Trans filter change or not: high-mileage 2010 Yukon Denali

[2010GMCYD]

These are not Turbo 350s, they can and should be properly serviced to keep the solenoids from tearing apart. It's been 60K since the last fluid change, I would say you are safe to do it again. Mine has been changed twice now by me and the pan has never been off. Next scheduled service is due at around 190K and I promised to drop the pan and change the filter then! Will still replace all of the fluid.

Now, I was getting a little ahead of myself up there in that last paragraph. How does the fluid look and smell? Is it still red or starting to turn brown or brown? Does it smell burnt?

These transmissions self-adjust and a Tech-2 can force an adapts procedure to re-adjust the whole enchilada should it become necessary. We really only do it after a major repair or a tune.

FYI: The manuals refer to dropping the pan and replacing the filter. The shop manual no longer recommends or says this is necessary. Old habits die hard for us DIYers, myself included.

On this and other forums, we see them fail at around 165K if they've never been serviced before, the solenoids need rebuilding which can be done on your kitchen table without removing the transmission. We are seeing them easily run into the 300K mile range and saw one the other day that drove into the shop for an overhaul with 410K on it. The weak link is not the transmission, but rather the torque converter when the trucks are raced or tow regularly, the clutches do fail because of the thin material of the case which then passes through the transmission and ruins everything.

This same transmission is used in the K2s (2015-2020 wagons and 2014-2019 pickups) and many of them fail at around 100K because GM put thermostats on them so they are at 195 degrees all the time which kills them. That and the fact that people don't change the fluids as often as they should (40K).

To answer your question, trans fluid looks clean - light red and smells clean.

 

[ivin74]

You should be safe to do the oil change. I would worry if the oil was brownish.

 

[91RS]

My opinion it is an old wives tale that fluid or filter change damages old transmissions. Probably because so many people have done no maintenance until the tranny starts showing signs of failure, and THEN they do a fluid change and say a prayer.

When it fails they blame the new fluid, when that trans was already on it’s way out from neglect.

Absolutely agree. I changed the filter on my 2012 shortly after we bought it around 175k miles and it has almost 190k on it now and that transmission shifts way better than the one in my 2008 with 40k less miles.

 

[89Suburban]

330k. Wowza. How often has the trans been serviced prior to that?

I have no idea it had 290K when I got it. I don't even know if is is even original or not. I am the 2nd owner. The first owner is a co-worker that bought it new and then it was put into outside sales duty for our company, all highway miles. I am assuming he kept up with all the required maintenance. I just don't have the records.

 

[KS03tahoe]

Have a 2003 Tahoe with 288K, never serviced the trans. So far no issues, lucky I guess.

 

[Xsbank]

Everything mechanical needs servicing. Mercedes said their transmissions were “sealed for life” which is fine while you are on warranty but many failed after and the oil change process needs a dealer with special equipment. Fail. Change the oil and filter. That goes for all the other boxes filled with oil too.