Should You Ever Replace Your Transmission Filter?

In this video I share my opinion on whether or not you should change your transmission filter as part of routine maintenance. It always sparks a good discussion!

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[am]

Every single metal-on-metal surface or clutch/band assembly constantly produces microscopic pieces which break down with every single revolution of the gears. Those pieces eventually clump together and form varnishes due to the heat. That varnish clogs the filter, and reduces the line-pressure of the transmission slowly over time. I still believe in the old rule-of-thumb. Change the fluid and filter once at 30, 000 miles to remove the initial break-in wear, then change the fluid and filter every 60, 000 miles thereafter. The amount you're spending on a filter and fluid is far cheaper than having to buy a new transmission because it was not maintained.

[robertperryman]

The reason why you change the transmission filters is because of the clutch material and other things that are wearing out and wearing in in the transmission

[alanholmes]

The trend is going away from changing fluid/filter because the vehicle is only designed to get you out of the warranty period. That’s the “life” of the vehicle to the manufacturer. So if they engineer it so that 85% of all the vehicles made can double the warranty period ( let’s say warranty is 100k but 85% will get to 175-200k miles) without ever opening the transmission. 97% will make it through the warranty period with no issues. That’s all the manufacturer cares about. You get 150k miles and your transmission goes out you either drop 4-8k to have another one put in or go buy another 60k vehicle. Simple.

[robertmontgomery]

Filters wear out. Heat, pressure and time damage the filter. Change the filter

[michaelhaiducek]

Change those transmission filters between 60k to 90k depending on how hard you drive, weight you haul or trailer towing. Clean the trans oil pan. I have seen trans filters plug up & damage transmission. Transmissions are very, very expensive to replace & usually not as good as the original. The transmission is the most expensive part of your vehicle & will leave you stranded needing a tow, costing you over $5000, so if you want to be sure it last forever, install a transmission cooler & change the filter. Heat is what destroys 90+% of transmissions. Dirty filter will starve fluid pressure causing clutches to slip & destroy the transmission.

[emuhill]

That filter is to the cooler. If you don't change it, you will overheat the transmission eventually. In fact I came across a garage that apparently thinks the way you do. The result was the cvt overheating and going into safe mode because they wouldn't change the filter. I started doing my own cvt fluid changes after that. After I had that filter changed, no more overheating cvt. Why does that filter need replacing? The fluid breaks down from the engine heat and hence why the fluid has to be changed. Also the transmission has wear just like the engine does. The older the fluid the more wear that occurs. That filter is there to filter out small metal particles and to keep them from clogging up the transmission cooler. The filter can only hold so much and must be replaced or else the fluid flowing through there gets restricted. There are also one or two magnets in the transmission pan that need to be cleaned of the metal particles when the fluid is changed.

[alff]

Well as someone that has his truck in the shop at the moment because of a plugged-up filter, and though I do agree with you that if your filter is plugged up that there is a worse problem changing it once a year may help delay the inevitable.

[CaptainSawdust]

My Impala would not go (No Transmission engagement) until it warmed up. I changed the transmission filter and never had that problem again.

[sizzelot]

Im at nearly 475k miles on my 98 Tacoma with original automatic transmission and have never changed filter. Still running good, although the trans pan gasket has gone bad for the 4th time and needs replacing again.

[chrischery]

Ok Horses you absolutely right and right, and ChrisFix is also absolutely right because I saw ChrisFix on his video was breaking apart the previous transmission filter and show us when transmission fluid you suppose also to the transmission filter, and us a lot of metals inside of the previous transmission filter, thanks to you Horses and thankfully to ChrisFix, and yes transmission filter supposes to change

[paisa]

I came across due to inquisition regarding the necessity to change AT filter.
2009 focus has no drain bolt so ATF goes everywhere when pan is dropped. This is the sole reason I am wanting to avoid changing the filter, otherwise I would not care whatsoever.
I will tap into the return line and drain as I fill 1 gallon at a time.

I also wondered what would contaminate the filter requiring a replacement.

Great video. Thank you!

[RobertsVintageGardenTractors]

I think it’s a good idea to change a transmission filter because of the metal from the break in period.

[Rhettnorris]

96 Camaro here. I was having a lot of issues when I would shift into R the car wouldn’t wanna go and the RPMs would go up but the car wouldn’t go anywhere fast.. lot of delay. Well, I changed out the filter, gasket, and fluid for the first time ever in my car 221, 000 miles… the car shifts great now.. probably should have done it a long time ago. I think I’m just lucky. Probably wouldn’t go crazy with it but wouldn’t go past every 60k miles without doing it.

[jeffreyw]

The filters get clogged from clutch material and the fibers break down over time unless the filter is a metal mesh. . It felt the same with fluid change only. After the filter change, transmission felt smoother.

[BinhNguyen-qdrt]

i never replace transmission filter, only fluid and my doge carnivan over 200k, i totally love this video

[christinegeorge]

I think, you made me think I need more research on what I might need for my transmission.
Knowing before you spend crazy money, is priceless!
Thank you, appreciate you sharing!

[abimmernut]

I totally agree with you. Most transmission filter will only filter to maybe 100-200 microns size particles. Most clutch wear particles are smaller than that & go right through the filter. I dissected a transmission filter on our '07 BMW X3 with the French made GM transmission, running Dexron VI fluid, and had 132k miles on it. The filter almost looked new. I had to check the date code molded on it to see that it was the original filter. Also, the magnets pick up most of the steel particles, the clutch particles will eventually settle out & adhere to the pan vis surface tension. That's why you have to wipe them clean. So, IMO, a "drain & fill" will do the trick. I do it about every 10-15k miles which replaces about 40% of the fluid. Thanks for you video.

[mkl]

Very sound logic and nicely explained. I'm a big fan of a common sense approach to anything.

[MidnightMarrow]

I do agree you probably don't have to change it near as often as other filters, I'd think after two fluid changes you should definitely replace it. They say fluid lasts 60k miles yet I don't think I've gone over 10k on a fluid flush and it's already discolored to the point I need to change it again. ATF may not be subject to fuels and the like but it still gets hot specially in the summer and breaks down and the more it breaks down, the ability to dissipate heat and lubricate lessens and thus more wear on the parts.

[pfarrar]

Thank you for your comments. I just bought a 2019 Frontier with 43, 000 miles and was curious about changing the trans fluid.