Dealer want $276 for trans flush

[MaximaGuy]

Originally Posted By: NoNameJoe
I am also not sure how you'd verify a flush was actually done versus a drain and fill.


Personally haven't seen a CVT setup but if the transmission fluid needs to be cooled then it has to get to the radiator.
Those are what we call return lines (a line returning to the transmission with cooler ATF by heat exchange in the radiator).
Usually disconnecting the return line and running the vehicles between gears and then flushing is the only way that is personally known to me.
A 2 man job (usually my grumpy wife doesn't help, so it has been my kids these days).

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Originally Posted By: NoNameJoe
I am also not sure how you'd verify a flush was actually done versus a drain and fill.


Personally haven't seen a CVT setup but if the transmission fluid needs to be cooled then it has to get to the radiator.
Those are what we call return lines (a line returning to the transmission with cooler ATF by heat exchange in the radiator).
Usually disconnecting the return line and running the vehicles between gears and then flushing is the only way that is personally known to me.
A 2 man job (usually my grumpy wife doesn't help, so it has been my kids these days).


Without a dipstick tube, not easy to get fresh CVT fluid into the system.

 

[cb_13]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: cb_13
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
They have made it such a pain in the place you sit the Stealership's think they have you by the short hair. The government needs to tell them to make it easier or their gong to do it for free.


Lol really? No one forces you to drive a vehicle. You could quit driving, you can do the service yourself, take it to an independent or pay the price. Look at all those options!

No reason to tell thousands they need to work for free just to satisfy your pocket book.


LOL really you think they'll let you take a horse on the Freeway!


Who said anything about a horse? Move closer to work, get a new job, take public transportation or become a hermit that never leaves their cabin in the woods. Really do whatever makes you happy, just don’t expect everything for free!

Maybe when unicef gets into the auto repair business you can be their number one customer!

 

[MaximaGuy]

All transmissions ideally should have a fill plug - they may not have a dip stick/tube but how do you think it was filled in factory without a fill plug. When you go to the dealership and order the fluid, they have the manufacturer drawings and they can easily find that for you and some folks even print the diagram of the transmission for your convenience.

 

[SteveSRT8]

This was one of the most surprising things I learned about my RAM with the ZF 8 speed.

When you change the fluid you simply fill until it comes out the hole! Just like servicing most differentials. I wasn't expecting such a simple procedure.

 

[MaximaGuy]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
This was one of the most surprising things I learned about my RAM with the ZF 8 speed.

When you change the fluid you simply fill until it comes out the hole! Just like servicing most differentials. I wasn't expecting such a simple procedure.


Do the ZF transmission have a drain bolt on both the transmission and x-case?

 

[MaximaGuy]

Honestly filling transmissions to right level should be a no brainier - cannot understand this madness and insanity of not putting a dip stick.
When I open the hood of my Lexus I can see the [censored] floor, how hard would it to stick in a freaking tube. This is complete insanity.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
This was one of the most surprising things I learned about my RAM with the ZF 8 speed.

When you change the fluid you simply fill until it comes out the hole! Just like servicing most differentials. I wasn't expecting such a simple procedure.


Do the ZF transmission have a drain bolt on both the transmission and x-case?


Sorry, mine is 2wd, just has a drain right on the pan/filter.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Honestly filling transmissions to right level should be a no brainier - cannot understand this madness and insanity of not putting a dip stick.
When I open the hood of my Lexus I can see the [censored] floor, how hard would it to stick in a freaking tube. This is complete insanity.


eh, most trasnmission dipsticks aren't accurate, anyway. The only ones that are actually accurate are Honda's automatic transmissions (the ones they make themselves)

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Honestly filling transmissions to right level should be a no brainier - cannot understand this madness and insanity of not putting a dip stick.
When I open the hood of my Lexus I can see the [censored] floor, how hard would it to stick in a freaking tube. This is complete insanity.

I don't see what's the big deal. Filling a trans is just like filling a differential.

Drain the oil, fill it 'til it runs out. Simple.

Should differentials have dipsticks too?

 

[Omahaug]

I guess the difference is that in most cases the front or rear differentials are in such tight spots that you can't get a view above (even at an angle) and therefore no dipsticks. On some cars with longitudinal engines the transmission of course is at the rear and either they put the dipstick waaayy at the back of the engine bay or they don't put one at all.

But when I see something like a CVT on a regular transverse 4 cylinder, where the CVT is where the AT would usually mount, where there's clearly a way to put a dipstick there that's easily accessible and they don't do it? Then that is a little annoying.

I got used to it though on my car that has that "fill until it leaks" setup. Of course I would prefer a dipstick but the "fill until it leaks" is more in line with everything else, manual transmissions, differentials, transfer cases. It's not that much worse other than you have to jack the car up on all four corners or have it on the ground but be able to see the fill hole leaking and be able to pump the fluid in through it.

On my car it's a nice compromise. It's a "fill until it leaks" setup with a fill and drain plug, but it also has a plug on the top of the transmission to make it extremely easy to fill without needing a fluid pump. That's also what's annoying about it. It's literally the same plug they use for the dipstick, only they cut the dipstick off of it. When I look straight down the hole I can see metal so they designed it in a way where you have no direct access to the sump from that plug = no dipstick.

But possibly the most annoying part of "fill until it leaks" is accidentally wasting good fluid. I try very hard to leak very little, at 8-9 a quart it's not exactly engine oil.

 

[JeffKeryk]

It should be easy. We put a man on the moon in what, 1969? Today's most complex computer chip geometries are approaching 3nm.

A [censored] transmission fluid change should be easy.
Sheesh.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Donald
For Subaru Forester. This is the vehicle where they extended warranty on CVT to 100k miles.

The price sounds high but if they push 14 QTs through of Subaru CVT at $19 QT that's almost the full flush cost..


Did you verify that's indeed what they're going to do? I'd be willing to wager on this $276 service being a pan drain and refill. The pans on Subaru CVTs have a drain plug on them. Access to the refill plug would be easy with the vehicle on a lift.

I know my busy, high volume Subaru dealer didn't even want to talk CVT service. All I got out of them is "The fluid is good to 100K miles."

A local transmission shop quoted me $199 for a pan drop, filter change and refill with Subaru CVT juice.

 

[wtd]

I was quoted $250 for a tranny flush on my 14 Mustang GT at a Ford dealer.

 

[sw99]

Nissan wants 200 for a D&F and 400 for the complete fluid exchange. I don't have much of a choice, my 4 speed on this little Versa uses some special low pressure exchange and I have yet to see or read about anyone being able to successfully do it themselves.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
This was one of the most surprising things I learned about my RAM with the ZF 8 speed.

When you change the fluid you simply fill until it comes out the hole! Just like servicing most differentials. I wasn't expecting such a simple procedure.


The ZF way is not as simple as it seems. On my Navigator, I have to mind the fluid temperature, and fill while running the engine, reaching around the nuclear hot exhaust to get that fill plug back on before shutting the engine off.

There is totally nothing fun about that.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: sw99
Nissan wants 200 for a D&F and 400 for the complete fluid exchange. I don't have much of a choice, my 4 speed on this little Versa uses some special low pressure exchange and I have yet to see or read about anyone being able to successfully do it themselves.


Doesn't the 4-speed auto have a regular drain plug and dipstick tube?

If so, you can simply drain from the drain plug and fill thru the dipstick tube with no problems

 

[FlyPenFly]

$700 in Socal for a drain, fill, change filter on the 7 speed Mercedes automatic at the dealer. Has to be done every 70k miles or 7 years.

 

[RichR]

Originally Posted By: FlyPenFly
$700 in Socal for a drain, fill, change filter on the 7 speed Mercedes automatic at the dealer. Has to be done every 70k miles or 7 years.

Hopefully the trans wan't the only place they put lubrication.

 

[camrydriver111]

$276 sounds like a very reasonable price for a flush at the dealer.