when to change auto transmission fluid 06 aveo

[dragonwarrior2016]

The owners manual says to change transmission fluid every 50,000 miles. I changed mine at 87900 miles and the color was brown and I can tell the transmission is in good shape because no metal shavings on the magnet in the transmission pan. When taking the pan off I dumped 3 quarts out and had to put back 3 quarts.

[dragonwarrior2016]

I almost forgot to mention according to the service department at my dealer they said to put in dexron III or Import type VI

[petrified.rabbit]

over maintenance can cost as much as or more than failure.

synthetic oil change every 3k for 180k= ( @$30 for an oil change) $1800

versus

dino oil change at 5k for 180k = ($15) $540

versus

Never changing the oil and putting a new engine in every 60k (@ $600 a long block) $1800.



i think with all the eco driving most of you guys seem to do, you spend the money on fluids instead? I would spend the @ $540 on oil changes and pocket the $1260 for a new long block at 150-200k. But i am more of a fix it when it breaks type.

[Brian]

Now I want to look up what the interval says in my 2010. I will be racking up miles pretty fast so I want to be ahead of the warranty game.

[Thymeclock]

Its a shame that shipping is so prohibitively expensive on fluids.

I work in parts at Lexus Of Wayzata and can buy Toyota T-IV for dirt cheap. The Toyota T-IV fluid is actually a synthetic fluid, from what I've learned, too.

You don't need to buy fancy, exotic fluid. The transmission fluid all Aveos use is plain old Dexron III. Chevrolet didn't manufacture the transaxle, Aisin did. And their specification calls for Dexron III.

Well, to maintain my 100,000mi powertrain warranty, GM calls for T-IV in my 2009. So that's what I'll be putting in it.

You won't go wrong by doing so, but the transmission design hasn't changed since the Aveo was designed.

The A/T on all Aveos is the Aisin 81-40LE. Here is the reference: http://lacetti.com.ua/manual/EN/documen ... ml#J0B0RFL (For some reason copying this link didn't work. Scroll back to my earlier post in this thread where it does work.)

Sure, you could use the later Dexrons that supersede III, but there is no reason to pay more for it, and it won't make any difference.

[dragonwarrior2016]

over maintenance can cost as much as or more than failure.

synthetic oil change every 3k for 180k= ( @$30 for an oil change) $1800

versus

dino oil change at 5k for 180k = ($15) $540

versus

Never changing the oil and putting a new engine in every 60k (@ $600 a long block) $1800.



i think with all the eco driving most of you guys seem to do, you spend the money on fluids instead? I would spend the @ $540 on oil changes and pocket the $1260 for a new long block at 150-200k. But i am more of a fix it when it breaks type.

Well we are not you I change my own oil every 3,000 miles I never let some service shop do it. Letting your engine go out is an act of stupidity, As a mechanic will tell you don't buy a car just ride a bike.

[petrified.rabbit]

i do oil changes with dino oil every 3 month or 5k which ever come first, check the oil level/color/smell/consistancy every 1000. Its $20-25 for an oil change because of the $12 filter. I'll probably consider changing my tranny fluid when recommended or at 100k. Whichever come first.

i didnt say i would let mine go, but according to this thread changing oil every 3000 miles when your running synthetic, or changing your tranny fluid every 10k is a good idea, when in reality it is wasteful spending and time.
Failure unfortunately doesn't care about your maintenance, i've seen audis go 140k miles without an oil change. (how do i know, i saw the markings from the factory on the oil filter, And the owner bought it new and admitted to never changing the oil. I've also seen brand the same engine throw a rod, burn up a turbo, seize the cams, in very well maintained cars in under 50k.. Changing your tranny fluid doesn't eliminate a problem. The only reason you should need to change it like that is if the problem is already there, overheating the fluid, or whatever. And those prices i used were very conservative, especially if you are paying someone else. I think some shops charge like 50-60 bucks for a synthetic oil change.

I tend to not post in these threads, but sometimes i cant help myself not because of what you guys do yourselves, i could care less, but because someone is going to read this thread and think if they spend $3000 in "preventative" maintenance, that nothing can possibly happen to their car, and that is not reality.

[Thymeclock]

Changing your tranny fluid doesn't eliminate a problem.

That's correct. As said before, it is done to prevent a potential problem. Waiting for the fluid to turn brown before changing it is not beneficial.

The only reason you should need to change it like that is if the problem is already there, overheating the fluid, or whatever.

By then it is usually too little, too late.

I tend to not post in these threads, but sometimes i cant help myself not because of what you guys do yourselves, i could care less,

If that were really the case, you would not be commenting.

...but because someone is going to read this thread and think if they spend $3000 in "preventative" maintenance, that nothing can possibly happen to their car, and that is not reality.

No one suggested spending "$3000" or any large amount, except you. I recommended renewing your tranny fluid when you change your motor oil, and it might cost all of $5 for two quarts; that's far less than even the oil change costs if you are changing your own fluids.

How do you know what anyone might "think"? Why should you care what others think? Can we let others to read and think, and allow them to form their own opinions and decide for themselves? [-o<

[petrified.rabbit]

i deal with people every day that do things based on recommendations, or what someone else suggested. I usually spend time fixing other mechanics mistakes. Or fixing cars that places like firestone, sear, and even dealership cant figure the problem out. And i usually work for free, so i do care about what other people might think, its the impression of the car, that in order for an aveo to run reliably you have to change the tranny fluid every 10k, well then i dont want to buy an aveo. Statements like that spread faster than all the good qualities about the aveo. There are a lot of members here, first time car owners who know little to nothing about cars, people who just browse through the forum because they came across it in a search as to why their car is doing something strange, etc that might come across this thread and start changing their fluids at your intervals because they dont know better. Look at a perspective beyond your own, we've had posters join the boards in the past to complain about a recommendation made on these boards not working or creating bigger problems.

the $3000 comes from the overall cost of changing synthetic oil every 3k miles, and the tranny fluid every 10k for the 180k planned for the engine to last. And I am saying that you dont need to spend that to have it last that long. Why you guys choose to do is is beyond me, if the fluid starts to turn brown, or anything you best change it all. Not just 2 quarts (how much does the torque convert and auto in the aveo take?)

[campuscop2003]

I do extreme Maint for my own peace of mind! To each thier own. It makes me feel damn good that every fluid in my vehicle is as fresh as the day it drove off the truck. This car is my lifeline, without it I dont go to work, my wife doesn't go to work, we dont get food, see family, doctors....etc. I would spend 10K per year on maint if it ment that the car would be in tip top shape, reliable, and trouble free for the 180K to 200K miles I will rely on this vehicle. IMO changing the trans fluid every 6 to 10K keeps the add pack fresh, the fluid clean, the trans clean. can anyone with a straight face tell me that a transmission with fresh fluid that has never been bad, fresh as the day it was new, changed every 6K to 10K, over a span of 200K miles is going to fair the same as one that gets changed when the fluid turns brown or black. Yeah a car might last 150 to 200K with little or basic maint. Yeah, fine. The car that has had been highly taken care of should double that. Thinking its nonsense that we change our fluids so frequent, maybe we care more about our vehicles . Like I said this vehicle is my lifeline, not just something I can take for granted.