Your new 2010 - 2015 truck -Auto transmission could be low on fluid directly from factory

GREAT POST-as always--thanks for your great service to this site??

 

I just ran the check procedure on my brand new 2014 at 2200 miles. Sure enough I was low. Not much, about 8 to 10oz, but still suprizing.

 

Did this this weekend on my truck (2012 with 50k miles). I was about 3/4 quart low.

 

Thanks for the update .
Toyota dealerships continue to sell their Tacoma,s without checking the trans fluid .
I have received a bunch of pm,s confirming that even the 2014 / 2015 models are low on fluid

 

I will be checking mine this week as well when i change the oil.

 

I did my fluid change a few days ago. Its a 2013 4x4 V6 OR. Its was extremely low. Didnt measure out how much but it was not much. Put in 4 quarts let the temp hit the right spot and check. Woot..... No fluid came out. Add another quart. It start to pour a bit then fluid was right.

Now shift was much easier and smoother.

 

I really need to check this...

 

I bought my truck used with about 85k on it, and had the 90k service done by the dealer. Hope it's ok. I haven't had any issues, so I assume it is.

 

Yes you should. It only take a bit out of your time and save you tons of time later on. I brought a ODB2 bluetooth from Amazon for 15 buck and use Torque app to measure my temperature. Drive it till it reach 115* and check my overspill port. Nothing came out. I was stunned. It was 4 quart I pour in. I know for sure when I drain the fluid. It didnt reach 4 quart or even closed to it. Lucky I brought 5 quart.


Its my first truck so I though the harder shifting was a truck thing. Its very smooth and easy to shift after getting it to the correct level. Now I would advise everyone to at least check their level. One way or another.

 

In my opinion , this is something you need to do yourself if you plan to keep the truck for any length of time .Check your own fluid if you can .
Have a peek at this members post and you will see what I mean .
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...estion-about-my-transmission.html#post9589768
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I don't know diddly squat about automatic transmissions, but after reading this entire thread, I think i have a clue as to why so many Tacos are low on fluid: To me, it looks like the trucks were taken from the assembly line to a shakedown run, then immediately afterward, the overflow was cracked open, rather than waiting for the temperature to drop into spec. No gauge used, just seat of the pants standard procedure. Fluid drains from overflow, plug replaced at trickle, end of story, truck is shipped. Does that sound like a reasonable explanation?

 

If that was a case, people would be missing a qt, not 4 qt.
Plus I never heard any trucks build in Nummi coming short on fluid. More likely somebody in factory is stealing fluid.
Combine that with dealer general inability of setting proper level, cue the problems

 

My last truck had some funky shifting and eventually had solenoid codes, and the actual wire harness inside the trans had to be replaced to fix it. I bought the truck with 112k and never touched the trans and according to the service records it had never been touched by Toyota either. A friends shop fixed it for me and I sold it shortly afterwards. I knew the trans was going as it would randomly shift from 3rd to neutral for a half second and then into fourth. It shifted OK when I first got it and had I serviced it likely it would be fine and I would still have it. Last year I bought another one and it shifted SO smooth I couldn't believe it for a 122k mile truck. This time I did a drain/fill right away and sure enough I wound up putting exactly how much came out back in and it was correct using the trans temp procedure. I'm about to do it again and I'm at about 149k now. Still shifting perfect but preventative maintenance is key. Once it has issues a fluid change isn't going to fix it in most cases. There are no records from Toyota of my current truck ever getting any transmission service and every service since new was done at the dealer as best I can tell from the records and what the dealer said. So perhaps they got one right back in late 04 when mine was built.

 

With all due respect, I disagree. Like i said, I don't know much about automatics, but I do know that if it was low by 4 qts, you wouldn't drive it at all. Speculation on my part, yes, but to wait an interminable amount of time for the tempertature to fall to spec may have prompted a procedure calculated to avoid the extra step at the factory.

 

My '04 Tacoma left Nummi 1/2 qt low on differential fluid.

 

From what Lester said here ^^^^^^ looks like this has been an issue far before the 2nd gens were released . What a crime

 

I had the dealer check my 2014 when it had less than 10k miles. They checked the fluid and it was 1/8 quart low. Not much.

 

I went in to Livermore Toyota yesterday to schedule my first service. I reported that my transmission felt clunky changing gears, most noticeable in freeway stop & go. The DB argued with me that it was supposed to go "clunk" when changing gears. He's just a pencil pusher and he's telling me shit like that. I'm old enough to be his father and I don't appreciate that at all. He made it sound like a threat when telling me that the Service Manager would do a drive-along with me to check it out. He must have typed a novel on his computer regarding our conversation, so we'll see how this evolves.

 

Same EXACT thing that happened to me. I even had the "lead tech" drive around with me. He kept saying, "I don't feel anything. Oh, that? That's completely normal". BS.

 

Checked mine in the Pro when I got the Scan Gauge. It was dead on! Just a trickle when at proper temp. I had asked the dealer to check it in the delivery check up and they supposedly did. Didn't think to ask them if they had to add fluid then or not. I was simply checking it for myself rather than trust the dealer had done it.