3rd Gen Automatic Transmission Fluid Level Check DIY

True.

 

Probably not a good idea for me...mine doesn't get driven in a manner for heat to be a concern.
A couple questions I would ask myself if I was considering it are, 'how's that affect atf warming up' and 'does that have an appreciable affect on wear/tear'?
There's always pros/cons and they vary amongst users.

 

??? all good points. In the summer I am a fan. In the winter not so much. Lows in the 50's vs lows in the sub freezing are what I experience. Lots of unknowns that probably are knowns by some - however given the oddity the Gen3's seem to have nothing seems to be written in stone.

 

I tried something last time I was checking the ATF fluid level. I ran a clear hose (a good 5/8" internal diameter??, I'd have to go look) from the fill plug up into the engine bay and out near the antenna. Stuck a funnel into the hose and attached the funnel to the antenna with tape I think or something. This way I could pour the fluid from above into the transmission, I found it easier than laying on the ground trying to pump the ATF into the fill plug. I know, you still have to go under the truck to check the fluid level, again, it was easier for me.

 

2020+ does not use the jumper method, https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-level-check-diy.547455/page-12#post-22645913

 

Wish I did this sooner. Turns out I was about half a quart low after 27k miles on my 2018

 

Subbed for future reference.

 

Just checked my 2018 at 30k, thanks for the write up OP. This made it easy. Mine was not low on fluid. Seems to me like an unnecessary complicated process by Toyota, but what are you gonna do.

 

I’m with you there. Probably part of the agenda to make it harder for owners to work on their own vehicles.

 

I just bought my 2021 SR with 8 miles. I'm coming from a Scion Xb, this bring my first truck, are you guys still having low fluid issues? I commute 80 miles daily but I haven't felt any trans shifting issues.

 

I’m new to the forum as I recently purchased my first Tacoma—a 2021 Tacoma SR5. With just under 3k miles I felt my transmission was too sloppy shifting at low speeds, like others here have reported, and that it had even gotten worse since it was new. Often when I would slow down and not quite stop, and then accelerate, it would not be smooth. I took it to a dealer to cover myself and explained the symptoms and how a lot of people have come up low on fluid. I waited several hours only to be told, “it’s fine, the technician couldn’t replicate your concerns.”

So, today I did this check to ensure I had enough fluid... sure enough, I was about a 1/3 of a quart low! Tested the truck this evening and it shifted much better! I’m so happy I did this, though I hadn’t thought this would be my first “mod”!

A big thank you to @rowsdower for the original post, @mattleg for the update for 2020+ Tacoma’s, and all the others who contributed to the thread, because I read it all!

 

This post reminds me why I got a manual trans

 

I was told by the local Toyota dealer that the early gen III temperature range for trans. fluid level check is 95°F-113°F. I have a ScanGauge II so can I use that to determine the correct fluid temp. as opposed to the whole jumper/flashing shift indicator, etc., etc., etc. thing? Also, I'm a little confused as to the sequence of changing gears during the whole procedure. Can anyone clarify as to when and exactly how that needs to be done?

I should have bought a Taco with a manual transmission!!

 

I forgot about this! So I pinned my thermostat recently (month or so), temps don't seem to change, in fact they might be a little worse, as the air has "less" time to interact with the hot oil.

 

odd, but if the results say that is the case then it must be possible. I also have a Hayden Trans. cooler I added to the OEM Tow cooler. If pinning the thermostat did not add any benefit and in some cases made it worse you would wonder about the entire system design. I just came back from a trip towing the camper over the mountain passes - transmission temp on longest grades over 10,000 never got above 190 and it was unseasonably hot - about 90 air temp - not hot like your part of the country though.

 

I wonder if there's some small variable that causes mine to run hot. Like a burr interrupting fluid flow in an elbow somewhere. I might get a bigger / better trans cooler. Mine is just tube n fin. Idk how efficient it is.

ETA: that pic is from driving down the freeway here. No load about 80mph

 

I installed a TruCool LPD 4490 which TruCool rates at 22,000# and 20,000 BTU's and I'm still seeing trans. temps. of over 200°F. I also was thinking maybe there was something impeding flow to the cooler but I've stopped abruptly and popped the hood when I've seen temps over 200° and the cooler itself was hot as were the lines running to it. That would indicate that the cooler is actually doing it's job. I left the factory cooler in line and it's also plenty hot. I was hoping for much, much lower temps.

 

U live where it's hot as well? My cooler is definitely doing it's job, I can feel the temp difference between the upper and lower rad line, I think at certain points it just overwhelms the whole system.

 

I’ve used the paper clip jumper method several times now and it’s super easy, but lots have used the scan gauge successfully. The shifting sequence in the first post sounds tricky until you do it. It’s really easy. Just make sure when you make the fist shift down from P to S that you ensure you stay there for a full second. Don’t rush to the next shift. Once you do it successfully you’ll see it’s very easy.

 

I'm in north-central Illinois and we're seeing daytime highs of upper 80's, lower 90's.

I too can feel the temperature difference between the inlet line and the outlet line, so yes, it's obvious that the cooler is extracting heat from the fluid.

These Toyota transmissions are obviously designed to run much hotter than some others. I have a ScanGauge II on a late model Ford F-250 Super Duty and I've yet to see trans. fluid temps over 185°F. I tow heavy with the F-250 about 80% of it's yearly mileage so it has ample opportunity to get hot. I realize the two vehicles are engineered differently and are designed for much different usage but that is a stark difference.

I get nervous when I see the Taco trans. temps. spike up to over 200° when the Ford is comfortably at 175° pulling 6 tons!!