3rd Gen Transmission Fluid level Check

Yeah the transmission was warmed prior but I'm pretty sure it wasn't checked using anything but the computer. I think I'm still going to take it over to my friend who's a Jaguar tech, they use the same method on their trans to check the level.

 

I agree .

There are too many unknown variables to rule out a low fluid condition with such low mileage .
If you plan to keep the truck , its something you should learn how to check yourself

 

Oh I'm sure I could check it myself, not difficult but rather have someone I trust that does it frequently. Besides, I can use the lift and fluid pump instead of trying to fight it while lying on the floor.

 

Ok I will be taking delivery sometime in March. The dealer states a 160 point inspection before delivery, transmission is mentioned on the poster in the showroom but no details. I plan to inform them I want the transmission fluid checked before I sign any papers. Anyone know if this 160 point inspection is a dealer specific service or a Toyota service that all dealers are supposed to preform? What do they actually do? I plan to ask my dealer this week, just looking for others who have taken delivery with the 160 point inspection.
Is there a thread or poll on people who were low and people who have taken delivery with adequate oil in the transmission? Anyone ever check it and not had to add transmission fluid?

I'm starting to worry just a little.

 

I just talked to the service advisor at Toyota. Told him the situation is still there and now I feel slipping from 2nd to 3rd. He said after the first time I had taken my vehicle in he told the district manager about the issue and he said that he has not heard of any issues. So it's apparent that the dealers are not relaying the messages to corporate to investigate. Atleast around this region. I'm on Modesto California. I'm taking back in March and leaving it over night this time. We shall see.

 

Adding to my previous post...
Here is a picture, supplied by my dealer, perhaps showing "overflow" after filling the transmission, or maybe draining it to measure how much was in the reservoir.



Well ... at least something was draining from the transmission area.
The only comment the salesguy left in the email accompanying that photo was "Should have had 3.3 quarts". Looks like the fluid in the cannister is below the "2" level.

So, if it was nearly 1.5 quarts low, it was only half full!

 

Is this the fill hole? The rear facing bolt. I'm having a hard time finding it from the diagram in the service manual.

 

That's the fluid check hole (5mm hex head removed). Assuming a 4WD, the fill plug is on the passenger side of the transmission and is stamped with "WD" on the outside of the plug.

 

Here's a picture: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...fluid-level-check.410615/page-3#post-11749077

 

Thanks. I see the fill on the passenger side now. Here are pics of the fill hole and the check plug.

 

i just brought my truck in yesterday to the dealer. because I felt my transmission slip hard for the very first time. just reached1158 miles. I was driving up a small incline when my truck just started to rev. maybe revved up to 3k I was like wtf is going on so I let off the gas and it grabbed regular. called my sales person and told him what happened. told me to call the service department. so I called the service department and said that next available would be on March 30th. so I scheduled for march 30th. Couple hours passed and the dealer called me back saying to bring in your truck ASAP. talked to the guy on the phone asking if I had a tow package. Told him yes I have a tow package. and he was saying that the got a few complaint about not being enough trans fluid because of the oil cooler for the tow package. I guess they forgot to add more because of the oil cooler or something like that. Dropped off my truck and my sales person had a loaner vehicle ready and waiting for me which is a 2015 Toyota Tacoma sr5 dcsb. service person told me that It would probably till next week till I get my truck back from the dealer. I must say that the 2015 Tacoma does drive different than my 2016. the transmission on the 2015 isn't that shifty compared to the 2016. also the front of the 2016 is really high as well. can really see well with the 2015.

 

I tested mine tonight. At first when using the jumper and the N-D sequence 6 times the D indicator was off while the truck warmed up. I was using an infrared thermometer on the pan as well. About when the pan got to 95 the D came on solid. By the time it was blinking (at least 5 minutes) the pan read 106. At first when the D was solid I removed the check plug and got about 2 drops. Later as it got to around 100 on the pan I got another couple of drops. So mine is not extremely low but it is not steadily flowing like the training videos show. I'll call my sales guy tomorrow and see if he can get me scheduled for them to have a look at it. In the meantime can I drive it since it wasn't bone dry at the plug.

 

Here is what I caught from opening it 3 times. All while the D was solid.

 

From the manual;

NOTICE:
If only a small amount of automatic transmission fluid (approximately 5 cc) comes out of the overflow hole,
then only automatic transmission fluid remaining in the overflow tube of overflow hole has come out. This
is not considered to be overflow.

 

My transmission all of a sudden rev'd up and felt like it wasn't in gear earlier today while driving. The truck was more than warmed up and I had been driving for several miles. Was heading back home on a side street and just out of nowhere felt like it slipped into neutral and just rev'd. I was going maybe 25-20mph when it happened. Never had that happen before, but I did bring up during my 5,000 mile initial service that the truck was intermittently downshifting from 2nd to first gear with a noticeable 'clunk', and intermittently not go into gear from a cold start when i would pull out my my driveway in the mornings and would rev like it was in neutral (even though it was in gear) and eventually 'catch' or go into gear. Service department blew me off completely and refused to check the trans fluid level, giving me the whole spiel about it being a sealed transmission and there's nothing wrong with it, blah, blah. Now it's going back in on Tuesday. I'm already getting sick and tired of Toyota. I've tried to like the brand coming from another car company prior and this being my first Toyota, but so far I'm not impressed. Was really wanting to love the truck, but seems like they don't want me to. I've even considering trading it in and know I'll take a hit, but I'll let it be someone else's problem. Depending on how the dealership handles this, it may be the beginning and the end of my Toyota experience. I did buy a 7yr/100k warranty, but don't want to have the transmission fail down the line because the Service Department was last and didn't want to address the issue when the truck was new.

Part of the extended warranty is being given a loaner vehicle as part of the warranty. I was told by the dealer that in this case even though they want the truck overnight they will NOT give me a loaner vehicle because the truck is still under the factory warranty, and the extended warranty has not kicked in yet, so they are not obligated to give me a loaner. How's that for customer service?!

FWIW, my truck is a TRD Sport 4x4 DCSB Automatic w/tow package. I towed about 3,000lbs from Denver to the Bay Area last October and had no issues. The transmission issues started maybe 4-6 weeks ago.

 

Go to a different dealer. Call corprate Toyota and file a complaint with your first dealer. Every dealer is different, maybe ask around about the dealers in your area.

 

Shouldn't have to drive out of my way to go to a different dealer to get the truck sorted out under warranty.

 

True. But why let them have your business if they're shitheads and you don't like them.

 

I'm not paying them a dime. It's under warranty.