How Many Kilometers Should You Drive Before Changing the Transmission Oil?
2 Answers
Automotive transmission oil has varying replacement cycles depending on the vehicle model. Below are the replacement cycles for transmission oil: Manual Transmission: Manual transmission oil is generally recommended to be replaced every three years or approximately 100,000 kilometers. Automatic Transmission: Automatic transmission oil is generally recommended to be replaced every two years or approximately 40,000 kilometers. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT): CVT transmission oil is generally recommended to be replaced every two years or approximately 60,000 kilometers. The methods for changing transmission oil are as follows: Unscrew the drain plug at the bottom of the transmission to drain the oil, then refill it. Remove the transmission oil pan directly to drain and refill the oil: This method is more thorough than the previous one, as it removes impurities from the bottom of the oil pan. Using a circulation machine to change automatic transmission oil: Dynamic oil replacement with an intelligent circulation machine can filter and clean sludge and impurities inside the automatic transmission.
A veteran driver with over a decade of experience tells you that transmission fluid replacement shouldn't follow a one-size-fits-all approach. For manual transmissions, changing the fluid every 80,000-100,000 km is generally safe, while automatic transmissions require more frequent changes at 60,000-80,000 km. For CVT or dual-clutch transmissions, it's best to follow the manufacturer's manual - some brands recommend changes as early as 40,000 km. Vehicles frequently stuck in traffic, driven at high speeds, or carrying heavy loads experience faster fluid degradation, so consider checking 10,000-20,000 km earlier. My neighbor once waited until 120,000 km to change his, resulting in loud shifting noises - when opened, the sludge had solidified into chunks, costing nearly 10,000 yuan in transmission repairs. Remember to have the mechanic check if the filter screen needs replacement too - it's not worth skimping on this small expense.
