Should I have had the transmission fluid flushed out of my SUV?

Yahoo

28-03-2025

A: I am not a fan of flushing of most fluids unless there is catastrophic failure of the component. In fact, General Motors states that the use of external transmission fluid exchange or flush machines is not recommended for automatic or manual transmission.
Use of external machines to replace the fluid may affect the operation or durability of the transmission.
Transmission fluid should only be replaced by draining and refilling following procedures in the Service Information.
Based on GM's statement you made the right decision.
Q: In your article in The Providence Journal, you stated that every car manufacturer you have seen recommends annual oil changes. I just wanted to point out that the Chevy Volt says to change theirs when the oil life indicator says to, in two years. Just as a fun fact.
A: You are correct. I should have said every conventional powered vehicle.
Some hybrids, such as the Chevrolet Volt, Hyundai and Kia models, do have longer oil change intervals.
Chevrolet does state in the service manual that more frequent changes may be required when the vehicle is exposed to a corrosive environment, such as areas of high humidity, along an ocean coast, and/or areas that apply road salt during winter.
Then there are electric vehicles. Since they do not use oil, they have no oil change interval.
Thanks for the reminder.
Q: I have a 2013 Chrysler 200 convertible (second owner) with about 33,000 miles on it. It is a beautiful vehicle and runs well.
We're thinking of replacing it with another convertible that would have more modern safety features but a similar size.
Another option would be to have an aftermarket backup camera and Apple CarPlay installed (easier-to-view GPS). I'm leaning toward that option, since I like the car so much, but would a more modern vehicle be the better option, safety-wise? The cost is secondary at this point.
If a newer car is the better option, do you have suggestions on make/model I should look for that would be a similar size?
A: In 2013 there were several convertible choices; today there are few. Popular models include the Ford Mustang, Audi A4/5 (soon to be discontinued), BWM, Mercedes-Benz, and Mazda Miata.
At this point, it may be better to maintain and upgrade the car you have.
A good auto stereo/electronics shop can add a backup camera and upgrade the sound system with GPS and Apple CarPlay with wireless or wired charging.
Prior to going with the upgraded electronics, have a thorough inspection performed on the car, just to see how it is doing.
Q: I am considering a new vehicle. Over time, V-8 engines have been replaced with V-6 engines, and now some of those are being replaced with four-cylinder engines. How do those engines perform? How do you think they will hold up over time?
A: It is a bit of a balancing act when it comes to engine size and design. A four-cylinder engine can perform like a V-8 engine at certain times.
To maintain 60 miles per hour on the highway, you only need about 15 horsepower. Yes, under hard acceleration, that four-cylinder engine works hard, but that may only be 20% of the time.
If the engine is well designed, it should last hundreds of thousands of miles.
I recently evaluated an Infiniti QX60 and, to my surprise, the V-6 engine was replaced with a 2.0-liter variable compression turbo-charged engine. The performance matches the previous V-6 engine with slightly better fuel economy.
Q: I hated the brighter headlights on new cars until I purchased my new car that has them. These light up road signs and stripes in the road better and, perhaps, let me be a better driver, at least at night. Still, I have a problem with glare from other bright lights. My eye doctor says it's just age.
What do you think of these yellow night-driving glasses I see advertised? The glasses I see are about $30.
A: I think every day I get at least one email from companies selling these 'night-driving' glasses. What is interesting is that the companies all have different names selling the same product deigned by some unnamed Silicon-Valley start-up.
Also interesting is that some of the websites have the same typos in them.
Some drivers have told me they work, although eye care professionals say no.
When I get an email from one of these companies, I email the contact on the website and ask them to send me a pair to evaluate. So far, no glasses have been delivered. So based on that alone, I am skeptical they work.
John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email [e-mail] and put 'Car Doctor' in the subject field. Follow him on X @johnfpaul or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Should I have transmission fluid flushed out of my SUV? | Car Doctor