2009 328i Manual Transmission Fluid + Final Drive Unit Change Interval?

[grahamggg]

I did a search and I was surprised to find nothing on this subject...

Does anyone know the recommended interval for these fluid changes or if there even is one?

I'd rather not hear any opinions or any recommendations from "Mike's Old Fashion Maintenence Manual" or something like that...I'd like to get the BMW recommended interval or something from a service manual.

I've looked in the owners manual and obviously there is nothing on the subject. Also, the little maintenance booklet that comes with the car that you can use to keep track of your maintenance does not even list these as maintenance items...

[Pyewacket69]

I did a search and I was surprised to find nothing on this subject...

Does anyone know the recommended interval for these fluid changes or if there even is one?

I'd rather not hear any opinions or any recommendations from "Mike's Old Fashion Maintenence Manual" or something like that...I'd like to get the BMW recommended interval or something from a service manual.

I've looked in the owners manual and obviously there is nothing on the subject. Also, the little maintenance booklet that comes with the car that you can use to keep track of your maintenance does not even list these as maintenance items...

Since you aren't interested in opinions, I would suggest you contact your nearest BMW dealership service department to get the actual BMW recommendations. Forums are, if nothing else, full of opinions, and not always the best places to get the facts.

[cochise325]

Bavarian Auto (bavauto.com) has a very good maintenance schedule available for free. They also have nice diy videos to help you perform routine service. I always do more frequent fluid changes in my vehicles because my goal is to make them last forever. I like to be able to get 250k miles out of a car, and to get that kind of service life, you need to take very good care of it.

[Critter7r]

i really don't think BMW has an actual replacement intervals for those fluids anymore. The M-cars are the only ones that even make mention of those fluids in their maintenance schedules.

Back in the day, cars got diff fluid at Inspection 2, which was usually around 60k miles. And I think that manual trans fluid was recommended at 100k.

[ndog14]

Mike Miller recommends... oh wait. Never do it. Mike Miller is full of shit. Those fluids are lifetime. They never need to be change, ever. Never, ever ever change them. NEVER!!!

[NFerber]

Mike Miller is just another person with another opinion. People just latch onto his nuts because they think it makes them cool and in the know. He is no different then all the other opinions on the forum.

[Pyewacket69]

Mike Miller is just another person with another opinion. People just latch onto his nuts because they think it makes them cool and in the know. He is no different then all the other opinions on the forum.

Excepting he has far more BMW experience than the average poster here. So, in that regard, his opinion is nothing like the majority of opinions posted here.

[Pyewacket69]

i really don't think BMW has an actual replacement intervals for those fluids anymore. The M-cars are the only ones that even make mention of those fluids in their maintenance schedules.

Back in the day, cars got diff fluid at Inspection 2, which was usually around 60k miles. And I think that manual trans fluid was recommended at 100k.

Just checked my 2010 Bentley E90 service manual, and the wording used is something like "the fluids in both the automatic and manual transmission, and differential units, is considered by BMW to be a LIFETIME fill".

Or, in other words, when the unit fails, its lifetime is over.... Whether that happens at 50 or 250K miles.

So, if you believe the lubrication qualities of the fluids in your car's differential and transmission are FOREVER, then you need do nothing.

[cochise325]

yeah why bother fussing over this well built german car. Just run it into the ground and when it fails blow some big bucks on another one. It is good for the economy if you buy a new one more frequently. And we are counting on you to stimulate the economy.........

[Critter7r]

Just checked my 2010 Bentley E90 service manual, and the wording used is something like "the fluids in both the automatic and manual transmission, and differential units, is considered by BMW to be a LIFETIME fill".

Or, in other words, when the unit fails, its lifetime is over.... Whether that happens at 50 or 250K miles.

...


When BMW originally came out with "Lifetime Fill" trans fluid, it was recommended that it be changed at 100,000 miles. These days, I equate lifetime fluids to 100,000 miles.

[Pyewacket69]

When BMW originally came out with "Lifetime Fill" trans fluid, it was recommended that it be changed at 100,000 miles. These days, I equate lifetime fluids to 100,000 miles.

That's a reasonable understanding, IMO.

Personally, I change fluids at a much lower mileage interval, but I tend to keep my cars for longer periods than most others, and I don't put as many miles on my cars as lots of drivers do, either. Many of my fluid change intervals are time based, rather than mileage based.

[grahamggg]

Just checked my 2010 Bentley E90 service manual, and the wording used is something like "the fluids in both the automatic and manual transmission, and differential units, is considered by BMW to be a LIFETIME fill".

Or, in other words, when the unit fails, its lifetime is over.... Whether that happens at 50 or 250K miles.

So, if you believe the lubrication qualities of the fluids in your car's differential and transmission are FOREVER, then you need do nothing.


Thank you for your input, this is what I was looking for. I am most likely going to equate the word "lifetime" to 100k miles.

[grahamggg]

Just checked my 2010 Bentley E90 service manual, and the wording used is something like "the fluids in both the automatic and manual transmission, and differential units, is considered by BMW to be a LIFETIME fill".

Or, in other words, when the unit fails, its lifetime is over.... Whether that happens at 50 or 250K miles.

So, if you believe the lubrication qualities of the fluids in your car's differential and transmission are FOREVER, then you need do nothing.

I just purchased a Bentley manual... and my book says:

Auto trans fluid to be replaced every 100k, manual trans and differential fluid are both lifetime.