and obviously do not.

Lucky next owner