bumboola

Needed some advice - 56,000 miles, I've owned it since new and have never changed it, transmission works perfectly. I was going to have the fluid changed, did a search and read some horror stories. Should I leave it alone, just change the fluid or have them drop the pan and change the filter as well? If they do drop the pan, how many quarts of ATF does it take to properly fill? Work will be done at a dealer and I'd like to be armed with some info - judging from what I've read it doesn't seem like most dealership mechanics know WTF they are doing in regards to changing the ATF.

Thanks

TimD

Ive got this same question for my 03 with 39k miles....

jazbo123

I'd like to change mine, but I'm too nervous to get it done - even at dealer.

ryoung

You need to find a competent dealer. Probably every one of those horror stories is the result of using an incorrect tranny fill procedure and an underfilled transmission. For ATF changes, I've only used Fred Baker Porsche-Audi in Cleveland.

CINCY MIKE

Leave it alone. I would change it only as a last ditch effort to save the trans.

rangervr4.2

After all the discussions regarding the insanity of "lifetime" transmission fluid, why would a D2 owner not change fluid at regular intervals?? Waiting until there's a problem and changing as a "last ditch" effort doesn't sound like good advice to me. I replaced the tranny in my 99 A8 and the shop owner (Herbert @ European Transmissions) told me the fluid should be changed every 30-50m miles. I'm taking my S8 in next week.
Phil C

Beartrap

Too many people have done fluid / filter changes strictly as a preventative, and shortly thereafter experienced their first problems. But, I agree with Randy, the problems were probably due to incorrect procedures and resultant underfilling.

There's a procedure on audipages.com. If you decide to go ahead, print it out and take it to the dealer and tell them to follow it to the letter.

mcarcane

.oooooo fred baker, ur in my neck of the woods..although i go to stoddard...didnt realize you were so close..kudos on good taste!

ohbw

<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a8/msgs/164766.phtml">click</a></li></ul>

dimitristx

..but only since they had to do some trans seal change and as they were there, why not. My service manager actually advised it but when I had originally asked him about a trans fluid change 12mos earlier he had told me that he wouldn't recommend unless there was a problem as he's seen problems pop up afterwards. Per the collective wisdom of the forum, that's probably the result of an improperly done procedure rather than a reason not to touch it.

It's not unlike not going to the dentist for a root-canal exam when you have a soreness and waiting till you have a swollen gum and impossible pain since some people have had all kinds of horror stories after a dentist performed a root canal. Trust me, it's not that a root canal was performed, is the moron general dentist that messed up the procedure!

As others have advised, it won't hurt if you do it properly (which is the slippery slope) but if you don't have shifting issues or other reasons to contemplate, just leave it alone.