2018 Tacoma suspected low tranny fluid

Yout right I knew there’s a chance it can damage if it’s over filled. The symtoms went away so It must have been low so it seems. But I guess the best possible way is to just offer to pay them to manually check. Either that or I’ll get a scan tool to check my self. Waiting till I pay some bills then I’ll see what I end up doing. One things for sure I noticed all day today was that it doesn’t hunt for 4th gear anymore it simply shifts smoothly. Before I added the quart it would definitely hunt for some gears. It would stay in 3.5k RPM for a while . Looking for the next gear.

 

All you need is a piece of wire.

 

But that could have just been it learning your driving pattern. And you don't need scan tool you need to physically check through one of the fill ports.

It cost me $50 to get mine checked. And I'm in Canada so shouldn't be much more or even that in the US

 

One of the problems with having the dealer check it is that you have to leave your truck at the dealer for a good part of a day or overnight to let the engine cool.

 

Just a quick update I changed out my front and rear diff fluid along with the transfer case fluid from the factory fluid that had the tiny metal flakes from the break in period. Put in fresh fluid And now if I go easy on her I’m getting almost 24mpg on the highway. Idk if it’s the computer messing with me but I didn’t see those numbers before the fluid change. I would see 21mpg tops... Moving forward every car I ever get now flushing out those factory fluids will be first on my lists of maintaining it. Picture Just barely getting off on the exit ramp.

 

Yesterday my dealer said there is no TSB for 2018, "If there was for previous years it would have been corrected for 2018."

We will wait and see because something isn't right IMO, and I'm lucky to have a brother with a '16 Sport who knows the difference of before and after.

 

Just a note i see you have 1000 miles so your truck is still in the break in period and your ECU is still learning and making fuel trims. Its normal to have increased mpg as you drive it more. The fluid change most likely had nothing to do with it.

 

I had my 2018 checked after noticing some of these symptoms at about 600 miles in and it was found to be ~3/4qt low. Mine is a DCSB TRD Off Road built in Texas

 

There we go . How did you get them to actually check? With me they always told me it’s good to go etc and it’s normal. you must have gotten a great service adviser.

 

YES

 

I've been wanting to check my transmission fluid level but I heard it was a very involved task, I read the PDF. Is what you did legit? If so, why? I'd like to try it but want to be sure.

 

Im no expert so Someone can please correct me if I'm wrong. By using a jumper wire in the obdii port etc.. it let's you know when the transmission temp hits the proper temp. ScanGuage can also read trans fluid temp so I don't see the difference.

 

There is no difference in terms of accuracy, some people just don’t have access to a scan gauge and have to go the more involved jumper wire route.

 

Using the jumper wire to activate temp mode isn't that involved. You can use a paper clip to jumper the two pins on the OBD connector and the shifting sequence you have to go through to activate temp mode takes less then a minute. Have to remember to remove the jumper once temp mode is activated.

 

Yea that’s what I meant by the more involved route. Scangauge you just turn the engine on and wait until it reads the required temp.

 

does anyone know if a OBD2 scan tool will provide trans temps?

i have a blutooth one that works with android Torque app

 

Pardon my ignorance, but where the hell is the fill plug and the drain plug located (do not want to unbolt the wrong plug)???

This is my first truck and I'm not very good with vehicle maintenance. I am at about 8,000 miles, and I would like to check my ATF level because I don't trust my dealership.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/attachm...nsmission-fluid_-adjustment_2016-pdf.1548543/

look at the link provided above has the procedure with an image of where the plug is - its a PITA to get to and i have NO IDEA how i would fill it if i found it was low

i did find that my Torque program does in fact provide transmission temp, just idle while i connected the tablet the temp got to 145 degrees.

 

Mine is Made in USA and was low. 4 times to the dealer and topping off the fluid only helped a bit.

 

You would use a fluid pump to fill. I didn’t find it too hard to access