Next time I'm due for an oil change I'm also going to do the tranny, diffs and transfer fluids. My dealer will do a regular fluid and filter change on the tranny or a flush. The flush apparently gets all the old fluid out, but doesn't change the filters. Same price, so which is better?

 

Changing fluid while leaving filter unchanged is nearly an exercise in futility......I am fairly sure that rig came with a high grade synthetic fluid which probably would never need changed for regular duty driving..However the filter does have a limited life span.....Change filter every 2-3 years is a good rule of thumb for most driving habits...Perhaps your owners manual will have some specific recommendations.....

 

How many miles? What does the owners manual say? Dealer will always try to sell you services that are not recommended. Educate yourself on what the manufacturer recommends. Not the dealer. Anything besides the recommended maintenance spelled out in the owners manual is a waste of money.

 

The manual calls for fluid change at 60K. I've got that and about 20% of that is towing. So I think it's a good idea to change it.

Not changing the filters doesn't sound right to me, but the flush gives you 100% new fluid (while just draining leaves some old fluid behind). Or so the flush claims.

 

On several other forums that I frequent, the general consensus is a transmission system flush has the opportunity to do more harm than good. There have been folks that raise concerns over lines and passages getting plugged from the grit in the fluid getting forced through, obviously the concern over the filter not getting changed, and even concerns that replacing all the fluid at once can lead to a slipping transmission since the old fluid will have some friction material in it from the clutches that may actually help the transmission work better. I think that has more to do with shops that didn't reset the clutch volume indexes or similar after doing a flush though.

My position is when it comes time to change the transmission fluid, I'll do the standard drain, filter, and refill rather than a flush.

-Rod

 

I decided to check my Alldata site to see what Dodge's position is on flushing. In the maintenance section for the transmission it only speaks to changing the fluid by dropping the pan and replacing both the main transmission filter as well as the oil cooler return filter.

I noticed that there was a Technical Service Bulletin listed in that section as well (TSB 26-004-12) listed for several Chrysler vehicles and model years. Here's what it says:

DISCUSSION:
Chrysler Group vehicle fluid systems do NOT require regular flushing. These systems include: engine oil, transmission oil, axle lube, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and refrigerant. The only exceptions to this requirement are published in the vehicle maintenance schedules, e.g. engine coolant.
Exceptions to this recommendation include only those instances where a malfunction has occurred and/or the system has become compromised, contaminated or overheated beyond the normal operating range.
Chrysler Group does NOT recommend aftermarket chemicals to flush the engine, transmission, brake or steering systems. Chemicals contained in these products can damage the system elastomeric components, and contaminate the component fluid, leading to loss of system/component durability and service life. When necessary, only the original approved system fluid should be used to flush these components using team PSE approved equipment.
If the engine coolant contains a considerable amount of sediment, clean and flush with Mopar Cooling System Flush, p/n 04856977, or equivalent. Follow with a thorough rinsing to remove all deposits and chemicals. Refill with a minimum of a 50% mixture of the specified coolant and distilled water.
POLICY: Information Only

 

The only time i would flush is for severely burnt or contaminated fluid. Other than that a filter and fluid change is all you need.

 

Yep. Never ever flush the transmission. No need to.

 

Thanks, folks. A regular change it will be.

 

(2011 Crew AWD, V6, 108K) Follow on question about Transmission Flush: I have transmission fluid leak from AC Condenser (as others have discussed in a separate thread). Does this type of issue and maintenance meet the "malfunction" criteria noted in the Technical Service Bulletin quoted above and therefore warrant the Transmission Flush being recommended by the repair shop?

Also - should I expect the repair shop to charge separate labor for the Evac/Recharge of the AC system in addition to the AC Condenser replacement even though you can't do the second without the first?

Thanks in advance!