i drive normal. nothing crazy. currently has 123,000 miles on it. im wondering if it will last me 4 or 5 more years without doing anything to maintain the automatic transmission? just asking for probability speculations not asking for fortune telling.
All you can get is guesses that mean nothing . Just start saving money for a transmission or a newer car and hope for the best.
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do people actually flush their automatic transmission fluids at certain intervals? or do most people just drive it till it fails? i heard some newer models you dont have to change ATF fluids during the life of the vehicle. i have a 2010 mazda3 and sometimes i hear that transmission making noises while shifting from idle or from reverse to drive such as a slight clunk or a bit of a creak.
How many times have you had the transmission fluid changed?
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i have never changed the transmission fluid on any car i owned. and the previous car before this one had a CVT and didnt require fluid change. the current car is automatic transmission and not CVT. from what i know newer mazda3s dont require ATF change. this one is older as it is a 2010 and might require it but i never changed it previously but i never drove any car as much as this one as i am currently a doordash driver and also an uber driver for a living. i welcome speculations. i dont drive crazy. i drive normal and pass people on freeways accelerating if need be but this isnt a sports car i only push it comfortably never too crazy.
On this particular car, the TCM is the real problem, not the automatic transaxle itself
I just reread everything and it seems you don’t maintain your cars very well
If this was a well-maintained 2010 Mazda 3, I would say you’ve got few worries
I would immediately perform an automatic transmission fluid and filter service, using the correct fluid
Many people think Mercon V is the correct fluid
It is NOT
Your automatic transaxle calls for Mazda M-V fluid . . . I recommend buying the fluid at the Mazda dealer
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Then now would be a good time to have the fluid changed with the exact fluid specified by Mazda. Most here will tell you to ignore the ‘lifetime fluid’ claims, and change it every 60k or so.
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how much would this cost and can i trust valvoline for this job?
how much would it cost for repairs if this goes bad?
Are you sure we are the people you want to get advise from?? 
Kind of a slap in the face to all the others that have been trying to help you…
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I’d take it to the dealer.
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between $300 - $400 to get your TCM rebuilt
im here for expert advise and opinions but i also want advice you would give to your kid or relative thats is short on funds.
like if i dont need to replace it dont tell me to spend thousands or hundreds of bucks to replace is as long as the car will still drive and be ok.
i got less than 3 years of payment left i just want to pay this car off and get 1 or 2 more years without car payment out of it then i can take it to dealership and trade it in. im not trying to keep fixing it so it runs perfect for 10 years i just want it to work so i can uber and doordash full time till i get my next job then last 4 or 5 years.
i will take this advice if i decide to do a transmission flush
No flush
Drain the fluid
Remove the pan
Scrape off the old gasket . . . might be rtv in your case
Replace the filter
Reinstall the pan with new gasket/rtv
Refill with Mazda M-V atf
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I don’t think the OP is a ‘fix it myself’ kind of guy.
Tester
Then I’m not sure how long this car will be happy and healthy
The transmission should be checked out by a trans pro, dealer or otherwise, before any ATF replacement, kind of a health check up, to make sure it is in good enough shape to change out, rather that be a flush or a pan drop and filter change/drain and fill, you have a FS5A-EL or (FNR5 is the Ford version) transaxle with a pan and filter…
I used to test drive the vehicle checking the shift points and any flare ups or hard shifts, check for any codes and then drop the pan in your case and catch 100% of the old ATF, and evaluate the condition of the ATF and if any type of metals or fibers were in the fluid, then make the decision to change the fluid or reuse the old fluid…
You will never harm a transmission by replacing the ATF unless there is already an underlying (failing) condition…
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With no maintenance, a transmission might last for 150,000 to 180,000 miles, but why risk it? Most people would suggest to change the fluid and filter at 90,000 to 100,000 miles, and 123,000 miles is hardly past the point of no return where doing this simple maintenance would be unlikely to help.
I would do that, and not worry about premature failure of the automatic transmission.
Edit to add: Do a drain and fill. NEVER do a flush.