When and how often should you change the oil in an automatic transmission?

Basic properties and characteristics of technical oils in the machine

The manufacturer constantly tests lubricants in order to determine the oil most suitable for use in an automatic transmission. At the same time, the optimal timing for replacing the lubricant is also established.

The functions of an automatic transmission include transferring the power of the power unit to the wheels of the car to overcome a certain section of the road. In this case, part of the engine energy and the volume of transmission oil is spent on reducing internal friction between the working parts and automatic transmission components.

If low-quality lubricants are used, the oil quickly heats up, oxidizes, and corrosion of automatic transmission elements and the entire vehicle occurs.

High-quality lubricating fluids for cars with automatic transmission actively resist oxidative processes and prevent the appearance of corrosion spots inside the automatic transmission.

Transmission oils can withstand high temperature changes and do not boil, creating the necessary coefficient of performance (COP) of the vehicle transmission.

"Volkswagen Polo"

The Volkswagen Polo car is widely used in Russia. It can be equipped with either a manual or automatic transmission. And if everything is clear with the first one, then what about the machine gun? Is it necessary to change the oil in the automatic transmission of the Volkswagen Polo sedan? Here the manufacturer recommends replacing it every 60 thousand kilometers. In this case, the filter must be replaced. Regarding the type of fluid, the recommended product for this box is VAG G 055 025 A2. By the way, it is also suitable for the boxes of Audi and Skoda cars. The volume for replacement is from three to seven liters. Is it necessary to change the oil in the automatic transmission of the Polo sedan if it was purchased on the secondary market? As we noted above, after purchase this operation will not be superfluous, since there is no guarantee whether the transmission has been serviced before. This way you will be 100 percent sure that new, fresh oil is poured into the box.

How to check the oil in an automatic transmission

While operating the vehicle, it is recommended to regularly check the amount of lubricant. This can be done with or without a special probe.

Before checking the transmission oil, the automatic transmission is heated to 650 C. To do this, you will need to drive the car 10-15 kilometers. Or, turning on the power unit, standing still, wait for the fan to start working. In this case, the coolant temperature reaches 90-950 C. The vehicle’s automatic transmission shift lever is placed in the neutral position, and the parking brake is engaged. The lubricant level is checked with the power unit running.

About replacement methods

There are two ways:

Partial replacement. It is relevant among many motorists. What is its essence? For replacement, half the filling volume of ATP fluid is purchased. Next, the car is driven into the inspection hole and the old oil is drained from the automatic transmission through a standard hole. Typically, the volume is up to 40 percent of the total. After this, a new one is poured through the dipstick. But since the dipstick is hidden deep in the engine compartment, you will need a tube of 40 or more centimeters, as well as a watering can. Using this device, you can fill the required volume of liquid without loss. The advantage of this method is savings. After all, all the work can be done with your own hands. But there is also a drawback. Since the oil is not completely changed, but only updated, the interval between operations must be halved.

Complete replacement. It involves connecting the terminals of the automatic transmission tubes to a specialized stand. The latter pumps out the old fluid under pressure, and it is simultaneously replaced by a new one. Usually connected through radiator cooling tubes. The advantage of the technology is that the oil changes completely. Accordingly, the replacement interval will be twice as long as in the previous case. But such an operation cannot be performed with your own hands. And buying a whole stand is not justified just for a couple of uses. It also takes more oil to completely change. The volume will be two to three liters higher than the filling volume. This is necessary in order to completely rinse the box of old liquid. Whether it is necessary to change the oil in an automatic transmission using this method, everyone decides for themselves. This is not to say that the partial method is better. But from a technical point of view, the full method is more correct.

Checking lubrication without a dipstick

Some cars equipped with automatic transmissions do not have a dipstick. Instead, there are two holes: for filling and draining the working fluid. Cars of this design are designed for service in service centers.

For boxes without a dipstick, a special limiter for the amount of working product is provided in the drain hole. This long tube works on the principle of draining excess into the pan of the car. Consequently, the level is determined by the height of the limiter, which eliminates ATF overflow.

Checking transmission oil is a labor-intensive process. Not everyone will be able to say exactly what quality of lubricant is in the automatic transmission and what quantity is left. Therefore, it is better to entrust the inspection to service station specialists.

The verification process is as follows:

The automatic transmission warms up to a certain t0 (see instructions above).
The car is placed over the repair pit.
The automatic transmission gear shift lever is set to the neutral position.
The power unit does not turn off.
The oil pan drain plug is unscrewed.
When performing the above steps, a small amount of liquid should spill.

If this does not happen, then its quantity is below the required norm.

It is important to regularly check the oil level in order to avoid repairs to the unit and extend the operational life of the automatic transmission.

When do you need to change the transmission oil in an automatic transmission?

The frequency of changing transmission oil depends on the make of the car, the year of manufacture of the vehicle and the design of the automatic transmission.

How often to change automatic transmission oil. The fluid should be changed after traveling 50-60 thousand km under normal operating conditions. If the car mostly works in intensive mode, on poor-quality road surfaces, replacement can be performed more often: after about 30 thousand km.

Ford Focus second and third generation

These cars are very popular in Russia, and many models can be found with automatic machines. Is it necessary to change the automatic transmission oil in a Ford Focus 2? the manufacturer says that the liquid here, as in the case of Korean cars, is filled for the entire service life. But experts advise to still carry out this operation. Here the replacement schedule is 100 thousand kilometers. Under conditions of heavy use, this interval is reduced to 80 thousand. The same answer can be obtained to the question of whether it is necessary to change the oil in the Ford Focus 3 automatic transmission. The second and third generation Focuses have the same PowerShift series boxes. For them, it is recommended to use WSS-M2C200-D2 oil. The following companies produce this liquid:

"Castrol".
"Liqui Moly"
"Shell."
"Motul".

In terms of volume, this transmission requires no more than 2.3 liters of fluid. And on third generation boxes you need two liters of oil.

Complete technical oil change.

In this option, it is preferable to contact the service center specialists, since the work will require special equipment. Changing an old product to a new ATF is carried out under a certain pressure. Control is carried out by the color of the transmission oil. When the ATF color at the outlet and inlet becomes the same, the replacement process can be completed.

Prices for complete oil change services are not the same everywhere, but on average they are affordable. In this matter, it is necessary to put the quality of the process first, not the cost of the work.

Peugeot 308

Is it necessary to change the oil in the automatic transmission of this car? On French cars, the manufacturer officially recommends changing the oil every 100 thousand kilometers. This model is equipped with a fairly popular gearbox - AL-4. For this transmission, it is recommended to use original oil LT 71141 from. The volume will differ depending on the method used for replacement. If it is partial, then three liters are required. In case of full it is necessary about seven.

We also note that oil with such tolerances can be found from other manufacturers:

"Total".
"Liqui Moly"
"Esso."

What kind of oil to fill in automatic transmission

First of all, you need to decide on the frequency of replacement, and then look at how much oil you need to fill. When purchasing oil, refer to the service book for answers. If the car is purchased second-hand and the book is missing, the manufacturer’s manual is used as a basis. Why reinvent the wheel, the developers provide full information about replacement periods and indicate which oil to use in the automatic transmission.

Manufacturers from the Land of the Rising Sun recommend replacing ATF after 20 thousand km of vehicle mileage. In Europe, technical oil changes are carried out after 40-50, respectively. Many manufacturers recommend homemade oil. The most common are:

transmission mineral lubricants;
semi-synthetic products; synthetics;
universal oils.

Today, many leading manufacturers recommend their own brand Automatic Transmission Fluid:

Mercedes cars use ATF MERCEDES automatic transmission fluid.
The German concern BMW recommends ZF brand oil for its cars.
The Toyota company offers to pour a lubricant into Toyota ATF TOYOTA TYPE cars.
A separate lubricant mixture has been developed for Lexus - “WS”.
The VOLKSWAGEN GROUP recommends using its own product for Audi, Skoda and Volkswagen cars: “G-052, G-053 – G-055” or “ZF” brand lubricant, intended for middle-class cars. For cheaper cars, “ESSO” is suitable.
The Chevrolet company offers to fill cars with Dextron 6 oil. The manufacturer recommends using Mobil DEXRON-VI ATF, ZIC DEXRON-VI for cars with automatic transmission.
The Nissan concern has developed its own transmission oil “Nissan Matic” for its cars with automatic transmissions Nissan, Infiniti, Datsun.
KIA and Hyundai did not stand aside and prepared the Hyundai ATF SP-III brand trademark. In addition, for cars with automatic transmission, you can use ZIC ATF SP-III.

Regulations

Each motorist changes the automatic transmission oil at different intervals. Some people do this every 40 thousand, while others resort to replacement after 120. But generally speaking, the oil in an automatic transmission lasts about 80 thousand kilometers. At the same time, experts advise reducing this period by 20 thousand if the box is used in heavy conditions. These modes include:

Aggressive driving style. This means driving at high speeds and frequent use of the sport mode. This also includes a sharp start with wheel slipping.
Operation in traffic jams. Frequent traffic jams and start-stop traffic significantly load the box. It may overheat (especially if the car is old and the radiator for cooling the ATP fluid has not been cleaned).
Severe weather conditions. First of all, these include very low air temperatures (20 or more degrees below zero). It is also worth reducing the interval when operating in extreme heat (when the temperature exceeds +35 degrees).
Long-term vehicle movement at extreme loads. What does it mean? This characteristic means operating the machine with exceeding the permissible gross weight. This is possible when transporting heavy loads, as well as when towing a trailer.
Operating a vehicle off-road. Here, prolonged clutch slipping and overheating of the box are possible.

Is it necessary to change the automatic transmission oil if the car was purchased on the secondary market? Experts advise changing ATP fluid when the car was purchased second-hand and there is no confirmation that the transmission has been serviced previously. The box may also ask for an oil change if it is not in good condition. It may be black in color, have a characteristic burning smell, or have metal dust on the dipstick. Is it necessary to change the oil in the Solaris automatic transmission? Below we will consider separately the cases of replacing ATP fluid on different brands of cars.

How to change the oil in an automatic transmission: available methods

It should be noted that the condition of the oil in the automatic transmission is also greatly influenced by the method of changing it, which is practiced by one or another car owner. The fact is that the oil in the machine can be changed partially or completely, and this is usually done in three main ways:

partial replacement (refreshing) of the oil by 30% by draining through the plug by gravity, after which the same volume is refilled that was drained before;
changing the oil by draining it as completely as possible (remove the automatic transmission pan). After a short period of time, the procedure is repeated (2-3 times), the automatic transmission filter is also changed or washed. The result is oil refreshment by 80-90%.
Hardware oil change in an automatic transmission using the displacement method, when old oil is pumped out of the gearbox using a special installation, while being simultaneously replaced with fresh oil.

It is quite logical that if initially the owner refreshed the fluid every 20-25 thousand (using exactly the same ATF as what was originally poured into the box), then we can assume that by 60 thousand mileage a complete replacement is not needed, that is, you can continue to service box in the same way.

If the oil has not been changed until about 60-70 thousand km, then a partial replacement does not solve the problem. In this case, you need to either completely change the ATF, or carry out the draining procedure and subsequent refilling with fresh oil several times to renew the working fluid.

Please note that a complete replacement is recommended when, for one reason or another, a transition is made from one brand of gear oil to another, the type of fluid poured into the unit is unknown (for example, a used car was purchased), etc. The fact is that mixing transmission oils unless absolutely necessary is not only not recommended, but is even prohibited by some automatic transmission manufacturers.

Moreover, in some cases, it is possible to completely change the type of oil only when the gearbox and torque converter have first been completely disassembled (usually after repairing the gearbox). The reason is that mixing different types of oil can lead to damage to the box.

Experts in the repair and maintenance of automatic transmissions often argue that for used cars, the method of displacement on the machine may not be suitable, since often after such a hardware replacement, worn-out automatic transmissions completely fail.

For this reason, before choosing one or another method of replacing ATP, you must always consult with specialized specialists who will select the best option for changing the oil in an automatic transmission, taking into account the condition of the transmission, the degree of its wear, possible existing malfunctions of the unit, etc.

Article on the topic: Causes of increased compression in engine cylinders

Also, before replacing, especially if you do all the work yourself, you need to know how much oil is poured into the gearbox. For a partial replacement, 3-4 liters is usually sufficient.

The displacement method assumes that fresh fluid will be poured in until clean oil comes out of the unit. For this reason, it would be incorrect to focus solely on the oil filling volume in the gearbox, which is usually indicated in the manual. In practice, such a replacement usually requires about 10-12 liters of ATF.

If you change the oil by spill, that is, refresh the fluid by 30% in several approaches, you often need about 8-9 liters of transmission oil for a hydromechanical automatic transmission.

Tips and tricks

When operating a car with an automatic transmission, it is optimal not only to navigate by mileage, but also to periodically monitor the condition of the oil in the automatic transmission yourself.

At the same time, checking the oil in an automatic transmission, which is equipped with an automatic transmission dipstick, is not a complicated procedure. Simply remove the dipstick and drop some oil onto a clean sheet of white paper. You can then determine the degree of oil contamination by color.

Fresh oil has a reddish tint, is clean and transparent. If the oil in the box is also transparent, then its replacement is not required. In this case, the color of the oil may change, since the more the fluid has been used, the darker it is compared to fresh ATF. However, dark liquid according to mileage is normal, the main thing is that the oil remains clear.
If the oil in the automatic transmission is cloudy and a sheet of paper cannot be seen through it, this indicates that the liquid is already contaminated with various particles. This is the basis for its replacement (depending on the degree of contamination, you can choose either a complete or partial replacement).
If there are shavings (fine metal dust or large particles visible) in the oil, this usually indicates malfunctions and severe wear of the automatic transmission. The fact is that chips can be found even in fresh and clean oil after its recent change. Also, if the automatic transmission malfunctions, the automatic transmission oil smells burnt (has a characteristic acrid burning smell).

In the latter case (if metal shavings appear in the oil), you should not try to solve the problem only by replacing the ATF in the automatic transmission, since the automatic transmission needs in-depth diagnostics and, possibly, repair. First you need to drain the oil, remove the pan and inspect it for accumulation of chips and metal particles on the magnets and in other areas.

We also recommend reading the article on how to select automatic transmission oil. From this article you will learn what kind of oil to pour into an automatic transmission, as well as what you need to consider when choosing lubricants and transmission fluids.

If the transmission works normally (no jerking, kicking, or slipping), the pan is clean or only a small amount of metal dust has accumulated on the magnets, then this indicates that the automatic transmission is wearing out, but the wear is not critical.

If there are a lot of chips on the magnets, there is a lot of dirt in the pan, larger particles of metal or even debris are visible, this indicates serious damage and destruction of automatic transmission parts. Even if the box is still working relatively normally, after a short period of time the unit will require repairs.