I have a 2013 Toyota Highlander and I have a question about the transmission drain plug. Ordered a magnetic drain plug from gold plug and noticed that the drain hole is about 1 inch from a solenoid. Do you think that's too close and will interfere with the electronics?
2013 Toyota Highlander
- Thread starter millerbl00
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I have an '11 Highlander 2WD w/a 6-speed automatic, U760E, and 137K miles on it. I don't know whether a magnet in proximity to a shift solenoid would matter or not, but even if it didn't, I wouldn't bother with a magnetic drain plug in this application. Using Amsoil's SS-LV ATF, the shop that does my pan drops/filter changes/refills says that there's very little gruck in the pan or the filter at 30-40K change intervals, and has recommended that I go to 50K mile fluid change intervals. I don't do any towing, or even heavy passenger loads, so the vehicle has it pretty easy, but unless your practices differ, I wouldn't see a need to supplement the vehicle's OEM fluid-cleaning mechanisms.
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Thanks
@khittner, I have a 2014 Venza AWD V6 and probably the same transmission. My Toyota dealer @40K mi did a power flush with a cleaner prior to filling with Toyota WS ATF. 80K mi is coming up, do you recommend another chemical flush or just a plain drain and fill?
plain drain and fill and change filter. Never flush.
Originally Posted By: millerbl00
plain drain and fill and change filter. Never flush.
I always flush these. We bill out 10 quarts of Genuine Toyota ATF-WS. No filter change. Never had any problems.
I even avoid touching the drain plugs.
plain drain and fill and change filter. Never flush.
I always flush these. We bill out 10 quarts of Genuine Toyota ATF-WS. No filter change. Never had any problems.
I even avoid touching the drain plugs.
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Originally Posted By: The Critic
I always flush these. We bill out 10 quarts of Genuine Toyota ATF-WS. No filter change. Never had any problems.
I even avoid touching the drain plugs.
Concur. Return line flush and not touch these bolts they are first very soft, then they behind the bolt is a level straw and what not.
Best on a cold engine find and open the fill plug, remove the return line which is higher of the two lines on the transmission, have the transmission push out the old flush till it trickles. Then fill 5Q and redo till it trickles - now measure all the fluid collected and refill exactly what was pushed out. Done!!!
I always flush these. We bill out 10 quarts of Genuine Toyota ATF-WS. No filter change. Never had any problems.
I even avoid touching the drain plugs.
Concur. Return line flush and not touch these bolts they are first very soft, then they behind the bolt is a level straw and what not.
Best on a cold engine find and open the fill plug, remove the return line which is higher of the two lines on the transmission, have the transmission push out the old flush till it trickles. Then fill 5Q and redo till it trickles - now measure all the fluid collected and refill exactly what was pushed out. Done!!!
Originally Posted By: Patrick0525
@khittner, I have a 2014 Venza AWD V6 and probably the same transmission. My Toyota dealer @40K mi did a power flush with a cleaner prior to filling with Toyota WS ATF. 80K mi is coming up, do you recommend another chemical flush or just a plain drain and fill?
Yours may be a 6-speed, but I'm pretty sure that the V-6 AWD Venzas and AWD Highlanders use a different, but generally similar, transmission---I've never looked at an AWD to see how power is transmitted to the rear wheels in these vehicles. Under typical on-road use, and with the cleaning and fresh load of ATF it previously got, I wouldn't buy another flush. I prefer filter changes (Toyota's parts diagram calls the trans filter a "screen", but they're a cellulose fiber filter, not some fine wire-mesh that I'd associate with the "screen" term), and they're available from the usual suppliers on RockAuto for about half of the OEM piece. I've used ATPs previously, and have a Beck-Arnley waiting in my filter stash for the car to get to 170K miles.
Your dealer may be committed to his/her BG machine's flush program, and may not want to do a pan drop/filter change/refill. If that's the case, find a reputable transmission shop (yes, they exist), to do the work. But if you're just a dealer-only guy, their flush procedure probably won't be bad for your vehicle, given your earlier transmission maintenance. Your 75K extended warranty probably won't matter; for a normal driver, a Venza or Highlander would've made it past 75K without any transmission fluid change, which is probably what most of them get.
@khittner, I have a 2014 Venza AWD V6 and probably the same transmission. My Toyota dealer @40K mi did a power flush with a cleaner prior to filling with Toyota WS ATF. 80K mi is coming up, do you recommend another chemical flush or just a plain drain and fill?
Yours may be a 6-speed, but I'm pretty sure that the V-6 AWD Venzas and AWD Highlanders use a different, but generally similar, transmission---I've never looked at an AWD to see how power is transmitted to the rear wheels in these vehicles. Under typical on-road use, and with the cleaning and fresh load of ATF it previously got, I wouldn't buy another flush. I prefer filter changes (Toyota's parts diagram calls the trans filter a "screen", but they're a cellulose fiber filter, not some fine wire-mesh that I'd associate with the "screen" term), and they're available from the usual suppliers on RockAuto for about half of the OEM piece. I've used ATPs previously, and have a Beck-Arnley waiting in my filter stash for the car to get to 170K miles.
Your dealer may be committed to his/her BG machine's flush program, and may not want to do a pan drop/filter change/refill. If that's the case, find a reputable transmission shop (yes, they exist), to do the work. But if you're just a dealer-only guy, their flush procedure probably won't be bad for your vehicle, given your earlier transmission maintenance. Your 75K extended warranty probably won't matter; for a normal driver, a Venza or Highlander would've made it past 75K without any transmission fluid change, which is probably what most of them get.
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Originally Posted By: khittner
I prefer filter changes (Toyota's parts diagram calls the trans filter a "screen", but they're a cellulose fiber filter, not some fine wire-mesh that I'd associate with the "screen" term), and they're available from the usual suppliers on RockAuto for about half of the OEM piece. I've used ATPs previously, and have a Beck-Arnley waiting in my filter stash for the car to get to 170K miles.
Nonsense on a 2013 Highlander (they as good as new) don't ever drop the freaking pan.
You WILL NOT find anything on the pan - some curd on the magnets and that's it.
Just flushes is all that matters on these bullet proof transmissions
I prefer filter changes (Toyota's parts diagram calls the trans filter a "screen", but they're a cellulose fiber filter, not some fine wire-mesh that I'd associate with the "screen" term), and they're available from the usual suppliers on RockAuto for about half of the OEM piece. I've used ATPs previously, and have a Beck-Arnley waiting in my filter stash for the car to get to 170K miles.
Nonsense on a 2013 Highlander (they as good as new) don't ever drop the freaking pan.
You WILL NOT find anything on the pan - some curd on the magnets and that's it.
Just flushes is all that matters on these bullet proof transmissions
Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
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Nonsense on a 2013 Highlander (they as good as new) don't ever drop the freaking pan.
You WILL NOT find anything on the pan - some curd on the magnets and that's it.
Just flushes is all that matters on these bullet proof transmissions
Spend your money as you like. Another post among today's "recent topics" said their dealer was pricing a trans flush service at $239. The cost difference doesn't matter that much to me, but I can have a new filter, and half of my ATF professionally replaced for $150, and I'm no worse off in terms of service life or reliability than the flush buyer. I don't sweat about the half of "dirty" ATF left by a D&F; with 25 years of combined service, and 410K smooth-shifting miles without a rebuild, the adequacy of fluid & filter changes for my two Toyotas speaks for itself.
]
Nonsense on a 2013 Highlander (they as good as new) don't ever drop the freaking pan.
You WILL NOT find anything on the pan - some curd on the magnets and that's it.
Just flushes is all that matters on these bullet proof transmissions
Spend your money as you like. Another post among today's "recent topics" said their dealer was pricing a trans flush service at $239. The cost difference doesn't matter that much to me, but I can have a new filter, and half of my ATF professionally replaced for $150, and I'm no worse off in terms of service life or reliability than the flush buyer. I don't sweat about the half of "dirty" ATF left by a D&F; with 25 years of combined service, and 410K smooth-shifting miles without a rebuild, the adequacy of fluid & filter changes for my two Toyotas speaks for itself.
Didn't mean to start an argument about flushes. Just wanted to know about the magnetic drain plug.
However, I have had my drain bolt off many times, it is strong. And I have had the pan off too. It has a regular filter. I will never flush. It can break off pieces of the filter an circulate trash. When I changed my filter the foam it it was starting to get brittle. But do want you may...
However, I have had my drain bolt off many times, it is strong. And I have had the pan off too. It has a regular filter. I will never flush. It can break off pieces of the filter an circulate trash. When I changed my filter the foam it it was starting to get brittle. But do want you may...
Also the only way to check the level is by temp.
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