2020 Transmission Fluid Check Plug GONE!

Truck went in for its 10k service 2 weeks before this incident. This is definitely on the dealer and or Toyota. Also I have progressive and they're not happy about what the dealership is trying to say. This truck has been in for its 5k and 10k services both at this dealer where I bought it. These guys are trying to weasel their way out of this. After some research I too see that this isnt a multi step process.

 

My guess is this is exactly what happened.

I’d even wager the 24mm fill plug is prolly loose as well.

 

Hmm
Are we talking about the overflow plug on the bottom of the transmission pan ?
That overflow bolt is installed and tightened when the truck is running and the transmission pump is supplying the necessary hydraulic circuits with fluid .
If you pull that overflow bolt out with the truck shut off , you get a crap load of fluid all over the floor because the transmission pump is no longer charging the hydraulic circuits . With the truck shut off , the transmission pan is massively overfilled since the pump is no longer spinning .
If the truck is in the off position with that bolt removed , chances are the op wont even be able to get the truck to move as he will be considerably low on fluid .
If someone left the overflow bolt loose and it fell out , the OP could retrace his steps to the last place he stopped . He should find a substantial oil patch on the ground where he parked . Look for oil patches at the dealership hehehe

 

Knowing that lube tech’s aren’t the most skilled people at most dealerships, perhaps they pulled the trans drain plug by mistake at your 10k service. They realized what they did, put it back in, topped off the fluid and didn’t put the check plug back in right.
I say look at the trans drain plug to see if there’s evidence it recently had a wrench on it.

 

If the plug was left loose ,I could see the plug falling out as he was driving the truck . The transmission fluid would essentially trickle out very slowly until he shut the truck off . That being said , the last place he stopped and turned the truck off ,there will be a lot of fluid on the ground. Chances of the truck moving after he shuts the truck off are slim to none

 

this is exactly what I suspect happened. I noticed when I was driving the shifting was a bit weird. I stopped for lunch. Got back in truck and it wouldn’t do into drive. Check engine light turned on and trac light turned on. Truck was stuck there till a tow came and got it. If someone had removed the plug before I started my initial drive it would have never initially moved right?

 

There is a better chance the overflow bolt fell out while you were driving the truck and the transmission started slowly dribbling fluid out as you drove .
The real evidence will be at the restaurant where you stopped for lunch . This is where the transmission pump stopped turning .
Go back to the restaurant where you had lunch and you should find most of your transmission fluid lubricating the restaurant owners parking lot.
Your truck is nice and new . Fill the transmission back up and you should be golden .Try and get free extended warranty on your driveline . Call Toyota corporate to get the wheels turning .

 

You are correct .
If someone pulled the plug with the truck shut off , you lose a massive amount of trans fluid . The truck may move a little , but you would definitely know something isn't rite .

 

what does the paper work say they did at the 10K service. if it says checked tranny fluid, bingo. other than that a greenhorn employee and removed the tranny fill plug by mistake, and did not tighten it.
10k service 2 weeks before this incident, that's got to be related.

 

Yes. kahanabob hit it.....check your service paperwork. It should indicate what was done at the 10K service.

This could be the lever you need to drive the repair and cost responsibility.

 

It will be interesting to hear what they say they checked at the 10k service. While they typically advertise checking all fluids, and you might get a sheet showing that tranny fluid is checked off, I have my doubts as to whether they ever actually check transmission fluid. If they say they do (or even if they say they don't), you can let them know that they are likely the only ones that have touched that plug since it left the factory and need to stand behind their work.

 

As most experienced mechanics will tell you, look for the obvious first. If something malfunctions on a vehicle, I ALWAYS ask if anything else was worked on recently. In OP's case, if the dealer had it for routine service, then this occurred, it would seem that is the obvious place to start to find your answer. Might be a tough case to prove. Most likely a tech would not openly admit to it, even if they were asked.

I had a painted black sport bike rim get scratched once at a dealership when getting a new tire mounted. It was obvious the tire tool slipped and ran down the rim when they were working on it. I cleaned and polished the rim thoroughly before taking it in, hoping they would be more careful with it. I bought this bike new as well, so I knew the history of the bike. They covered the scratch/gouge with paint from a paint pen likely and when I got it home I saw it immediately. I went back and talked with the manager and he even brought out the tech that changed the tire for me. He denied it happening and I ended up calling him a liar to his face. Manager gave me store credit for the cost of a rim.

Dealerships probably aren't putting their "best ASE certified techs" to work on oil changes, etc. Lots of stories on this forum and elsewhere about overtightened/stripped bolts, etc. I am not using my "free oil changes" there on my new truck.

 

Mechanical breakdown coverage. I had this when I first bought my truck. Pretty much what the warranty does not cover my insurance would . Lets say a $4500 transmission parts/labor and I would only pay $250 deductible for it all. Another example broken windshield $50 Everytime from safelight .

 

Well, if the tech forgot to tighten the plug, it's safe to say that they probably also forgot that they forgot. Last hand in the cookie jar. Their explanation makes no sense. I'd nicely explain this to them and see if they budge, and if not, open a case with Toyota. Those plugs don't just fall out, and there is no reason for anyone to be messing with it other than during maintenance. Guess who has done the maintenance?

 

^^^^BINGO^^^^ last guy that touched it didn't tighten OR simply didn't reinstall the plug...

 

OP indicated it was a check plug which requires a 5mm hex to remove the plug. Us shade tree mechanics wouldn’t get confused and remove THAT plug. We would mistakingly remove the DRAIN plug which you can do with a 14mm socket- which is the same for the engine oil drain plug.

I have an idea that will ELIMINATE making the tranny plug vs the engine completely go away. Install a Fumoto valve in the engine oil pan and you will NEVER make this mistake- unless you make it that very first time when you are installing it. Upon further thought, who is mistaking the bright red tranny fluid for engine oil? Those who make this mistake must have some really old, burnt and used up tranny fluid.

 

My dealer murdered 8 rims and didn’t say a thing. Scraped the powder coat off brand new OR rims and placed them in the replacement rim boxes face down on the protective sheet. The aftermarket wheels I switched to were also fucked up. They wanted to send them out for powder coat. Told them eat a dick, pay me. Toyota dealers are the grimiest SOBs in business. I mark everything and photograph everything that they touch. And when they bring my truck around in the service lane for me to pick up. I’ll block their incoming service cars while I’m under my truck putting my hands on everything. I can do everything they can. I expect it to be done right. And Toyota corporate could give two fucks about their customers. The dealer is trying to screw you

 

Ah. My bad on that one.

Yeah when I do my ATF I'm switching it to a SHCS instead of the hex head. Fool proof it that way instead - can't F it up if you don't even have the right tool in your oil change set.

Nobody is mistaking fluids. They're mistaking drain plugs and once you pull it and see red, there's no going back from that. You don't see the fluid color until it's too late

 

They Nascar whipped 3 lugs after a tire rotation and cross threaded 3 studs. On three different wheels so it's not like it was easy to fix. The service rep gave me a Stern "this isn't under warranty so it's not a warranty repair" no shit bro. It's not a Toyota warranty but your orangutans jacked it up and need to fix it.

To their credit they did. But I don't go to dealership service anymore. I did one more time and it was for a TSB software flash. Mechanically - they can pound sand.

 

Let me tell you a short story about Toyota dealerships near me...they swapped a slipping clutch in a 2wd second gen my buddy had, and a week later something failed again. Let's not also forget the rear main seal actually started leaking worse after this job. The dealership had the truck for three months before they screwed up even more and damaged the serviceable flywheel (we checked it out a few times while it was being "fixed") and made a simple clutch job a new rear main seal and everything else. I think they even broke a bell housing bolt or tab off the trans. Thank god it had a warranty and was shipped to a different dealer, but Toyota techs around me have to be the dumbest people ever. Not even I am ASE certified but I think I knew more about finding part numbers than the monkeys there. It leaves a foul taste when a truck brand you like has worse dealerships than a Mitsubishi shop.