I recently came across an article I wrote back in 2017 for our Facebook page. Reading it again reminded me just how relevant it still is today. So I decided to publish it here on the blog, exactly as it was, without rewriting it or adapting it to the usual blog format. Enjoy! 🙂
Once again, we're tackling the subject of automatic gearbox oil changes, because we keep hearing stories about gearboxes failing shortly after an oil change.
When I ask customers who've had their gearbox oil changed shortly before coming to us, "What oil did they use?", 90% reply, "It was some kind of ATF..." But was it genuine oil? Was it selected using the VIN? "Well, no, it was some universal oil from FEBI or SWAG." Here's my question: if we have six different types of genuine oil labelled ATF in our workshop alone, each intended for a different generation of gearbox, and the VAG Group specifies more than 18 types of ATF, why is anyone surprised when their gearbox fails? Especially when the people servicing these gearboxes and selling the consumables seem to think there's only one type of ATF (automatic transmission fluid), available in different colours depending on the software version.
Some time ago, we had a customer who'd had his gearbox oil changed by someone who'd mixed several different oils himself, supposedly according to the gearbox code, and insisted that genuine oil should never be used.
I've also included a photo showing different oils, all labelled ATF despite differences in their type and composition. My advice is to stick to the genuine oil specified for your particular gearbox.