I have a few concerns like, how did they know it's time to do a tranny fluid flush if they were just looking at tires? Did they inspect the fluid? Is it really dark red in color?
Almost sounds like they're just wanting to put their new machine to use. I'd take it to your reputable shop to have them look at it.
And yes you probably should do a filter change when changing the fluid, not sure about the transmission in your newer impala but for the 8th gens we are advised strongly to not get our transmissions flushed and to do a simple pan drop and change fluid/filter that way.

 

not sure about the transmission in your newer impala but for the 8th gens we are advised strongly to not get our transmissions flushed and to do a simple pan drop and change fluid/filter that way.

Who is recommending this ? A pan drop will only get about 30% of the fluid out, 70% of the fluid is in the torque converter.

It is my understanding that the 6T70 does not have a replaceable filter. Also the pan is now located vertically on the side of the transmission, not the bottom. I looked at mine when I did my last oil change and noticed that there appears to be a drain plug in the trans, something not seen in decades. Unfortunately there is still no way to drain the torque converter like the old rwd cars so having the dealer or shop flush with a machine may be the only way to completely change the fluid.

 

I'm sorry you may have misunderstood, I'm not completely sure how the 9th gen impalas do with transmission flushes but I know for a fact a transmission flush in a 8th gen will cause issues. It's been noted but I was more concerned with the tire shop trying to screw our guy into milking more money out of him, that's why i recommended he take it to his reputable transmission shop for further review.

 

GM does NOT recommend flushing any automatic transmission (read your vehicle owner's manual). GM also considers anything other than clean ATF to be a contaminant if introduced into the transmission (such as BG cleaning fluids used in the transmission flush).

The automatic transmission on the 9th generation Impala must be removed from the vehicle to access the interior filter.

 

what exactly happens when a dealer flushes the trans?

 

The dealer disconnects the transmission cooler lines and hooks them to a machine that pumps a cleaner through the transmission and then follows with new ATF.

The flush machines are a big money maker for the dealers and is easier than pan removal draining / refilling (except the new 6-speed transmissions).

I always thought it was ironic that "authorized" GM dealers use the flush machines which are contrary to the service advice provided by GM.

 

Do not let anyone flush your transmission, this will likely cause operability issues and possibly component failure. Normal recommended service is fluid drain and fill every 45K miles. A filter replacement, not likely a requirement under normal use, is an off vehicle service procedure so don't worry about that.

 

Dexron VI is almost like a synthetic in properties, so no need to worry either.

 

was trying to look in manual to see what it says other than change fluid and found this

OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics will
perform a vehicle check every
month. It will check the engine,
transmission, antilock brakes, and
major vehicle systems.

onstar checks the trans? wow. that is amazing. how does it do that.

sounds like when i call my trans guy i at least am armed with some info. seems like flush is no no and hopefully they just drop pan

 

Do not let anyone flush your transmission, this will likely cause operability issues and possibly component failure. Normal recommended service is fluid drain and fill every 45K miles. A filter replacement, not likely a requirement under normal use, is an off vehicle service procedure so don't worry about that.

The only problem I have with just a drain and fill, is that only 30 to 40 percent of the fluid sits in the pan/case, the rest is in the torque converter. In the old days there was a pipe plug on the torque converter that was accessed by removing the flywheel access plate. This is long gone now, especially on FWD vehicles. How does one get the converter to drain the remaining 60 to 70 percent of the fluid with out a machine ? Just a drain and fill is only changing a percentage of the fluid. The torque converter has a check valve in it so it will not drain back.

 

Does the fluid from the torque converter get mixed in with the new fluid after doing a pan drop? Or is contained to only the torque converter?
I did a pan and filter change on my old 07 and I drained at least 7 qts. The other day I checked my fluid and the transmission fluid was still red almost like new, so to my knowledge al the old fluid had been drained. The f!uid that I drained out initially was definitely dark as hell. If any of the fluids had mixed I'd think I would be able to tell some what of a difference but I maybe wrong.

 

It's too bad the transmission flush machines don't send fresh Dexron VI to push out the old fluid. The cleaners can't be good for the transmissions.

 

It wouldn't be difficult to build your own.
A 2 gallon tank for fresh transmission fluid with a shutoff valve and a hose barb.
A custom fresh fluid to transmission return line.
A catch can, steel line and, hose to go on the output of the transmission cooler.

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Does the fluid from the torque converter get mixed in with the new fluid after doing a pan drop? Or is contained to only the torque converter?
I did a pan and filter change on my old 07 and I drained at least 7 qts. The other day I checked my fluid and the transmission fluid was still red almost like new, so to my knowledge al the old fluid had been drained. The f!uid that I drained out initially was definitely dark as hell. If any of the fluids had mixed I'd think I would be able to tell some what of a difference but I maybe wrong.

No, the transmission oil pump is constantly circulating the fluid so it can get cooled, if not the torque converter would over heat quickly, as much of the heat is generated in the converter. Fluid must be passed through the trans cooler and back in again. How much the converter holds depends on its thickness and outer diameter. The converter has a check valve that will not allow it to drain back when the engine is not running, if not, you would have to wait for it to fill every time you started the car. It is supposed to stay full all the time.

 

I've observed that this is an endless debate which is discussed on forums of most or all vehicle makes. In my experience, most manufacturers will advise against the machine flushes but dealers which have bought the flush equipment usually recommend the machine flush. My take is that dealers care mostly about their income statements and dealer recommendations may be at odds with factory recommendations if they don't help the "bottom line". I personally would not have mine flushed with the dealer's flushing machine if mileage goes beyond 40 to 50k.

If I were doing the pan drop method, I'd change it 3 times to remove most of the old fluid. If the filter is near-impossible to replace, it's probably not designed to clog or require replacement.

 

There are actually videos on YouTube that show you how you can "flush" your own transmission with just transmission fluid (basically, just to get all of the old fluid out and replace with new fluid. Honestly, it didn't look all that hard to do. Since my 2012 has a drain plug, I'm just going to change it every 30k-40k miles and not worry about getting every little bit out though...

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I have read a decent amount of this thread and i too am thinking i should replace the transmission fluid when i change the oil. I do not regret purchasing my impala but ever since i have bought it there have been such small details that just grind my gears but either way im sticking them through and making the best. My transmission when im going at very low speeds tends to jump or do like a studder like its not a smooth 1 to 5mph ride. This is what leads me to think i have to change the transmission fluid. Any opinions?

 

If it makes you feel better just drain and fill once a year during an oil change. It'll be overkill but far less expensive than a useless "flushing" which is really designed to empty your wallet more than help your transmission. The trans is a closed system so contaminants are not a huge concern, the fluid will break down over time so it's worth swapping some on a regular basis. According to the specification the V6 trans requires 7.5-9.5 quarts of fluid following a full overhaul or 4.2-6.3 quarts for a drain and fill. While some fluid is left behind in the torque converter swapping yearly the fluid will stay plenty fresh. That's why the recommended fluid service is every 45,000 miles.

To chevy.million.mike, unless something drastic is happening I wouldn't worry. My 2011 Silverado is the first vehicle I've had with a six speed slush box and it's always acted that way. Going on 60,000 miles and I still haven't swapped the fluid because there's no drain plug and the fluid still looks clean on the dipstick.

 

I'll do this also every few years. My understanding is that most of the fluid gets drained with just a drain and fill, esp if you raise up one side of the car before changing the fluid. The procedure looks easy, just unscrew the drain plug, let the fluid drain. Then replace with fresh Dexron VI with an amount slightly less (perhaps half a quart less) than what came out, drive for half an hour to get the fluid to operating temp, check the fluid level and top off if necessary. I'll be using a new drain plug.

 

Is there a drain plug on the 9th gen ?

 

Yes, I was stunned when I discovered this!

 

wait so we do have a plug? well if so then i have no problem doing it myself. my 87 caprice trans lasted over 300K so i expect this one to last just as long

 

Yes you got a plug.
Do it up! :lol:

 

biggest fear is not filling properly. guess i can dump it all in a pan then fill up quart bottles to see how much came out and then add that back. i never lifted it out but we just have a fill tube right? or is there a dipstick in there?

reason i ask is cause they are clear in the manual that checking the fluid is something that only those with superpowers can do.

 

i guess i jinxed myself. i imagine i have a slip between 1 and 2 sometimes. but maybe ill chalk it up to traction control

 

So for anyone who has/had a 2012 Impala and has AT experience, if you could confirm this:

I have 3 gallons (12qt) of AC Delco DEX VI ATF

I will be draining out my trans fluid through the drain plug in the bottom front of the vehicle

and since my filter is an internal one and the vehicle has 69k on it and hasn't had an ATF change yet I will drain the fluid on a completely cold system early morning

measure what came out

and fill the new fluid through the top where the ATF dipstick is?

drive for about a week/few days

and repeat this procedure for a more thorough drain and fill.

Does this sound right and is there anything I am missing?

Also if I drive 10k a year how often should I do this procedure? I try to treat her like a queen so no number is too low in my case

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As a reputable master tech....do not flush a tranny with a machine esp if its approaching 100k +....better off dropping the pan and filter and replacing the fluid you lise that way.

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Do you have a 3.6 or 3.9 motor in the 2012?

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3.6 and im doing this by hand no machines I just wanted to confirm I am doing this right

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Nvm 2012 only had the 3.6

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On the bottom of tranny is a small plug 12 or 13 mm. Drain fluid from there( car must be at operating temp for best drain

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I pmd you akm47

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