Lifetime Transmission Fluid. That's one I've never experienced.

[cajuntec]

Odd. I changed the oil in my wife's Jeep tonight, and while I was doing maintenance and already had oily hands to remind me, I checked my Ram truck schedule to see what maintenance was coming up soon.

Probably due for an air filter. Check. Get that this week.

Hmmm... 100K on plugs and antifreeze. That's nice.

Shouldn't I be coming up on a transmission fluid change soon? Checking, checking, 6 speed @ 60K - got it. I don't have a 6 speed. I have an 8 speed. Where's it at? Flipping through pages... nothing.

Got online and started poking around in the Dodge and Ram forums. Lifetime fluid? WHAT? From what I'm reading, they made this 8 speed a sealed unit - no maintenance. Basically... drive it till the wheels fall off.

... and before you Dodge / Ram haters reply... someone already beat you to the "Ram must have realized their trucks won't last long enough to do a transmission change" zinger. Ha!

All the best,
Glenn

[cmh2007]

I think the idea is that people forget about it enough that if they leave the same fluid in there it won't wash all the junk holding the toasted parts together out

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[S-3 Ranch]

My old Toyota taco , had a " world standard transmission " only thing it needed was a timing belt every 80K

[Kingfisher789]

Mercedes design. Synthetic fluid. Don't let "black" color fool you it's suppose to be that color.

[S-3 Ranch]

Mercedes design. Synthetic fluid. Don't let "black" color fool you it's suppose to be that color.

I think they are Italian/ fiat owned ,

[Mike D]

I believe the Toyota Tundra is the same Glenn.


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[12RingKing]

That makes me cringe...

[cajuntec]

That makes me cringe...

Kinda makes me nervous too. But then again, so did doing away with the traditional (and unnecessary) 3500 mile oil changes. Maybe there's something to these new maintenance schedules. Time will tell.
All the best,
Glenn

[Kingfisher789]

I think they are Italian/ fiat owned ,

Yea but all there recent engine/trans development comes from there earlier partnership w MB.
Lots of cross over stuff w cars today. New Alfas are on a Dodge Dart platform. Mazda/Fords share a platform too I believe.

[geezer56]

I owned a garage for years. We changed fluid and filter in several vehicles which would not move out of their tracks after the change. Some were having issues before the changes, some were not. The biggest culprits were Ford Explorers. Dodge trucks a close second. The GM products not so much.

[justletmein]

Good, I wasn't planning to change mine anyway.

[LFD2037]

The home mechanic is becoming a thing of the past. If they tell you to never change the tranny fluid or if they say you can get 100K miles on plugs/coolant then they know you'll take it to them when it breaks down by letting the coolant system turn to trash or pistons get completely coated in carbon from incomplete combustion. I 100% feel it's a sham. I do coolant every other year, plugs ~30-40K, tranny fluid~40-50K and oil every 5K with conventional and 10K with synthetics. None of it is hard and the longer oil changes pay for all the other stuff over time.

[justletmein]

The home mechanic is becoming a thing of the past. If they tell you to never change the tranny fluid or if they say you can get 100K miles on plugs/coolant then they know you'll take it to them when it breaks down by letting the coolant system turn to trash or pistons get completely coated in carbon from incomplete combustion. I 100% feel it's a sham. I do coolant every other year, plugs ~30-40K, tranny fluid~40-50K and oil every 5K with conventional and 10K with synthetics. None of it is hard and the longer oil changes pay for all the other stuff over time.

I dunno, my dad was horrible at maintenance. He always drove Chevy trucks in the 80's and 90's. Watched him put 200k on several trucks going who knows how many miles without oil changes, talking 20k+ with regular dino oil, and I know none of those trucks ever had transmission fluid changed or coolant other than the water hose if the radiator was low. Plugs? lol no way... One truck was stolen, blazer was sold in perfect working order, another truck was wrecked. Can't remember any of them having engine/transmission issues. Now MY truck on the other hand went through 3 transmissions in a year, giant tires and strong engine and a 19 year old throttle foot.

I just bought a new truck and was floored that the oil interval is 15k miles. Of course when I changed it I found it takes 3 gallons of oil lol so maybe they just triple the amount to make it last longer.

[Walker]

I believe the Toyota Tundra is the same Glenn.


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Yep, my 16 Tundra is sealed. No dip stick.

[TX_Hoghunter]

I am a GM man and while I do all the other maintenance I have never changed any transmission fluid. I have had several of these vehicles new and I average getting 250,000 miles before I get any transmission issues....and I have had several that I have done this with. A 97 Z71 that my middle daughter took over got to 275,000 before it had an issue. The 04 HD2500 4X4 is at 212,000 without any issues ( and I haul trailers with it ) the 08 equinox is now at 220,00 without issues. I have has several others in that range but do not remember the details. I firmly believe that changing the transmission fluid is not needed so the fact that a manufacturer finally recognized that is welcomed.

-john