2017 Mustang Auto Trans ATF Change Interval

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Hello Oil Connoisseurs,

I have a 2017 Mustang 3.7L with the 6R80E automatic transmission. While it's no 5.0, this is my first new car and I have thoroughly enjoyed modding and overall just driving the [censored] out of it. Particularly doing 6K-7K pulls with the paddle shifter manual mode to really accentuate my aftermarket exhaust. Now I know as an end result my driving behavior is likely causing my ATF to boil.

I was planning on changing at 30K mi, but now I'm starting to think perhaps even earlier? I have 10K mi on the car, and per my service manual I should be changing the ATF and filter at 150K mi. I simply cannot believe this to be true. Ford doesn't make it easy, there is no drain bolt or dipstick, and I would have to drop the pan. With only a condo garage at my disposal I'd probably have to take it to be serviced somewhere. Question being, should I be changing fluid ASAP or am I being a bit overzealous?

Thanks in advance
 
Driving the vehicle like you stole it, perhaps then changing the ATF at 10K miles isn't being overzealous. Although I don't think it will hurt the tranny, I do believe in keeping the factory ATF in there for longer(maybe 30K miles) so that the tranny breaks-in properly. Others will chime in with more info.
 
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From what I've been told and read here and other places most of the wear in a new automatic transmission occurs in about the first 10k miles or so. So in your case I would change the fluid and filter early, like right about now. I would do a line off fluid exchange as well. Going forward if you're driving the car hard and "boiling" the ATF as you think you might be, I'd probably be servicing the transmission every 20-25K miles. Which might be overkill to some. You could pull a sample in about 20K miles after this fluid change and going forward base your service interval on that.
 
A true Bitoger would change his tranny fluid every time he changed his oil.
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It's the same trans that is in the F150 so it can take some abuse. Your not really harming the transmission by doing those 6-7k pulls. There's so much torque management in it that trans that you're fine. In the F150 mine doesn't heat up much until I start towing heavy and then it settles in at around 200-205. Put hills in there and the most i've seen it get to was 225. And that was foot almost to the floor holding 70 (speed limit and yes my tires are rated for 75) on the highway with 9k lbs behind it.

IIRC I think you can view trans temp in the gauge cluster in the 17's - it's a menu somewhere. I know the 18's have it and one of the parameters is trans temp. May be worth a look for your own sanity.

That being said I still think 30k changes are where you want to be. You can DIY by dropping the pan and unless they changed it, the dipstick is integrated into the fill hole on the passenger side. Unbolt the nut and the stick is in there.
 
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Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Driving the vehicle like you stole it, perhaps then changing the ATF at 10K miles isn't being overzealous. Although I don't think it will hurt the tranny, I do believe in keeping the factory ATF in there for longer(maybe 30K miles) so that the tranny breaks-in properly. Others will chime in with more info.
Break in happens if you change the oil hourly.
 
A new transmission breaking in puts the most crud in the oil. It will not hurt to change the oil and filter then get on a oil change schedule that makes you feel happy. I do an early oil and filter change then 30,000 mile drain and fill. " I vacuum out the oil then 60,000 mile filter change. It is probably overkill though.
 
You are in no way taxing that transmission with a 3.7l in a mustang. That transmission has been around in the F150 since 2009 and is quite stout. I will never tell anyone not to change the fluid early ( I dropped the pan and changed the filter at 10k miles on my 2016 f150), but after that leave it for 50k miles without issue.
 
30k should be good. Even 60k would be fine. Most cars never have their transmission fluid changed and end up at the junkyard on their factory fill.

Since you don't have a drain plug, buy an aftermarket pan that has one. It will make future ATF changes much easier
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Originally Posted By: demarpaint
From what I've been told and read here and other places most of the wear in a new automatic transmission occurs in about the first 10k miles or so. So in your case I would change the fluid and filter early, like right about now.
This, exactly. After the first change you can go 25-30k.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
From what I've been told and read here and other places most of the wear in a new automatic transmission occurs in about the first 10k miles or so. So in your case I would change the fluid and filter early, like right about now. I would do a line off fluid exchange as well. Going forward if you're driving the car hard and "boiling" the ATF as you think you might be, I'd probably be servicing the transmission every 20-25K miles. Which might be overkill to some. You could pull a sample in about 20K miles after this fluid change and going forward base your service interval on that.


You want to flush the trans on a brand new car? Do you really think that is necessary? Even a pan drop and filter change at 10k I would argue is fairly zealous maintenance. If you were flushing it to put Redline or something it in then for sure.

You might be trading it in for a 5.0 within a year or two, so you should take that into consideration OP.
 
Is this car all show no go? Post some pics always good to see Mustang owners make it their own. As for the ATF you aren't hurting anything by draining at 10k and replacing with quality Redline ATF.
 
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I plan on changing the fluid and filter in my 2014 Mustang GT at 30,000 miles. I'm at about 28,300 now. I did buy a factory ford transmission pan and had a drain plug welded into the lowest part so that for future changes I can just do drop and fills.

I did watch that video posted above a couple of years ago and he is a big believer in changing the fluid early.
 
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