92 Dodge Grand Caravan Transmission Fluid

[tingham]

Hi y'all. Just a quick question. We bought a 92 Dodge Grand Caravan back in January 2000. It's been a great vehicle and I love it! However, just today, I was in our local auto parts store to buy some tranny fluid for when the clerk insisted that I should be using ATF-4 Full Synthetic Fluid for that tranny. SHOCKED I was! I've always just used Dexron III. Dodge Caravan is listed on the Dexron III label. I thought that was fine. So, anyway, I'd like to find out two things:

1. Should we be using the synthetic fluid?

2. If so, will it hurt to put synthetic in now and have it mixed with the standard Dexron? Or should we change the fluid and filter completely? I'm sure that ideally, we should change it, but money is tight right now. So will using the synthetic mixed cause damage at this point?

Thanks to any and all for any comments, suggestions, replies!

[Mrbizness1]

You should use the fluid that is listed in the cars manual, or on the transmission dipstick or its equivalent. Odds are they are not making your fluid anymore so I would use the atf+4. Never use any type of dexron fluid in a Chrysler trans it will kill it.

[mudflap]

Originally Posted by tingham

Hi y'all. Just a quick question. We bought a 92 Dodge Grand Caravan back in January 2000. It's been a great vehicle and I love it! However, just today, I was in our local auto parts store to buy some tranny fluid for when the clerk insisted that I should be using ATF-4 Full Synthetic Fluid for that tranny. SHOCKED I was! I've always just used Dexron III. Dodge Caravan is listed on the Dexron III label. I thought that was fine. So, anyway, I'd like to find out two things:

1. Should we be using the synthetic fluid?

2. If so, will it hurt to put synthetic in now and have it mixed with the standard Dexron? Or should we change the fluid and filter completely? I'm sure that ideally, we should change it, but money is tight right now. So will using the synthetic mixed cause damage at this point?

Thanks to any and all for any comments, suggestions, replies!

I just got a '97 and one of the first things I did was come here and search. ATF+4 is recommended for 2000-later. 1999-back should use hard to find ATF+3. Valvoline makes the ATF+3