Maintenance

I have had Toyotas since 1977. All were great. Never an issue with any of them. Until my current one.....a 2006 Tacoma TRD Double Cab V6. At 92,000 miles, I needed a new transmission. I was told the radiator leaked coolant into the transmission fluid, so I needed a new radiator as well. $3,300. I take it in for all regularly scheduled maintenance. That's really all I know how to do. When my husband was alive, he did all the maintenance. He was always checking and doing things. I never paid attention. Apparently, there's more to maintenance than just the scheduled maintenance. Can anyone tell me what things need to be done to maintain these Toyotas so they last as long as they should? I still have my 1985 Pick Up with 400,000 miles and my 1991 Pick Up with 200,000 miles. But that was when my husband was here to take care of them. Thank you.

 

Honestly just regular scheduled service will keep it going a long long time. Sometimes parts just fail and need to be replaced. The radiator is common replacement item because as it gets old the plastic parts get brittle and break. The transmission should have lasted longer than 92,000 miles in my opinion. I've had many Toyota trucks that went 250,000 miles without any trans issues.

 

This makes no sense. Coolant is a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water.
Either they were BS-ing you, or you have mis-quoted them.

 

Continue to do the routine maintenance and if someone tells you that something is broken or needs repair go and get a second opinion from another shop that you trust. Sometimes parts do wear out and need to be replaced, it's all the same with any vehicle. I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your husband.

 

Unless you want to keep them. Sell them and get a newer truck.

 

Over da hill,
Thank you. I agree that a transmission should not go out at 92,000 miles. At first I thought I just got a bunk transmission. Then when I was told about the leak in the radiator that caused the coolant and transmission fluid to mix, and that instantly ruins the transmission.....now I'm thinking how could that happen? Maybe I got a bunk radiator?
I always thought that with regular scheduled maintenance, it would last a long, long time.
Carole.

 

I would take it to another mechanic and explain the problem but not mention what the first said as far as specific parts that need to be replaced. Then see what they say.

 

Rick, Yes you are right. I said it wrong. It's when the coolant and transmission fluid mix together, it ruins the transmission. I will correct it. I am new to all this. Thanks, Carole.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, maybe our trucks has a common radiator for cooling both the engine and transmission. In two compartments of course, but part of the same unit. Never looked close to the damn think.

 

Thank you Jeff. I wish I had a shop I could trust. I understand that sometimes parts wear out, but to let these two fluids mix together is a major repair. And it happened so fast, there was nothing that could be done to prevent it. That's what I don't understand. Carole.
Thank you for being so kind. I really miss my husband a lot. We were together for 32 years.

 

Michael, thank you. I plan to do that. The 1985 was parked at my place in the mountains and people stole parts off of it. So that one is no good now. And the 1991, I gave to a very good friend who badly needed transportation. There is another issue now with my 2006. After the transmission was fixed, it started vibrating again so I took it back and told them. They told me it was not from the transmission, it was the tires. So I had the tires rotated and balanced. It's still vibrating. I want to sell it but I can't in this condition. Carole.

 

Yep, two separate cooling systems cannot 'mix' into one another.

IMHO, the shop thinks they have a 'pigeon' in their sights. Go to another shop..... like right now. Don't go back there.

 

What was their quote for the repair? I'm curious.

NVRM, I read it now.

 

Wallbright, I took it to the Toyota dealership first. They told me I needed a new transmission and it would cost $5,000. Then I took it to this shop that someone recommended to me. They told me the same thing, but charged me $3,300. I'm still having a hard time accepting that this has happened to a Toyota. Thanks for your help. Carole.

 

Thank you vbibi, It seems odd to me that vehicles are build this way, where it is so easy for these fluids to mix and cause major damage. They can put a man on the moon, but they can't design a different way of cooling both the engine and transmission without this risk? Carole.

 

Mike, Thank you. I do keep going to different places, even shops that someone has recommended to me. One time, I took my 1991 to get an oil change and they wanted to charge me $500 !! I am a little smarter than that. Carole.
Toyota Dealership $5,000
Independent Shop $3,300

 

If the TCM is inside the transmission, the water from the coolant will kill it almost instantly. I know the Frontiers had that setup and it wreaked havoc up until about 2011 when they finally fixed it. It cost just as much to rebuild the tranny as a new one on those trucks.

I don't know where the TCM is on the Tacoma, but if it is mounted exterior to the tranny a few flush and fills may fix the problem. Replace the radiator and flush the transmission a few times and it should clear it up if you caught it in time to not ruin the clutches and such. Find an honest transmission shop and they will tell you if that is an option.

 

Thank you jmatteau. I wish there would have been time, but all this happened in a matter of 2 days. No warnings. My truck started "jumping" (felt like I was going over bumps in the road), then vibrating badly. Someone told me to replace the U joints and I did that, but it didn't fix it. It was all over that quick. Carole.