New toyota automatic transmissions with no dip stick

[JeffKeryk]

Here is my atf service plan for our 2013 GS350 which has 60K miles:
Get car up and level.
Drain pan including straw. Expect 2+ quarts to drain.
Put straw and plug back in.
Replace same amount of fluid with Idemitsu WS equivalent.
Run engine for 15 to 20 seconds to circulate atf outta plan.

Repeat 2 more times; last time add perhaps 1/3 quart more fluid.
Run engine until approx. 104* F using ODB2 module and android app.
Switch through gears...

Remove plug until slow stream/dribble.
If nothing comes out I will add about 1/3 quart.

I will repeat every 25 to 30K miles.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Any opinions or thoughts or recommendations?

Better to drain the fluid warm or hot. Any 'solids' will be better suspended in warm/hot fluid vs having settled to the bottom of the transmission. Don't presume there's enough "flow" to flush or wash the debris out with the fluid.

People overthink the amount of "expansion" in ATF, at least from my tests. I have drained ATF while it's warm to hot and measured it. I allowed it to cool down to 75-80º F with checking the level until it reached that temperature. It moved no discernible amount. I did this twice with Mercon LV and once with Nissan Matic-S. Does this apply to all fluids ? I can't say obviously. What I do know is I'm concerned about cold/warm/hot ATF temperatures making any difference.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by TurboLuver
Long video but very good info.

Toyota Trans Fluid Check



The MOST exhaustive & thorough video out there! When I watched this a couple of years go, I decided t let the dealer do this work. In my case it's going to happen once every 50K Km and am not going to twist myself like a pretzel to get under there.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

All of them are just making it a pain in the arse so you will bring it to the Stealership. This has cost more that one Manufacturer a sale with me. My 2004 Corolla is enough of a pain. All of this could go away and I could have a slightly improved 49 Chevy back and I'd be happy.

 

[Leo99]

Drain it at ambient temperature and replace with same amount of fresh ATF. Or drain it hot and let it cool down to ambient and replace with same amount of fresh atf at ambient.

Torque pro or free apps with a $20 obd2 reader can read the atf temperature if you want to go that route. But I think Toyota created this straw system for people that don't want to wait for temperatures to equilibrate.

 

[David2431]

Has anyone seen and considered this? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger and getting one for our 2014 RAV4.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Lexus-Sealed-Transmission-Fluid-Replacement-Kit/222731930378?epid=23010345970&hash=item33dbdb8b0a:g:AFkAAOSw8b1aGFbV&frcectupt=true

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by Char Baby
Any opinions or thoughts or recommendations?

Better to drain the fluid warm or hot. Any 'solids' will be better suspended in warm/hot fluid vs having settled to the bottom of the transmission. Don't presume there's enough "flow" to flush or wash the debris out with the fluid.

People overthink the amount of "expansion" in ATF, at least from my tests. I have drained ATF while it's warm to hot and measured it. I allowed it to cool down to 75-80º F with checking the level until it reached that temperature. It moved no discernible amount. I did this twice with Mercon LV and once with Nissan Matic-S. Does this apply to all fluids ? I can't say obviously. What I do know is I'm concerned about cold/warm/hot ATF temperatures making any difference.



I always drain ATF when (((HOT))). However this tranny is a CVT and there seems to be some big ordeal with how to properly do a D&F and proper temperature. I've never had issues doing a D&F on any tranny in the past but these concern me a bit. I figure that whatevercamount comes out, that same amount is going back in.

 

[BlakeB]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Originally Posted by BlakeB
What vehicles do you have?


I'm going to assume that it's the 2017 Highlander & the 2019 Taco as everything in the OP's signature is either too old or brand new('19 Taco) for the question being asked. The Highlander will be first to get new fluid.
However, it could be another vehicle entirely not listed in the signature.


I'm on my phone, can't see signatures. Thanks.

I'm not sure about other Toyota vehicles, my experience is limited to Tacoma's and 4Runners (a750E/F), but I actually prefer the check plug instead of a dipstick. The check plug removes possibility of reading the dipstick wrong or getting a false reading on the stick. Arguably though, adding fluid through a dipstick tube is easier.

I think its main function (from a mfg perspective) is to keep people that have no idea what they're doing from messing with the transmission. Then again, there are plenty of people that have accidentally drained the transmission pan while attempting to change their oil.

There's a thread on TacomaWorld where a guy was trying to change his oil, accidentally drained his transmission, realized his mistake and then tried to refill his transmission through the coolant reservoir.... his explanation being that the fluids were the same color. Lol

 

[Supersonic]

I have Toyota 4Runner with no dipstick and there is a measurement for the valve body replacement that is fairly close to the amount everyone has drained when they drop the pan and I think it's about 4 and 2/3 quarts for that one so that might be another option if you can look up the valve body replacement for the amount of fluid, if you're gonna drop the pan and change the filter too.

The 4Runner though has a drain plug and filler tube, and from what I understand the FWD 3.5 transmission(Sienna, Highlander, ect), would've been probably the 5 speed before 2011, and 2011 after would be the 6 speed are basically the same transmission only the 6 speed has a breather valve where dipstick would be but the oil pan is different because there is only the check level tube on the newer 6 speed. I haven't checked this theory out on a vehicle myself, but you could look into getting a pan with a drain plug, if they fit, and get the dipstick with tube to replace where the new breather valve is. I may have an opportunity to do this but it's someone else's car and it's going to wait till temps warm a little more before I do anything with it.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta
Originally Posted by maxdustington
I don't trust check plugs as much as I do a measured D&F.
What if it was under filled from the factory? Just keep under filling? The no dip stick thing is nothing new. GM has been doing it since at least 2001.

Exactly. I've had people argue with me on some other forums when I suggest people do the check plug 'check' at least once to get a proper baseline but get responses like "the factory always fills it correctly" or "if you remove what you take out, it's fine".

In the OP's case, he/she can do the check plug 'check' NOW, before doing any fluid change to set the baseline.
You are 100% correct. However if your trans is operating correctly before you drain it, can you not assume is it filled correctly? You don't need an IR gun or a scan tool or any special tools and the risk is minimal on a functioning trans.

In the vwvortex thread regarding the D&F on my car, people were reporting that their trans was overfilled from the factory. Different people were getting different amounts that could not be explained by the angle the car was at while it was drained. Someone found the page in the service manual that listed the how much you were supposed to put back in upon draining it and some people were getting slightly more (.1-.4 Qts). The suggestion was that they might overfill lifetime fluids from the factory due to evaporation/oxidation or slow leaks/weeps, although I'm not sure that ATF can evaporate or oxidize and lose volume like that. It could have also been debris in the fluid slightly increasing it's volume.

Posters in that thread also underfilled after forgetting to cycle the gears while using the check plug to check the level. They reported odd shifting that went away when they added half of a quart of ATF into the trans. Undefilling is not instant transmission death.

I've done two measured D&Fs and they both worked marvelously. My car is old and not very valuable, on a newer car with more to lose I might consider doing it the proper way. If you don't have the tools and have old ATF in your trans, a measured D&F is better than nothing.

 

[anndel]

I plan to replace the fluid at 30,000 miles on our 14 Tacoma.

 

[meep]

just sold a tundra with the sealed trans. I think I did 4 fluid swaps on it, pulling from a cooler line, measuring what came out, and refilling via the other cooling line the same volume of fluid. I never checked the level, and never had any problems. I also added a spin-on filter, and used amsoil. I knew if I'd kept it long enough to do another D/F, that it was probably time do check the level. Once I figured out a method though, I had no problems. 160,000 on that truck, towing included, and that trans was solid as a rock, shifted like new, never missed a shift, and didn't leak or weep fluid.

 

[Tyson]

The drain and fill is not a difficult prodedure for the Mothership, 2013 Toyota Venza 3.5 AWD.

1 Put up all 4 on jackstands.

2 Remove driver side front wheel and expose trans fill plug. Break it loose.

3 Drain trans. Mine only drains 1.75 qts. Put the red straw and plug back in.

4 Remove fill plug and put in 1.75 qts of preferred WS replacement. Install Fill plug and cover plate thinger.

5 Reinstall wheel.

6 Change engine oil while it's up.

7 Lower off stands and torque drivers side lugs.


I've done it at 40k, 45k, and 50k using Maxlife ATF. Buttery smooth shifts. The OEM fluid was brown and nasty.

Needed? I don't know, but it makes me feel better.

I'll do the three drain and refills again at 90, 95, and 100k.

 

[Usman]

Originally Posted by Tyson
The drain and fill is not a difficult prodedure for the Mothership, 2013 Toyota Venza 3.5 AWD.

1 Put up all 4 on jackstands.

2 Remove driver side front wheel and expose trans fill plug. Break it loose.

3 Drain trans. Mine only drains 1.75 qts. Put the red straw and plug back in.

4 Remove fill plug and put in 1.75 qts of preferred WS replacement. Install Fill plug and cover plate thinger.

5 Reinstall wheel.

6 Change engine oil while it's up.

7 Lower off stands and torque drivers side lugs.


I've done it at 40k, 45k, and 50k using Maxlife ATF. Buttery smooth shifts. The OEM fluid was brown and nasty.

Needed? I don't know, but it makes me feel better.

I'll do the three drain and refills again at 90, 95, and 100k.





How would we get more than 1.75L out of it?