Why aren't transmissions more easily servicable?

[cos]

I get the idea of the possible confusion of which is the oil pan and which is the transmission pan. I'll admit last summer in doing the first oil change on my new/used Tundra, I put the ratchet to the transmission pan and did a couple turns before it dawned on me that it's too far back to be the oil pan. So I tightened it again fully and moved to the oil pan.

This could easily be remedied by a stamping in the pan "Transmission" and "Oil" and/or a different size and/or color bolt head to avert any confusion.

I totally agree! This is the oil pan on my '20 Accord:

 

[Sparky16]

I miss my old 1999 ML320. It had ATF drain plug, TC drain plug and filter inside pan. ATF drain only gets 3qt or so (actually never done this), with pan drop & TC drain, I got about 8 liters out of 9 liter capacity. Good for another 5 yrs/50k miles. MB insisted it's filled for life (their term "life" is 100,000 miles and 5/6 years I suppose) at first, then they changed it to service at 60k miles.

Bought new and drove 235,000 miles for almost 20 yrs, engine and tranny would have gone to 500k easily, but the small things keep breaking - power windows, all 4 power door locks machine-gunning and no replacement key FOB available, to name a few - had to move on.

 

[skrypj]

My 2011 Lexus GX has drain and fill plugs in both diffs, transmission and transfer case.

my F150 has no drain plugs in any of those except the tcase, until I replaced the Trans pan with an AFE. Its profoundly stupid. The front diff is a serious pita to get to and the cover cannot be removed while its in the truck so you have to pump it out the fill hole.

 

[CT Rob]

GM almost made it "easy" to to the filter & fluid in the Canyon. No dipstick, which is a pain, and you have to unbolt the exhaust to drop the pan. Seems like if they cared at all about customer satisfaction, they could have routed the exhaust somewhere else besides directly across the end of the pan that has to drop straight down to clear the drain bolt tube.
But, customer satisfaction would also dictate a dipstick, so, it's pretty clear they want you to be forced to take it somewhere, unless you have your own lift and air tools.
View attachment 56376

They care about their bank and bottom line ,not if its easy for us the consumer to service at home or even the mechanic for that matter.

 

[PimTac]

I get the idea of the possible confusion of which is the oil pan and which is the transmission pan. I'll admit last summer in doing the first oil change on my new/used Tundra, I put the ratchet to the transmission pan and did a couple turns before it dawned on me that it's too far back to be the oil pan. So I tightened it again fully and moved to the oil pan.

This could easily be remedied by a stamping in the pan "Transmission" and "Oil" and/or a different size and/or color bolt head to avert any confusion.

On a rear wheel drive setup like the Tundra or like any other pickup truck one has to be fully aware that they have to be under the engine to change the oil. There can be confusion on front wheel drive vehicles with the two pans close together but that shouldn’t be a issue on a longitudinal setup like the Tundra.

 

[bbhero]

I roll my eyes watching videos of guys on a lift with a laptop and someone else needs to shift gears while holding tongue to inside left cheek. Learned to appreciate the old school check hot dipstick marks.
On my GM trucks … have always added the B&M plug after first pan, filter, magnets done …
I swap 5 quarts every spring before the Texas heatwaves … half hour job, no ramps.

You can still fit under your trucks ???



Just messing with ya.

 

[bbhero]

On a rear wheel drive setup like the Tundra or like any other pickup truck one has to be fully aware that they have to be under the engine to change the oil. There can be confusion on front wheel drive vehicles with the two pans close together but that shouldn’t be a issue on a longitudinal setup like the Tundra.

I agree... That is true to a degree.

But a numbnuts that does pay enough attention to where the motor is and transmission is.... Should not be trusted with a wrench. And definitely not be messing with anything around their battery.

 

[edyvw]

As an owner of two European cars, I find this conversation simply astonishing. I thought by default we are the one with complicated maintenance.
oh yeah, I forgot, I have Japanese car too. Yeah, you are right guys.

 

[PimTac]

I agree... That is true to a degree.

But a numbnuts that does pay enough attention to where the motor is and transmission is.... Should not be trusted with a wrench. And definitely not be messing with anything around their battery.

There was a thread recently where someone drained their oil and said it was reddish in color and wonder if anyone had heard of such a thing?

Now I’m beginning to wonder.

 

[bbhero]

There was a thread recently where someone drained their oil and said it was reddish in color and wonder if anyone had heard of such a thing?

Now I’m beginning to wonder.

I actually had that happen with the Camry on time... Motor oil came out reddish in color. Very peculiar. Only did that the one time. I believe I had Motorcraft in the car before that happened.

 

[nascarnation]

There was a thread recently where someone drained their oil and said it was reddish in color and wonder if anyone had heard of such a thing?

Now I’m beginning to wonder.

I did that on my Cadillac 2004 SRX the first oil change. As soon as I smelled the front diff fluid flowing out I knew I unscrewed the wrong plug.