Which automatic transmission fluid (ATF) does your car need? Specifications explained

If you go looking for automatic transmission fluid, you will find dozens of bottles with names such as Dexron VI or ZF LifeguardFluid and with codes from car makers. Which one suits your car depends on the type of gearbox and on what the manufacturer specifies. This article explains how these specifications work and how to find the right one.

By the team at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug, RDW-approved APK (MOT) test station since 1979 · Updated 4 November 2026

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The short answer

Your automatic needs the fluid with the specification that the maker of the car or the gearbox prescribes. A conventional automatic, a CVT and a DSG with wet clutches each use their own kind of fluid, and within those kinds the specification also differs from gearbox to gearbox. ZF specifies only ZF LifeguardFluid 8 or 9 for its 8HP automatic and warns that other fluids can lead to worse shifting and even gearbox failure. Nissan specifies only Genuine NISSAN NS3 CVT Fluid for its CVT and states that damage caused by other fluids is not covered by the warranty.

What is automatic transmission fluid (ATF) and what does it do?

Automatic transmission fluid, or ATF, is the fluid that lubricates, cools and operates an automatic gearbox. In a manual gearbox the oil mainly lubricates the gears. In an automatic the fluid does more. It transmits the power of the engine in the torque converter, it supplies the pressure that closes the clutches inside the gearbox and it carries heat away. The torque converter is the fluid coupling between the engine and the gearbox.

Because the fluid has so many jobs, its make-up is matched to the gearbox. The friction between the clutch plates, the viscosity when cold and hot and the protection against wear must suit what the gearbox designer calculated. That is why many gearbox makers and car makers have their own standards.

Are ATF, CVT fluid and DSG oil the same thing?

No. A conventional automatic, a CVT and a DSG work differently and each needs its own fluid. A CVT is a continuously variable automatic with a push belt or chain between two pulleys. A DSG is a gearbox with two clutches. In a wet DSG those clutches run in oil. The table shows examples of specifications by gearbox type.

Gearbox type Example of a specification Good to know
Conventional automatic ZF 8HP ZF LifeguardFluid 8 or 9 ZF only allows these fluids in the 8HP. Where applicable, they are also sold as genuine parts by the car maker.
General Motors automatics (Hydra-Matic) Dexron VI Dexron VI arrived in 2005 as the successor to Dexron III(H). GM recommended Dexron VI for gearboxes built before model year 2006 as well.
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz’s own approval for transmission fluid Mercedes-Benz publishes the approved fluids on its own platform for operating fluids. The approval differs by gearbox.
Wet DSG from Volkswagen and Audi (including DQ250, DQ381, DQ500) DSG oil to the Volkswagen standard Use the oil that Volkswagen specifies for your DSG. DSG oil is not ATF for a conventional automatic.
Nissan CVT (Xtronic) Genuine NISSAN NS3 CVT Fluid Nissan: do not mix with other fluids.

Sources: ZF LifeguardFluid 8 product information, Lubes’N’Greases (April 2005, Dexron VI), Mercedes-Benz Operating Fluids, Nissan Qashqai 2024 owner’s manual. These are examples, not a complete list. The specification for your car depends on the gearbox fitted.

One exception is the dry DSG, such as the seven-speed DQ200. Its clutches do not run in oil. For that gearbox the manufacturer does not specify an oil change. You can read more about servicing a wet DSG on our page about DSG oil changes. For a continuously variable automatic, see our page about CVT flushing.

Why is universal transmission fluid a risk?

Universal fluid is a risk because the gearbox then gets a fluid it was not designed for. A bottle of universal fluid often carries a long list of gearboxes it is said to suit. That is a claim by the oil company. It does not mean that the maker of your car has approved that fluid.

  • ZF: only ZF LifeguardFluid 8 or 9 may be used in the 8HP. According to ZF, other fluids can cause a range of problems, from noticeably worse shifting to complete gearbox failure.
  • Nissan: according to the owner’s manual, a fluid other than Genuine NISSAN NS3 CVT Fluid will damage the Xtronic gearbox. That damage is not covered by the warranty.
  • Additives: ZF writes that you should not use any supplementary additives or cleaning agents, because they change the chemical composition of the transmission fluid.
Is your car still under the manufacturer’s warranty? Read your manufacturer’s terms and conditions. Keep the invoice for a fluid change showing the fluid used and its specification. That way you can show later that the right fluid went in.

Where do you find the right specification for your automatic?

The right specification is in the owner’s manual or the technical data for your car, and a garage can look it up from the registration number. Make sure you look for the specification of the gearbox and not that of the engine oil. These are two different fluids with their own standards.

  1. Owner’s manual: in the chapter on maintenance or technical data, look for transmission, automatic, ATF, CVT or DSG. Nissan, for example, names the fluid in the owner’s manual for the Qashqai.
  2. Invoices: an invoice from an earlier fluid change often shows which fluid was used.
  3. Gearbox type: if you know which gearbox is fitted, such as a ZF 8HP or a DQ381, you can look up the gearbox maker’s specification.
  4. Registration number: call us with your Dutch registration number and we will look up the gearbox type and the specified fluid for you.

Looking for the right engine oil as well? See our article on engine oil specifications (in Dutch).

How many litres of transmission fluid does your car need?

How many litres you need differs by gearbox and by treatment. There is no single figure for all cars. The capacity of your gearbox is in the manufacturer’s technical data. In a fluid change following the ZF procedure, the mechanic fills until the fluid runs out of the filler hole, and then checks the level once more at the specified temperature. The amount that goes in therefore follows from the procedure, not from a fixed number of litres.

With a fluid change, only the fluid in the sump drains out. The sump is the oil pan at the bottom of the gearbox. Fluid in the torque converter, the cooler and the lines stays behind. With a flush, a larger share of the old fluid comes out than with draining alone, so more new fluid is needed. The difference between the two is explained in our article on changing or flushing gearbox fluid.

Should you buy transmission fluid yourself or have the change done?

Anyone can buy transmission fluid, but the right fluid is only half the job. On many modern automatics the fluid level has to be checked at a specified fluid temperature and with a set procedure. On the ZF 8HP that is at most 40 °C. According to ZF, too much or too little fluid can damage the gearbox. If you want to do it yourself, our article on flushing or changing gearbox fluid yourself explains what is involved.

If you have it done with us, we use your registration number to look up your gearbox type and the specified fluid. We use fluid with that specification and replace the filter and seal if the gearbox has a replaceable filter and this is part of the agreed job. We check the fluid level with the car level and at the specified temperature, following the gearbox manufacturer’s procedure. You receive a quote in advance based on your registration number. You can read how the treatment works on our page about automatic gearbox flushing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix different types of transmission fluid?

No. Manufacturers prescribe a single specification. Nissan states plainly in its owner’s manual that you must not mix the CVT fluid with other fluids. If you need to top up, use fluid with the same specification as the fluid already in the gearbox.

Is Dexron VI suitable for a gearbox that specifies Dexron III?

Yes. On General Motors automatics that is possible. When GM introduced Dexron VI in 2005, it also recommended that fluid for gearboxes built before model year 2006. For other makes that mention Dexron, follow the specification from the maker of your car.

Is DSG oil the same as ATF?

No. A wet DSG uses its own oil, to the Volkswagen standard, for the clutches that run in oil. Do not use ATF for a conventional automatic in a DSG, and do not use DSG oil in a conventional automatic.

What colour is automatic transmission fluid?

That differs from fluid to fluid. ZF LifeguardFluid 8, for example, is green. So the colour alone does not tell you whether the fluid is the right one. Look at the specification on the bottle or the invoice.

Can the wrong transmission fluid damage the gearbox?

Yes. ZF warns that other fluids can lead to noticeably worse shifting and even to gearbox failure. Nissan writes that a different fluid will damage the CVT. If the gearbox shifts differently after a fluid change, have a garage check which fluid is in it.

Does transmission fluid need to be at temperature to check the level?

Yes. On many automatics the level can only be judged properly at a specified fluid temperature. ZF gives 30 to 35 °C for the 6HP and at most 40 °C for the 8HP. At another temperature there seems to be more or less fluid in the gearbox than there really is.

Not sure which fluid goes in your automatic?

Call us with your registration number. We look up your gearbox type and the specified fluid and give you a quote in advance.

You will find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We work by appointment. For a quick question or check you can walk in without an appointment.

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