Has anyone else out there recently had their transmission flushed? Did you have the filter changed as well?

Recently hit 70k in my '08 JKU Rubicon and when getting my oil changed I asked the kwik kar about getting my transmission flushed and having the filter changed but they were wanting to charge me $289!!? I feel like that's a bit steep.

Would appreciate some others advice and what I should expect to pay? Thanks!

 

Do it yourself for free. A 10 yr old girl could do it. Just look in project jk write ups.

 

I'm assuming you have an auto...check it out:
Project-JK.com - Jeep JK Wrangler Resource » Jeep JK Wrangler 42RLE Automatic Transmission Service

Or a 6-spd...did this last year with mine:
Project-JK.com - Jeep JK Wrangler Resource » Jeep JK Wrangler NSG-370 Manual Transmission Service

 

It's not a JK, but I recently had the fluid/filter changed in my Grand Cherokee (WJ). I normally do work myself (to the limits of my tools, knowledge, and time) but transmissions are something that I hate to do -- not because I don't know how, but because it always takes me twice as long to clean up the mess than it does to do the actual job (for some reason I always manage to miss the catch pans under the transmission when I drain the fluid). But I digress.

I took my WJ to the dealer and asked them to change the fluid/filter in the transmission. They told me that they don't change filters anymore, they just do this special flush, because the filters don't need to be changed anymore. I pointed out that when Jeep built the vehicle, the OM stated that the transmission fluid and filter needed to be changed every 30K miles and asked when the "magic Jeep fairy" somehow managed to swing by my house and replace the transmission and filter with a lifetime one?

I got the service done (filter replaced and fluid changed), but they didn't want to give it to me for the flush price (which I believe was 99 bucks), even after I pointed out the bullshit they were trying to feed me. It cost me 249 bucks (filters, fluid, permatex and labor).

I don't think they were too happy with me, but I don't care. This dealership has a great parts department (they actually know WTF they're talking about), a great sales department that will bend over backwards for you years after the sale (and they have gone out of their way for me more than once -- I've lost count of the number of free things they've done for me and had billed to "sales" and the number of parts/accessories that I purchased for the sales price instead of retail. Of course, I've bought a lot of cars from them, too -- same salesperson for all but one.

The service, department, on the other hand, will try to sell you synthetic blinker fluid at 35/quart and keep a straight face the entire time.

 

I had mine serviced last week and only dropped the pan and changed the filter.

The dealer offered two options

1) flush but no filter change ( they don't drop the pan on this option but all the fluid is changed

2) drop the pan and change the filter. Refill the fluid which ends up to be about half of the transmissions fluid

The 40k service that was suggested was option two so I had my private mech do the work @ $165 bucks with the mopar filter and fluid

Hope that helps

 

Thanks for the info. So it looks as though it will cost me $250 if I want fluid and filter change... Does anyone have any opinions on doing just the flush to save some money?

 

I'd definitely go for option 2 if I could find someone to do it for $165!!! Problem is finding a good mechanic

 

I am not a fan of flushes. More personal preference on my end. I had one shop talk me into performing it on a car I had......... they ended up flushing the power steering thinking they had connected up to the transmission cooler lines. Never again for me.

Just dropped the pan and replaced the filter on my wifes AWD BMW. Really wasn't bad at all. And that's one of those vehicles without a dipstick (and WITH a semi-elaborate fill process).

 

I've never had a flush done. I've always dropped the pan and changed the filter.

I guess, you could always do it twice and it would be almost a flush.

 

I did mine at 40k. used the write-up, easy as using a easy bake oven.