Modern "normal" vehicles are engineered to go about 12-14 years or about 130-150k miles. You exceed either of those, or work it hard- like towing, and you will need to spend more money on maintenance. These trucks are basically built to run around empty(like hauling kids to soccer practice) or maybe pulling a light utility trailer or bass boat. every single thing written about these or any other trucks says: you work it hard and you will spend more to keep it running. The fact that they don't have dipsticks, or printed procedures for changing fluid is because they fully expect you to bring it to them for ALL repairs and maintenance. My personal answer to this is to buy 'em new, beat the living crap out of it, and trade it off before it runs out of initial warranty. In the last twenty years, I haven't spent a "repair"dime on anything other than wipers and filters. The next owner gets a real P.O.S., but I get by without spending a dime- other than depreciation.

I have run into this myself. I called two dealers. #1 said they use a flush machine, they don't drop the pan. That's interesting because these transmissions have thermal bypass valves and you can't flush them like transmissions from earlier years. #2 said they've never even had a request for a pan/filter drop, and they can't even find a part number for a trans. filter for these trucks. :eek:

Total and complete incompetence and no understanding of their own product. It's pathetic.

So yes, the best thing to do is drop the pan yourself or hire an independent shop to do it, clean the pan and magnet, replace the filter, and fill with Mercon LV to the proper level using the little dipstick on the passenger side front. It's a crappy job, but I'm going to do it myself I think and get it done right.

I'd listen to a Vaccuum Salesman tell me what to do on my vehicle before a Car Salesman.

Honestly, the cost of the fluid changes just don't justify the benefits anymore. It is nothing to get 300,000 miles out of a transmission and NEVER have it serviced. Or you could pay $100-$200 every 30,000-50,000 miles and get 350,000 miles before you need to replace it. The money you spent on servicing just doesn't add that much to the life of the components. You'd spend 1/2 the cost of a new transmission just to get a few more miles out of it.

I don't believe that applies to engine oil. But most folks still change oil about twice as often as they really need to.

I have run into this myself. I called two dealers. #1 said they use a flush machine, they don't drop the pan. That's interesting because these transmissions have thermal bypass valves and you can't flush them like transmissions from earlier years. #2 said they've never even had a request for a pan/filter drop, and they can't even find a part number for a trans. filter for these trucks.

Total and complete incompetence and no understanding of their own product. It's pathetic.

So yes, the best thing to do is drop the pan yourself or hire an independent shop to do it, clean the pan and magnet, replace the filter, and fill with Mercon LV to the proper level using the little dipstick on the passenger side front. It's a crappy job, but I'm going to do it myself I think and get it done right.

I told him when I dropped it off I wanted a new filter, he gave me the line (which may be true) we use detergents that completely clean it. 30-40k I'm going to drop pan, replace filter and clean. I do believe the synthetic fluids today are good for long periods. It's shocking what you said your experience was.

I partially agree, the fluids are very good today. Years ago when everyone had their oil changed at 3k miles dad told me something. He was a college professor and another professor that taught auto mechanics and kept up with new research said a test was done and after, I don't remember 100k or 200k, one car had oil changed every 3k and the other every 9k. After 200k when they tore the engine apart there was NO DIFFERENCE in the wear between the cars. This was like 25 years ago. These independent manufacturers have to be making long lasting good quality fluids with the technology that's out there.

You must drive a lot or like wasting money!

on these transmissions im more concerned with getting metal particles out. Cleaning the magnet and replacing the filter is the real reason to service the trans. i cant fathom driving a pickup truck for 300k and never doing that.

Think about this...what is a filters job? It's to catch particulates and gunk, right? If you flush the trans with a machine, are you not just causing the filter to get plugged up faster? Hence, all the stories we've heard about transmission failures following flush service at high mileage.

There is a $20 replaceable filter there because it needs to be replaced. There's a magnet there to aid the filter. It needs to be cleaned. The transmission fluid doesn't change from red to brown for no reason..It does that because it's full of contaminates.

Can a transmission possibly last a long time being neglected? Yes. Will it last even longer if serviced properly? Yes.

^Agreed, My father always changed his oil filter every 3 months and top off of oil, complete drain of oil and filter every 6 months, spring and fall. The transmission fluid and filter was changed every 5 years along with the differential drained and refiled. He never had any of these components fail engine, transmission, or rear-end (Including axial bearings) and some of his vehicles had 300,000+ miles on them. That is not to say he did not rebuild engines but the most he ever went was .020 over during the rebuild. So yes you take care of your vehicle and it will be reliable.