Different... anyway I’d say unless towing, 30k is unduly cautious. I’d likely go to 40k+ on a regularly driven truck. These ZF’s have been out awhile, should be some better info on lifespan out there somewhere.
As far as taking it to your dealer, here’s a slightly old article about it on “oildepot.ca”:
We checked prices on a complete ATF oil change for Ram 1500 pick-ups with the ZF-8HP 8-speed transmission. We hope you are sitting down.
www.oildepot.ca
Further into this article is this rather frightening information: (Begin copied portion of article below):
Note that as these ZF 8-speed transmissions are relatively new in Dodge applications, very few Dodge dealers have actually performed an oil change on them. More often than not, service advisors will offer their “$159.00 ATF Flush Special” when you request an ATF change for these trucks. Once you ask them to check on the cost of the ZF 8&9 Speed oil and the pan/filter, they quickly learn that this is no ordinary ATF flush.
Price of Mopar ZF 8&9 Speed ATF
- USA- $43.25 to $48.87 per quart (946ml)
- Canada- $58.40 to $70.00 per quart (946ml)
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you; Mopar ZF 8&9 Speed ATF costs almost $50 per quart in the US and upwards of $70 per quart in Canada. For a complete fluid change, 9 quarts will be required and possibly one or two extra for the flushing proposes. Why is this ATF so expensive? Who knows? There are top-flight full synthetic substitutes (we offer a suggestion below) that meet the ZF 8&9-Speed spec and are available for a fraction of what Dodge dealers charge for this oil.
Mopar ZF 8&9 Speed ATF is a full synthetic oil made by Shell and is also marketed as ZF Lifeguard 8. The industry spec for this oil is Shell “M-L12108”. Shell designed and manufactures this ATF for the OEM’s but does not market an M-L12108 compatible fluid under the Shell brand. This fluid has a low viscosity to minimize friction for maximum fuel economy. The factory-fill ZF fluid has a translucent, slightly green appearance with an additive that helps technicians detect leaks under UV light.
Price Of Mopar ZF Oil Pan (Part # 68225344AA)
- USA- $335.00 To $378.55
- Canada- $453.00 to $522.00
The Mopar 68225344AA oil pan for ZF transmissions is a plastic unit with a non-removable, non-serviceable oil filter molded into it. Therefore, the pan has to be replaced when a complete oil change service is performed. The filter itself has a synthetic media, while the pan also has strategically placed magnets to gather metal filings. Also included with this kit is a gasket, replacement pan bolts and a replacement oil fill plug. While this plastic oil pan is reasonably well-designed, its finest attribute is its ability to completely empty your wallet.”
End of copied portion of article
That cost might slow people down from getting it changed at 30k...supposedly each quart at the dealer is about $45.00...
On the wrangler forum, there’s a Jan 30, 2018 thread about it:
ZF contradicts FCA on ZF8 "Lifetime" transmission fluid.
Begin copied post:
Hey guys,
I've been doing some research on the ZF8's supposedly "lifetime" transmission fluid. I've even scoured some Audi and Bimmer forums for information, so you don't have to.
All of FCA's 2017 owners manuals for the various vehicles that use the ZF8 (i.e. Chrysler 200, RAM 1500 etc.) specify that the ZF8 fluid is lifetime and never needs to be changed. They don't even specify a severe duty fluid change interval for it.
However ZF explicitly recommends a 100,000 km or 8 year (whichever comes first) fluid change schedule on their website here:
https://www.zf.com/usa_canada/en_us...s_corporate/how_to_change_oil/change_oil.html
And here's a video from the ZF YouTube channel which confirms the same thing...”
End of copied post.
