Automotive industry leaders are supporting a comprehensive educational program designed to clear up the sometimes confusing world of automatic transmission fluids. The effort called “All The Facts on Automatic Transmission Fluids” or ATFonATF, is an informative “safe harbor” for ATF installers, distributors and garage owners and managers who want to ensure they are using the correct fluids for all vehicle makes and models.
The centerpiece of the program is a website, ATFonATF.com, which is populated with the latest and most accurate information on automatic transmission fluids. ATFonATF.com is the effort’s cornerstone where installers in particular can find the best information to make the best ATF choices for their customers. By visiting the site they can stay up to date on the latest trends, get online links to reliable resources, and gain access to articles, educational videos and photos, current third-party research and industry trends.
“This is a trust issue for installers and their customers, said Ron Romano, Service Lubricants Technical Expert at Ford Motor Company. “There’s a misconception that one fluid is as good as another and that a licensed ATF and an unlicensed ATF will perform equally. That’s just not true. An educational effort like this gives installers the information they need to match licensed products with the correct makes and models of vehicles. That helps them build trust between them and the consumer and is ultimately good for their business.”
Using a friendly “FactHead” character to tell the story, ATFonATF.com’s educational approach presents “all the facts on automatic transmission fluid” in an engaging way. Its content will update frequently giving readers a reason to visit often to stay in tune with the latest information on fluids, their installation and how to provide value to consumers.
“A transmission oil has to have all the usual properties -- viscosity not too high or too low, seal compatibility, anti-wear, anti-corrosion, dispersants -- but what separates automatic transmission oils from the rest is the friction system,” said Khaled Zreik, Drive line Lubricants Engineer at General Motors. This is critical because each OEM creates uniquely designed transmissions which require different friction materials, calibration and control systems, and therefore also require an approved / licensed ATF. Data has shown catastrophic results as a direct result from putting the wrong fluid in the wrong transmission.”
The ATFonATF program is supported by some of the automotive fluid industry’s leading OEMs, chemical engineers, industry trade associations and oil companies. The campaign is reinforced by trade advertising and public relations efforts promoting ATFonATF.com to installers and other industry audiences.
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