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I've had the car for 5 years/35k miles. I only drive it around town, and the occasional road trip. I bought the car used from a dealer, and I'm not sure when the last time the transmission fluid was changed its a darker brown color now.

I was told that it might not be wise to change the fluid if it had been to long it could cause the transmission to fail?

 
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Its an automatic

 
Rep Power: 518

35k is quite young if that's all the miles on the car.
Does the car have substantially more miles than 35k? You should say so if it does.


At the shop I work for, we recommend change ATF every 30k, or even more often.

Your owners manual may say different, but I have no idea what car you have.


That's an old wives tale. Drain and fill fluid shouldn't ever cause a problem. (Most of the time, people ignore the trans until there is a problem, then it's too late---but changing the fluid gets the blame anyway.)

Never use chemicals or a machine to flush.
Drain and fill only, with proper fluid.



Fine, but you really should tell what your car is.

 
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The cars a 98 Honda civic Lx 35k since I bought it used. It has 171xxx now. I assume the dealer would have changed the tranny fluid before they sold it to me( that's probably just wishful thinking) I experience no transmission issues currently though. Thank you for the advice. Is the procedure for changing the fluid in a Honda Civic drain the transmission refill the amount that comes out drive it for a little bit, and repeat 3 times?

 
Rep Power: 518

Changing fluid (single drain and fill) only nets you about 2.5 quarts at a time. The trans holds probably (guess) 8 quarts total, but you can only drain about 2.5 at any one time. (IIRC 3 full quarts will overfill it)

Hondas procedure for flushing is multiple fluid changes as you typed above.


VERY wishful IMO. If it isn't documented, it didn't happen.

I know the dealer I work for wouldn't spend a dime on a car that old.


HTH