ToyotaCare Service Question - Transmission

Since I bought the truck, my transmission would downshift hard. Not very consistent, but more often when cold.
At my 5k mile service I told them about it but the tech “couldn’t replicate it”. Whatever, not much I can do if they can’t replicate it.

Yesterday I had my 10k mike service and I asked them if they will be checking my transmission fluid level. They called me back in 35 min told me my truck was ready. I asked again if the tranny fluid was checked and they told me they check all fluid levels.

Anyways, on the paperwork they did not check the box next to transmission fluid. But wrote that all fluids levels are normal.

Is that not part of the service then? Should I take it back and make them check?

 

if it’s not checked on the paperwork then it was not done. Just a bad advisor who doesn’t know what is actually checked.

Anyways, tranny fluid is not part of a 10k mile check. Anyways to solve another issue is the TSB that went out last year if you have felt this problem.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ota-for-stumble-condition-tsb-0062-18.559435/

 

Yea I got that update. It helped with gear searching and whatever but I still downshifts hard. Like sometimes I even hear a clunk.

 

Being cold the fluid has not had the chance to warm up and expand hence the hard shift. My 2015 did the same thing and I have ask on numerous ocassions to have it checked only to be told the tech couldn’t replicate the problem. Lot of people are reporting that the transmissions do not have the correct amount of fluid in them from the factory, especially if you have the tow package with external transmission cooler. Local dealer told me in order for them to physically check the transmission level I would have to leave it overnight as it had to be a certain temp. Called their BS as Toyota now has a special tool that enables them to check the trans at any temp using a special wand and a vacuum tool. Another dealer had this tool and found my trans was down over a litre of fluid. I now have a case pending with Toyota for an extended warranty on the transmission so I would look into this.

 

I had an issue with my 19 (with 1k on the clock) when cold had a rough up shift until it warmed up. You’d feel it in the seat belt as a mild jerk when it shifted up which went away after a couple miles. I told them about it at the dealer as I suspected it was low on tranny fluid. Got the usual couldn’t replicate bull$hi?...no $hi&, I just drove it 7 miles here in traffic and it’s heated up. Said they couldn’t do anything. So I went to the parts counter, bought a quart, and added it to the tranny using the level check procedure with the overfill plug and temp check mode. It took about 3/4 of a quart. Now gee...no rough upshifts when...cold imagine that! The fluid level when cold is low, as heat builds it expands. In my case it likely expanded just enough (doubt 3/4 of a quart worth) for the tranny to be happy at operating temp but low enough when cold to cause an issue.

In other words, check the tranny yourself, you might be surprised what you find.

 

Oh wow. What year is your truck? I heard ‘16s had that issue.

Do you know what the tool is called? So I could call other dealers and ask

 

Truck is a 2015 TRD Off road with 29k on it, kit is called a WS ATF level gage kit.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcecuGzTDg
Found this interesting video of how it works before I went to get it checked, although I had to pay for the checkup and the ATF they put in (even thought it was still under warranty) I now have the piece of mind that it’s full now and something to fight Toyota with to try to get an extended warranty out of them.

 

I saw that video as well. At my last service I asked the service advisor about checking the tranny, and he stated that I'd have to leave it overnight due to the tranny having to cool down. I watched the aforementioned video and realized the advisor was full of.
20k Service is in 1500 miles. He's going to hear my mouth. Damn !

I know too many emojis.

 

They are definitely not filling these trucks correctly from the factory, you all and my truck are not unique cases. I’m willing to bet, no matter what a truck is equipped with, they are telling the workers to fill it with x amount of tranny oil or even an automatic machine to distribute an x measured amount into it. All of this based on some newly minted college degree saying this much fluid will expand at this operating temp and be at the correct level for these trucks. Problem is my truck is different from the next guys in I have a bigger tranny oil cooler stock while his may not and this is not an exact science. A simple check, correctly whorls solve these problems.

 

so this piece of equipment isn't mandatory from Toyota corp to their service departments?