New transmission break in period?

[Dice144]

How long should my new transmission replacement in my 2008 VW Passat? Buddy told me to baby it for a few weeks and not abuse it like I normally do

Getting great MPG driving like an old man. The new tranny seems sluggish right now tho to shift. Making me want to trade in the VW while the dealers are still offering me something for it.

Guy at work said you have a new transmission. Basically a new car keep it for awhile. 58k miles on motor/car right now.

 

[Rvenger]

500 miles stay under 4k and avoid hard stops.

 

[Dice144]

500 miles stay under 4k and avoid hard stops.

Thank you!

 

[SparkyJJO]

I would suggest not abusing it at all, even after the break in. Abuse leads to breakage, as apparently you found out...

 

[LTC8K6]

I don't know that I'd ever trust a transmission that barely got past 50K miles.

 

[NutBucket]

It's a vw....nuff said!

 

[teong]

Never heard you had to let a transmission break in?? Is it the same for new cars as well?

 

[NutBucket]

New car you're breaking in the engine so same difference. Same idea behind breaking in brakes and clutches.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I would suggest not abusing it at all, even after the break in. Abuse leads to breakage, as apparently you found out...

This is correct answer.

How you treat <insert ANYTHING> is usually how well it will treat you.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I would suggest not abusing it at all, even after the break in. Abuse leads to breakage, as apparently you found out...

It's a VW. I would have been surprised if the transmission lasted much longer than 50,000 miles.

 

[Torn Mind]

Tranny fluid should be changed every 50,000 miles, if not sooner. It should be changed sooner the more severe the work it is placed under.

Engine break-in forces you to baby everything else on the car. So no hard revs, etc.

 

[nerp]

Tranny fluid should be changed every 50,000 miles, if not sooner. It should be changed sooner the more severe the work it is placed under.

Engine break-in forces you to baby everything else on the car. So no hard revs, etc.

Depends on the transmission. Some are fill for life and a drain and fill or flush involves installing an entirely new pan and gasket, among other stuff. The ZF 8-speed transmissions, for example, are not helped with premature flushes and though they say fill for life, mechanics for OEM dealerships that sell cars with the ZF units are being trained that 100,000 miles is about when you want to do a drain and fill and the exact type of fluid must be used. The tolerances in these transmissions are so tight. Anyone who tries to check the fluid level or even find where the heck the drain and fill spots are on a transmission like this will quickly realize you can't treat that transmission like your typical 4- or 5- or even 6-speed automatic. Throwing in the just any ole fluid will destroy it. The best advice is always to check the specific recommended service intervals for the transmission and listen to the advice of an expert who works on those transmissions all the time.

 

[Dice144]

I have been keeping it under 4k (think it redlines at 7k). So been driving a lot less aggressive.

Still itching to toss it/trade it in for a Subaru Legacy or Buick Regal GS. Love the GS interior but love the idea of AWD on the Subaru.

The AWD Buick is out of my price range.

I just don't trust the car anymore. Now it needs brakes...

 

[bamx2]

+1 . I would also change the fluid in a few thousand miles after the rebuild. DIY, use the factory fluid ( although Valvoline Maxlife ATF seems to work OK with some). These VW transmissions are very fragile ( aka "glass") and frequent ATF changes (and even a supplemental ATF cooler) will increase longevity. I suggest 30,000 mi ATF change intervals .

Tranny fluid should be changed every 50,000 miles, if not sooner. It should be changed sooner the more severe the work it is placed under.

Engine break-in forces you to baby everything else on the car. So no hard revs, etc.

 

[bryanl]

Even slightly low fluid level can make an automatic shift, but with a manual first check the clutch adjustment.