" My Dealerships service department sucks ! "

2020 PRO · Jan 13, 2022

mic_sierra said: ↑

All fluids have a useful life. ALL FLUIDS!

The transmission being sealed changes nothing - other than making it more difficult for an owner to self-serve

30k - 60k miles is the general consensus for a rig although your use case may be different (heavy towing, a lot of off-roading in the desert, etc.)

Transmission fluid is cheap, transmissions are expensive. If it were me, I would never go back to that dealer & service department and I would let the service manager know why you will never be returning. Be courteous but firm and tell them you plan to have the same Tacoma at the 250,000 mile mark. I would change your differential fluid as well, if you haven't already.

If you have basic skills (can safely jack up a rig, crawl under and loosen a few nuts and have the right tools you can change your own tranny fluid (home tranny flush) and the differential fluid change is exponentially easier than the trans. Plenty of videos on YouTube and articles here on TW to walk you through doing that.

One thing to note with the trans... fluid will be in the torque converter so just draining the fluid will probably get you 1/3 of the actual fluid which is fine if you regularly change your fluid every 30k. With a flush you are going to go through more fluid because you are pushing new fluid through to force the old stuff out. This is why a flush is more expensive and you need to confirm with the service department that they actually flush the trans. Ask them how much fluid they are going to push through with the flush and see what they say.

I have, on more than one occasion, have had to politely tell the young person checking me in for service that I don't care what Toyota North America has to say about my oil change intervals - I am there to have the oil dropped and will pay out of pocket and it is not open for discussion. I also say that if that is an issue and the service manager doesn't want to make money off of me I am happy to visit a dealership that will perform the services I request. Polite but firm.

You CAN ABSOLUTELY do this yourself at home.

Edit: I found this video as well and this mech brings up a few things for you to consider (just a drain vs. a full flush and why a full flush may not be the best idea initially if you don't know your vehicle's full history). Food for thought.

https://youtu.be/gx5dU3UVcRs
Click to expand...

Thank you for the very informative response greatly appreciated !

HisDad · Jan 13, 2022

I have 42K on my 2019 SR5. That includes three trips from MA to SC, with two side trips from SC to Gatlinburg, TN.

Smacky2020 said: ↑

70k on a 2020, holy hell man do you drive that thing. I just turned over 10k on mine...

Spill and fill won't hurt it for sure and if you idle and/or tow a lot, 30k interval is probably right. 60k for everyone else. At this rate, I'll reach 60k in another 12 years.
Click to expand...

2020 PRO · Jan 13, 2022

Smacky2020 said: ↑

70k on a 2020, holy hell man do you drive that thing. I just turned over 10k on mine...

Spill and fill won't hurt it for sure and if you idle and/or tow a lot, 30k interval is probably right. 60k for everyone else. At this rate, I'll reach 60k in another 12 years.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response ..... yeah I drive roughly 45,000 miles a year for my job.....

YotaGangYotaGang · Jan 13, 2022

2020 PRO[OP] initial post: ↑

So I took my 2020 Tacoma pro in for an automatic transmission fluid change and was told by the service advisor it's a sealed unit and does not require changing..... however I was told by a different Toyota dealership it does need to be changed..... Can someone please clarify if it needs to be changed or not... I have read that it does and was told that it does..... My truck has 70,000 miles.
Click to expand...

“sir the new tacomas dont run on oil”

ShirtTucker · Jan 13, 2022

The "lifetime" fluid is BS. They figure you will have gotten rid of the truck before you hit higher mileage.

A lot of Toyota techs on YouTube recommend 60K changes, as does the manual, although it lists it under "severe duty".

I'd have it changed.

2020 PRO · Jan 13, 2022

To make matters worse I kid you not he then came out and said small problem my guy drained the motor oil so now you get a free oil change..... I'm thinking to myself I don't need a free oil change I need the freakin transmission fluid changed..... idiots.... And i just changed the oil last weekend..... I also asked him to put a senior technician on it for me guess that didn't happen either....

Murd3rd · Jan 13, 2022

2020 PRO[OP] said: ↑

To make matters worse I kid you not he then came out and said small problem my guy drained the motor oil so now you get a free oil change..... I'm thinking to myself I don't need a free oil change I need the freakin transmission fluid changed..... idiots.... And i just changed the oil last weekend..... I also asked him to put a senior technician on it for me guess that didn't happen either....
Click to expand...

I would now avoid that dealer like the friggin plague!!!

GoldenBrew · Jan 13, 2022

2020 PRO[OP] initial post: ↑

So I took my 2020 Tacoma pro in for an automatic transmission fluid change and was told by the service advisor it's a sealed unit and does not require changing..... however I was told by a different Toyota dealership it does need to be changed..... Can someone please clarify if it needs to be changed or not... I have read that it does and was told that it does..... My truck has 70,000 miles.
Click to expand...

your dealer is a joke. Yes it can be changed and done so easily. They must be a shop of morons. Find another shop or look for the thread in the 3rd gen section on how to do it yourself. Toyota says "life time" and sealed - but the truth is it can be drained and filled and at 100K miles your AFT is very likely to be shit brown and of little to no lubrication functionality. Don't take it to Jiffy Lube or equal - only a Toyota Specialty shop that know how to do Gen 3 work.

b_r_o · Jan 13, 2022

2020 PRO[OP] said: ↑

To make matters worse I kid you not he then came out and said small problem my guy drained the motor oil so now you get a free oil change..... I'm thinking to myself I don't need a free oil change I need the freakin transmission fluid changed..... idiots.... And i just changed the oil last weekend..... I also asked him to put a senior technician on it for me guess that didn't happen either....
Click to expand...

I've never heard of this

TDImark · Jan 13, 2022

316sherm said: ↑

Try this...
Click to expand...

On page 55 of 68 of the link to the maintenance guide, it does say, "Driving on dirt roads or dusty roads: Replace transfer case oil (4WD) Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis and body Driving while towing, using a car-top carrier, or heavy vehicle loading:8 Replace front differential oil (4WD) Replace rear differential oil Replace transfer case oil (4WD) Replace transmission fluid or oil."

RustyGreen · Jan 13, 2022

mic_sierra said: ↑

All fluids have a useful life. ALL FLUIDS!

The transmission being sealed changes nothing - other than making it more difficult for an owner to self-serve

30k - 60k miles is the general consensus for a rig although your use case may be different (heavy towing, a lot of off-roading in the desert, etc.)

Transmission fluid is cheap, transmissions are expensive. If it were me, I would never go back to that dealer & service department and I would let the service manager know why you will never be returning. Be courteous but firm and tell them you plan to have the same Tacoma at the 250,000 mile mark. I would change your differential fluid as well, if you haven't already.

If you have basic skills (can safely jack up a rig, crawl under and loosen a few nuts and have the right tools you can change your own tranny fluid (home tranny flush) and the differential fluid change is exponentially easier than the trans. Plenty of videos on YouTube and articles here on TW to walk you through doing that.

One thing to note with the trans... fluid will be in the torque converter so just draining the fluid will probably get you 1/3 of the actual fluid which is fine if you regularly change your fluid every 30k. With a flush you are going to go through more fluid because you are pushing new fluid through to force the old stuff out. This is why a flush is more expensive and you need to confirm with the service department that they actually flush the trans. Ask them how much fluid they are going to push through with the flush and see what they say.

I have, on more than one occasion, have had to politely tell the young person checking me in for service that I don't care what Toyota North America has to say about my oil change intervals - I am there to have the oil dropped and will pay out of pocket and it is not open for discussion. I also say that if that is an issue and the service manager doesn't want to make money off of me I am happy to visit a dealership that will perform the services I request. Polite but firm.

You CAN ABSOLUTELY do this yourself at home.

Edit: I found this video as well and this mech brings up a few things for you to consider (just a drain vs. a full flush and why a full flush may not be the best idea initially if you don't know your vehicle's full history). Food for thought.

https://youtu.be/gx5dU3UVcRs
Click to expand...

"Transmission fluid is cheap, transmissions are expensive."
^^^This^^^

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" My Dealerships service department sucks ! "

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Welcome to Tacoma World!

" My Dealerships service department sucks ! "

#21 2020 PRO [OP] Active Member

#22 HisDad Well-Known Member

#23 2020 PRO [OP] Active Member

#24 YotaGangYotaGang PreRunners are wannabe 4x4’s

#25 ShirtTucker Taco Tip Line: 248-434-5508

#26 2020 PRO [OP] Active Member

#27 Murd3rd I believe I Toyota harder than most

#28 GoldenBrew Insufficient Privilege

#29 b_r_o Gnar doggy

#30 TDImark Well-Known Member

#31 RustyGreen A breaker point guy in a Bluetooth world

Products Discussed in Entire Site Forum: 3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)

#21
2020 PRO [OP] Active Member

#22
HisDad Well-Known Member

#23
2020 PRO [OP] Active Member

#24
YotaGangYotaGang PreRunners are wannabe 4x4’s

#25
ShirtTucker Taco Tip Line: 248-434-5508

#26
2020 PRO [OP] Active Member

#27
Murd3rd I believe I Toyota harder than most

#28
GoldenBrew Insufficient Privilege

#29
b_r_o Gnar doggy

#30
TDImark Well-Known Member

#31
RustyGreen A breaker point guy in a Bluetooth world

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