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Im looking at a Hyundai Accent owners manual and it says to not change the coolant for the first 100k miles. Why is this? Will it be a safe to change it every 30k in the first 100k?
Second, can you put an end to the debate of changing transmission fluid? The manual says not to change. Can I change? And how often can I change from start of a new vehicle?
The Owner’s manual is correct about the coolant. Modern coolant uses completely different anti-corrosion chemistry than the green stuff we used through the ’80’s. It is called Organic Acid Technology and truly last 10+ years. No advantage changing it early.
Regarding transmission fluid. I assume you are referring to automatic transmission? I would read the owner’s manual carefully and if there is no trans fluid replacement interval specified under severe-service, you should be fine leaving it unchanged for 100,000 miles, which in the US is the warranty period. If you keep it longer, I would change the fluid. The reason you can follow the manufacturer’s recommendation not to change in a modern car is that the transmission design and the transmission fluid are all much better engineered than in the past.
Dave
Hey Dave,
Its still not clear about the coolant change interval. The manual said not to change for the first 100k, and then change every 30k after that. I see 3 possible explanations:
1. The manufacturer wants to shorten the life of the engine on purpose so that you will buy a new vehicle.
2. The engine needs to break in the first 100k.
3. They want to keep maintenance cost down.If there’s no advantage to changing it early, why the 30k interval after 100k?
As for the ATF, the Hyundai says not to change. This too doesn’t make much sense. The warranty for most cars nowadays is 100k, but transmission break down can go past the 100k mark. I’d rather be proactive in my maintenance then depend on the manufacturer and warranties.
Would it be safe to change the ATF every 30k or 50k from a new vehicle? They say not to change the ATF, is there a level of planned obsolescence to get you to buy a new car after 10 years?
Thanks for answering my questions Dave.
I have seen the 30 K interval in other owner’s manuals. There is really no good reason to change an OAT antifreeze more often than once per decade. They might be assuming you won’t dilute the pure antifreeze with distilled water or might assume you will not use the OEM spec antifreeze. Break-in has no effect on antifreeze.
regarding ATF; If I wanted an automatic transmission to last for 200,000+ miles, I would change the fluid at 50 – 60K miles intervals. I would do it myself or a very well-trusted garage.
Ok its clear on the coolant.
But for the ATF, why then do they not recommend changing the fluid at all if its ok to change every 50k?
They have determined that ATF change is not required to assure a 100,000 mile reliable life (the North America warranty period), so it is not recommended. Also you have to be careful in doing the fluid change. You have to be very sure not to introduce even small particles of dirt into the system and all fasteners and plugs have to be installed per the torque specs. Use only the proper sealants if the transmission pan has to be dropped. Before attempting an ATF fluid change make sure you completely understand the procedure and have the proper tools. If you are not careful, you can do more damage than good. In my opinion, if you are a very good and careful mechanic, there will be an overall (long-term) benefit to doing an ATF change at 50-60K miles
I see why they wouldn’t want anyone changing the fluid if the smallest speck of dirt is able to do that much damage.
Btw, it’s great when you explain in detail how to the maintenance.So what exactly caused a car like the 2003 Acura TL to have transmission problems once they get around 100k miles?
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