How do I know when I should change my transmission fluid? I’ve had the car for a year now but I only drive it like 2-3 times a month.

 

Though the trans was presented as "sealed for life", the consensus is that it should be changed at 60-80k miles. Not sure about a time requirement. Changing it requires replacing the pan, and filling is a bit fiddly.

 

The recommendation from ZF is every 70,000 miles.

 

I plan to have mine done this month, at 95k miles. My dealer resisted when I asked a year or two ago, but a local Indy knows how to change the ZF fluid. TheRock here has a good write up if you want to change it yourself. Requires an OBD scanner that can display transmission fluid temp.

Here’s the procedure, if you’re interested…
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cfr7s...=8qzmtgbv&dl=0

 

We had success measuring transmission temp by simply measuring the case temperature with an touchless infrared laser pyrometer.

The worst thing about the process was burning myself on the HOT exhaust, which is really close to the fill hole! (I have a 4-post lift in my garage, too)

 

Get Torque with the PIDS and a Bluetooth dongle to measure trans temps - Custom PIDs for Torque App - oil temp, oil level, trans temp, and more | Jaguar Forum

 

totally agree with this as same thing happened to me. Everything was easy up to having to put on the fill plug.

 

BMW indy shop will know how to do a zf8hp.

Blauparts have fluid/filter kits, what I used. I have no relationship with them. Used Ravenol fluid...no issues.

 

My Indy shop that specializes in jaguar, tells me we are waiting awhile every time I ask him. Mine has 60K on it now.