It's important to change your transmission fluid, but the type of transmission you have affects your ideal changing interval. If you drive manual, most manufacturers will recommend changing your transmission fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. If you have automatic, you can typically boost that range up to 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
There's no harm in changing your fluid early. Drivers will manual transmissions who put heavy duty use into their vehicles may want to change their fluid every 15,000 miles. Likewise,changing your automatic transmission fluid every 30,000 miles may be necessary under some circumstances.
At the end of the day, consulting your owner's manual or a trained technician is the best course of action to find the precise interval for your vehicle.
Signs You Need to Change Transmission Fluid
The best way to know whether you need to change your transmission fluid is to check it yourself or have a trained technician do it for you. Fresh transmission fluid will typically be bright red, and if yours looks dark brown or blackened, you may want to have your transmission checked out.
A few other signs you need new transmission fluid include: