BillyHW
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey guys,
I've been doing some research on the ZF8's supposedly "lifetime" transmission fluid. I've even scoured some Audi and Bimmer forums for information, so you don't have to.
All of FCA's 2017 owners manuals for the various vehicles that use the ZF8 (i.e. Chrysler 200, RAM 1500 etc.) specify that the ZF8 fluid is lifetime and never needs to be changed. They don't even specify a severe duty fluid change interval for it.
However ZF explicitly recommends a 100,000 km or 8 year (whichever comes first) fluid change schedule on their website here:
https://www.zf.com/usa_canada/en_us...s_corporate/how_to_change_oil/change_oil.html
And here's a video from the ZF YouTube channel which confirms the same thing:
By the way, the oil pan and fluid are expensive parts, and the procedure to change the fluid isn't the simplest. The whole job is going to cost about ~$1000 USD to ~$1500 CAD from the dealership.
Also please notice in the video that they are doing just a drain and refill (along with oilpan/filter change), rather than a full flush.
I've been doing some research on the ZF8's supposedly "lifetime" transmission fluid. I've even scoured some Audi and Bimmer forums for information, so you don't have to.

All of FCA's 2017 owners manuals for the various vehicles that use the ZF8 (i.e. Chrysler 200, RAM 1500 etc.) specify that the ZF8 fluid is lifetime and never needs to be changed. They don't even specify a severe duty fluid change interval for it.
However ZF explicitly recommends a 100,000 km or 8 year (whichever comes first) fluid change schedule on their website here:
https://www.zf.com/usa_canada/en_us...s_corporate/how_to_change_oil/change_oil.html
And here's a video from the ZF YouTube channel which confirms the same thing:
By the way, the oil pan and fluid are expensive parts, and the procedure to change the fluid isn't the simplest. The whole job is going to cost about ~$1000 USD to ~$1500 CAD from the dealership.
Also please notice in the video that they are doing just a drain and refill (along with oilpan/filter change), rather than a full flush.
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