What happens if you never change your transmission fluid

Most car owners are not aware of the interval recommended by their car’s manufacturer to replace the car’s transmission fluid. Due to this ignorance, some of them have experienced transmission failures in their cars and have spent money unnecessarily to fix the problem.

So, many car owners have continued to ask, “Should I change transmission fluid after 100K miles?” Others also ask, “how many years does transmission fluid last?” The interval for changing transmission fluid varies, as some vehicles make and model demands a shorter interval than others, particularly when comparing manual and automatic transmission.

If you are facing confusion concerning the best interval within which you should change your car’s transmission fluid, take a moment to find out accurate details from this piece of information.

Is It Necessary To Change Transmission Fluid After 100K Miles?

Changing your car’s transmission fluid at prescribed intervals is crucial to the survival of your vehicle. Hence, if you are contemplating whether to change your car’s transmission fluid after 100k miles, 100k is enough to change your transmission fluid, but I recommend not changing it as far as your car is running nice and smoothly.

Transmission change intervals in cars vary from 30,000 to 50,000 miles, 100,000 to 150,000 miles, and so on. Many modern vehicles run-up to over 100,000 miles before requiring a change of their transmission fluid.

You should find out the interval your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends from the manual and follow the prescription religiously. The manufacturer made the vehicle and its components; hence, they know what’s best for the product they have made.

Some expert mechanics claim that running your vehicle for up to 100k miles before changing the transmission fluid is not ideal. They recommend that you change the transmission fluid after about 50k miles.

Since most recent vehicles can run up to over 100,000 miles before you change their transmission fluid, you should endeavor to understand the interval peculiar to your car make and model; then, follow it so.

If your car is shifting hard, you may be having a transmission problem. This and other symptoms may continue until you finally have a failed transmission that will require you to spend a chunk of your hard-earned money to keep your car on the road again. The transmission fluid change cost is nothing compared to fixing a damaged transmission; so, you have to be careful.

Is It Necessary To Change Transmission Fluid After 200K Miles?

If you are contemplating, “should I change transmission fluid after 200k miles?” it is necessary to change your car’s transmission after 200k miles to protect the car’s transmission from failing; and to improve its performance. However, most modern vehicles incur transmission issues from changing the transmission.

Letting your car’s transmission fluid stay too long will alter the color of the fluid. Its original color should be bright pink; when you start driving your vehicle, it starts changing from bright pink to brown with some hint of pink after a while.

Once the fluid changes from bright pink to brown, with a touch of pink, it is a sign that your car’s transmission needs to be changed. Leaving the fluid for a more extended period will turn it to become very dark; in this case, the dirt in the fluid can ultimately affect your car’s transmission system and cause it to fail.

CVT problems are usually from stayed transmission fluid, which is now very dirty with debris and particles in the transmission system. 200k miles is a long interval for automatic transmission vehicles. Regardless of whether or when you should change your transmission fluid, do not drive your vehicle with dirty transmission fluid.

If you are experiencing signs of transmission failure already, changing your car’s transmission fluid will help you avert more problems. In fact, if you desire your vehicle to last very long to a point whereby you can pass it to your child, you should change the transmission at the manufacture’s recommendation. Meanwhile, take note that too much transmission fluid is also a challenge.

FAQs

Q: Is it bad to change transmission fluid on high mileage?

Of course, it is risky to change transmission fluid if you drive a high-mileage car. Although it is vital to change your vehicle’s transmission fluid periodically; but, if your vehicle has high mileage and it’s still running using the transmission oil from the factory, it would be best to let it be.

Should you change transmission fluid on high mileage cars, it would result in transmission failure unexpectedly; hence, you should try as much as possible to avoid this problem to save yourself from any unnecessary financial burden.

Q: Should I change transmission fluid if it’s never been changed?

It depends. You don’t just have to change transmission fluid because it’s never been changed. It would help if you changed it because there is a need to change it; otherwise, you may be spending unnecessarily and endangering your vehicle’s transmission.

So, if you are wondering, “can the transmission be damaged by changing the transmission fluid?” It is evident that bad transmission fluid can damage your car’s transmission. That’s why you must use recommended fluid when changing your car’s transmission fluid.

To know when to change your vehicle’s transmission fluid, observe the color. If the fluid is bright pink, it is still fresh; but if it is light brown, having a touch of pink, you need to replace it.

However, if your car’s transmission fluid has not been changed for a very long time, the fluid color will be extremely dark. In this case, you need to change it as soon as possible or risk an imminent transmission failure.

Q: At what mileage should you not change transmission fluid?

Most manufacturers prescribe the transmission change schedule within their vehicle manual; some recommend that you change your car’s transmission fluid after 100,000 miles, and others say 150,000 miles.

However, many professional mechanics advise that manufacturers’ recommendations are somewhat too long for transmission fluid replacement. They professionally recommend that you change your car’s transmission fluid after at least 50,000 miles.

In any case, you are not expected to change your vehicle’s transmission fluid until at least 50,000 miles, which falls within expert mechanics’ recommendation, as well as that of your vehicle manufacturer. Also, endeavor to check transmission fluid once in a while to ascertain its level.

Q: Why should you never flush your transmission fluid?

Transmission fluid change vs. flush supporters argues about which option is best for your vehicle’s transmission. Supporters of transmission flushes often argue that flushing your transmission is better because it enables you to replace more of the transmission fluid.

It is a fact that when you drain your transmission fluid (according to the manufacturer/expert’s recommendation), only about 70% of the fluid is removed; however, draining is still the best.

Flushing your transmission fluid may not exactly cause transmission failure, but it could speed up a transmission failure process because the pressure from the flushing pushes metal particles through the transmission system. It could also result in leaking aging seals, and a fluid leak is not a good experience.

Q: What happens if u don’t change transmission fluid?

Based on experts’ recommendations, you will be running a risk if you don’t change your car’s transmission fluid frequently. If you refuse to change your car’s transmission fluid, the existing fluid, which is now dirty (very dark), can no longer effectively serve as a lubricant, thereby becoming unable to disperse heat.

This incapacitation will result in wear and tear of your vehicle’s clutches and other vital transmission system components. You could also have a bad transmission filter and start experiencing transmission failure, which can be very dangerous.

Meanwhile, if you are asking, “does changing transmission fluid improve performance?” Certainly, your vehicle’s transmission and overall performance will be enhanced after changing the fluid.

Q: Should I change CVT transmission fluid after 100K miles?

Of course, you should change your car’s transmission fluid after about 100k miles. Most recent vehicles now go over 100k miles before their transmission fluid is changed. However, expert mechanics advise that proper CVT transmission maintenance requires you to change your car’s transmission fluid after 50k miles.

Anyways, if you must accept any options, do not change your vehicle’s transmission fluid too early or too late. Also, ensure that you avoid having a low transmission fluid level because it can alter the proper functioning of the transmission system.

It would be best to work within the recommended interval between 50,000 miles and the interval recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer.

Final Words

Understanding the best interval to change your car’s transmission fluid is a crucial maintenance lifestyle you must imbibe as a car owner. If you were asking, “Should I change transmission fluid after 100k miles?” I believe you now know better through this article.

Endeavor to stick to your vehicle’s manufacturer’s recommendation or the 50 miles interval recommended by most expert auto mechanics. You will be able to keep your car through its lifespan if you subscribe to an excellent maintenance culture. It is easier to maintain your car’s components than to repair them.