The transmission has a filter that takes 14 hours of labor to change, according to the dealer. They had quoted me $325 at first, before they actually looked in the book. They didn't even tell me how much it would cost to go ahead and do it, because they knew it would be too much. They just said they wouldn't do the filter, only fluid.
How clogged to you think a filter gets after 46000+ miles driven in over 90 degrees in a car that shifts a lot? Probably has plenty of worn-off friction material and bits of debris and some sludge. That will either restrict the flow or cause the flow to bypass the filter, which means that filtration is reduced or no longer happens.
This transmission also has its pan on the side (!) rather than the bottom, so that debris that falls to the bottom can't be cleaned out during service. There is also no dipstick to check the condition or level of the fluid. It's clearly made to be neglected and have an earlier end of life.
I live in a place with long hot summers, so the "severe" service schedule must be used. Otherwise it calls for fluid & filter replacement at 90k. If you've owned GM cars for long enough, you know waiting that long is bad.
Either way, $1500 or whatever it would cost to change fluid & filter is not something you planned on.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The transmission has a filter that takes 14 hours of labor to change, according to the dealer. They had quoted me $325 at first, before they actually looked in the book. They didn't even tell me how much it would cost to go ahead and do it, because they knew it would be too much. They just said they wouldn't do the filter, only fluid.
How clogged to you think a filter gets after 46000+ miles driven in over 90 degrees in a car that shifts a lot? Probably has plenty of worn-off friction material and bits of debris and some sludge. That will either restrict the flow or cause the flow to bypass the filter, which means that filtration is reduced or no longer happens.
This transmission also has its pan on the side (!) rather than the bottom, so that debris that falls to the bottom can't be cleaned out during service. There is also no dipstick to check the condition or level of the fluid. It's clearly made to be neglected and have an earlier end of life.
I live in a place with long hot summers, so the "severe" service schedule must be used. Otherwise it calls for fluid & filter replacement at 90k. If you've owned GM cars for long enough, you know waiting that long is bad.
Either way, $1500 or whatever it would cost to change fluid & filter is not something you planned on.
- maliboo, Charleston, SC, US