I intended to change the fluid at 70k. I reminded myself to do it at 80k. Before I knew it, the van was at 100k. Yikes. With heavy towing, the transmission fluid should be changed at 60k miles. With normal operation I believe the recommendation is 120k. It needed to be changed. But sometimes when you neglect your transmission, it gets gunky inside. And when you change the fluid, it washes away the gunk and then suddenly, you have shifting problems. I wasn't sure this was going to work. But I tried it anyway.
100,000 Mile Transmission Fluid Change
sstressfl
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I just had my trans fluid & filter replaced on my recently purchased 2014. The shop told me one of the transmission coolant lines has a pretty good leak. He wants $400+ to replace. He says the front bumper has to come off. Seems excessive to me, and I have zero oil drops from underneath. I'm holding out for a second opinion.
You’re correct. $400 is excessive.
I have a 2014 T&C. I replaced both trans cooler lines a couple months ago.
It’s a job you can do. It took me ~1 hr to do - working in an unhurried manner.
I sit in a chair for a living and began doing my own car maintenance ~3 years ago.
I created this thread on this forum explaining how I went about accomplishing the task.
If you don’t own a single tool you need to do this job, you’ll have much less than $400 in the parts and tools to replace those two trans coolant lines.
Your mechanic must be quite slow or charge well above market rates for his time.
The front bumper doesn’t need to come off by the way.
Edit: Included link to a thread explaining how to replace trans coolant lines on a Pentastar 3.6.
I have a 2014 T&C. I replaced both trans cooler lines a couple months ago.
It’s a job you can do. It took me ~1 hr to do - working in an unhurried manner.
I sit in a chair for a living and began doing my own car maintenance ~3 years ago.
I created this thread on this forum explaining how I went about accomplishing the task.
If you don’t own a single tool you need to do this job, you’ll have much less than $400 in the parts and tools to replace those two trans coolant lines.
Your mechanic must be quite slow or charge well above market rates for his time.
The front bumper doesn’t need to come off by the way.
Edit: Included link to a thread explaining how to replace trans coolant lines on a Pentastar 3.6.
So, an ironic, karma filled story....
Earlier in this thread, @Jeepman diplomatically corrected a recommendation I made to @delhiboy3732 to coat the trans pan gasket before reattaching the pan to the vehicle. Jeepman included links to Fel-pro’s website where they explained why lubing the gasket prior to installing wasn’t necessary because of technology used in modern gaskets.
I’m changing the trans fluid today. I replaced the OE pan with the Dorman pan that has a drain plug.
I drain the fluid from the OEM pan and leave the old fluid laying near the trans but a little bit out of the way toward the rear of the van.
I’m laying there with the new pan and Fel-pro gasket trying to get everything situated so I can put the new pan up there and fasten a couple bolts so I could use both hands to fasten the remaining bolts.
Guess what happened? Half of the new gasket slipped into the old trans fluid!! 😂
I wiped it off the best I could. We’ll see how it holds up.
I torqued the bolts to 60 in. lbs. No leaks thus far after ~20 miles of driving, no leaks.
I’ll drain and refill the next two weekends using the drain plug.
Earlier in this thread, @Jeepman diplomatically corrected a recommendation I made to @delhiboy3732 to coat the trans pan gasket before reattaching the pan to the vehicle. Jeepman included links to Fel-pro’s website where they explained why lubing the gasket prior to installing wasn’t necessary because of technology used in modern gaskets.
I’m changing the trans fluid today. I replaced the OE pan with the Dorman pan that has a drain plug.
I drain the fluid from the OEM pan and leave the old fluid laying near the trans but a little bit out of the way toward the rear of the van.
I’m laying there with the new pan and Fel-pro gasket trying to get everything situated so I can put the new pan up there and fasten a couple bolts so I could use both hands to fasten the remaining bolts.
Guess what happened? Half of the new gasket slipped into the old trans fluid!! 😂
I wiped it off the best I could. We’ll see how it holds up.
I torqued the bolts to 60 in. lbs. No leaks thus far after ~20 miles of driving, no leaks.
I’ll drain and refill the next two weekends using the drain plug.
I wouldn't go over 60k on transmission filter/fluid. It's important to keep those fresh. I went wayyy too far on a filter on my 3rd gen and it got to the point where I started getting pump whine from it being starved of fluid, and eventually loss of hydraulic pressure. It sat all winter until I got around to changing the filter and voila it was back to normal.
So, my 2013 has about 91k on it. It's never had a tranny service done unless it was done prior to its 26k mi I bought it at. So, I presume it's never been done.
I have zero issues with harsh gear changes, etc.
Only issue I do have was a prominent issue there was a huge thread for here years ago regarding the RUBBERBANDING effect when in reverse...especially up an incline. There are no fluid leaks either.
Luckily, I live in Virginia Beach where it's flat and I VERY rarely reverse up an incline.
I've had zero repairs on this vehicle. It's the most reliable vehicle I've ever had and the longest I've owned.
Hope I'm not jinxing myself by posting that!
So, I'm a tad nervous to CREATE a tranny problem by having the fluid changed...not a flush...just pan drop and change per the video.
At the same time I intend to keep the vehicle a long while.
I do not tow and it's typically just myself in the vehicle.
Also, I recall a software flash "update" dealers were doing on the tranny for the rubberbanding issue. Some claimed it fixed it a short while then did the same thing. Others had other issues pop up after the software "fix". So, I left it alone.
What's the latest word on this rubberbanding issue/ studder in reverse? I couldn't easily find the old thread for some reason.
Thanks.
-Dean
I have zero issues with harsh gear changes, etc.
Only issue I do have was a prominent issue there was a huge thread for here years ago regarding the RUBBERBANDING effect when in reverse...especially up an incline. There are no fluid leaks either.
Luckily, I live in Virginia Beach where it's flat and I VERY rarely reverse up an incline.
I've had zero repairs on this vehicle. It's the most reliable vehicle I've ever had and the longest I've owned.
Hope I'm not jinxing myself by posting that!
So, I'm a tad nervous to CREATE a tranny problem by having the fluid changed...not a flush...just pan drop and change per the video.
At the same time I intend to keep the vehicle a long while.
I do not tow and it's typically just myself in the vehicle.
So, who would do a fluid change and who would leave it alone? If it ain't broke don't fix it?
I sorta feel like I'm tempting fate with my perfect record of zero repairs if I have the fluid changed.Also, I recall a software flash "update" dealers were doing on the tranny for the rubberbanding issue. Some claimed it fixed it a short while then did the same thing. Others had other issues pop up after the software "fix". So, I left it alone.
What's the latest word on this rubberbanding issue/ studder in reverse? I couldn't easily find the old thread for some reason.
Thanks.
-Dean
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62 Posts
I don't think you'd be tempting anything.. Chrysler calls for a fluid and filter change at 120,000 miles. Maintenance Schedule for Dodge Grand Caravan | Openbay
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15,197 Posts
If you remove the pan to change ATF, you will have issues, believe me.
If you insist on a ATF change, use the dipstick tube to remove old ATF.
Thanks. You're video was great. I'd take it to a trusted mechanic for the service. Like you stated in the video though...you were worried probs could appear after the fluid change.
Why are people so divided on changing the tranny fluid?
Well, that's concerning. I'd have a trusted mechanic do the service. But why do you state there will be probs if the pan is dropped? :-/
Change the transmission fluid!
Years back I bought a used 1990's Chevy Astro van and thought it ran okay. The tranny fluid looked old so I had it changed out.
To my surprise the van was now much smoother accelerating from a stop and I soon realized that the van had been sticking in second gear on deceleration and never accessing 1st gear! I sold the van some years later, the transmission still in proper working order.
I've changed tranny fluid on every automatic vehicle I've owned since with never a single problem! And I always drop the pan to change the filter, at least for the first fluid change I do.
This is essentially the procedure I use to change the fluid myself:
Years back I bought a used 1990's Chevy Astro van and thought it ran okay. The tranny fluid looked old so I had it changed out.
To my surprise the van was now much smoother accelerating from a stop and I soon realized that the van had been sticking in second gear on deceleration and never accessing 1st gear! I sold the van some years later, the transmission still in proper working order.
I've changed tranny fluid on every automatic vehicle I've owned since with never a single problem! And I always drop the pan to change the filter, at least for the first fluid change I do.
This is essentially the procedure I use to change the fluid myself:
Drop the pan change the filter. Do it right.
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Likely depends on where the work is done, whether it's a dust free environment, or not. Right now, if I did a pan drop/fluid filter change, in my driveway, there's the likelihood of a black fly, or two, getting in the mix. If no black flies, then there's the wind kicking up dust, pollen, seeds, etc. Then there's the groundhog, that showed up recently, that may decide to hide away there.
It's a little risky.Work done in a proper environment should be fine. Many are done that way and are successful, provided they use the right fluid and don't overfill. I had a transmission shop do a pan drop and fluid/filter change on a 2002 DGC Sport one time, with 100% success. Normally I just pump out the transmission fluid, through the dipstick tube, leaving the filter untouched. That Shop had Mopar ATF+4 fluid in stock and would not do flushes.
Chrysler does not condone transmission flushes as normal maintenance. In fact, the only normal maintenance requiring a flush, is for the coolant, per a Chrysler Service Bulletin and per your Owner Manual.
Note: There is a difference between a transmission fluid "flush", using chemicals, and a transmission fluid "exchange" using the transmission's own pump.
Telling someone not to do recommended service intervals (at all) or exceed them is not good advice. I don't buy into the dropping the pan causing probs bs at all. For decades pan drops and trans flushes have been happening without issue. I've done multiple pan drops through out my life, 3 on my current vehicles with the last one forced as the filter was plugged (237k miles, 9k miles ago, 60k some miles on filter).
IF there was a problem it is likely because something wasn't done correctly. Most common cause with Chryslers was using incorrect fluid (NOT ATF+4 etc.) ie. "cover them all" generic fluids or Dexron which caused abnormal clutch pack wear problems. Having this done at dealer should ensure correct fluid is used.
(Note: I believe mopar fluid was designed to be more slippery/smoother than some other fluids and the transmission was engineered with this fluid in mind. Running "other" fluid resulted in a harsher experience which seems more abrasive on clutch pack material thus all probs in the 90s etc.)
I actually went through the above when I had an independent shop do my first pan drop on white van and they used one of those generic cover them all fluids. Right away I could tell the clutch pack engagement wasn't right, harsher etc. Eventually I started replacing it (it has a slow leak rate) with proper fluid and it went back to normal.
The whole point to dropping the pan and replacing fluid and filter is to bring both back to design specifications as both will deteriorate over time which is WHY there is a service interval the engineers of your said vehicle specified in the first place,. There are things as severe duty intervals as well since in these circumstances things will degrade faster.
A good clean pure red fluid is a good sign as there's minimal material contamination...but it still could be contaminated. These transmissions are designed with intended clutch slippage which will slowly remove material from the clutches which will end up in your fluid and filter. That's why there's CVI's (Clutch Volume Index) that will give you kind of an idea of how worn your various clutch packs are. There will also be some metal wear along the way as well which is collected via your filter which is what it's for, why it exists, and why eventually it needs REPLACED for same reason your oil and air filter need to be replaced...granted the latter two have more source for contaminates which is why their intervals are shorter.
Higher mileage vehicles (and age) will probably collect more debris in filters as things will be more worn and in less ideal shape, especially true for engines whose oil can get contaminated easily.
Proper maintenance is what keeps machines running well and for long time. In machine world I've ran into all kinds of weird fluid contamination problems that mess things up. This is why we have fluid and filter change intervals!
IF there was a problem it is likely because something wasn't done correctly. Most common cause with Chryslers was using incorrect fluid (NOT ATF+4 etc.) ie. "cover them all" generic fluids or Dexron which caused abnormal clutch pack wear problems. Having this done at dealer should ensure correct fluid is used.
(Note: I believe mopar fluid was designed to be more slippery/smoother than some other fluids and the transmission was engineered with this fluid in mind. Running "other" fluid resulted in a harsher experience which seems more abrasive on clutch pack material thus all probs in the 90s etc.)
I actually went through the above when I had an independent shop do my first pan drop on white van and they used one of those generic cover them all fluids. Right away I could tell the clutch pack engagement wasn't right, harsher etc. Eventually I started replacing it (it has a slow leak rate) with proper fluid and it went back to normal.
The whole point to dropping the pan and replacing fluid and filter is to bring both back to design specifications as both will deteriorate over time which is WHY there is a service interval the engineers of your said vehicle specified in the first place,. There are things as severe duty intervals as well since in these circumstances things will degrade faster.
A good clean pure red fluid is a good sign as there's minimal material contamination...but it still could be contaminated. These transmissions are designed with intended clutch slippage which will slowly remove material from the clutches which will end up in your fluid and filter. That's why there's CVI's (Clutch Volume Index) that will give you kind of an idea of how worn your various clutch packs are. There will also be some metal wear along the way as well which is collected via your filter which is what it's for, why it exists, and why eventually it needs REPLACED for same reason your oil and air filter need to be replaced...granted the latter two have more source for contaminates which is why their intervals are shorter.
Higher mileage vehicles (and age) will probably collect more debris in filters as things will be more worn and in less ideal shape, especially true for engines whose oil can get contaminated easily.
Proper maintenance is what keeps machines running well and for long time. In machine world I've ran into all kinds of weird fluid contamination problems that mess things up. This is why we have fluid and filter change intervals!
At 91 k you don't have a lot of mileage on your 2013. I'd still do a fluid exchange through the dipstick, which is about as easy a service as I can imagine. My 2006 requires this operate smoothly, reminds me with jerkiness if I leave it too long and I expect to get extended life from it as a bonus. ATF+4 ONLY!!
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I never recommend any one not to change ATF.
I sold my 2006 DGC with original transmission working smooth. Over 300,000 miles and always loaded and pulling trailers for long distances.
I'm not selling you anything either.
Just ask those with transmission problems if they changed ATF at least once before.
500,000 + miles on my F-350, no ATF change at all since new.
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Did it whine after he hit the rock, or just gasp for breath?I had transmission problems... until I replaced my fluid and filter. Still waiting on Levy to get a case of trans pump whine.
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