Lifetime trans fluid
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
Lifetime trans fluid I was an auto trans rebuilder in the mid 1970s. About a year ago, I bought a 1996 BMW 7 Series. It does not have a transmission refill tube.
So yesterday I climed under the car to change the engine oil and check out the trannie....
There is a warning posted in the transmission pan:
..."WARNING - LIFETIME Transmission Fluid - DO NOT CHANGE THIS FLUID"...
There is a drain plug on the side of the case and I'm sure there is a refill plug somewhere near the top of the case - similar to my M4 f-Body manual.
Question: Since I'll 50 years old soon and my life expectency is 82.5 years that means the lifetime transmission fluid in this car is warrantied to last another 32.5 years.
How could this be correct? I'm from the old school that says about 30K is the right time to switch fluid....
I assume this big 4-speed mother has 14 or so quarts of synthetic fluid - not counting the torque converter which appears to have a drain plug; is this correct?
So yesterday I climed under the car to change the engine oil and check out the trannie....
There is a warning posted in the transmission pan:
..."WARNING - LIFETIME Transmission Fluid - DO NOT CHANGE THIS FLUID"...
There is a drain plug on the side of the case and I'm sure there is a refill plug somewhere near the top of the case - similar to my M4 f-Body manual.
Question: Since I'll 50 years old soon and my life expectency is 82.5 years that means the lifetime transmission fluid in this car is warrantied to last another 32.5 years.
How could this be correct? I'm from the old school that says about 30K is the right time to switch fluid....
I assume this big 4-speed mother has 14 or so quarts of synthetic fluid - not counting the torque converter which appears to have a drain plug; is this correct?
11 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,320
Likes: 0
From: NE PA
There's no way to check the ATF fluid level in the C5 Corvette either and the drain plug for the tranny is also the fill plug. Also, the tranny is considered "maintenance-free" so you never have to change the ATF. 
Of course, the spark plugs are supposedly to last 100K+ miles too.
The ATF in the Bimmer is "Lifetime" alright, but not your lifetime, it's the transmission's they're talking about and its life is effectively shortened by the fluid not being changed.
Of course, the spark plugs are supposedly to last 100K+ miles too.
The ATF in the Bimmer is "Lifetime" alright, but not your lifetime, it's the transmission's they're talking about and its life is effectively shortened by the fluid not being changed.
