ATF is one of essential fluids that lubricate a transmission. It ensures smooth gear transitions, and if we do not replace it on time, it could damage your transmission.
Changing your AT Fluid (Automatic transmission fluid) is essential to having a healthy transmission in your car. Seeing as you need your ATF to be in good condition, it’s essential to know when you should replace it.
In this blog, we will further discuss the best times to change your ATF, why it’s essential, and our recommendations on what products you should use.
Why It’s Important To Change Your ATF
The transmission fluid in your car will eventually lose its ability to lubricate all the moving parts.
When that happens, you’ll notice a decline in performance, as well as an increase in transmission noise and a loss of power. ATF also tends to harden over time, which can make it harder for it to liquefy again.
So, why does your transmission need to be changed? It can get contaminated with water or dirt, which causes sludge buildup in the system. And the temperature of your transmission will rise over time and cause excessive strain on the fluid and internal components.
Signs Your ATF May Need Changing
You need to change your ATF if you have any of the following symptoms:
- The transmission slips or pulls.
- The transmission won’t go into gear.
- You have a transmission fluid leak.
- You experience poor shift quality.
When Should You Change The ATF?
If you have a car that takes automatic transmission fluid, you should change the liquid at the recommended intervals. This can vary by vehicle and model, but check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website for guidance.
You don’t want to take chances with your car’s transmission. Especially if you’re driving it in the winter, it’s wise to change the engine oil and other fluids as recommended in the owner’s manual.
It can handle plenty of abuse without damage, but it won’t last forever if you let it run low on fluid.
For Europe, we recommend changing the ATF at least every 80,000km or whenever the service manual recommends it.
Take It To The Dealership Or Service Station?
It’s usually not a good idea to go it alone when it comes to changing your transmission fluid — especially if you’re not sure how to do it right. The likelihood of voiding your warranty is too great if you make a mistake.
However, if you want to avoid costly dealership fees, then you could take it to a service centre or local mechanic.
For this process, we would recommend that you use our range of LIQUI MOLY ATF fluid as they will help to extend the service intervals and give you the best performance.
If your car is no longer under warranty and you feel like it yourself, then read our blog on how to change the ATF fluids yourself.
ATF Differs from other types of fluids
While there are plenty of additives that can extend the life of ATF, it is highly recommended that you consult with the manufacturer’s handbook or another reliable source before adding anything to your vehicle. Our blog about what you need to know about transmission fluids also shares a lot of information that will help you.
The three main types of ATF are synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral-based, which have varying viscosities, operating temperatures and chemical makeup.
Synthetic ATFs are the most common fluid used in vehicles today and are intended for extended service life. They’re also considered a premium product because they’re made with more advanced technology and manufactured under strict quality control standards.
Semi-synthetics are another popular choice because they’re a mixture of synthetic and mineral-based fluids and be cheaper than synthetics.
Mineral-based fluids are typically less expensive than synthetics but offer a limited service life and can cause problems when mixed with synthetics or other types of liquids.
Our team is ready to help you supply you with the best quality ATF for your car. Get in touch easily here, and we will help you as soon as possible.
Being Aware Of Your ATF Helps
The best time to change your ATF Fluid is every 60,000-80,000 kilometres or when you get a transmission service.
Many times, you can find yourself with a dirty transmission and not even know it. You might notice when your car has trouble shifting, or even driving and see some smoke coming out near the transmission area.
Whenever you see something that looks off balance or feels something is wrong with your car, make sure to take notice of your ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) Change Interval.