Trans. Fluid Level Check

Do you know that it is not Toyota's developed tranny?
ASIN is a major tranny supplier to many auto manufacturers.
It is a easy procedure. More accurate than a dipstick

 

Curious, how is it more accurate than a dipstick?

 

I was wondering the same thing Tacopycho. How the hell is it more accurate?

 

Are the other major OEMs less difficult?

 

4+feet of dipstick snaking through the engine compartment to the tranny's..Good luck measure the level.
My last car had 2.5' long tranny dipstick and could not tell the level
BTW, the oil dipstick is 2.5' and I cannot see the level after the oil change.
With this system, you level it, fill it, warm it, drain the extra. Done. Like a bathtub...

 

The fluid needs to be checked within a small temperature window.
Temp check mode insures the temp is accurate and the proper fluid circuits are filled so the level you measure in the pan is correct.

People tend to fuck up ATF checks with dipsticks.

Rhetorical...
Does the transmission need to be in P or N? Is the torque converter filled? How does one determine hot, warm, cold? How much does that vary from person to person? How accurate is that winding 3' dipstick?

 

Drain

 

Dipstick works quite well for checking engine crankcase oil. Maybe Toyota will figure a way to make that exponentially more difficult in the name of progress.

Every vehicle I've ever owned or used on a regular basis with an automatic transmission up to purchasing this Toyota had/has a dipstick that worked perfectly and I have never replaced an automatic transmission. I checked the trans. fluid level quite frequently without ever having to jumper wiring, set and wait for an indicator to flash or go away, pull any plugs, remove any fill ports, replace any crush washers, pump fluid into a fill port or crawl in and out from under the vehicle X number or times. In comparison it makes virtually no sense.

I wonder what Toyota stealer's get just to check the trans. fluid level for those not inclined to do it on their own. I'm sure they lick their collective chops every time!

 

Was helping a friend with his 2008 Porsche.
The car does not have the oil dipstick. Today is 2021.

 

It is more accurate because it ensures the fluid is the appropriate temperature, eliminating the thermal expansion variable.

Of course that doesn't explain why you have to pump in extra fluid, drain out excess, crawl under the truck 6 times getting dusty and dirty, replace crush washers...

The temperature check mode is nice, albeit convoluted to get into. Why you couldn't just read off a dipstick after the truck tells you temperature is correct and all fluid circulated appropriately is beyond me.

 

Dealer is going to hook it to a computer and verify the level through that, accurate or not, so about .4 of labor.

They are only going to crack it open and check when a customer buys a truck in 2021 and demands it to be checked because some shadetree internet type deemed the truck he bought in 2016 to be low.

 

It

 

Dumb engineering isn't defined by dates, it's just dumb engineering.

 

Another solid example of getting what you pay for.

Only one sure way to know if it's low or not and that is the jumper/remove drain plugs/replace crush washer/bottle pump method and even then there's some question as to accuracy. One thing is undeniable. Having the stealer check it, whether it's an accurate method or not, is going to be 100% more costly than me pulling a dipstick. Not sure how that doesn't make sense.

 

Well, the car did not blow up in 13 years..
Maybe they were/are smart engineers.....

 

The tranny is a pressurized and sealed system. Dipstick no bueno.

I never jumpered anything when I checked mine. Of course I only checked mine at 58k miles to change the fluid so I would have needed the crush washers at that point anyways. I don't find the $2.13 per washer to be a huge hurdle. I spent like $120 on the Toyota WS fluid, so...

I get it's not easy, but I don't get all the hubbub about it either since it's supposed to be a once in awhile deal, not every time you get gas and check the oil thing. It's also not a new thing.

Save this fire for when they take away your oil dipstick lol.

 

Anyone have genuine Toyota tranny fluid service shop instructions?

Curious, how many pages is the Tacoma Service manual?

2007 Sprinter last printed service manual was 12,732 pages.

 

11,292 pages and check post #2 on this thread for links/instructions.

 

I'm sure I can figure out the senseless and convoluted process and the cost of the crush washer isn't a budget buster but the undeniable bottom line is it's much more of a PITA than it ever should be. Just 'cause it ain't a new thing doesn't make it any less of a PITA.

 

Wait till you have to change the spark plugs lol. In the old days you just pop off the wire boot and remove them. Now you gotta remove half of the top off the engine and reach through a wheel well. And that's if you don't remove the intake like the book says to do.