How often does the transmission fluid need changing?

[roberts0690]

I have heard infiniti mechanics say every 60k but my company mechanic says thats a rip off.I have a 2002 q45 ,transmission fluid changed at 60 k car now has 101k. Does it really need a change?

[TmaCular]

i like to change mine every 30k...depends really on what kind of transmission fluid your using and your driving conditions

[BadQ45t]

I believe that 60k is a minimum for you to do it. I think you also have to factor in time and also if your planning to do a full flush. I used Redline synthetic fluid which is a very high quality product, Mobile makes one too. There is also Nissan JMatic out there.

I do mine far more often but I don't drive it that much and it is very much insurance against major transmission failure. If it is more then 2-3 years since it was last done, just do it. Find a mechanic than can do a full flush and use Redline, AMsoil or at least Mobil 1 fluid.

I just re-did mine 1 year ago with Redline at 91k after I had done it around 75k (it was done at 60k too) and the transmission is still very slick and smooth and I want to keep it that way.

[loystock]

Infiniti Premium Service involves ATF replacement in every major service (30/60/90K miles) but Schedule 1/2 only calls for inspection (replace as required). I do ATF flush/fluid replacement on the 3rd year of service and every 2 years thereafter + a bottle of LubeGard Red ATF Protectant for longer transmission lifespan. As the owner, you decide what is appropriate for your car.

The 02 Q45 requires Matic-S (replacement for Matic J). Make sure any fluid that you use is compatible with Matic-S(J).

[NightRiderQ45]

I do a drain & fill every 15k with cheap Dex-VI. With the mileage on my ORIGINAL transmission W/O oil cooler, this is cheap insurance. Since I change my oil every 5k, I'm able to drain both my transmission & oil at the same time. I can be able to do both in 30 mins max.

[BadQ45t]

True doing it with cheaper fluid more often is good, but keep in mind your only getting 6-8 quarts to drain without a full flush that runs 13-15 quarts out. You should have a professional do that every 30k or minimum 60k to get all of the crap out of there.

[NightRiderQ45]

True doing it with cheaper fluid more often is good, but keep in mind your only getting 6-8 quarts to drain without a full flush that runs 13-15 quarts out. You should have a professional do that every 30k or minimum 60k to get all of the crap out of there.

My transmission only holds 12qts max. Each drain and fill gets between 4-4.5qts out so I'm good. Actually, Dex VI isn't a cheap fluid, just "cheap" compared to synthetic fluid. Honestly, synthetic fluid is great but it's highly oversold and really isn't needed since the dino transmission fluid, especially Dex VI has a lot of synthetic additives to handle the stress of the heat and also so it can be sheer stable. I've done the full mechanical exchange before and I realized at 200k, I didn't want to pay someone $100 + just to do that. I've been changing my fluid (mechanical exchange) every 30k since I had the car so it wasn't any crap in my system. That is the reason why I'm doing it every 15k. If you keep the fluid fresh, it is just as good as doing it every 30k, especially 60k (which I would never wait this long). If you wait to change the fluid when it's brown, then it's already too late.

With the mileage on my transmission, I think I'm doing something right.

[qship96]

I agree.....machine flush is for neglected transmissions containing dirty worn out oxidized fluid to remove all of it and replace with fresh ATF- for those who perform regular simple drain/fill at home { I do 1 drain/fill every 15,000 miles,which is overkill using Redline D4 atf } you NEVER need to have the overhyped machine exchange process done- simple drain/fill takes less than 10 minutes to do in your driveway and car does not even need to be raised.......easier than almost any other maintenance item to perform- 4-5 qts of ATF, a wrench, funnel, and drainpan is all you need- no fuss,no mess, and no monkey fooling with your cooler lines and potentially screwing up the job-priceless.

At 259,244 it is working for my original transmission.....even without having installed any additional external cooler........fluid exchange machines are one of the most oversold, quick profit making machines the automobile industry has ever invented.....and pushed upon every customer


Oh, and the internal filter {really a coarse SCREEN} was replaced once since brand new{it looked clean at the time BTW}.........145,000 miles ago {another waste of time and money many do frequently around here}

[goody90q45]

......easier than almost any other maintenance item to perform- 4-5 qts of ATF, a wrench, funnel, and drainpan is all you need- no fuss,no mess, and no monkey fooling with your cooler lines and potentially screwing up the job-priceless........

I drain and fill transmission fluid with every oil change. 3 1/2 quarts out, 3 1/2 quarts in. I use $10/gallon Wal Mart fluid but it always stays a clean red color and my transmission performs like new.

Ditto for my 1994 Toyota truck for the last few years. The transmission was slipping and hard shifting but it's now shifting very smooth after nothing more than drain and fills every few months.

.......At 259,244 it is working for my original transmission...

Qship--At 253,000 miles on my engine I'm having a hard time keeping up with you. With Q45T*ch's engine blown I think you're the owner with the highest mileage on the original engine. Did you go on a road trip this summer to cushion your lead?

[NightRiderQ45]

I agree.....machine flush is for neglected transmissions containing dirty worn out oxidized fluid to remove all of it and replace with fresh ATF- for those who perform regular simple drain/fill at home { I do 1 drain/fill every 15,000 miles,which is overkill using Redline D4 atf } you NEVER need to have the overhyped machine exchange process done- simple drain/fill takes less than 10 minutes to do in your driveway and car does not even need to be raised.......easier than almost any other maintenance item to perform- 4-5 qts of ATF, a wrench, funnel, and drainpan is all you need- no fuss,no mess, and no monkey fooling with your cooler lines and potentially screwing up the job-priceless.

At 259,244 it is working for my original transmission.....even without having installed any additional external cooler........fluid exchange machines are one of the most oversold, quick profit making machines the automobile industry has ever invented.....and pushed upon every customer


Oh, and the internal filter {really a coarse SCREEN} was replaced once since brand new{it looked clean at the time BTW}.........145,000 miles ago {another waste of time and money many do frequently around here}

Great minds think alike. I haven't replaced the screen since 175k. The purpose is to filter large pieces, and if that were happening, you wouldn't be driving it because the transmission would be toast. I myself use Super Tech Dex-VI atf since there is a strong hold on the Dex-VI formulation (basically the same properties/additives between ALL major brands), so I use the cheapest.

I have 240k now, I will probably be clost to 260k by the end of the year. I didn't know that QTech engine was destroyed.

[OwnerCS]

I take Qship's approach. I found the following Pela 6000 on eBay helps with any type of automotive fluid extraction.

When I drain engine oil, I extract as much as I can with the pump, then when I open the drain plug, only a small amount remains to be drained. That approach keeps any accidental driveway spills to a minumum.