Should I change my transmission fluid?

[donsmrs]

I recently purchased a used 2010 Expedition with 80K miles on it. Transmission shifts fine but should I go ahead and get the fluid and filter replaced, since it's been 10 years?

I have always had mine changed every 18-20 months since most of my driving is local. My most recent Expedition had 63,000 miles on it when I bought it. Since I did not know how those 63,000 miles were accrued, I had the garage change the transmission filter and fluid and the oil and oil filter. I have had Fords since 1983, drove them all for at least 160,000 miles apiece and have never had to have a transmission replaced. It was on advice from a shade tree mechanic in 1978, and it's been good advice for me, anyway.

 

[07navi]

I put it on 4 steel portable ramps to get it level an used a plastic storage container for the fluid, it's high and big enough to easily catch all the fluid. Mine is the German made one so not even a tiny dipstick. It's not necessary to get the temp perfect when checking it, just warm to the touch is fine. I bought one of those red pumps from Amazon to refill it and it all worked out quite well. I will do it again in 30k miles. Shame on the engineers for eliminating the drains in the converter and pan. My Excursion had both of those.

 

[Trainmaster]

I don't know of a pan that large.

I use a small black plastic concrete mixing tub, $6 at Home Depot.

If you're a real slob, the larger, 12 gallon one is $12. And you can lay cardboard under it just in case you do what I do and spill it somehow anyway.

 

[07navi]

I use a small black plastic concrete mixing tub, $6 at Home Depot.

If you're a real slob, the larger, 12 gallon one is $12. And you can lay cardboard under it just in case you do what I do and spill it somehow anyway.

I had a couple of those large plastic storage containers laying around which worked quite well because they are only a few inches from the bottom of the trans.