Should I Change My Car’s Transmission Fluid?

I’ve got a Mercury Grand Marquis with 74,000 miles on it. I’ve put about 6,000 of those miles on it since I bought it used. A few weeks ago, a technician at the place where I get my oil changed told me my transmission fluid smelled ‘burnt’ and that I should think about getting it changed.

Unfortunately, that place doesn’t mess with transmissions, so I’d have to find somewhere else to do it. My transmission is smooth and trouble-free. I love this car and I intend to keep it as long as possible, so I don’t want to mess it up. I cannot afford a replacement and I depend on my car as a college student.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many shops in town that I trust, simply because I’ve had bad experiences with them on relatively minor operations.

Should I get the transmission fluid changed, and is there any specific way it should be changed? I’ve heard horror stories about transmission on Grand Marquis getting messed up by the air machines they use to flush out the transmission. Thank you and God bless!

Hi Gene,

Hummmmm. Well the transmissions are a weak link on these vehicles (great vehicle overall though) so you are going to take a small risk in servicing it.

Personally, I think I would take the risk though if you are not experiencing issues. I would rather try to prevent future problems and extend the transmission life as far as possible.

I’m an old school guy and prefer to drop the transmission pan and replace the internal filter as well as the fluid.

Just about any repair shop can do that. I would ask them to inform you of there is excessive metal shavings in the pan just so you know what to expect.

Lucas (and many other brands) make good transmission fluid additives just make sure they are for your exact fluid type. Ask the shop if they sell one and have them add it during the repair just as insurance for future wear.

God bless you as well, have a great day.

Please share this with your friends
Austin Davis

Mr. Davis:

Thank you so much for your quick response! I really appreciate you sharing your wisdom with me. What you said reinforced what my gut instinct was telling me…

I think servicing the transmission is worth the risk, especially before it’s too late and I start experiencing issues. I’ll start asking around to find a reputable shop to do the work for me right away. Again, thank you so much and God bless!

Sincerely,

Gene