Transmission Fluid Location? Where?

[swank]

Need to find where to put transmission fluid in on my 94 318i. Anyone?

Thanks

[BenRaty]

I spoke with my local BMW dealership/service center about this yesterday and, according to them, the automatic transmission comes with "lifetime fluid" which means, as I understood it, that the average Joe can't simply drain or refill his transmission fluid. This didn't sound right to me, so I'm throwing this question in with yours. Does anyone know for certain?

[Autotechnica]

It isn't easy, and I could understand why BMW would recommend against doing it yourself, it's very messy. You will require a pump to pump the new tranny fluid in. The tranny fluid drain plug is located towards the middle bottom of the car right behind the oil pan drain plug. It's parallel to the ground. The tranny fluid fill hole is located in the same area. However, it's perpendicular to the gound which means you MUST use a pump to fill the tranny fluid.

It uses 1.5L. The second problem is this. When you jack up the car the car is at an angle. Unless you have a hoist this is going to be difficult. You should fill the tranny fluid in till it overflows out of the fill hole. However, when the car is jacked up the fill level will not be accurate. If you really must do this yourself. Buy a syphon pump for gasoline from a local auto store (I found one at Canadian Tire for $2). However, if it wasn't an emergeny, I'd pay the $30 for a local shop to do it for me.

Bry

[bitcore]

Word.
Any shop can do this for you, you dont have to go to the dealer to change ATF fluid.

[BenRaty]

That's good to hear, but I can't find a shop willing to do it. Every one of them has claimed it's a non-servicable part, and then repeat roughly the same thing the BMW dealership told me. I've never owned a vehicle that didn't require upkeep on the transmission, so this all strikes me as bizarre.

[e36_m3_Turbo]

There is no way that tranny fluid would last a "lifetime"

[BlantonG13]

Some mechanics are afraid of BMWs cause they are different in a lot of ways when compared to your average GM or Japanese import. They aren't generic. Some people must be rather stupid. Its practically impossible to have anything on a car that doesn't need a little bit of maintanence, especially if it is mechanical.

Go run those idiots over with your car and show them the bottom of your tranny

[bitcore]

Originally posted by e36_m3_Turbo@Jun 15 2004, 01:46 PM
There is no way that tranny fluid would last a "lifetime"

Why does BMW reccomend not changing it? the sheer pain in the ass factor?

I get it, that dealership wants the tranny to fail so you buy a new one... Bastards!

[BenRaty]

All very good questions, and I wish I had an answer to them. If any of you happen to live in the DC area and can recommend a mechanic to me who is willing to do that sort of work I'd be appreciative.