Transmission Fluid Change

The Toyota dealer changed and flushed my transmission fluid at 83,000 miles in my 2006 Tundra. My manual says to never change the fluid, but the dealer told me Toyota Company changed their opinion and now requires the fluid to be changed every 60,000 miles. I called Toyota Company and they verified the new change policy.

It is now due again. One toyota dealer told me to leave it alone. Do not change it since it is a sealed transmission. Another dealer said to flush and change it to the tune of $250 + tax. Another dealer says if it does not have the tow package (mine does not), just change it only, but do not flush. (Only $170 + tax).

Pretty confusing. Last time I had it flushed, evidently the pressure did something, because it caused the seal at the bell housing to start oozing transmission fluid. Lucky I caught it, or it might have ruined my transmission, since there is no dipstick to monitor fill level. I am now scared of transmission flush.

I do not pull with it, never drive over 60 MPH. Think it would be ok to just drain and fill the transmission?

 

It's recommended to do a drain and refill, not a flush. That's what I would do in your shoes. $170 for that is outrageous. Are you mechanically inclined at all? You can do it yourself fairly easily.

 

I am told by Toyota Company that the correct way to change it is with equipment that only the dealer has. Sounds like a money racket to me. But I know a guy who had his changed by a transmission shop, and a few thousand miles later, the transmission failed. Toyota Company told him that the fluid can only be changed in a sealed transmission at a certain temperature, using dealer equipment, or the transmission would not fill to the proper level, and would be prone to fail.

Again, sounds like a dealer scam to me. To begin with, only a dipstick engineer would design a transmission without a dipstick, but every auto brand is now making transmissions without dipsticks. Some cars now have no engine oil dipsticks. Scary.

 

That is what I read when i researched transmission fluid change. The temperature has to be right, so that point with fluid amounts is valid too. Just a simple change by dealer is fine and you are good to go for a long time. Not sure of pricing as im in canada but i paid 120$ canadian for the fluid change.

 

I've seen people get their trans up to temp and drain the fluid, while they have their new fluid in a beaker on an electric hot plate at the same temp so that they can hopefully get the right amount in to match what was pulled out.

What I've always wondered is, say you park your truck in your garage, and you keep the bottles of new trans fluid in the garage, they should be the same temp. Can't you just change the fluid cold and get the right amount in? You may not get all the crud out but you should have close temps/expansion.

Paging @empty_lord is that a terrible idea?

 

Two more questions. (1) Is the dealer transmission fluid synthetic? I was told by Toyota Company to never use any fluid but Toyota transmission fluid.
(2) The mileage is every 60,000, but is there a time limit on fluid change? I do not put but about 5,000 miles a year on my Tundra. Can I go 8 to 10 years with normal driving and no pulling? Any thiughts?

 

I just know that the temp is critical to getting the correct transmission fill level. I would be afraid to guess fluid temp by any method. Looks like the manufacturers of autos are attempting to push customers back to the dealers for service.

I was scanning another Tundra forum years ago, and many were complaining because of this very problem, forcing us back to the dealers for transmission fills. Car manufacturers are planning right now to seal future engines, sending out digitized alarm signals for low levels, giving the exact amount of oil for proper fill.

Interesting! They claim we are too dumb to read the dipstick, but smart enough to put the proper amount in and proper type, when instructed to do so. It is a money scam.

 

We've had a lot of members do this job at home. You can use Toyota fluid but a lot of others have used different fluid without issue. You don't need to have a dealer do this.

 

I asked the same question before. I don't understand why you can't just do it cold, measure what comes out, and put the same amount back in. It shouldn't be different than the 4 speed.

 

And you may be right. I am only familiar with what Toyota Company has said. It may be their gimmick to send customers back to the dealer. My wife drives Hondas. I always change her transmission fluid, but the Hondas are not sealed transmissions, until recently. Honda tells you in their manual to never flush their transmissions, only drain and refill.

 

My GTI has a sealed manual trans. When I change the fluid I do it cold. I drain it, put the drain plug back, then fill it until fluid reaches the fill plug. Same way I do the rear end on my truck. I imagine doing a cold drain, measuring what came out and replace it should work (assuming the fluid level was correct to start with).

 

Mine is a sealed automatic transmission. If it was manual, I would just drain and refill, cold. I really do not understand why temperature would matter on manual or automatic.

 

FWIW, before my current Tundra I had a 2003, 4.7 liter. I drained mine every 40,000, and I got almost exactly a gallon. I replaced it with a gallon. I did this three times in 120,000 miles, and it was still going strong when I sold it to a buddy. As far as I know, it's still going strong

I used Amsoil ATF because a friend was a dealer. If I were doing it now, I'd probably use the Toyota fluid just because I know it's OK, and there's no guessing. But that may just be me.

 

I mean, not just that, but depending on your mileage, you're going to end up with deposits. It's been said time and time again, though I don't know if it's fact or not, that detergents and optimizations in modern fluids will break up deposits, and replacing your no-detergents-left fluid completely with full-detergent, potentially thinner fluids can break loose all kinds of shit. Which may be what happened with your seal last time.

I'd be skeptical and think @FirstGenVol 's advice is key here. No flush. Filter and fluid change.

 

I know a guy that used to work for a Honda dealership. He now mechanics from his own shop, and is Honda and Toyota certified technician. I quit using him because he lives a long way from me now. I am going to call him tomorrow and see what he says.

 

Expansion and contraction during heating and cooling

 

Yeah, you guys have convinced me not to flush. I have been scanning the internet, and yes, there are guys like me who had fluid leaks after flush. You are right, too big a chance that a seal will leak.

 

There are seal rejuvenating additives out there apparently, which don't do bad stuff. Do some research on ATP

$19 AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks, 8 Ounce Bottle

AT-205.

But lots of conflicting info. Use in crankcase, never in steering applications. Ok in transmissions until it's not OK in transmissions.

All it does is re-plump gaskets, but no larger than their original size. Or so everything out there says. May not apply, but could've also saved your gasket had you run it for 100-200 miles prior to flush.

 

Never flush, always drain and refill, you can just drain, measure what came out and put whatever you got out back in BUT you're assuming that the level was correct to begin with.

To do this correctly is a special but fairly easy procedure of getting the transmission to a certain temperature then undoing the overflow bolt in the transmission pan, ive done this many times and the tranny is shifting smooth as ever.

 

But how does one know what that special temperature is?

 

2005 Toyota Sequoia Transmission fluid Drain, Fill, and Check - YouTube

This video describes it really well. You have a 2006 just like me so the procedure is the same as the video.

When refilling the transmission with fresh fluid, I would recommend overfilling it so then whatever needs to be drain will be drained when you undo the check bolt on the transmission pan.

Only use Toyota WS fluid.

 

What is WS fluid? Is that full synthetic?

 

Hang on, you have a V6, I'm not sure what to suggest for that transmission.

 

Drain at room temp, fill same fluid level worth back in at room Temp. Do a few times over a few hundred miles

 

According to information I have put together from internet, the 2005 Tundra was one of the first to have a sealed automatic. The confusion came because the WS (World Standard) oil was suppose to be good for the life of the transmission. It was later discovered that at 60,000 miles, the pressure and temp additives, not the fluid, began breaking down.

The fluid can be changed cold, but the correct procedure is, after changing fluid, to warm the truck to normal operating temp, using engine gauge on dash (115 - 130 degrees) to check the level. Shift thru all gears once or twice, low to high, insuring the fluid drains into all gears and parts, put back in park, chock wheels, crawl under truck, useing check and fill plugs, add oil while idling and normal operating temp.

If fluid level is not checked at normal operating temp, there is a possibility of transmission damage over time. This is for 2005 and 2006 since they were some of the first sealed. Could not find anything on other year models. Probably the same. Not following procedure could result in fluid being low or wrong level, because temperature does affect fluid level at normal operating condition.

 

if you catch all the fluid drained and refill the with same amount you'll be fine. its how most transmission services are done at the dealer. (unless someone actually pays for a flush/full service.)

if you have any concerns the fluid may be low currently. then the level check procedure should be performed

 

@Chicken Little Empty is a Toyota tech. I would do the room temp maneuver.

 

I've done this (my 4Runner has this trans.)...it's easy. Drain. Measure what you took out. Replace. ONLY USE TOYOTA WS FLUID. Run up to operating temp (you can use a digital IR thermometer on the pan if you're AR like me. Or use your OBDII). Open the level check plug...if fluid runs out, let it do so until it stops. If no fluid runs out, add some more. Voila!

 

Do this, works great!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx5dU3UVcRs&t=1576s

 

Man, that's a lotta steps! Cool the only purchases are WS fluid and one crush washer for the pan. I was tempted for a sec, but don't have a measured fill pump (crappy opaque handheld only), don't have a graduated 13qt+ container. At the point I buy all those things, I'm probably at half the cost of letting someone else do it. If we go by the idea that time is money, I'm assuming I can get the local non-stealer Toyo tech to do it and be at least an hour of my labor ahead of the wallet dent.

Not very DIY of me, I know, don't revoke my man card.