Fluid Change intervals

[BJSKIER]

I have been running a Meineke Car Care Center for about a year. My question centers around Change intervals for Brake, Differential, Transfer cases, power steering and Transmissions. A number of OEMs spec 60k intervals for trannys, a few 30k and all the others in AllData say "inspect".

I see more change intervals in All Data for fuel filters than I do differentials and transfer cases.

So what do the BITOG readers have to say on Fluid Change intervals?

BJ johnson

 

[Bandito440]

Welcome to the site.

Unfortunately, this varies significantly from one vehicle to the next. I like the 60k mark for most fluids, although the manual transmission in my Subaru beats up the gear oil in the transaxle in about 25k. So, shorter intervals for manual transmissions.

 

[3800Series]

I typically go 25k miles for transmission fluid. However like Bandito440 stated there can be a large difference. If I'm not mistaken I believe some Ford's call for a 150k mile OCI on transmission fluid.

As for brake fluid I do 2 years keeps it fresh and doesn't give it enough time to absorb any significant amount of water.

Never personally had to change power steering fluid so I have no comment for that.

 

[SilverSnake]

A lot of the newer vehicles have greatly extended service intervals or no service for the life of the vehicles on the fluids you mentioned. I recently purchased a 2014 Ram and 2015 Challenger. Both vehicles do not need transmission (8 Speed Automatics) or differential service for the life of the vehicles. Fuel filter service is not required as well. Coolant is 10 years or 150,000 miles. No mention of brake fluid or power steering fluid changes at all. For these vehicles, engine oil and filter, cabin air filter, engine air filter, and tire rotation is about all that is needed.

Strangely, my wife's 2011 BMW 328i calls for brake fluid changes every 2 years. It is the first of over 80 vehicles I have had in my lifetime that call for regular brake fluid replacement in the Owner's Guide.

 

[MCompact]

I go 30k miles on manual gearboxes/transaxles, 60k miles on automatics, differentials and transfer cases. Brake fluid gets changed every 2 years(6 months for track cars). I go by the manufacturer's recommendation on coolant unless they claim it is "lifetime" in which case I change it every 3-4 years.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: BJSKIER
I have been running a Meineke Car Care Center for about a year. My question centers around Change intervals for [these items]. So what do the BITOG readers have to say on Fluid Change intervals?



Originally Posted By: BJSKIER

Brake


On a non leaking system, IMO bleeding the brakes when new pads or calipers are installed is enough.


Originally Posted By: BJSKIER
Differential
After 20k to remove wear-in materials, then not until 200k miles.


Originally Posted By: BJSKIER
Transfer cases
Every 30k.


Originally Posted By: BJSKIER
power steering
About every 5 years or 100000 miles, turkey baster method.



Originally Posted By: BJSKIER
Transmissions.
Every 30k, pan drop or evacuate, and refill.

 

[camrydriver111]

It depends on the car. What type of fluid and drivetain setup there is. I would find your maintanace schedule and start from that.

Everyone has their own personal opinion as well. Just like engine oil some people insist changing the fluids 3x as often as manufacturer intervals.

I think BMW used to have lifetime fill on transmissions and diffs but scaled it back to 100k mi. Just because you don't agree with the lifetime fill doesn't mean you have to fanatically change it every 30k.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
A lot of the newer vehicles have greatly extended service intervals or no service for the life of the vehicles on the fluids you mentioned. I recently purchased a 2014 Ram and 2015 Challenger. Both vehicles do not need transmission (8 Speed Automatics) or differential service for the life of the vehicles. Fuel filter service is not required as well. Coolant is 10 years or 150,000 miles. No mention of brake fluid or power steering fluid changes at all. For these vehicles, engine oil and filter, cabin air filter, engine air filter, and tire rotation is about all that is needed.

Strangely, my wife's 2011 BMW 328i calls for brake fluid changes every 2 years. It is the first of over 80 vehicles I have had in my lifetime that call for regular brake fluid replacement in the Owner's Guide.

Most German vehicles has DOT-4 brake fluid and 2 years is the recommended change interval. For DOT-3 brake fluid the change interval is usually 3 years.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
A lot of the newer vehicles have greatly extended service intervals or no service for the life of the vehicles on the fluids you mentioned. I recently purchased a 2014 Ram and 2015 Challenger. Both vehicles do not need transmission (8 Speed Automatics) or differential service for the life of the vehicles. Fuel filter service is not required as well. Coolant is 10 years or 150,000 miles. No mention of brake fluid or power steering fluid changes at all. For these vehicles, engine oil and filter, cabin air filter, engine air filter, and tire rotation is about all that is needed.

Strangely, my wife's 2011 BMW 328i calls for brake fluid changes every 2 years. It is the first of over 80 vehicles I have had in my lifetime that call for regular brake fluid replacement in the Owner's Guide.

Most German vehicles has DOT-4 brake fluid and 2 years is the recommended change interval. For DOT-3 brake fluid the change interval is usually 3 years.


Mercedes is the same, every 2 years. I remember with a Ford, they never really had a flush interval, but I'd have it flushed when doing pads. When I didn't do it, the wheel cylinders would rust out.

On some Mercedes transmissions they originally said it was lifetime fluid, then said it just needed to be changed once at 39k, now I think people just do it every 39k. They use a weird fluid though, ATF 134 which you don't normally see. Same with the differential and transaxle, supposed to be lifetime, but 39k works.

As for Ford transmissions, I think AX4N calls for 30k fluid change, but the filter is supposed to be good for 150k which is why the pan gasket is reusable. I changed it every 30k-40k anyway.

 

[jk_636]

I believe firmly in the 30k mile interval for every fluid except coolant and power steering fluid. Coolant is done at or before 5 year / 100k miles (my vehicle uses HOAT) and PS is done annualy.

 

[dlundblad]

3 years for DOT3 brake fluid and 30k for everything else is a good rule of thumb unless specified otherwise.

 

[jimbrewer]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
It depends on the car. What type of fluid and drivetain setup there is. I would find your maintanace schedule and start from that.

Everyone has their own personal opinion as well. Just like engine oil some people insist changing the fluids 3x as often as manufacturer intervals.

I think BMW used to have lifetime fill on transmissions and diffs but scaled it back to 100k mi. Just because you don't agree with the lifetime fill doesn't mean you have to fanatically change it every 30k.


I don't know where to draw the line either. Intuition and a couple of oil analysis convinced me that it makes more sense to change the transmission fluid at something less than the factory recommended 150k, than it does to change the engine oil obsessively.

I changed both the differential fluid and the transmission fluid and filter right before the 30k mark. I don't know if I will do that again before the 175k mark. Maybe, maybe not.

 

[The Critic]

What you personally believe in and what you should recommend to your customers (as a professional) is not always the same.

A true professional should only recommend maintenance services at intervals that are required by the OEM.

If you recommend any maintenance service that is not required by the OEM, it needs to be made very clear that this is a shop recommendation and not a manufacturer's recommendation. And be prepared to fully justify your recommendation - as any informed consumer will (and should) be challenging you.

 

[TiredTrucker]

I am a little different, in that I change all drive train fluids and lubes within the first 3000 miles after buying a new vehicle. Then I generally go with the OEM recommended intervals after that.

 

[Nederlander75]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I go 30k miles on manual gearboxes/transaxles, 60k miles on automatics, differentials and transfer cases. Brake fluid gets changed every 2 years(6 months for track cars). I go by the manufacturer's recommendation on coolant unless they claim it is "lifetime" in which case I change it every 3-4 years.


All that but for the track i do annual changes on brake fluid. I've boiled it otherwise.