Should I flush or drain and refill my transmission?

[Penelope.R]

I’m trying to decide if I should get the transmission fluid in my 2015 sedan flushed at the dealership or just have it drained and refilled at my local independent shop. The dealer is pushing their full flush service hard, but I’ve heard a simple drain and fill can be gentler on an older transmission.

[Steven31]

I did a drain and fill at a local shop on an older sedan. It was cheap, and after a few hundred miles it felt normal again. No drama and no weird shifts.

[Oliver_S]

The dealer pushed a flush hard when I asked, but I’d skip it on an old gearbox. A flush can push varnish and debris into seals or places that don’t like it.

[Thomas_T]

I just watched the fluid color and smell for a while. Dark, burnt-looking stuff might improve with a drain and fill, but it won’t fix worn gears. If it shifts smoothly after the drain, you might be fine for a while.

[Hannah20]

Do you know if your car has a transmission filter that might be due, or if it’s already had a flush recently?