Should I have a Transmission Cooler Added to my 2008 Saturn Vue for Towing

Question:

do you have to install something called an oil cooler, or transmission fluid cooler...I heard this from someone and I dont want to risk damaging the car by towing with it after installing a hitch but finding out later I should have done other things as well. thanks for your time

asked by: charles b

Expert Reply:

Check your vehicle owner manual. Some of them list a transmission cooler as a requirement, others as a suggestion. We always recommend one on smaller vehicles for towing or on large trucks that are pulling very heavy loads. If you are in the St. Louis, MO area, we do installations in house at our Wentzville headquarters.

For your vehicle, something like the Derale 8000 Series Class III cooler, part # D13502, should be enough to keep the transmission temperature at an appropriate level when pulling a small trailer.

We have installed this part on a similar vehicle for towing a small trailer. I have added a link to the part and the video below.

expert reply by: Patrick B