What color should automatic transmission fluid be?

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Mar 20, 2012 | 08:07 AM

Huskerbob

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AudiWorld Senior Member

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From: North Carolina

What color should automatic transmission fluid be?

I have searched the site and find conflicting information. One guy says if automatic transmission fluid is black the transmission is toast and then I read where it should be black or dark brown. Mine is on the dark brown side. With 112,000 on the clock and not exactly sure what the "transmission service" at 76,000 at the dealer consisted of should I go ahead with the fluid and filter change now? I contacted the dealer but they could only tell me that it was serviced. Transmission seems fine and no codes only an occasional little clunk upon downshifiting. Thanks.

Mar 20, 2012 | 09:54 AM

NJA642

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Joined: Nov 2007

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Mine was brown-ish/black-ish the first time I changed it & my trans has been fine since. Felt a slight difference in shifts after the change (smoother). Nearest I could tell the fluid was yellow when it was new from the factory. Pentosin I used was red, so next change I imagine will be a brown color regardless.

Prevailing recommendation on here is to change fluid & filter every 30-50K, clean the pan, but *no* fluid flush.

Mar 20, 2012 | 11:33 AM

jseklund

AudiWorld Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2009

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No worries - I believe the original audi fluid in the tranny was yellow-ish, but tranny fluid is typically red.

Changing the fluid/filter is good and won't hurt anything - at 112,000 it's due.

Mar 20, 2012 | 04:49 PM

bigdadi

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Joined: Sep 2010

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From: Boston, MA USA

I heard Mobil one ATF matches Audi / VW transmission oil number (ESSO LT 71141) G 052 162 A1
That is ZF tranny said what my 3.0L needs to use.

http://www.zf.com/na/content/media/u...s/5HP19FLA.pdf
Mobil
http://www.imperialoil.ca/Canada-Eng...ehicle_ATF.pdf
Valvoline - MaxLife ATF
http://www.nordiques.com/pieces/imag...huiletrans.pdf
MOYUL
http://www.motul.com/system/product_...pdf?1290086772

Last edited by bigdadi; Mar 20, 2012 at 05:13 PM.

Mar 20, 2012 | 04:56 PM

gabe05

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Joined: Mar 2012

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hello everyone i'm new on this forum and i'm in a serious need of help, today i tried to change just the fluid transmission of my '98 audi a4 1.8t quattro, i was doing this by following the manual, i believe i have a automatic transaxel which according to the manual that's where the filling hole is, but when ever i try to put in the fluid it just comes out like it's already full, it would take in a little bit more when it's in reverse, what am i doing wrong? also i already drained the old fluid