What kind of oil should I put in the automatic transmission? We will analyze TOYOTA, NISSAN, VOLKSWAGEN, CHEVROLET and many others

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Today I want to talk about automatic transmission oil (or transmission fluid). Often we do not know what is being poured into our machines. Sometimes the instructions are lost, and sometimes you just want to know. I would like to note right away that the automatic transmission fluid needs to be changed, and without fail! The correct operation of the mechanism directly depends on its replacement. Some new drivers may buy and fill in the wrong lubricant, and it will simply “kill” the automatic transmission. After all, everything here must be accurate; each manufacturer recommends certain compositions for itself...

I repeat once again, guys - there are no identical oils for automatic transmissions; each manufacturer indicates the required type specifically for your gearbox.

Abbreviation ATF

First, let's talk about oil, or not oil? After all, automatic transmission fluid is often called ATF or Automatic Transmission Fluid - which stands for automatic transmission fluid. But in essence, this is, of course, oil, only with its own fluidity and tolerances; it should be noted that automatic and mechanical fluids are radically different. For mechanics it is much thicker.

Therefore, so that you do not accidentally mix up and pour automatic transmission fluid into the mechanics or engine, almost all manufacturers paint it red.

Why is it important to take only your own tolerances and characteristics?

What I mean is that, for example, with motor oils you can “play around” with tolerances a little, although it is not advisable! Instead of 5W-30, in some cases you can fill in 5W-40, or vice versa.

With an automatic transmission this is categorically excluded! Why? YES, everything is simple, it’s worth remembering how it works , here the main torque is transmitted through a liquid, namely a torque converter. If you fill in a liquid that is even slightly different from the desired characteristics, this can lead to disastrous results. At a minimum, the box will “kick”, at a maximum it may not work at all. So don’t experiment, take “what the doctor ordered.”

How to choose Toyota transmission oil

You need to choose the fluid for your car carefully. First you need to understand what kind of lubricant is right for you. Also decide what additives your car needs. If you choose them correctly, the performance of the mechanisms will improve and the service life will increase.

Let's highlight those that are most popular:

Anti-oxidation and rust . With the help of this additive, the lubricant protects all internal elements of the gearbox from premature wear. In addition, the composition does not produce foam. Toyota transmission oil helps to avoid heavy loads even at high speeds.
Impact protection . Without exception, all lubricants contain additives that help create a dense layer on the surface of the mechanisms. Temperature changes do not in any way affect the chemical components of such additives. They also protect against rapid wear and corrosion.
Mixed additives . Considerable attention is paid to the quality of liquids. Due to fatty synthetic additives, the lubricating properties of the film are improved. As a result, all mechanisms are under reliable protection from various unfavorable factors.

So how do you know what type to fill?

This is quite easy to do, there are several steps:

Look at the automatic transmission dipstick, sometimes the required type is indicated on it
Look under the hood, sometimes the information is printed on a special plate
Read the machine's operating manual; there is often information about oil there.
Call an official dealer
Go online to a specialized forum for your model

To be honest, an instruction manual is enough; in 80% of cases it indicates what liquids, oils and even light bulbs should be used.

However, I will list a small list for popular brands:

Mercedes models use their own transmission fluid, which goes under its own brand, it is called “ATF MERCEDES”. There are a lot of modifications for various machines; you need to choose one specifically for your car.

BMW cars use a fluid under the ZF brand; it is recommended by the manufacturer, and you should not neglect the recommendations. Of course, we again select one for our automatic transmission, because a small car will have one, and a SUV will have another.

VOLKSWAGEN GROUP concern (main cars are Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi) recommends using fluids from its series “G-052, G-053 – G-055”, as well as “ZF” brand oils; on cheap models it is possible to use “ESSO” .

TOYOTA company (these are TOYOTA and LEXUS cars) recommends filling in your own fluids - ATF TOYOTA TYPE. True, they also differ – for Toyota cars there is an abbreviation “T”, for Lexus – “WS”.

Nissan concern (main directions Nissan, Infiniti, Datsun) recommends filling in its own fluid - “ATF” Nissan Matic, it also has its own tolerances depending on the load and class of the car.

Chevrolet company recommends using Dextron 6 oil; it has its own oil, as well as those from other manufacturers. According to reviews and information from the dealer station itself, there are several recommendations, these are Mobil DEXRON-VI ATF and ZIC DEXRON-VI.

KIA and Hyundai are essentially the same concern. Recommendations - you need to fill in ATF of the Hyundai brand, namely Hyundai ATF SP-III, as an analog replacement it is possible to use ZIC ATF SP-III.

Here is just a small list of models and oils that need to be filled into some machines.

What automatic transmissions were installed on the Corolla in the 100th body?

Production of the 7th generation began in 1991. The body style was wide: hatchbacks, sedans, liftbacks, station wagons, and a sports version. Russia saw only a sedan, which still remains one of the most liquid on the secondary market.

The manufacturer assembled its leisurely engines up to 2 liters with the best gearboxes:

Toyota A240L. A unit with electronic control or torque converter locking has been produced since 1984. Morally outdated checkpoints still show miracles of performance, for which they received the title of “indestructible”, “super-reliable”. The A240L four-speed gearbox with a special torque converter produces 186 Nm of torque. Typical breakdowns appear when the car reaches 200 thousand km on the speedometer, but subject to proper operation and oil change in the Toyota Corolla 100 automatic transmission. At the same time, experts advise filling in a high-quality product and at the same time changing used oil filter elements. Gaskets in the valve body can be a source of ATP leakage, which leads to oil starvation of the box.
Toyota A245E. The list of negative aspects of the mechanism is very short: by and large, it does not exist at all. The transmission was developed jointly with AisinWarner, which indicates the excellent technical characteristics and reliability of the unit. The A245E gearbox is designed for front- and all-wheel drive cars with engine capacities from 1.6 to 2.0 liters. The basis of the box is made up of three planetary gearboxes. Of the six clutch packs, half are responsible for the clutch, and the same amount for the brakes. The change of stages and locking of the torque converter are controlled by 4 solenoids installed in the valve body.

Automatic transmission Toyota A240L

The solenoids of the A240 series boxes are made to last: they break only due to natural wear and tear (they can break off inside the coil). Oil leakage is possible at the pump seal.

Is it possible to use analogues?

YES, of course you can, as you can see from the list, I have already indicated that some manufacturers indicate oils from third-party manufacturers, not their own brand. Everything here is natural, because often brands do not produce lubricants themselves, but simply pour them into their own packaging and sell them at a higher price.

Therefore, you need to find out your tolerances and find the same ones only non-original ones, it will also be cheaper. For example, for my AVEO, original GM oil costs about 700 rubles a liter, but if you take Mobil, for example, the price drops to 550 - 600 rubles.

However, it is worth remembering about the quality of the lubricant; the dealer has a high chance that you will buy the original, but there are a lot of fakes in stores.

HOW WE CHECK

We measured the main physical and chemical indicators - viscosity and viscosity index, flash point and pour point - in a certified laboratory. Friction and wear losses were assessed using a friction machine, a device that simulates the operating conditions of various friction pairs. The tests were carried out in two stages. At the first, a model similar to a gear was studied. At the second stage, operating conditions in bearings were simulated. At the same time, friction coefficients, oil heating, and wear of friction pairs were measured. Wear was determined by accurately weighing the parts before and after the test cycle, and for the bearing model - also by the hole method. This is when, before testing, a hole of a fixed size is cut on the working surface of the sample, in the area most susceptible to wear, and at the end of the tests, the change in its diameter is recorded. The more it increases, the higher the wear.

Tests for each fluid at one and the other stages lasted a long time: one hundred thousand load cycles for the bearing model and fifty thousand for the gear model.

So, where is the best place to buy?

Guys, you should understand - an automatic transmission is very demanding on the quality of the oil, you definitely need to buy high-quality fluid. If you want, the requirements here are much higher than even those of the engine. YES and the replacement interval is much less frequent (about 60 – 70,000 km). So choose wisely.

It’s better to buy from an official dealer, even if it’s more expensive, but there is at least some guarantee that the oil is not fake.

If you still don’t have a dealer in your city (this happens quite often, for example, for American cars), then you should look in large, trusted stores in your city. Perhaps they will show you certificates. I would not buy from small unverified spare parts stores, it is still dangerous.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

We determine the tolerances and characteristics of the liquid. It is necessary! You cannot cast with approximate characteristics. This is dangerous, precision is needed here.
Next, we look for either a dealer or a normal, trusted store. Personally, in our city there is one large one that sells lubricants for many cars (engines and gearboxes) under official contracts.
It is advisable to change the oil along with the filters, and also flush the entire system. It is important. Read more here .

Follow the interval that the manufacturer gave you, and then your automatic transmission will work for many years.

I’ll finish this, I think it was useful, read our AUTOBLOG.

Practical advice on choosing oil in a Toyota automatic transmission

The performance and service life of a Toyota automatic transmission depends on the quality of the fluid. Wanting to save money, drivers buy products from unofficial sellers and end up with fakes. Before purchasing a specific liquid, it is advisable to study the materials “How to distinguish a fake” by cap, neck, label, batch code, etc.

Read

Transmission oil Mobil ATF 220

Original oil

Until 2005, the oil in Toyota automatic transmissions was mineral Type T-IV with high viscosity at 100℃ - 7.21 cSt. The liquid is sold in plastic and tin containers:

vendor code	Volume, container
00279-000Т4	1 l, plastic
08886-81016	1 l, tin
08886-81015	4 l, tin
08886-01705	4 l, tin

Since 2005, Toyota has followed the fashion for dynamic automatic transmissions, and automatic transmissions have switched to “non-replaceable” Type WS synthetics with low viscosity at 100℃ - 5.36 cSt. The operating oil temperature increased to 130℃. If you follow the operating rules of a Toyota Type WS car, it will last 100,000 km before replacement.

Read

Toyota automatic transmission repair

vendor code	Volume, container
08886-81210	1 l, plastic
08886-80807	1 l, tin
08886-02305	4 l, tin

The cost of original Toyota oil for a volume of 4 liters exceeds 3,200 rubles, so drivers switch to analogues. But you need to remember that you cannot mix different liquids, and change only by complete replacement.