While some manufacturers claim that the automatic gearboxes in their cars require no maintenance, mechanic Juan José Ebenezer says they do.
This mechanic explains in a video why all automatic transmissions must be maintained, regardless of what the brand says.
No oil is eternal, all lose properties over time and with use
With few very specific exceptions, maintenance intervals have been extended a great deal in modern cars. The result is that far fewer people monitor their car maintenance than before because they simply forget that certain tasks need to be performed.
That’s why some people forget to change the engine oil, forget completely about replacing the timing belt, and never consider maintaining the automatic transmission of their car.
Part of this has an explanation: some manufacturers say that the automatic transmission of their cars requires no maintenance at all. The question is whether that makes sense, and mechanic Juan José Ebenezer has sought to clarify it in one of his latest videos posted on his TikTok account.
Ebenezer is very clear and says that “all cars with automatic transmissions require maintenance,” contradicting certain manufacturers who advise never servicing the automatic transmission. Who’s right? The truth is that, in this case, I would heed the mechanic.
Like other mechanical components of the car, the automatic transmission uses oil to operate, specifically ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid), also known as valve oil. Over time, especially in certain cases, this oil degrades and loses properties, causing the gearbox to operate differently.
@juanjoseebenezer THEY’VE BEEN LYING TO YOU👀❌EBENEZER WORKSHOPS #mechanic #refrigerant #care #maintenance #mecanicodeltiktok ♬ original sound – Juan José Ebenezer
Those cases in which degradation is greater include, for example, when the car is used on a circuit and the transmission is required to operate at high temperatures or when towing a car or a caravan.
Many manufacturers do set maintenance intervals for the automatic transmission, as Ebenezer explains; typically, the first oil and filter change is at 90,000 km and the subsequent ones every 60,000 km, but this information must be checked in the owner’s manual because it is not the same for all cars.
Would I service the automatic transmission of my car if the manufacturer does not indicate it? My answer is yes, without a doubt. I guarantee you that the operation of an automatic gearbox greatly improves when it receives maintenance after tens of thousands of kilometers.
In addition, it is not an excessively expensive maintenance task; although it costs more than an engine oil change, it doesn’t carry a price as high as a timing belt replacement or clutch replacement.
That said, if that oil change is done with a dialysis machine to be more effective and to thoroughly clear the transmission from within, the price is higher than a conventional oil change. Still, it is advisable to use dialysis, unless, as Ebenezer indicates, the transmission has never been serviced and the car has very high mileage: in that case, dialysis usually isn’t worth it and it’s better to proceed gradually.
This is what the specialist ZF says about automatic transmission maintenance: “ZF Aftermarket recommends an oil change for ZF transmissions according to what is listed in our lubricant lists. Important: service intervals may vary with other transmission manufacturers. In all these cases, always consult the vehicle manufacturer’s specific regulations. At very high operating temperatures, the oil ages faster than under normal conditions. Depending on driving style and individual driving profiles (for example, a lot of high-speed driving, towing, or sporty driving), shorter change intervals are advised.”
Images | TikTok (Juan José Ebenezer) and Unsplash
