2016 1500 Ram Bighorn, 5.7 8 speed trans. 117,000 miles. First post here, I called local dealership for price on tranny fluid and filter change. They ask if I was having problems, I said no. Well they said for my PU the fluid and filter is for Life time, unless there is a problem they won't change it. I said nothing is life time and it ended. How true is this, Life time? I don't haul anything, no slippage, just thought it should be serviced. Thank you.
Manufacturers play a game. That game is to get you to buy a new vehicle as often as possible without tipping you off to the scam.
70 grand for a new truck is ludicrous, at best, most would agree. That said, in what rapturous world does lifetime product exist, nowadays? Or, for that matter, since when does any complex machinery last a lifetime, EVEN WITH maintenance? Heck, even simple metal fatigue will doom a car or other "durable" good eventually. Why exacerbate this with wanton, intentional neglect?
Oils and coolant have limited ability to withstand repeated stresses of temperature cycles and contaminants.
One doesn't need to be and engineer to know this set of facts.
ZF, Hydramatic, Borg Warner, and all other manufacturers of transmissions know this and NONE of these stand-alone vendors recommend something as short sighted as the notion that trans fluid is "lifetime".
The vehicle dealer would rather sell you a new car than help you enhance it's service life, at least as evidenced by these outrageous recommendations of NOT servicing transmissions, for example.