We are seeking members opinions and ideas concerning towing with our 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan. The vehicle was purchased new and has been painstakingly maintained. The van has the Toyota 3.5L V-6 and the ECT-i 8 speed automatic transmission. It currently has 31,000 trouble free miles. I have done a significant amount of towing including large boats and other trailers but have always had a much larger, 3/4 ton or larger tow vehicle. That being said, I completely understand the dynamics of heat and transmission operations and limitations and towing techniques. Toyota says it will safely tow 3500 pounds. It has the factory installed towing prep package according to toyota. I have spoken to a local transmission shop who was cautious about towing anything with this transmission. We do not want to purchase a new vehicle simply to tow a camping trailer once a year, and the Sienna works very nice for us the other 99% of the time. On the other hand, I dont want to destroy it either. Towed weight would not exceed the 3500 limit and we would be well within our GCVWR. Your opinion..........will this transmission physically handle towing if the fluid is changed regularly and heat is controlled? Thanks for the help.
Towing with 2018 Toyota Sienna
- Thread starter Captsunshine32724
- Start date
How far and how fast??
Cross country.....family vacation type trips. Highway speeds making concessions for heat control on long grades.
I don't see any issues based on the vehicle tow rating and the actual amount of use intended. Is there any way to read the transmission temp via the OBD link? I'm not sure it's worth adding a separate gauge but if you can read it with your phone app or whatever it would be a plus. If you're on some grades and can manually downshift to avoid lugging, that's always a help too. Then maybe change ATF at 50,000 miles or so.
There are apps to allow reading ATF Temps through the OBD, I was planning on this or a stand alone gauge. I would likely change the fluid yearly.
When fully loaded for the trip are you going to be under your payload capacity(not the 3500 towing rating)? That's what I would be most concerned with . 4 people, luggage, and whatever else you're taking can usually get you to the vehicle payload capacity before you factor in the roughly 10% hitch weight.
I know a family of 4 who travels the country in their sienna towing a popup. It’s a relatively new and low weight popup, but I was taken by surprise when I saw their pictures of it towing it. They have a 3/4 ton Cummins truck, I figured they travelled and camped with that. I figured wrong. And I know for a fact they don’t maintain the Sienna well at all, and it doesn’t have any extra trans cooler... They probably haven’t serviced the transmission ever...just oil changes, brakes, and tires. It’s still going strong as a daily driver and their travel vehicle. This summer they were gone months on end in it.
We have done the math and after factoring in everything including the 10% tongue weight, we will be within our individual axel weight limits as well as the total vehicle gross weight (cargo capacity) The weights have all been carefully examined by me, to include a trip to the scales with our family and cargo on board with full fuel. We know the numbers and can stay within them. Our question is more one of engineering, will the machine (the tranny) stand up to towing the vehicles rated capacity over time without damage as long as it is serviced and operated properly?
T1snwrbrdr12 I'd love to know what they were towing..........I was surprised at how heavy some of the "small" pop ups are these days. Thank you for the info though, it is helpful, as are all of the ideas I am reading.
Maybe upgrade the tranny fluid to a synthetic.Valvoline Max life, Castrol Transmax or Redline, Amsoil etc. Toyota WS fluid is not synthetic as far as I know.
Not a direct comparison with the 6 speed transmission for my '15 model but I did drive 1800 miles from MA to TX in the middle of summer of 2015 and back a year later both towing a Corolla with a u-haul dolly. I am sure we were at 3500 limit as the car weighs about 2800# plus dolly and the van was fully loaded. To date I am going to change the filter and fluid at 30k next year but I did a curiosity check of the fluid and the color is still quite red and no unusual burnt smell. There are postings of the factory WS atf getting very dark fast with this vehicle model and transmission. I have not experienced any odd shifting today with the towing this vehicle has seen.
The 8 speed version has a TSB-0197-17 for a software update to better remedy a rough shifting transmission I believe. I want to say you're ok but a scanguage ii seems like a neat display tool to monitor atf temp real time.
The 8 speed version has a TSB-0197-17 for a software update to better remedy a rough shifting transmission I believe. I want to say you're ok but a scanguage ii seems like a neat display tool to monitor atf temp real time.
I agree, you were way over the 3500 and certainly over the GCVWR. This 8 speed doesnt even have a dipstick, I miss my trucks! Thank you for the information, as I mentioned before, any info is helpful.
What did that weigh? Im guessing a little over 3500
Travel trailer, but smaller than that one. Trailer we are thinking of pulling has a max GVW of 3400.
Travel trailer, but smaller than that one. Trailer we are thinking of pulling has a max GVW of 3400.
One problem with toyotas is that some of the will absolutely cook WS fluid. I'd do an external cooler and full synthetic high quality fluid (maxlife import mv Amsoil Redline) if you wanted to be safe. Or very frequent WS changes. I'm also a transmission fluid nut.
It was just about 4000 lbs loaded up. Handled well due to the double axle, short length (19ft tip to tail), and relatively high tongue weight (700lbs). The van is still in use today without issues. The van has a payload capacity of 1608lbs and was under on that and axle ratings towing the funfinder (but over the tow rating by about 500 lbs).What did that weigh? Im guessing a little over 3500
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I recommend a Scan Gauge or Ultragauge to everyone. They're great for monitoring more parameters of your vehicle than what the manufacturer thinks you need to know (can also check and clear some codes). I have mine set up to monitor coolant temp (most vehicles use a dummy gauge), intake air temp, oil temp, and load. OP seems rather detail oriented, I think that a separate gauge would be found very useful.
If you are towing within the conservative weight limits placed by the manufacturer, you and your transmission will be safe and trouble free.
If you are towing within the conservative weight limits placed by the manufacturer, you and your transmission will be safe and trouble free.
Thanks McManus99
Which unit do you prefer? I just checked them both out and the Ultra Gauge looks more refined. Wired or wireless?? I see that the wired version of the Ultra does not support user updates and must be returned to the factory for updates, while the wireless version is more user friendly in that regard.
Which unit do you prefer? I just checked them both out and the Ultra Gauge looks more refined. Wired or wireless?? I see that the wired version of the Ultra does not support user updates and must be returned to the factory for updates, while the wireless version is more user friendly in that regard.
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I'd be wary of what the gauge tells you. Plenty of people still think cooler is better and that anything over 180F is death. But that was true 20, 30 years ago. The trans in my truck sits at 190F just going down the highway. 230F can be seen under some conditions, and I think that might be where the thermostat opens for the cooler! Be wary of hooking up a gauge and using outdated information as a guide--there may be value in hooking up a gauge and putting on some miles just motoring around without a trailer, just to get an idea of what it does under light normal usage.
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