I recently changed the transmission fluid. Figured I make a quick write up on how to flush the transmission fluid from a 2014 Rav 4 2.5L FWD (59,800 miles on car and fluid). This is a cooler line swap, and not a pan drop. Measure the amount that is taken out, and put that same amount back in. The filter will have to be changed eventually by dropping the pan, but that method also requires a specific temperature to refill the fluid as well as a pump.
What I used:
-Clear plastic tubing
-Worm clamp for tubing
-3 gallons of Maxlife ATF
-Funnel
-A way to measure the old fluid
First locate the cooler. It looks like a hockey puck. There are 2 coolant lines and 2 transmission fluid lines. Circled in red (larger circle) is the cooler. Circled in green (smaller circle) is the return line. The return line is held on by a clamp. Pop off the clamp (may need some coaxing; 5 years of heat soaking made it stubborn) and remove the hose. Attach the clear tubing with a worm clamp and tighten it down.
Feed the tubing to your measuring device (I used an empty Maxlife jug). place the funnel on the return line hose. My funnel was a tad too large. A turkey baster with the squeezer removed fit nicely, and the funnel fit in the baster.
Have someone start the vehicle while you monitor the tubing. I pumped out 2 quarts at a time. After 2 quarts, turn off vehicle and refill with 2 quarts of clean ATF. The residual fluid left in the tubing was minimal and I adjusted the refilling for it. There may be some leakage when refilling, but compensate for it by adding a little more on the refill. There are tick marks nicely placed on the Maxlife jugs which I used for measuring.
These units are "Lifetime" fills, but the fluid was darker than I would like it to be. Maxlife and Toyota WS can be used, but I hear Maxlife is the better choice. It shifts very nicely on Maxlife. For what it's worth, it took me 12 quarts until the fluid was looking bright red, while the manual states this unit takes much less than that (I believe around 7 quarts).
Took me about 2 hours to do this. Hope this was helpful.
What I used:
-Clear plastic tubing
-Worm clamp for tubing
-3 gallons of Maxlife ATF
-Funnel
-A way to measure the old fluid
First locate the cooler. It looks like a hockey puck. There are 2 coolant lines and 2 transmission fluid lines. Circled in red (larger circle) is the cooler. Circled in green (smaller circle) is the return line. The return line is held on by a clamp. Pop off the clamp (may need some coaxing; 5 years of heat soaking made it stubborn) and remove the hose. Attach the clear tubing with a worm clamp and tighten it down.
Feed the tubing to your measuring device (I used an empty Maxlife jug). place the funnel on the return line hose. My funnel was a tad too large. A turkey baster with the squeezer removed fit nicely, and the funnel fit in the baster.
Have someone start the vehicle while you monitor the tubing. I pumped out 2 quarts at a time. After 2 quarts, turn off vehicle and refill with 2 quarts of clean ATF. The residual fluid left in the tubing was minimal and I adjusted the refilling for it. There may be some leakage when refilling, but compensate for it by adding a little more on the refill. There are tick marks nicely placed on the Maxlife jugs which I used for measuring.
These units are "Lifetime" fills, but the fluid was darker than I would like it to be. Maxlife and Toyota WS can be used, but I hear Maxlife is the better choice. It shifts very nicely on Maxlife. For what it's worth, it took me 12 quarts until the fluid was looking bright red, while the manual states this unit takes much less than that (I believe around 7 quarts).
Took me about 2 hours to do this. Hope this was helpful.