With the rapid development of the automotive industry and the continuous introduction of new automotive technologies, both high-end and mid-to-low-end vehicle models now widely adopt automatic transmission technology in their drivetrain systems. This trend is largely driven by people’s growing demand for greater automotive comfort. According to statistics, before 2006, the proportion of vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions had not yet exceeded 65%. However, by 2013—just eight years later—the adoption rate of automatic transmissions in mid-to-high-end models had already surged past 85%. Moreover, from a temporal perspective, all vehicle models introduced after 2006 have now entered their maintenance cycles. As a result, comprehensive repair enterprises can no longer afford to ignore the profit potential offered by this particular business segment.

　　In the past two years, everyone has felt that the automotive repair market has been facing tough times. Factors such as the implementation of the “Three Guarantees” for automobiles, vehicle purchase restrictions, stricter emission standards, smoggy weather, and public-vehicle reforms—among many others—have made it extremely difficult for repair businesses to stay afloat. Of course, only some companies have been significantly affected, while others continue to thrive. The primary reason behind this situation is the disproportionate relationship between the total number of vehicles on the road and the number of repair shops. Due to the low barriers to entry in the industry, small specialized repair shops, brand-specific repair centers, and quick-service maintenance outlets have rapidly sprung up in cities across the country. Moreover, over the years, the quality of entire vehicles and major components has greatly improved. In the future, cars will undoubtedly be “70% maintenance and 30% repair.” Because competition is so fierce, businesses are striving hard to find value-added service offerings that can help them stand out. Yet despite exhausting all possible approaches, it seems increasingly difficult to break through this awkward predicament. For some high-quality enterprises, finding a breakthrough is relatively easy—by launching a single successful project, they can drive growth across the entire business. As a result, in recent years, value-added services such as “specialized air-conditioning repairs” and “specialized automatic-transmission maintenance” have gradually emerged and show great potential for widespread adoption. However, at present, most first- and second-tier comprehensive automotive repair companies in China still remain largely unexplored when it comes to “specialized automatic-transmission maintenance.” It’s not that they’re unwilling to expand into this area; rather, many are hesitant due to concerns and risks.

　　From a market-wide perspective, automatic transmissions in the vast majority of vehicle models will reach a maintenance peak in the coming years—this is primarily driven by industry data:

　　Before 2006, the installation rate of automatic transmissions in vehicles had not yet exceeded 65%. However, by 2013—just eight years later—the installation rate of automatic transmissions in mid- to high-end models quickly surpassed 85%. From a timing perspective, vehicles produced after 2006 have already entered their maintenance cycles. As a result, comprehensive repair enterprises have been compelled to pay close attention to the profits generated by this particular business segment. Currently, in the Chinese automotive market, it’s easy to see that in the powertrain sector, three major product categories have emerged: multi-speed automatic transmissions (AT), continuously variable transmissions (CVT), and dual-clutch direct-shift transmissions (DCT). Moreover, depending on their different hydraulic designs, these various types of transmissions require distinct maintenance intervals and lubricant specifications.

　　To expand the “specialized maintenance for automatic transmissions” project, we must address the practical issues that currently prevail in comprehensive repair enterprises.

　　1. Due to the wide variety of domestic vehicle models, comprehensive maintenance companies serve vehicles from all over the world; therefore, they don't necessarily have a complete and thorough understanding of all automatic transmission configurations.

　　In recent years, automatic transmissions have ceased to be exclusive to high-end vehicles; their adoption rate has been rising rapidly. Even the current Jetta sedan now comes equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. Clearly, the number of automatic transmissions currently in use in the market is substantial. This shift in proportions began primarily after 2006, so today, the vast majority of transmissions have already entered their maintenance cycle.

　　Currently, most comprehensive automotive repair companies in China face an extremely complex array of vehicle models every day. As a result, it’s very difficult for them to determine precisely what type of transmission—whether AT, CVT, or DCT—is equipped on each model. Even when they do encounter a transmission, they may not necessarily be able to identify it. Consequently, during maintenance operations, they often have no choice but to rely on external experts to complete the job.

　　2. The type of transmission oil required depends on the type of transmission itself. In China, however, there are so many different types of automatic transmission fluids available that it can be quite challenging to make the right choice. Generally, most mechanics rely on the color of the ATF fluid to select the appropriate oil. But classifying ATF fluids solely by color is clearly not the right approach. Currently, in the repair market, we commonly see ATF fluids in shades ranging from red to yellow, blue, green, pink, and even yellowish-brown. As we all know, modern automatic transmissions have extremely high requirements for lubricants. Yet in practical operations, comprehensive repair shops simply cannot afford to use the original factory oils supplied by 4S dealerships. Instead, they must strive to find high-quality oils from reputable manufacturers in the market. However, not all well-known brands currently offer specialized, high-end oils for automatic transmissions; many still stick to conventional transmission oils. Therefore, even when choosing these oils, it’s crucial to ensure that they meet stringent quality and specification standards before using them. Moreover, given the relatively chaotic state of China’s lubricant market—where substandard products from unscrupulous manufacturers often slip through—the risk of inadvertently purchasing low-quality oils remains real. This makes selecting the right oil a genuine challenge for comprehensive repair businesses. When choosing an oil, it’s absolutely essential to match it precisely with the specific requirements of the vehicle’s transmission.

　　3. Everyone knows that when changing engine oil, the oil filter must also be replaced. The same principle applies to automatic transmissions—oil changes require filter replacement as well. However, what technicians in integrated maintenance services often lack is a clear understanding of the exact installation location of the automatic transmission filter. As a result, during routine maintenance and oil changes for automatic transmissions, it’s crucial to know precisely where the filter is located. (In over 85% of automatic transmissions, the filter can be replaced simply by removing the oil pan; in some cases, the filter is integrated with the oil pan, while only a small number of transmissions require disassembly before the filter can be replaced.) Yet, not all automatic transmission filters are equally easy to replace. Therefore, this knowledge represents an area where technicians at integrated maintenance companies often fall short.

　　4. Regarding the specific implementation of the operation mode, it’s important to understand the structure of the transmission’s cooling control system and how to integrate it with the equal-volume oil-exchange equipment. When performing manual oil changes traditionally, the transmission fluid inside the gearbox cannot be completely drained (only multiple draining and refilling cycles can achieve partial removal). The best approach is to use dedicated equipment—the intelligent equal-volume transmission oil-exchange machine—which provides a more thorough and effective oil-change process.

　　5. Maintenance personnel still lack a thorough grasp of every detail in the specific standard operating procedures. Since the new automatic transmission has eliminated the dipstick tube and dipstick found in conventional transmissions, it is particularly important to accurately determine the oil-filling position, the oil-draining position, and the standard oil-level mark. Any mistake could easily lead to significant problems.

　　6. Among all the critical steps in the oil-change procedure, confirming the “standard quantity” is the most important. Since there’s no dipstick, checking the standard quantity becomes especially crucial. However, there’s one key point worth emphasizing: during the initial oil-fill process, it may seem as though the oil has overflowed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the amount is sufficient. After completing the job, it’s essential to take a road test of at least 2 to 5 kilometers. The purpose of this road test is to thoroughly expel any air bubbles that may have formed inside the transmission during the oil-change process. As we often say, the lubricating oil inside the transmission must neither be overfilled nor underfilled. If you fail to follow the proper standard procedure, there’s a high likelihood of incorrectly determining the standard quantity, which could lead to abnormal operation of the transmission. Therefore, this step is absolutely, critically important.

　　To properly maintain automatic transmissions, it’s also necessary to be familiar with the project’s operational management model. The issues mentioned above are major reasons why it’s difficult to establish a standardized, systematic, and procedural approach to automatic transmission maintenance.

　　The enormous market opportunities have already stirred many businesses into action!