When to service transmission?

lots of misinformation on this site.

 

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...^^^... Thanks for the link. I lost this thread

 

Can you elaborate ?

 

Many people have had low fluid from the factory.

 

This is a well-documented issue. My truck was one of them, I was nearly a quart low from the factory.

 

is

Now THAT"S scary!! And this is at an actual Toyota Dealership?

 

I would not return to that service department. Ever.

 

Well documented where? Only on TW as far as I can tell! After reading here about "under fills from the factory", I put my 2015 4.0 Sport into the "fluid check mode", pulled the plug and got a tell tale trickle of fluid, indicating the transmission was full. If this problem was as endemic as portrayed on TW, I would expect a TSB. (or a rash of transmission failures and rants on TW that would rival the rusted frame problem) I would also bet that most TW readers have NEVER put their trucks into the "fluid check mode" to check their fluid (because it's a pain in the ass) levels. So where is the documentation??

 

So what you're saying is, there's a bunch of liars on TW.

 

Yep, when I returned to pick it up, the truck was parked in the lot, so I crawled under and inspected the zerk fittings, and none were touched or greasy, I could tell they did not touch them. Service manager said his tech was going to put the truck on the lift and explain. Then we enter the service bay and step under the truck, and now I see all the zerk fittings had fresh marks and new grease oozing out of them, he hit them just before I walked in and covered his ass "Oh nice, you greased the drive shaft like I asked" , I was nice about it, and didn't shit on the lazy tech in front of his boss, spent a few mins under the truck talking shop while he pretended to be the expert. Asked for his card just to butter him up. Left without paying for any labor or service, so I don't mind the free grease lesson and chance to get under the truck on a lift and talk shop with the tech. I'm learning a lot about my Taco, and will eventually do more work myself, just need to buy a grease gun and some jack stands. I still plan to check the trans fluid as a result of this thread. Thanks for all the comments and links here, this is an awesome community for Taco owners !!

 

Nope, There are TSB's dealing with shifting characteristics attributed to low fluid levels (and software). Please define "bunch" for me, a dozen, 100's? They produce a 100,000 Tacoma's a year and there may be some underfilled - where is the "well documented" evidence. A google search takes you to forums - anecdotal evidence - and a couple independent confirmations, also anecdotal. If anecdotal evidence is the new standard for "documentation", I'll concede. ( by the way, how is the fluid level in your truck?)

 

By that same logic, the frame rotting issue is also purely anecdotal, right? If you look on the forums, you find tons of "anecdotal" evidence that this was a problem with the older ones. It took Toyota YEARS to admit that there "might" be an issue. So it's only anecdotal until Toyota admits there's a problem? Sometimes anecdotal evidence is the only documentation available.

I'd say it counts as a well-known issue when a sizable number of the people who do check their fluid levels on the forums are low. Or is it just that the only people who have the issue are the ones who checked their fluid?

 

Good question, how's your fluid level?

 

I was a quart low when I checked mine.

 

does your truck have the tow package?

 

That's overkill.

 

Well, im pushing over 100hp over stock, and bought it with 20k miles.... so, it makes me feel safer.

Besides its not a flush, they were drain and fills

 

Yep

 

Yours was, mine wasn't - takes YEARS for rust (good point) but if under filled, it was delivered that way. Wonder how many years it will take before the anecdotal under fill evidence (documentation) will get "free" transmissions based on the anecdotal documentation. Won't matter to me 'cause I don't keep vehicles that long. LOL

 

My 13 pre runner has grease fittings on the drive shaft. Non 4wd