Should i flush the transmission fluid at the dealer or drain and refill?

[Chloe88]

I’m trying to decide if I should get the transmission fluid in my 2015 sedan flushed at the dealership or just have them do a simple drain and refill. I’ve heard a full flush can sometimes cause problems with older solenoids if the fluid change is too aggressive, but I’m not sure if that’s just a myth for modern cars.

[Nathan_M]

I did a simple drain and refill on my older sedan and it seemed fine after. Shifts were the same and there wasn’t any noticeable sloppiness. I did hear folks warn that a full flush can push sludge into valve bodies or unsettled solenoids, especially if the fluid is old, though I’m not sure how true that is for newer designs. If your car is running well, the conservative choice feels less risky.

[Scott_C]

I tried a flush once on another car with miles, and it did feel smoother for a couple days, then it started acting a bit off when it warmed up. The shop said that was just normal, but I ended up going back to a drain and refill and never did another flush.

[JosephL]

A lot of the chatter around this stuff sounds like marketing to me. I keep thinking the real issue might be age, not the method. Sometimes a simple change is fine, sometimes you notice other symptoms you didn’t notice before. Do you know what your specific model suggests for service?

[AddisonR]

I’d call the dealer and ask them exactly what their flush involves: are they replacing a filter, how much old fluid they push out, and what the price includes. It’s tempting to pick the cheaper option, but with a car this age I’d want to know what happens if something goes wrong.