Buick Rainier (USA / CAN)

Automatic transmission fluid capacity & service interval

Buick Rainier (USA / CAN) uses automatic transmission fluid with a capacity range of 4,7 to 10,6 liters. Service intervals include checking every 12 months and changing at 80000 km, 100000 miles, 160000 km, or 50000 miles. The data covers 12 configurations.

The configuration chart below lists fill volumes and service intervals for each engine and trim variant.

TypeSpecifications
Rainier 4.2 24V (2004-2007)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 4.2 24V (2004-2007)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 4.2 24V AWD (2004-2007)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 4.2 24V AWD (2004-2007)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 (2004-2007)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 (2004-2007)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 AWD (2004-2007)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 AWD (2004-2007)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Capacity 10,6 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 (2003-2004)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 100000 miles
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 (2003-2004)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 50000 miles
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 AWD (2003-2004)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 100000 miles
  • Code: 4/1
Rainier 5.3 V8 AWD (2003-2004)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 4,7 liter
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 50000 miles
  • Code: 4/1

Additional Notes

  • Across all Buick Rainier automatic transmission configurations, the service fill capacity is 4.7 liters. This figure represents the amount of fluid required during a routine drain-and-refill service, where a portion of fluid remains in the torque converter and transmission passages.
  • The 4.2 24V and 5.3 V8 configurations from 2004-2007 list a separate overhaul capacity of 10.6 liters. Overhaul capacity reflects the total fluid volume needed when the transmission is fully disassembled and the torque converter is completely emptied, which accounts for significantly more fluid than a standard service fill.
  • The 5.3 V8 and 5.3 V8 AWD entries covering 2003-2004 do not carry an overhaul capacity figure, only the 4.7-liter service fill. The overhaul capacity of 10.6 liters appears exclusively in the 2004-2007 entries across all engine and drivetrain variants.
  • All configurations specify a fluid check interval of 12 months, regardless of engine type, drivetrain, or use condition. A periodic check interval separate from the change interval is standard practice for monitoring fluid condition and level between full service events.
  • For the 2004-2007 4.2 24V and 5.3 V8 configurations, the normal-use change interval is 160,000 km, while severe-use conditions reduce that interval to 80,000 km. The severe-use interval is exactly half the normal-use interval, a common engineering approach to account for accelerated fluid degradation under demanding operating conditions.
  • The 2003-2004 5.3 V8 and 5.3 V8 AWD entries express change intervals in miles rather than kilometers. Under normal use, the interval is 100,000 miles, and under severe use, 50,000 miles. As with the kilometer-based entries, the severe-use interval is precisely half the normal-use value.
  • The AWD variants of both the 4.2 24V and 5.3 V8 share identical automatic transmission fluid capacities and change intervals with their two-wheel-drive counterparts across all model years and use conditions. The addition of all-wheel drive hardware does not alter the transmission fluid specifications in any of the listed configurations.
  • The 5.3 V8 appears in two distinct specification groups: a 2003-2004 group using mile-based intervals without an overhaul capacity, and a 2004-2007 group using kilometer-based intervals with the 10.6-liter overhaul figure. The year 2004 is present in both groups, indicating a specification revision that took effect during that model year.

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