Audi Transmission fluid...is for lifetime use??

**jonsaudi** · 07-08-2008 10:25 AM

So I checked the dealer for my 80k miles maintenance svc. He claims that changing a/t transmisison fluid is not needed in the service since he says that Audi claims their transmission is a sealed system and that the fluid is for lifetime use?!? is that right?

**CO AVANT** · 07-08-2008 10:27 AM

A lot of manufacturers are using their "lifetime" use fluid as an excuse to save money. I however would change your tranny and rear diff fluid by the time I hit 60K...

**04QuattroTurbo** · 07-08-2008 10:32 AM

It is not as crucial as ATF to change, and for mildly driven vehicles, the thick gear oil sould last the life of the vehicle. However, peace of mind and more than the occasional spirited driving may dictate a change around 60,000 miles as the previous poster has indicated.

Sorry, I had to re-read your post, Jon, I'll use this freakin' heat as my excuse. You are referring to ATF. I don't know about Audi's, but I never heard of ATF not changing ever. ATF is not just a lubricant, but also a detergent. It needs to get all the gritting, griming crap off the clutches in the tranny. Most other car manufacturer would recommend changing the ATF every 30,000 miles, but transmission shops would tell you to change it once a year.

According to the maintenance manual of my 2004 A4, the Automatic transmission fluid should be changed every 35K miles. So I'd say the dealer is full of crap. Which one did you bring it to, so that I know not to bring my car to them?

**widgget** · 07-08-2008 11:04 AM

i have heard that it is lifetime but everyone on here who has changed it said they notice a night and day difference after the change in terms of smoothness overall and firmness of the shifts, not to mention all the grit that comes out and gets replaced with nice clean fluid.
since i just went stage 3 and have 80k on the car i'm planing on doing a fluid change on my tiptronic tranny soon. might do a level10 valve body and tq converter at the same time if i have the funds available.

**AudiTwink** · 07-08-2008 11:47 AM

What they mean by "lifetime fluid" is that it will last the lifetime of the transmission... not the lifetime of the car. Our automatics have a program called DSG on them, which is a short term driving memory feature. In other words the car can briefly remember if your cruising on open highway for extended periods, or if your in traffic for long periods. Its meant to reduce the amount of shifting and hold gears longer while in traffic to reduce transmission wear and this feature alone is why they tout not having to service the lifetime fluid. I was experiencing some rough downshifts... so I drained and cleaned and put in fresh fluid. It did help, and my pan had lots of metallic sediment in it. Ultimately my downshifting problem was the motor mounts and not the transmission itself. I did briefly turn off the DSG setting in vag-com to see how differently it would react. It's like night and day, it drives so much peppier, but ultimately I did turn it back on for fear of causing even more wear and tear.

I can probably find the setting to turn off the DSG if you'd like to try it. Also If you are interested in changing the fluid yourself it isn't a hard job, it does take a good full day possibly a little longer depending on how much you take your time. The hardest part is filling the pan since there isn't a filler tube. I'll have to find where I bought the kit from, but it came with a new filter, gasket, 5 liters of fluid and the hand pump to fill the pan. Everything you need (minus any hand tools) for like $128. My local dealer also told me it was "lifetime fluid" but... they would be more than happy to service it for about +$800.

-Kevin.

**04QuattroTurbo** · 07-08-2008 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by AudiTwink

What they mean by "lifetime fluid" is that it will last the lifetime of the transmission... not the lifetime of the car. Our automatics have a program called DSG on them, which is a short term driving memory feature. In other words the car can briefly remember if your cruising on open highway for extended periods, or if your in traffic for long periods. Its meant to reduce the amount of shifting and hold gears longer while in traffic to reduce transmission wear and this feature alone is why they tout not having to service the lifetime fluid. I was experiencing some rough downshifts... so I drained and cleaned and put in fresh fluid. It did help, and my pan had lots of metallic sediment in it. Ultimately my downshifting problem was the motor mounts and not the transmission itself. I did briefly turn off the DSG setting in vag-com to see how differently it would react. It's like night and day, it drives so much peppier, but ultimately I did turn it back on for fear of causing even more wear and tear.

I can probably find the setting to turn off the DSG if you'd like to try it. Also If you are interested in changing the fluid yourself it isn't a hard job, it does take a good full day possibly a little longer depending on how much you take your time. The hardest part is filling the pan since there isn't a filler tube. I'll have to find where I bought the kit from, but it came with a new filter, gasket, 5 liters of fluid and the hand pump to fill the pan. Everything you need (minus any hand tools) for like $128. My local dealer also told me it was "lifetime fluid" but... they would be more than happy to service it for about +$800.

-Kevin.

Why are they saying "lifetime" fluid when the maintenance manual that came with the car states to change it at 35,000 mile intervals?

Audi is full of contradictions, like the after running for an extended period of time you should let the car sit in idle for 2 minutes to prevent excessive heat build up, but a few pages from that it says do not let the car sit in idle for more than 30-40 seconds to avoid excessive heat build up. WTF?

**gdawg'05a4** · 07-08-2008 01:03 PM

There is nothing in the 2004 maintenance schedule that calls for ATF changes EXCEPT for the Multitronic (CVT) transmission. Tiptronics and Manual transmissions are to be checked for leaks, no fluid replacement.

This doesn't mean that one shouldn't change their tiptronic or manual transmission fluid. By calling for lifetime fluid changes, it saves the manufacturer money. When your transmission fails at 75k miles, there is the lifetime of that fluid, 75k miles.

**A4Avant02** · 07-08-2008 01:17 PM

It all depends upon your view of 'lifetime'.

If you want to keep your vehicle, change that ATF at 60k miles, you'll extend your lifetime.

If you don't plan on keeping it then don't and drive it like you stole it!

**04QuattroTurbo** · 07-08-2008 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by gdawg'05a4

There is nothing in the 2004 maintenance schedule that calls for ATF changes EXCEPT for the Multitronic (CVT) transmission. Tiptronics and Manual transmissions are to be checked for leaks, no fluid replacement.

This doesn't mean that one shouldn't change their tiptronic or manual transmission fluid. By calling for lifetime fluid changes, it saves the manufacturer money. When your transmission fails at 75k miles, there is the lifetime of that fluid, 75k miles.

So the Tipronic doesn't use ATF? That may be the reason why...But there is the "excessive heat" contradiction, nonetheless OT.

**A4Avant02** · 07-08-2008 02:36 PM

TIP does use ATF. Pentosin is the OEM Automatic Transmission fluid that most European manufactures recommend for an automatic transmission. This is what Audi uses for the TIP but NOT for the CVT. I use Pentosin in my TIP.

**04QuattroTurbo** · 07-08-2008 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by A4Avant02

TIP does use ATF. Pentosin is the OEM Automatic Transmission fluid that most European manufactures recommend for an automatic transmission. This is what Audi uses for the TIP but NOT for the CVT. I use Pentosin in my TIP.

So it has to be changed. ATF, is not a grease like the MTF, where you seal it and it will keep working. Generally speaking ATF is a double function fluid. Lubes and cleans. So naturally it will have to be changed.

**topcat** · 07-08-2008 05:37 PM

I've had my fluid changed at 40k and recently again at 80K in my cvt. I would rather pay the $240 now and then instead of neglect and $1000's for a transmission later. Not sure how the quattro tip differs from fwd cvt physically in terms of the drain and fill, but the cvt has a drain plug and fill plug. The fill is done by gravity feed and monitored via vag-com measuring temperature to attain appropriate level. About a hour's job at the dealer. They let me watch, so i pull up a chair and stay out of the way.