Must Transmission Fluid Be Replaced According to the Model?
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When it comes to car maintenance, whether it's major or minor servicing, attention is often paid to the renewal and replacement of engine oil and the three filters. However, many car owners tend to overlook transmission maintenance. In fact, transmission fluid also needs to be replaced regularly, except for certain brands that specifically claim to be maintenance-free for life. Long-term neglect of replacement may lead to issues such as gear shifting impact, occasional failure to move, and in severe cases, the generation of debris that can block oil passages and damage the valve body. Compared to engine oil changes, replacing transmission fluid is more complex because the transmission contains numerous fine oil pipes for various hydraulic valves, and the transmission has high requirements for oil quality. It's not necessarily better to choose higher-end products; usually, original or equivalent-grade fluids are sufficient. Overall, similar to how engine oil protects the engine, transmission fluid serves to protect, lubricate, cool, and remove impurities from your car's transmission. Unlike engine oil, which is typically replaced every 5,000 or 10,000 kilometers, transmission fluid must be replaced according to the specific transmission model! Currently, there are three mainstream methods for replacing automatic transmission fluid. The first method is similar to changing engine oil, where the transmission's drain plug is loosened to drain and refill the fluid. The second method involves directly removing the oil pan for draining and refilling. The third method, which is more advanced, uses a circulation machine to replace the automatic transmission fluid. The first two methods are widely used today because they are cost-effective (requiring less fluid) and do not require repair shops to purchase additional equipment. However, they have drawbacks: traditional gravity drainage cannot "completely" replace the transmission fluid, leaving old fluid residues in the valve body, cooling lines, and various components, which can contaminate the new fluid when added directly.
