I have a 2008 G6 with the 2.4 L 4 cyl. In my owners manual it says to change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions:
− In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
− In hilly or mountainous terrain.
− When doing frequent trailer towing.
− Uses such as found in taxi, police, or delivery service.

Most of my driving is highway (probably 70%) and rarely in "heavy" city traffic.....and being in Canada....it isn't often over 32°C. Does this mean I do not need to change my transmission fluid......ever??? Thanks for you help

If you want to keep your car for a long time, you should keep it changed! Every 50K is the longest interval inbetween changes. 30K is a better schedule for changing the fluid. Auto Trans fluid is the most detergent fluid put into a vehichle and passes through some VERY small passages (size of a pin head in spots) and with it constantly cleaning the molecules are going to get bigger and bigger and begin to build sludge in those passages over time and will eventually cause slipping. Also if you let your fluid go for TOO long you will never be able to change it, because the fluid has accumulated sludge and the new fluid can dislodge the sludge and cause problems. Bottom line: Keep up with your maintenance. Hope this helps with your decision.

Thanks for the reply.....that is what I thought.....but I find it strange that GM would recommend not changing it unless it is in those conditions. I usually find the recommended maintenance to be on the very conservative side with very frequent intervals and numerous items to check and service.

The manual says to change it every 50 000 miles (80 000 km) under those extreme conditions....maybe I will stick with those. Now maybe I am mis reading the manual....but it seems to imply no service at all.

if you really believe in what they say, you need a new car once the warranty is up.

You can check the color of the fluid, it should look like thin cherry cough syrup. If it darker like maple syrup it's probably time to change. It should not have a burnt smell either. A good rule of thumb is to change it and the filter at 50K regardless of it's condition.

I change mine, and I dont claim to know if it is needed or not, but considering it cost $99 without a coupon, and my oil changes every 12k miles cost about the same, I change it. It isnt the most fun thing to spend money on, but once you hit 70+k then you really cant go back and change your mind, do it this time and then if you think it is a waste dont do it next time.

I did the same thing as goufcustom. I waited til 50k and had a reputable company change the filter and fluid. Everything was 98 dollars even. Took about an hour tho, cause we LX9s dont have dip sticks... lol

I need to do this..

Better off doing yourself or taking it somewhere to have it done?

I paid $150 for AAMCO to flush my system and fill it back up. Good service and the most respectable transmission company. I had no worries and backed by a warranty.

Better off taking it to somewhere.

how can i go about checking trans fluid and what color or smells am i lookin for in it

I'm not sure if it's related but I had noticed when I'd changed the transmission oil, the oil gauge on my Cobalt didn't go down (you know 100%,99%....) as quickly. At any rate, I just had the transmission oil changed on my G6 at 38K. Figured it's worth investing in preventive maintenance if you want to keep your car for a long while. But I agree with the other G6 pals here. 50K would make sense.

I did the same thing as goufcustom. I waited til 50k and had a reputable company change the filter and fluid. Everything was 98 dollars even. Took about an hour tho, cause we LX9s dont have dip sticks... lol

yea smooth move huh??

umm...just out of curiousity, are you being a smart ass?

smooth move on putting no dipstick...

ah, thanks for clarifying.:rolleyes: