Change transmission fluid?

[Tech]

My understanding is that the transmission fluid in my '02 Explorer is good for 100k miles under normal driving conditions. When I had my Explorer in for service recently, the servicer convinced me that it would be a good idea to have the transmission fluid pumped out and replaced. The vehicle had 50k miles, so I said OK, do it.

Now I'm wondering if it was really necessary and just a waste of money. The other thing is, since the fluid change I had a very bad experience with the same servicer with another vehicle and now I'm wondering if they even changed the fluid. I have no way of checking since there's no dipstick.

-Tech

 

[stsmoker]

Well Auto manufacturer's 'Normal' Driving conditions consist of you driving your truck less than like 7500 miles a year and pretty much all of those 7500 miles have to be highway miles with cruise control set goin 60mph. Just a play on words to say, "Oh, well our truck only costs 1000 dollars a year to maintain under this so called 'Normal' driving condition." But the percentage of the people who actually drive in this normal driving conditon is like 5% and the rest is considered severe driving (95% of the other people) so wouldnt that be the Normal driving? I dont understand these companies, they're just trying to make their vehicle look the most appealing by using these numbers.
With that said, I'm not exactly sure what the severe time frame is that you are reccomended to cahnge the tranny oil but if i had to guess it would be somewhere around 50K-75K. So my opinion as long as you dont go muddin everyday and drive like a mad man, thennn you could probably of wait until about the 75K mile frame. BUT its not a complete waste of money cuz now this just means you chouldnt have to change the oil in it again until 125K miles. But another thing about the tranny fluid, as long as it doesnt look bad, smell burnt, or there arent any metal particles in the oil then your probably good, but then again you siad you dont have a tranny oil dipstick? If this is true than you could probably climb under it and there should be a filler hole you just unscrew to check it.....but hey this is just my opinion. =D

 

[rrgone]

Not a waste of money at all. I had mine done at the dealer at 35k and plan to do so again at 70k. I think the dealers have learned that Ford was completely off base when they wrote the "normal use" maintenance intervals for these trannys.

Don't know what to say about the service to your other vehicle. I guess if you have a bad feeling about a shop you should find another.